Arts & Entertainment
Tranquility at the beach
Burned out on the Big Apple, gay couple relocates to run Delaware B&B
The Towers Bed & Breakfast
mispillion.com
302-422-3814
101 NW Front St.
Milford, DE 19963
David Rule and Christopher Clawson at the Towers. (Blade photo by Michael Key)
Many people think about leaving behind the chaos of the city to find a quieter life near the beach, but few follow through with that dream for more than a weekend. Gay couple Christopher Clawson and David Rule left their busy lives in New York City to start over in the sleepy Delaware town of Milford, working as innkeepers at the Towers Bed & Breakfast.
Clawson and Rule met in their native Michigan but moved to New York together. Clawson worked at a church while Rule had a career in commercial marketing. They both acclimated to city life.
“I loved living in the city,” Rule says, “but I needed a change.”
Clawson agrees.
“We really wanted to slow down after having lived in the city. My commute to work was technically only a few miles, but it would take forever to get there. I couldn’t stand the constant typing on phones and texting. We would get home at 7 p.m. after work and would be too tired to do anything — and it would be too late to do anything anyway.”
A few clicks later on Craigslist, Clawson and Rule found Dan and Rhonda Bond, the overworked owners of the Towers Bed & Breakfast. The Bonds were looking for more hands to manage their inn as they concentrated on their other businesses and the renovation of their own home. Following an interview, the Bonds knew they had found what they were looking for in Clawson and Rule. The city couple packed their bags and moved to Milford to start their new lives as innkeepers.
“It takes a certain type of temperament to manage a B&B,” Dan Bond says. “Chris and David are a perfect fit for this kind of work.”
Indeed, Clawson and Rule seem to have been fully accepted into the community since they relocated in April. Rule, finally able to commit more time to his painting, is showing some of his work at a local art gallery two blocks away from the Towers. As his neighbors browse his work, Rule says, “Everyone here is so nice. The people of Milford have really embraced us.”
“We’re kind of the token gay couple here,” Clawson says.
The couple plans to buy the LadyBug Store across the street from the Towers in January, further cementing their place in the local community. They’re even thinking about buying a bed and breakfast of their own one day.
“I’m loving working here now, but when we were first thinking of getting into the business, we wanted to make sure that it was something that we could do, so it is a good thing to start out as innkeepers,” Clawson says.
“I figured, we could always move back to the city if it didn’t work out, but I love being so close to the beach,” Rule says.
Milford is a small town filled with historic buildings and quaint shops and is only a 40-minute drive from Rehoboth Beach. While Milford’s downtown can be explored in one lazy afternoon, the Towers Bed & Breakfast is a great place for travelers to avoid the crowds at the hotels along the boardwalk and find a more intimate and elegant place to stay. Originally built in the late 18th century, the home was once owned by a governor of Delaware and is now open to guests nearly year round.
The Victory Fund held its National Champagne Brunch at the Ritz-Carlton on Sunday, April 27. Speakers included Tim Gunn, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Gov. Wes Moore (D-Md.), Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) and Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.).
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Music & Concerts
Tom Goss returns with ‘Bear Friends Furever Tour’
Out singer/songwriter to perform at Red Bear Brewing Co.
Singer Tom Goss will bring his “Bear Friends Furever Tour” to D.C. on Sunday, June 8 at 8 p.m. at Red Bear Brewing Co.
Among the songs he will perform will be “Bear Soup,” the fourth installment in his beloved bear song anthology series. Following fan favorites like “Bears,” “Round in All the Right Places,” and “Nerdy Bear,” this high-energy, bass-thumping banger celebrates body positivity, joyful indulgence, and the vibrant spirit of the bear subculture.
For more details, visit Tom Goss’s website.
Friday, May 2
“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Social in the City” at 7 p.m. at P.F. Chang’s. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, May 3
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
LGBTQ People of Color Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgment free. There are all sorts of activities like watching movies, poetry events, storytelling, and just hanging out with others. For more information and events for LGBTQ People of Color, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.
Sunday, May 4
“The Chateau Drag Brunch” will be at 12 p.m. at Chicatana. Enjoy fabulous Mexican food and cocktails while being entertained by a rotating cast of the DMV’s best drag performers. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
“The Bubble: Queer Brooklyn Comics in DC” will be at 5 p.m. at As You Are. Queer comedians Charlie Flynn, Evan Lazarus and Keara Sullivan are coming down from NYC for a night of fun as they split an hour of standup comedy. For more details, visit Eventbrite.
Monday, May 5
“Center Aging Monday Coffee & Conversation” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].
Tuesday, May 6
Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more details, email [email protected].
Wednesday, May 7
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older queer women can meet and socialize with one another. We will have discussion, activities, and a chance for you to share what you want future events to include. For more details, email [email protected].
Thursday, May 8
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. To be fair with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga with Sarah M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breath work, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s website.
South Asian Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The peer support group is an outlet for South Asian-identified LGBTQ individuals to come and talk about anything affecting them. It’s a secure, judgment-free environment to discuss relationships, sexuality, health, well-being, identity, culture, religion, or anything that is on your mind. For more details, email [email protected].
Australian prime minister re-elected
Va. LG opposed marriage equality affirmation bill in handwritten note
PDAB: A mysterious acronym that could affect your health
I make more money than my partner and getting resentful
D.C. liquor board extends drinking hours for WorldPride
TRAITOR: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has blood on his hands
Potential Pope Francis successor views homosexuality as an ‘abomination’
Jacob Elordi rides high in ‘On Swift Horses’
Liberal Party wins Canadian election
