Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: Dec. 13
Gay concerts, exhibits, parties and more through Dec. 19
Sherri L. Edelen in ‘Gypsy,’ Signature Theatre’s new show that opens next week. (Photo by Christopher Mueller; courtesy Signature)
Friday, Dec. 13
The Olkiama Ministry of the Unity Fellowship Church of D.C. presents “Old School Dance: The Annual UFCDC Olkiama Party” at Charlie’s (7307 Georgia Ave., N.W.) tonight from 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Tickets are $15. Admission is limited to guests 21 and over. There will be a food and cash bar. For more information and to purchase tickets call 240-460-7265 or 202-285-9670.
Women in Their 20s, a social discussion group for lesbian, bisexual, transgender and all women interested in women, meets today at The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) from 8-9:30 p.m. Come meet other queer women in a fun and friendly setting. All welcome to join. For details, visit thedccenter.org.
Team D.C. hosts its annual holiday party at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) tonight from 6:30-8:30 p.m. There will be free food and happy hour drink specials. For details, visit teamdc.org.
Khush D.C. hosts “Jalwa,” an LGBT Bollywood dance party, at Green Lantern (1335 Green Ct., N.W.) tonight from 9:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Come dance to Bollywood, Bhangra and other South Asian tunes played by DJ Geeta Jhaveri. Doors open at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 before 11 p.m. and $15 after. For more information, visit khushdc.blogspot.com.
Saturday, Dec. 14
The Latino Queer Bilingual Writing Group hosts its monthly workshop at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) today from 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. The focus will be on memoirs. Open to writers of any genre and levels of experience to share creative work in Spanish or English. Workshop is free and no prior experience is necessary. For details, call 202-682-2245 or email [email protected].
Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) hosts “miX-MAS,” a Christmas mixtape party, tonight from 10 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Doors open at 10 p.m. Cover is $10. For more information, visit blackcatdc.com.
Black Whiskey (1410 14th St., N.W.) hosts “Butch Queen: Holiday Edition” tonight at 10 p.m. Music is a mix of hip hop, Baltimore house, electronic and more. Admission is free. For details, visit blackwhiskeydc.com.
The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) offers free and confidential HIV testing today from 4-7 p.m. For more details, visit thedccenter.org.
Sunday, Dec. 15
BMX (Black Men’s Xchange) hosts “A BMX-D.C. Holiday Fundraising Brunch” at Archstone First and M (1160 1st St., N.E.) on the first floor library lounge today from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. The buffet style brunch is the first fundraiser for BMX-D.C. Tickets are $40. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Nellie’s Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts its third annual “Holiday GUIL-TEA” party today from 3-8 p.m. There will be a holiday costume walk-off at 7 p.m. Winner receives a $50 gift certificate to Nellie’s. There is no cover. Admission is limited to guests 21 and over. For details, visit nelliessportsbar.com.
Monday, Dec. 16
Adesola Osakalumi, star of the Broadway show “FELA!” will teach a master class in hip-hop at Princess Mhoon Dance Institute (932 Philadelphia Ave.) in Silver Spring with three other industry leaders today through Dec. 20. Some of the instructors are LGBT. Youth 5-18 are $299 for the full week of classes which run each night from 5-8 p.m. Adults can take “drop in” classes for $25 per class from 8:30-10 p.m. Register online at princessmhoondance.com.
Center Faith, an inter-faith network for the LGBT community, meets at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) tonight at 7:30 p.m. The topic will be planning the next Capital Pride Interfaith Worship Service. There will be a brown bag dinner before the meeting at 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) hosts Coffee and Conversation this morning from 10 a.m.-noon for the senior LGBT community. Older LGBT adults can come and enjoy complimentary coffee while engaging in a discussion facilitated by Ron Swanda, a member of Mayor Vincent Gray’s Advisory Committee for LGBT Affairs, about what is important for older adults in town. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Us Helping Us (3636 Georgia Ave., N.W.) holds a support group for gay black men to discuss topics that affect them today, share perspectives and have meaningful conversations. For details, visit uhupil.org.
Tuesday, Dec. 17
(Washington Blade photo by Blake Bergen)
The Signature Theatre (4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington, Va.) premieres “Gypsy,” a musical about famous burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee, tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $36.55-$79.10. The show runs through Jan. 26. For details, visit signature-theatre.org.
Green Lantern (1335 Green Ct., N.W.) hosts its weekly ”FUK!T Packing Party” from 7-9 p.m. tonight. For more details, visit thedccenter.org or greenlanterndc.com.
Genderqueer D.C. holds a discussion group at The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W..) from 7-8 p.m. tonight. The group is for anyone who identifies outside of the gender binary as bigender, agender, genderfluid or any label outside of cisgender. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Whitman-Walker hosts free HIV testing at Panam Supermarker (3552 14th St., N.W.) tonight from 7-9 p.m. For details, visir Whitman-walker.org.
Wednesday, Dec. 18
The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) for social bridge. No partner needed. For more information, call 301-345-1571.
Bookmen D.C., an informal men’s gay literature group, discusses three short stories: “Wunderkid,” The Jockey” and “Madame Zilensky and the King of Finland” by Carson McCullers, at 2101 E St., N.W tonight at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome. For details, visit bookmendc.blogspot.com.
GLOV (Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence) hosts a holiday party on the second floor of Number Nine (1435 P St., N.W.) tonight from 6:30-8:30 p.m. There is a $5 suggested donation at the door. For details, visit thedccenter.org.
Thursday, Dec. 19
The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) hosts its monthly Poly Discussion Group at 7 p.m. People of all different stages are invited to discuss polyamory and other consensual non-monogamous relationships. This event is for newcomers, established polyamorous relationships and open to all sexual orientations. For details, visit thedccenter.org.
Women’s Leadership Institute hosts its weekly meeting for LGBT women and their allies tonight at SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) from 5-7 p.m. The meeting is for those ages 13-21 to discuss female sexuality, relationships and women’s rights. For more information, visit smyal.org.
SMYAL hosts free and confidential HIV testing today from 3-5 p.m. For details, visit smyal.org.
Jewmongous has its “Holiday Comedy Songfest” tonight at 8 p.m. at Iota Club & café (2832 Wilson Blvd.) in Arlington featuring singer Sean Altman’s “irreverent acoustic rock songs about his awakening Jewish awareness.” Tickets are $15. Visit iotaclubandcafe.com or jewmongous.com for details.
a&e features
Eastern Shore chef named James Beard Finalist
Harley Peet creates inventive food in an inclusive space
In a small Eastern Shore town filled with boutiques, galleries, and the occasional cry of waterfowl from the Chesapeake, Chef Harley Peet is most at home. In his Viennese-inflected, Maryland-sourced fine-dining destination Bas Rouge, Peet draws from his Northern Michigan upbringing, Culinary Institute of America education, and identity as a gay man, for inspiration.
And recently, Peet was named a James Beard Finalist for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic – the first “Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic” finalist representing the Eastern Shore.
Peet, after graduation from the Culinary Institute of America, took a position as sous chef at Tilghman Island Inn, not far from Bas Rouge. Falling in love with the Eastern Shore, he continued his passion for racing sailboats, boating, gardening, and fishing, and living his somewhat pastoral life as he opened Bas Rouge in 2016 as head chef, a restaurant part of the Bluepoint Hospitality group, which runs more than a dozen concepts in and around Easton, Md.
Coming from a rural area and being gay, Peet knew he had his work cut out for him. He was always aware that the service and hospitality industry “can be down and dirty and rough.”
Now as a leader in the kitchen, he aims to “set a good example, and treat people how I want to be treated. I also want to make sure if you’re at our establishment, I’m the first to stand up and say something.”
The Bas Rouge cuisine, he says, is Contemporary European. “I’m inspired by old-world techniques of countries like Austria, Germany, and France, but I love putting a new spin on classic dishes and finding innovative ways to incorporate the bounty of local Chesapeake ingredients.”
His proudest dish: the humble-yet-elevated Wiener Schnitzel. “It is authentic to what one would expect to find in Vienna, down to the Lingonberries.” From his in-house bakery, Peet dries and grinds the housemade Kaiser-Semmel bread to use as the breadcrumbs.
Peet works to support the LGBTQ community inside and outside of the kitchen. “I love that our Bluepoint Hospitality team has created welcoming spaces where our patrons feel comfortable dining at each of our establishments. Our staff have a genuine respect for one another and work together free of judgment.”
Representing Bluepoint, Peet has participated in events like Chefs for Equality with the Human Rights Campaign, advocating for LGBTQ rights.
At Bas Rouge, Peet brings together his passion for inclusion steeped in a sustainability ethic. He sees environmental stewardship as a way of life. Peet and his husband have lived and worked on their own organic farm for several years. Through research in Europe, he learned about international marine sourcing. Witnessing the impacts of overfishing, Peet considers his own role in promoting eco-friendly practices at Bas Rouge. To that end, he ensures responsible sourcing commitments through his purveyors, relationships that have helped create significant change in how people dine in Easton.
“I have built great relationships in the community and there’s nothing better than one of our long-standing purveyors stopping in with a cooler of fresh fish from the Chesapeake Bay. This goes especially for catching and plating the invasive blue catfish species, which helps control the species’ threat to the local ecosystem.
Through his kitchen exploits, Peet expressed a unique connection to another gay icon in a rural fine-dining restaurant: Patrick O’Connell, of three Michelin starred Inn at Little Washington. In fact, Peet’s husband helped design some of O’Connell’s kitchen spaces. They’ve both been able to navigate treacherous restaurant-industry waters, and have come out triumphant and celebrated. Of O’Connell, Peet says that he “sees [his restaurants] as canvas, all artistry, he sees this as every night is a show.” But at the same time, his “judgment-free space makes him a role model.”
Being in Easton itself is not without challenges. Sourcing is a challenge, having to either fly or ship in ingredients, whereas urban restaurants have the benefit of trucking, he says. The small town “is romantic and charming,” but logistics are difficult – one of the reasons that Peet ensures his team is diverse, building in different viewpoints, and also “making things a hell of a lot more fun.”
Reflecting on challenges and finding (and creating) space on the Eastern Shore, Peet confirmed how important it was to surround himself with people who set a good example, and “if you don’t like the way something is going … move on.”
Team DC, the umbrella organization for LGBTQ-friendly sports teams and leagues in the D.C. area, held its annual Night of Champions Awards Gala on Saturday, April 20 at the Hilton National Mall. The organization gave out scholarships to area LGBTQ student athletes as well as awards to the Different Drummers, Kelly Laczko of Duplex Diner, Stacy Smith of the Edmund Burke School, Bryan Frank of Triout, JC Adams of DCG Basketball and the DC Gay Flag Football League.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
The 2024 National Cannabis Festival was held at the Fields at RFK Stadium on April 19-20.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Covering the @NatlCannaFest at RFK Stadium for @WashBlade . Stop by the LGBTQ+ booth and pick up a paper if you are here. pic.twitter.com/is7hnsaPns
— Michael Patrick Key (@MichaelKeyWB) April 20, 2024
Argentina government dismisses transgender public sector employees
Eastern Shore chef named James Beard Finalist
Fact: The next president will be Biden or Trump
Catching up with the asexuals and aromantics of D.C.
After Biden signs TikTok ban its CEO vows federal court battle
State Department releases annual human rights report
Joe Vogel campaign holds ‘Big Gay Canvass Kickoff’
Smithsonian staff concerned about future of LGBTQ programming amid GOP scrutiny
White House debuts action plan targeting pollutants in drinking water
Upcoming Ugandan Census will not count intersex people
-
State Department2 days agoState Department releases annual human rights report
-
Maryland4 days agoJoe Vogel campaign holds ‘Big Gay Canvass Kickoff’
-
Politics3 days agoSmithsonian staff concerned about future of LGBTQ programming amid GOP scrutiny
-
The White House1 day agoWhite House debuts action plan targeting pollutants in drinking water