Arts & Entertainment
Jaleo turns 20
Spanish tapas restaurant has renovated décor, creative offerings
Jaleo, newly renovated, features a bounty of exquisite tapas. (Photo courtesy of Jaleo)
A couple of weeks ago my mother was passing through Washington on a night when I was planning on prepping for a column. My mother knows me as the picky child who refused to try anything new and wiped peas off noodles in her pasta carbonara before eating it.
So, I thought having a meal with her son who tries all sorts of new foods and writes about them could be fun. That is when I remembered that Jaleo (480 7th Street NW) had been renovated semi-recently and was celebrating its 20th year in D.C. I texted my mother with the suggestion, letting here know it was a Spanish tapas-style restaurant, and when she responded with, “Oh, sounds good,” I made the reservation.
Jaleo is a Spanish word that means revelry and fun and you feel this festive spirit the moment you step into this redesigned space, from the foosball dining tables to the murals on the wall. The restaurant is full of bold colors and sleek furnishings and the artwork clearly embodies the meaning of the work jaleo. This playful space was truly pleasurable to dine in.
For drinks we decided on the sangria de cava, which is a whole bowl of sangria mixed tableside. The sangria was sweet, fresh and an excellent pairing for the food that followed. Our first course would be a selection of cheeses and an assortment of cured iberico meats. The manchego, one of my favorites, was tangy and served with compressed apples in muscatel and the cana de cabra was a luscious goat cheese served with a delectable fig jam. The iberico meats were fresh delicate slices of meat from the legendary acorn-fed black-footed iberico pigs of Spain. It was a great way to start the meal.
As we finished our first course we decided on a few other items to order, including the “setas al ajillo con la serena,” which are sautéed seasonal mushrooms in a cheese potato puree and a plate of seared piquillo peppers stuffed with goat cheese. Both dishes were brilliant but the perfectly prepared mushrooms in the rich, fluffy potato puree were a favorite. Then the dates wrapped in bacon arrived; this was a superb rich and sweet combination. Another item in this course, which did not want to be overshadowed by the bacon wrapped date, was the chorizo wrapped in crispy potato, which was scrumptious.
The seafood portion of the menu was up next. I made sure we ordered the “Gambas al Ajillo,” described as the “very, very famous tapa of shrimp sautéed in garlic.” We also ordered the seared scallop and the jumbo lump crabmeat salad. While the shrimp may have been the “famous tapa,” and it was enjoyed, it was not the winning item in our opinion.
That was a tie between the other two tapas: the scallop with pine nuts and Pedro Ximenez, each amazing. They were cooked perfectly, smooth and tender with a hint of sweetness and they melted in your mouth. The cold lump crabmeat salad with cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes in a brandy sauce was crisp and refreshing. We tried a few other dishes on the menu including the brussel sprout special. My mother discovered she liked them, though I still think they look and taste like alien eyeballs. Each dish that arrived at the table was very good, some were extraordinary and many more piqued our interest, so another visit may soon be in order.
With the savory portion of the night behind us, we tried a couple items off the dessert menu. With our waiter’s assistance we decided on two desserts: the Manzanas “Carlota” al PX and the Gin and Tonic sorbet, Jose Andres favorite cocktail made into a dessert. The apples Charlotte was a delicious option, however at least in the opinion of the four of us at the table, gin and tonic should remain a drink not a dessert.
When all was said and done, Jose Andres and his head chef at Jaleo D.C. Paul Yeck deliver an excellent dining experience in an energetic atmosphere. All our courses were luscious, the company was entertaining and my mother appreciated her meal. So, whether you are dining with mom or friends, Jaleo is a worthwhile flavor adventure and the food is just part of the fun.
Friday, March 27
Center Aging Monthly Luncheon With Yoga will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Dupont Italian Kitchen. This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Trans and Genderqueer Game Night will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a relaxing, laid-back evening of games and fun. All are welcome and there’ll be card and board games on hand. Feel free to bring your own games to share. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This event is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, email [email protected].
Saturday, March 28
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.
The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Sunday Supper on Saturday” at 2 p.m. It’s more than just an event; it’s an opportunity to step away from the busyness of life and invest in something meaningful, and enjoy delicious food, genuine laughter, and conversations that spark connection and inspiration. For more details, visit the Center’s website.
Black Lesbian Support Group will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. This is a peer-led support group devoted to the joys and challenges of being a Black Lesbian. For more details, email [email protected].
Monday, March 30
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” 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 information, contact Adam ([email protected]).
“Tea Time! A Local DC Drag Comedy Show” will be at 3 p.m. at Spark Social. This is a live drag comedy show where drag legends TrevHER & Tiara Missou Sidora host spill all the tea in the DMV. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Tuesday, March 31
Visibili-TEA Party will be at 6 p.m. at Restoration Station. Guests are encouraged to come sip, celebrate, and shine together. This event is a Trans Day of Visibility celebration and a special collaboration between Auntie’s Home and Damien Ministries. This is a boozy tea party with intention and the dress code reflects the vibe. More details are available on Eventbrite.
Wednesday, March 1
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. 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.
Thursday, April 2
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. 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 Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Unconventional Diner will host “Cherry Blossom Drag Bingo Party” on Friday, April 3, at 6:30 p.m.
Guests will be treated to an unforgettable night of drag performances, bingo, food and drink and prizes. Highlights of the evening include themed cocktails, drag performances and bingo prizes.
Tickets can be secured via Resy.
Sports
New IOC policy bans trans women from Olympics
New regulation to be in effect at 2028 summer games in Los Angeles
The International Olympic Committee on Thursday announced it will not allow transgender women from competing in female events at the Olympics.
“For all disciplines on the Sports Program of an IOC event, including individual and team sports, eligibility for any Female Category is limited to biological females,” reads the new policy.
The policy states “eligibility for the Female Category is to be determined in the first instance by SRY Gene screening to detect the absence or presence of the SRY Gene.”
“On the basis of the scientific evidence, the IOC considers that the SRY (sex-determining Region Y) Gene is fixed throughout life and represents highly accurate evidence that an athlete has experienced or will experience male sex development,” it reads. “Furthermore, the IOC considers that SRY Gene screening via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample is unintrusive compared to other possible methods. Athletes who screen negative for the SRY gene permanently satisfy this policy’s eligibility criteria for competition in the Female Category.”
The policy states the test “will be a once-in-a-lifetime test” unless “there is reason to believe a negative reading is in error.”
The new regulation will be in place for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
“I understand that this a very sensitive topic,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry on Thursday in a video. “As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition.”
“The policy that we have announced is based on science and it has been led by medical experts with the best interests of athletes at its heart. The scientific evidence is very clear: male chromosomes give performance advances in sport that rely on strength, power, or endurance,” she added. “At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe.”
(Video courtesy of the IOC)
Laurel Hubbard, a weightlifter from New Zealand, in 2021 became the first trans woman to compete at the Olympics.
Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, won a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Khelif later sued JK Rowling and Elon Musk for cyberstalking after they questioned her gender identity.
Ellis Lundholm, a mogul skier from Sweden, this year became the first openly trans athlete to compete in any Winter Olympics when he participated in Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy.
President Donald Trump in February 2025 issued an executive order that bans trans women and girls from female sports teams in the U.S.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee last July banned trans women from competing in female sporting events. Republican lawmakers have demanded the IOC ban trans athletes from women’s athletic competitions.
“I’m grateful the Olympics finally embraced the common sense policy that women’s sports are for women, not for men,” said U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on X.
An IOC spokesperson on Thursday referred the Washington Blade to the press release that announced the new policy.
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