Out & About
Rehoboth calling!
Summer is here and our favorite beach getaway is teeming with attractions
For the LGBTQ community the summer season in Rehoboth Beach begins the weekend before Memorial Day with the Washington Blade’s summer kick-off party at the Blue Moon on Friday, May, 17 from 5-7 p.m with guest speaker and native Delawarean Sarah McBride, national press secretary for HRC and the first openly trans person to speak at a major party presidential nominating convention. Join the fun and make a donation to the Blade Foundation, which funds reporting on the community around the world and provides fellowships and scholarships to aspiring LGBTQ journalists. It will be a great season at the beach and it’s time to begin planning your summer now.
Rehoboth is now a year-round community but for those magical times nothing compares to being there between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Summer at the beach, the mile-long boardwalk, Thrashers fries, salt water taffy, and acres of sand with hot bodies galore make Rehoboth the place to be.
Each year I head to Rehoboth in April to walk around town to see what’s new and visit old standbys. A stop in CAMP Rehoboth, the LGBT community center, on Baltimore Avenue is always a good idea to preview the summer schedule and get the latest gossip. This year CAMP is in the process of conducting a national search for a new executive director. On May 4, the town honored CAMP’s former Executive Director Steve Elkins, who passed away last year, by naming the path from the Convention Center to Baltimore Avenue Steve Elkins Way.
The gayest block in Rehoboth, Baltimore Avenue, will be more exciting than ever this year with the opening of The Pines. Tyler Townsend, Bob Suppies and David Gonce have made this new hotspot the place to visit when at the beach for an inventive cocktail or memorable dinner. Brunch is now available, too, with its own list of unique cocktails. Upstairs, Top of The Pines has a piano bar and outside deck, which in the summer will provide a good view of what is going on over at Aqua Grill the other fun place on the 2nd Street end of Baltimore Avenue.
Andres Bonell and Bill Shields will open Aqua Grill on Friday, May 17 and will have the new hot lineup of waiters serving drinks on the deck. Returning this year are AJ and Katie. Aqua will again have VIP cards so stop by and pick one up when they open. Happy hour on the Aqua deck has become the place to be seen on nice summer evenings. They have a simple but excellent low-priced food menu. Strolling down Baltimore Avenue toward the beach there are many other places to eat and shop. First the Iguana Grill, a fun bar and restaurant back to its old excellence under Hugh Fuller’s ownership. Of course, the grand dame of Rehoboth restaurants, the Blue Moon whereExecutive Chef Lion Gardner creates his magic. Pamala Stanley is again back to entertain in the bar five nights a week, including her ever-popular and packed Sunday tea dance. There are plenty of shops, including the Philip Morton Gallery with fine art and beautiful eclectic furniture and Peter Antolini, the most knowledgeable person at the beach when it comes to art and furniture. In the CAMP courtyard there is the Ward Ellinger Gallery, which has doubled its space this year. Also in the courtyard is Lori’s Café celebrating its 23rd season and still offering the best chicken salad in town (and they deliver lunches to the beach). Further down the block is Elegant Slumming owned by Philip Livingston, designer of the most stunning jewelry you can find anywhere. Then there is Beach Essentials, which has a great selection of men’s swimsuits and clothing. You can also stop in to One Day At a Time Gift Shop, which offers 12-Step addiction recovery items, LGBT novelties and gifts. Continue toward the beach and you get to Eden, a wonderful fine dining restaurant, and its more casual cousin Jam. Across the street is Café Azafran, featuring Holly Lane, a two-time past winner of Best Rehoboth Bartender in the annual Blade Best Of competition. Holly sings every Thursday night and is accompanied on the keyboard by the very talented John Flynn who now entertains in a number of places around town. Then there is Megan Kee’s La Fable, a fabulous French restaurant.
Walking on First Street between Baltimore and Wilmington Avenues you should stop first in Mel’s Brashhh, celebrating its fifth anniversary with great trendy clothing, original photography and gifts. Crossing over Rehoboth Avenue you come to the Frog Pond, which frequently features live bands and then Goolee’s Grille which has the best breakfasts and a weekly drag brunch along with a gift and card shop. Tell owner George that the Blade sent you.
If you walk along Rehoboth Avenue from the boardwalk you will find another whole group of great shops and restaurants. From the iconic Back Porch restaurant walk a few steps to Steve Fallon’s Gidget’s Gadgets, now the home of a huge selection of vinyl
Rehoboth has a number of mews but don’t miss the one between Rehoboth and Baltimore Avenues, it’s next to Browseabout Books on Rehoboth Avenue where you can get your morning paper. In the mews is the Coffee Mill, now celebrating its 27th year, with its unrivaled selection of coffees by the cup or take home a few pounds of beans. They have a great menu to go with your coffee.
The third commercial block in Rehoboth is Wilmington Avenue from 2nd street to the boardwalk. There you will find Confucius, the Henlopen City Oyster House, Salt Air, Mariachi, and Azzurro Italian Oven and Bar with itsupstairs patio all confirming it is still a great block to have a meal. Ask for Amber upstairs at Azzurro, a future Best Rehoboth Bartender in the making, and tell her the Blade sent you.
But Rehoboth is more than restaurants and shops. Among other attractions, there is the Rehoboth Art League, which puts on a great art exhibit each summer and don’t miss seeing a show at Clear Space Theatre. This summer they are boasting a remarkable lineup of plays including Mama Mia, Hello Dolly and The Wedding Singer all under the direction of their incredibly talented Artistic Director David Button.
So make sure you plan to spend plenty of time at the beach this summer. If you are one of those people who dread sitting in beach traffic there is a better option. Leave your car at home and take Best Bus, with convenient stops in Rehoboth and Dewey beginning Memorial Day weekend and running through Labor Day from Dupont Circle and Union Station. With free Wi-Fi and ample AC and USB outlets, you can be productive and leave the driving to them. They also have a good weekend schedule from New York to the beach. Remember Rehoboth Beach has something for everyone, so make your plans to join the fun.
Sweat DC is officially expanding to Shaw, opening a new location at 1818 7th St., N.W., on Saturday, March 28 — and they’re kicking things off with a high-energy, community-first launch event.
To celebrate, Sweat DC is hosting Sweat Fest, a free community workout and social on Saturday, March 14, at 10 a.m. at the historic Howard Theatre. The event features a group fitness class, live DJ, local food and wellness partners, and a mission-driven partnership with the Open Goal Project, which works to expand access to youth soccer for players from marginalized communities.
For more details, visit Sweat DC’s website and reserve a spot on Eventbrite.
Friday, Feb. 20
Center Aging Monthly Luncheon with Yoga will be at noon at the D.C. LGBTQ+ Community Center. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.
Trans and Genderqueer Game Night will be at 7 p.m. at the D.C. Center. This will be a relaxing, laid-back evening of games and fun. All are welcome! We’ll have card and board games on hand. Feel free to bring your own games to share. For more details, visit the Center’s website.
Go Gay DC will host “First Friday LGBTQ+ Community Social” at 7 p.m. at Hotel Zena. 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.
Saturday, Feb. 21
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 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 judgement free. There are all sorts of activities like watching movies, poetry events, storytelling, and just hanging out with others. For more information and events, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.
Sunday, Feb. 22
Queer Talk DC will host “The Black Gay Flea Market” at 1 p.m. at Doubles in Petworth. There will be more than 15 Black queer vendors from all over the DMV in one spot. The event’s organizers have reserved the large back patio for all vendors, and the speak easy for bar service, which will be serving curated cocktails made just for the event (cash bar.) DJ Fay and DJ Jam 2x will be spinning the entire event. For more details, visit Eventbrite.
Monday, Feb. 23
“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 at [email protected].
Tuesday, Feb. 24
Coming Out Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a safe space to share experiences about coming out and discuss topics as it relates to doing so — by sharing struggles and victories the group allows those newly coming out and who have been out for a while to learn from others. For more details, visit the group’s Facebook.
Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100 percent cis. For more details, visit genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.
Wednesday, Feb. 25
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.
Asexual and Aromantic Group will meet at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a space where people who are questioning this aspect of their identity or those who identify as asexual and/or aromantic can come together, share stories and experiences, and discuss various topics. For more details, email [email protected].
Thursday, Feb. 26
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center. To be more 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 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.
Friday, February 13
Center Aging Monthly Luncheon With Yoga will be at noon 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+ Community Happy Hour Meetup” at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant. 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.
Women in their Twenties and Thirties will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social discussion group for queer women in the D.C. area. For more details, visit the group on Facebook.
Saturday, February 14
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 a screening of “Love and Pride” at 1:30 p.m. This event is a joy-filled global streaming celebration honoring queer courage, Pride, and the power of love. It’s a bold celebration of courage and community — a fearless reminder of what we’ve overcome, how love is what makes us unstoppable, and how we have always turned fear into fierce. For more details, visit the Center’s website.
Sunday, February 15
LGBTQ+ Community Coffee and Conversation will be at 12 p.m. at As You Are. This event is for people looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ community. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, February 16
Queer Book Club will be at 7:00p.m. on Zoom. This month’s read is “Faebound” by Saara El-Arifi. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
“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]).
Tuesday, February 17
Center Bi+ Roundtable will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting.Visit Facebook or Meetup for more information.
Wednesday, February 18
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, February 19
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 Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work 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.
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