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Cupid ain’t stupid

Valentine’s Day gifts with a gay twist

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Homoquotables Greeting Cards, gay news, Washington Blade

By MIKEY ROX

Christmas just ended, but the next gift-giving holiday is already upon us. The best thing about Valentine’s Day, however, is that it really is the thought that counts. (People lie about that at Christmastime, ya know.)

To help you pick the perfect gift for your sweetie this Valentine’s Day, here’s our list of fun and frisky ideas that they’ll love to unwrap.

Bear My Secrets Teddy Bear

Bear My Secrets Teddy Bear, Valentine's Gift Guide, gay news, Washington Blade

Bear My Secrets Teddy Bear

Don’t let this cuddly couture teddy bear fool you. Inside its plush tummy are all the ingredients you’ll need for a night of passion, including candles, satin rose petals, edible love dust, a body massager, warming love oil, lube and a feather all nestled neatly within a small satin bag. To get to the contents, your main squeeze will have to use an included key on the heart-shaped lock. Bear My Secrets bears are available in girl and boy versions, identified by a purple headband or bowtie, respectively. ($96.69; bearmysecrets.com)

Image3D Viewers

Give your significant other a blast from the past this Valentine’s Day with a View-Master-style viewer and reel from Image3D. Pick and choose from your favorite photos to create a custom reel that will preserve seven of your most memorable images in just a few clicks. After you’ve selected the winning pics, you can edit them online and add 3-D captions that will appear on the final thumbnails. An option also is available to have viewers imprinted with text to commemorate the special occasion and year. Viewer colors include classic red, black, blue and white. ($24.95; image3D.com)

School of Wash Custom Fragrance

What’s that smell? Whatever you want it to be when you replace your partner’s store-bought fragrance with a custom concoction of pleasant aromas from School of Wash. The combinations are endless with fresh scents like Christmas tree, cucumber, lavender vanilla and mojito, which are paired with essential oils that include anise, lemongrass and rosemary, among many other options. Sow and Sow Man Pick-A-Scent handmade perfumes and colognes are available for men and women, and come in 1 ounce, 2.5 ounce, 4 ounce, and 8 ounce personalized aluminum spritzers. ($9-$16.50; schoolofwash.com)

Homoquotables Greeting Cards

Homoquotables Greeting Cards, gay news, Washington Blade

Homoquotables Greeting Cards

Skip the Hallmarks this year and say “I Love You” with Homoquotables, artistic greeting cards for gay couples in love. Memorable and historic quotes about love — from visionaries that run the gamut from Helen Keller to Trey Parker and Matt Stone — are paired with elegant and romantic original black-and-white images of same-sex couples just like you. Homoquotables is the brainchild of Colorado-based designer Dan McLellan, who shares his life with his husband Michael and their two kids. ($3; homoquotables.com)

JUARA Skincare Romancing the Candlenut Kit

Rub-a-dub-dub, hop in the tub! You and your lover can enjoy the ultimate in luxurious and relaxing one-on-one time with JUARA Skincare’s Romancing the Candlenut Kit, a skin-softening four-piece ritual that takes a sexy soak from ordinary to extraordinary. Inspired by the beauty secrets of Bali and infused with velvety candlenut oil, this elegant kit includes candlenut soap, body polish, body crème and perfume oil that will whisk you away to your own private paradise. ($30; juaraskincare.com)

Mastrad Ceramic Chocolate Fondue Set

Mastrad Ceramic Chocolate Fondue Set, Valentine's Gift Guide, gay news, Washington Blade

Mastrad Ceramic Chocolate Fondue Set

Melt your partner’s heart and a heaping helping of ooey-gooey chocolate with the Ceramic Chocolate Fondue Set from Mastrad Orka. The set comes with everything you’ll need to feed each other sweet treats, including a fondue pot, warming stand, four fondue forks (just in case you want to share with friends) and a candle. Don’t be afraid to get creative, either — this chocolate fondue set works just as well in the dining room as it does in the boom-boom room. ($17.99; shopmastrad.com)

Proposition Love Jewelry

If you’re thinking about popping the question this Valentine’s Day, consider a set of “enGAYgement” rings from Proposition Love Fine Jewelry, which features a line of eclectic bands inspired by gay rights and marriage equality. All the rings in the Prop Love collection are made of high-quality materials, including 14K white and yellow gold, platinum and diamonds. A portion of the proceeds from each ring is donated to pro-equality organizations. Engraving options also are available. Jewelry designer Sam Street, who married his partner Jonathan in San Francisco in 2008, founded Proposition Love in 2011. ($275-$3,210; propositionlove.com)

FreeBeneath Robes

FreeBeneath Robes, Valentine's Gift Guide, gay news, Washington Blade

FreeBeneath Robes

Encourage your lovebug to slip into something more comfortable for your romantic nights at home with The Original FreeBeneath, a stylish new take on the classic bathrobe. Instead of a cloth belt to close the robe like on conventional versions, The Original FreeBeneath is a pullover robe that allows wearers to let it all hang loose while staying confident that they’re completely covered up. FreeBeneath robes comes in a variety of fabrics and colors and in the two years since the family-owned company’s launch they’ve gained a robust celeb following and interest from some of the world’s top spas and resorts. ($79-$129; freebeneath.com)

Lovoka Liqueur

Put a cork in the wine this year and reach for something with a bit more punch. Lovoka, the first 60-proof liqueur to debut in the United States, is made from the finest triple-distilled vodka and delicately infused with a rich, buttery caramel essence. Liquid gold, you might even say. Lovoka is divine on the rocks, mixed with after-dinner coffee, or poured all over your partner. Bottoms up. ($27.99; lovokausa.com)

Pengallan Slim-Fit Boxers

Pengallan Slim-Fit Boxers, Valentine's Gift Guide, gay news, Washington Blade

Pengallan Slim-Fit Boxers

Skip the requisite skimpy skivvies and opt for more flattering, freeing underwear to gift this Valentine’s Day. Pengallan Slim-Fit Boxers feature a flat-front waist, contoured seat design to counteract the “riding up” effect, side vents on the outseam of each leg for greater mobility and range of motion, and a button closure in the front — truly as close as you’ll get to a bespoke boxer without a tailor. There are 10 dapper styles from which to choose, including solids, stripes, plaids and gingham. If you’ve got a guy who likes to look great even in the items that most people won’t see, Pengallan are the perfect present — that you can both enjoy. ($80; pengallan.com)

Adult Loaded Questions

Turn your couples’ V-Day celebration into a night of unexpected admissions with Adult Loaded Questions, the irreverent and off-the-wall board game that features 300 suggestively silly questions. Your party guests will get a kick out of queries like: “What is a sure sign you are dating a psycho?,” “If you were an adult film star, what would be your screen name?” and “What television show would you watch if it included full nudity?” By the time the game is over, you’ll all be a little bit closer, for better or worse. ($24.99; familyandpartygames.com)

Out Colors Jewelry

Out Colors Jewelry, Valentine's Gift Guide, gay news, Washington Blade

Out Colors Jewelry

Not ready to put a ring on it? Take your time, and in the meantime consider another piece of sentimental jewelry from Out Colors. This gay-owned online jeweler features an array of pendants, bracelets, necklaces and watches that can be personalized with your favorite photos. For those who aren’t partial to jewelry, Out Colors also offers a wide selection of other keepsakes, including apparel, crystal accessories and home-art items like woven tapestries, canvases, matte-finish posters and wall murals. ($9.95-$2,771.95; outcolors.com)

Love By Robot T-Shirts

Make that hot nerd in your life swoon over the geek-chic Love By Robot T-shirt that features an adorable android who proudly wears his heart on his cold, steely chest. Ts are available for men and women and come in grey or glow-in-the-dark black. ($25; lovebyrobot.com)

Love Is Art

Love Is Art, Valentine's Gift Guide, gay news, Washington Blade

Love Is Art

Take a pass on the limited-edition prints this year and pursue a more personalized route with a Love is Art kit. Each kit is equipped with all the materials you’ll need to make an abstract expressionistic masterpiece with your partner in the most intimate way possible using your bodies. When the piece is complete, it can be stretched, framed, and hung on the wall as a reminder of your love and commitment to one another for years to come. Kits are available in myriad themes (like wedding or equality) and colors to match your décor. ($60-$110; loveisartkit.com)

Mikey Rox is an award-winning journalist and blogger who lives in New York City with his husband and their two dogs. Follow him on Twitter @mikeyrox.

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Autos

A cheeky convertible: Mercedes CLE 450

Riding the freeway of love with the top down and spirits up

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Mercedes CLE 450 convertible

“Drop the top, baby!… Drop the pedal and go!”So croons Aretha Franklin in “Freeway of Love,” her classic song about a joyride in a pink Cadillac convertible. 

Those free-spirited lyrics came to mind recently each time I got behind the wheel of an equally exquisite ride: the Mercedes CLE 450. 

MERCEDES CLE 450 CONVERTIBLE 

$76,000

MPG: 23 city/32 highway

0 to 60 mph: 4.2 seconds

Cargo space: 9.6 cu. ft. 

PROS: Dreamy design. Divine handling. Dazzling amenities. 

CONS: Cramped cargo area. Kinda impractical for everyday driving.   

IN A NUTSHELL: Who needs two fine open-top chariots when one fabulous convertible will do? That seems to be the thinking at Mercedes, which recently replaced two of its cabriolets—the compact C-Class and midsize E-Class—with the brand-new CLE 450.  

While the wheelbase is a wee bit shorter than on the outgoing E-Class model, the CLE is longer overall than either of its two former siblings. The result: more legroom than expected, especially for anyone in the front seats. Even backseat occupants may feel comfy (OK, perhaps not Brittney Griner or Carl Nassib, but still…).  

Alas, trunk space is slightly scrunched, thanks to the folding fabric roof. But that power-operated top—available in black, gray or red—can be raised and lowered with the car traveling at speeds up to 37 mph. And the triple-layer acoustic material provides excellent insulation and greatly reduces outside noise. In fact, I often had to remind myself this was the CLE convertible and not the hardtop coupe. 

There’s also a wind-deflector apparatus that, when activated, elevates airflow off the windshield and reduces backflow with a rear mesh screen. For added pampering, an AIRSCARF system lives up to its name, sending warm air onto the necks of front-seat passengers. (Don’t tell my husband, but I felt like an invisible suitor was wooing me, seductively blowing kisses my way.)

Convertibles usually are not as structurally rigid as their hardtop counterparts. But here again, Mercedes works its magic: The chassis—made of aluminum and high-strength steel—is so incredibly stiff that there’s absolutely no shake and shimmy. This solid body structure also provides for a safe vehicle shell. 

Under the hood, there’s a spirited 375-hp turbo engine, augmented by grippy all-wheel drive and a graceful nine-speed automatic transmission. As a crazed soccer fan, I think it’s not too much of a stretch to say the driving experience combines the speed, sass and savvy of a star athlete (think Megan Rapinoe). 

Inside, there are plenty of premium styling cues, as well a glitzy dashboard with 12.3-inch digital cluster and 11.9-inch multimedia touchscreen. Yes, the CLE borrows heavily from the C-Class and E-Class. But somehow—perhaps because of the low ground clearance and multi-contour seats (which include heating, ventilation and massage functions)—this cabin feels and functions more like a true cockpit. 

Along with all the driver-assistance features, there are 11 airbags (including rear head airbags), pop-up roll bars and a drowsy-driver alert monitor. In case of an impending crash, an accident-preparedness system immediately tightens seatbelts, adjusts seats and closes windows.  

I could go on about all the amenities, including a 17-speaker Burmester surround-sound stereo, the 64-color ambient-lighting system and more. But why bother? This is a Mercedes, after all, so you expect such babying. 

What wasn’t expected? How much I keep missing this beauty after my weeklong test drive ended. It’s not as if soft-tops are practical, like minivans and SUVs. And two-door rides—coupes or cabrios—now account for less than 4% of all new-vehicle sales. 

But Aretha would have understood. Classy convertibles, like her pink Caddy and the Mercedes CLE 450, represent open-air freedom and the promise of adventure. 

“So jump in, it ain’t no sin. Take a ride in my machine.”

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Real Estate

Pride, patriotism, and prosperity

Real estate plays role in honoring servicemembers’ legacy

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(Photo by 1photo/Bigstock)

As the calendar turns to late May and early June, several powerful movements and celebrations converge in a profound and colorful tapestry of remembrance, Pride, and progress. 

Memorial Day in the United States honors the sacrifices of military personnel who gave their lives in service. Simultaneously, WorldPride and Black Pride commemorate both the historical struggles and enduring strength of LGBTQ+ communities worldwide. 

Though these observances may seem distinct, they share powerful commonalities — solemnity, resilience, and the pursuit of equity. When viewed through the lens of real estate and community development, their intersection reveals the critical importance of space, ownership, and inclusion.

Memorial Day is more than a barbecue, a long weekend, or the unofficial start of summer. It is a solemn remembrance of those who laid down their lives for the ideals of freedom and democracy. Many of these fallen heroes came from marginalized backgrounds, including a rainbow of LGBTQ+ Americans who served valiantly, often without recognition or equal rights at home.

LGBTQ+ service members have fought in silence for decades, only gaining the right to serve openly in recent years and then having that opportunity for some individuals snatched back simply because of who they are. Memorial Day is a chance not only to honor their service but also as a reminder of the injustices they endured.

Real estate plays a role in their legacy. For decades, returning veterans used the GI Bill to buy homes and build generational wealth; however, discriminatory practices like redlining and restrictive covenants denied Black veterans the same opportunities, contributing to the racial wealth gap that persists today. Similarly, LGBTQ+ veterans and their partners often faced housing discrimination with little legal recourse. These systemic barriers underscore how access to safe and equitable housing is part of the fight for justice.

Black Pride events emerged in response to racism within the broader LGBTQ+ movement, asserting that Black queer lives matter and deserve visibility. Held in cities across the globe, Black Pride is not just a festival — it is a political and cultural declaration. It amplifies voices at the intersection of race and sexuality, advocating for people who are disproportionately impacted by housing insecurity and gentrification. 

Many urban neighborhoods that were once cultural havens for queer communities are being transformed by rising rents and redevelopment. While revitalization can bring economic opportunity, it must be done equitably, with safeguards in place to ensure that long-standing residents are not displaced. Real estate, in this context, becomes a tool for resistance and renewal.

WorldPride, a global event celebrating LGBTQ+ rights and visibility, is hosted by a different city every few years. It draws millions of participants, shines an international spotlight on LGBTQ+ issues, and highlights disparities in rights and protections worldwide. In countries where queer identities are criminalized, safe housing can be a matter of life and death. 

Even in more progressive regions, LGBTQ+ individuals often face subtle yet persistent discrimination from landlords, real estate agents, and lending institutions. In the real estate industry, advocacy groups are working to increase representation, offer training, define ethical responsibilities, and advocate for inclusive policies to ensure housing is truly accessible to all.

The convergence of WorldPride with Memorial Day and Black Pride invites deeper reflection: What kind of world are we building in memory of those who came before? How can we ensure that freedom, the very principle so many fought and died for, includes the right to live openly and securely, regardless of race, gender, or sexuality?

The real estate industry has a unique role in shaping the future. From urban planning to homeownership policy, to income-based downpayment grants, it directly influences who has access to stability and opportunity. 

Developers, policymakers, and community leaders must work together to address housing disparities. This includes funding affordable housing, protecting tenants from discrimination, and investing in communities that have been historically excluded. It also means respecting cultural legacies and ensuring that neighborhoods reflect the diversity of the people who live in them.

Memorial Day reminds us of the cost of freedom. International Pride events remind us that the fight for freedom is ongoing. As we honor the fallen, let us also honor the living – those who continue to fight for their right to exist, to love, and to call a place home. Whether waving a flag at a Pride parade, laying a wreath at a soldier’s grave, or signing a first-time homebuyer agreement, these moments are connected by the enduring belief that everyone deserves dignity, safety, and a place to belong.

Valerie M. Blake is a licensed Associate Broker in DC, MD & VA with RLAH @properties. Call or text her at (202) 246-8602, email her at DCHomeQuest.com, or follow her on Facebook at TheRealst8ofAffairs

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Real Estate

Tips for buying a house in Rehoboth Beach

And why it’s a great fit for the LGBTQ community

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Rehoboth Beach, Del. (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a charming beach house where flip-flops are considered formalwear and sunsets are your daily entertainment, Rehoboth Beach, Del., might just be your dream come true. It’s not just a beautiful coastal town—it’s also a long celebrated safe haven and vibrant hub for the LGBTQ community. Let’s dive into why Rehoboth Beach is a fabulous choice and how to make a savvy beach house purchase.

Why Rehoboth Is a Vibe (especially for the LGBTQ community)

1. A Welcoming, Inclusive Community

Rehoboth Beach has been lovingly nicknamed the “Nation’s Summer Capital,” and it’s not just because of its proximity to D.C. For decades, Rehoboth has built a reputation as a warm, inclusive, and LGBTQ-friendly destination. From gay-owned businesses to LGBTQ events and nightlife, this is a town where you can truly be yourself.

2. Packed Social Calendar

Poodle Beach, the LGBTQ beach hangout just south of the boardwalk, is always buzzing in the summer. Events like Rehoboth Beach Bear Weekend, Women’s FEST, and CAMP Rehoboth’s myriad of social and wellness events bring people together all year round. That’s right—you’ll never be bored here unless you want to be.

3. Small Town Charm Meets Big City Culture

You get art galleries, drag brunches, live theater, eclectic cuisine, and adorable boutiques—basically everything your soul craves—without the chaos and crowds of major cities. It’s quaint but never boring. Think: Key West vibes with a Delaware zip code.

Tips for Buying Your Dream Beach House 

1. Know Your Budget and Think Long Term. Beachfront and near-beach properties come at a premium. Expect to pay a bit more for proximity to the sand and ocean views. 

2. Choose Your Neighborhood Wisely. Do you want to be walking distance from the action on the boardwalk? Or do you prefer something more secluded in areas like North Shores or Henlopen Acres?

3. Rental Potential. If you’re not living there full time, your beach house could work overtime as a vacation rental. Rehoboth Beach has a healthy short-term rental market, especially in peak summer. Often times LGBTQ travelers actively seek inclusive, affirming places to stay.

4. Weather the Weather. Like all coastal areas, Rehoboth comes with a side of salt air and occasional storms. Invest in a good home inspection, especially for older homes, and be prepared for the maintenance that comes with beachfront living (yes, that includes sand everywhere).

5. Work With a Local Real Estate Agent. Look for an agent who knows Rehoboth inside and out and understands the unique needs of LGBTQ buyers. This isn’t just a house — it’s your happy place. You want someone who sees that and says, “Let’s find your sanctuary.”

Buying a beach house in Rehoboth Beach isn’t just about real estate — it’s about finding a space that reflects your lifestyle, values, and need for both community and calm. Whether it becomes your full-time home, your weekend escape, or your Airbnb side hustle, Rehoboth welcomes you with open arms (and maybe a mimosa).

Want personalized tips on navigating the Rehoboth Beach real estate market? Let’s chat! I’ll bring the listings if you bring the sunscreen. 


Justin Noble is a Realtor with The Burns & Noble Group with Sotheby’s International Realty, licensed in D.C., Maryland, and Delaware. Reach him at [email protected] or 202-234-3344.

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