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Nina West spreads holiday cheer in two new videos

‘Drag Race’ vet says ‘Cha Cha Heels,’ ‘Quarantine Dream’ were labors of love

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Nina West says being on ‘Drag Race’ was a life-changing experience. (Photo courtesy West)

Nina West has two new videos she’s unleashed on the world.

In “Cha Cha Heels” she pays homage to John Waters playing iconic characters from three of his movies — Dawn Davenport in “Female Trouble,” Beverly Sutphin in “Serial Mom” and Tracy Turnblad in “Hairspray.” The song is from her 2019 Christmas EP “The West Christmas Ever.”

And in “Quarantine Dream” she worked with friend and Disney animator Dan Lund, a veteran of many classic movies such as “Frozen,” “Aladdin,” “The Lion King” and more, to mix live action/animation for the West-penned song about coping with COVID-19 induced quarantine. The three-and-a-half-minute mini-musical was filmed with a cell phone and inspired by the Disney classic “Mary Poppins.” Both are on YouTube.

West, aka Andrew Levitt, is a Columbus, Ohio-based drag performer who came to fame on season 11 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” where she finished sixth and was named Miss Congeniality. She made history at the 2019 Emmys for being the first to walk the red carpet in drag and was named one of the “most powerful drag queens in America” by New York Magazine the same year. West, 42, has been performing for 18 years.

Andrew Levitt, Nina West’s alter ego. (Photo courtesy West)

WASHINGTON BLADE: So how did the concept for the “Cha Cha Heels” video come about?

NINA WEST: I’d had this big idea of a big flash mob and this huge cast and filming in the street with a bunch of people and then COVID hit. So the intention was always to do a “Cha Cha Heels” video, but we had to really adjust quickly when the time came to pull the trigger and film the video because (of restrictions). I worked with a really great director, who is a tremendous John Waters fan named Brad Hammer, and he suggested doing three different female characters in three different John Waters movies. … We filmed it with a cast of four including myself, all people were already in my bubble, so we made all the adjustments we needed to make to have a safe shoot and went there and I think the video ended up being much better for it.

BLADE: Where was it shot?

WEST: We shot it in a day in two locations here in Columbus.

BLADE: Do you have to get permission from Waters or whomever owns the films before you do something like this or is it considered a parody and thus fair game?

WEST: Yeah, it’s seen as parody so you don’t have to get a green light really. We weren’t recreating it shot by shot or telling the same story but we were lucky enough that when John saw it last week, he sent me an e-mail … saying how much he loved it and how much Divine would have loved it … so that was pretty fantastic.

BLADE: Oh wow, that must have been incredible.

WEST: I practically fell over, yeah. I’m 42 so queer Andrew coming out, John Waters movies were a huge rite of passage just as I was coming into my queerness. I wanted this to be a love letter to a queer trailblazer who has had more impact and power than I think any of us really recognize.

BLADE: Tell us about “Quarantine Dream.” How do you know Dan Lund?

WEST: I worked with him on a project called “Coaster” where he was the executive producer and we have remained in touch. He’s one of these people who’s just always talking and dreaming. His brain is constantly rolling. The day after I flew home in March, he called ….

BLADE: Where had you been?

WEST: I was on tour in Europe and then I was going back and forth from New York to L.A. working on a couple projects and I ended up in New York and I was supposed to be going to the opening of the Broadway musical “Six,” but the day it was supposed to open everything was shut down. I was panicking trying to get a flight home.

BLADE: Oh wow.

WEST: Yeah. So he suggested this and I was like, “Sure, um, OK.” I didn’t really know what he meant but then he pitched this whole treatment inspired by “Mary Poppins,” which I’m a huge, through-and-through Disney queen and “Mary Poppins” is my favorite film of all time, so when you have a Disney artist who’s worked on all these cultural touchstones, yeah, OK, I’m not gonna say no. That’s how it happened. I worked with a songwriter Markaholic who is super prolific. If you’ve seen the RuPaul Old Navy commercials, he wrote that song, he’s worked with Ru a lot and is just super talented.

BLADE: So you basically are encouraging people to take the pandemic seriously but in a fun way?

WEST: Yes. We thought it was a fun way to say, “Hey, it sucks, but let’s all stay home and like instead of having the fatigue, maybe we can just take a step back and dream a little bit. We’re gonna get through this. We were gonna release it earlier in the year, but we felt like it wouldn’t have as much impact but now here we are, oddly enough, going into round two and people are getting more sick than ever before and this fatigue of anger and frustration has settled in … so I think the message it sends if very different than it would have been six months ago.

BLADE: How different has your year been?

WEST: Oh my god, I started off with a full calendar and full plate and watched it all disappear. Some things are being rescheduled, some things have been canceled, some things are being reimagined. I hate the word pivot, but that’s kind of what we’ve all been doing. …. I never thought I would be doing drag primarily by phone for almost a year of my life (laughs).

BLADE: Who was your favorite season 11 celebrity guest judge on “Drag Race”?

WEST: Oh my gosh, I really love Bobby Moynihan. I’m an SNL fanatic so he was on my season. I also was really gagged when we had Lena Waithe and Wanda Sykes. That was the episode I went home, but it was still pretty awesome because I’m gigantic fans of both of them.

BLADE: What was your favorite challenge?

WEST: Probably the magic challenge. It was supremely challenging but it allowed me to show off all my skills in one 10-minute segment. I was glad I got that in before I went home. Some of them were really hard, just really, really arduous. “Trump the Rusical” was so hard. When they say it’s the drag Olympics, it really is.

BLADE: You were a fan of the show a long time before you were on it. What seemed the most different seeing it all in real life vs. watching it on TV?

WEST: Oh wow, my brain is going in like 17 different directions. It was all overwhelming. You never forget walking into the workroom for the first time. … Also seeing RuPaul for the first time is really overwhelming. People always ask why we always react so wildly seeing him walk in the workroom. It’s the same person coming through the same door and you know it’s gonna happen, but he really is just so larger than life, I don’t know how else to explain it. He’s so magnetic and so those moments to me were always supremely overwhelming.

BLADE: I can imagine that.

WEST: One thing I didn’t expect that wasn’t so great was realizing later that there are parts of the fandom that are extremely toxic. When I was eliminated and saw the anger and disgust and vitriol and poison directed at Silky (Nutmeg Ganache), that was surprising. It’s not the show’s fault but there are sections of the fandom that cultivates and allows itself to breed this incestuous, toxic hate.

BLADE: What are your plans for the holidays?

WEST: My parents live about 10 minutes away from me so we talked about maybe doing a quarantine for two weeks then a rapid test before Christmas, and I’m willing to do that, but my siblings and I are all just trying to be super responsible so we may just do a Zoom Christmas. I know it’s really hard but I think it’s important for all of us to work collectively to pull ourselves out of this any way we can.

BLADE: Are you and the queens from your season all constantly on group text and Zoom and all that. Whom are you closest with?

WEST: Yeah, I’m in touch with several people from my season. I talk to Silky, I talk to Brooke Lynn (Hytes). I talk to Vanjie once in a while. … Those relationships from that six-week experience, I can’t explain it — you come to rely on these people in a whole other way. It’s not something tangible or that you can even explain. It’s very life changing to go through that together.

BLADE: What’s gonna happen with season 13? Did they do something this summer?

WEST: I don’t know anything official but yesterday I saw a casting call for season 14 so that tells me season 13 must be in the can. I think it’s like full speed ahead for “Drag Race,” which is great because we all love to watch it and fall in love with new people.

BLADE: You auditioned many times before you got on. Was it discouraging or were you just that tenacious you weren’t gonna be deterred or what?

WEST: Oh no, no, no. (laughs) I’m positive but girl, I’m not that positive. I was broken. It really broke me. My last audition was authentically gonna be my last audition and I don’t even remember who said this to me but on of the production people said it had been stated that, “Nina is either on this season or she’s not, this is the last time we’re watching these tapes.” I don’t know if that’s true or not, but I think we all just felt it had come to like a shit-or-get-off-the-pot type moment. I had to move on with my life in a way. I wanted it so badly and for so many years it just was not happening. Finally my last time, I was the most like, “I don’t care, let’s just get it done, whatever,” and that was the one that got me on. So I think tenacity is one thing, but wearing them down is another.

Nina West channels Divine in a scene from her new video ‘Cha Cha Heels,” an homage to ‘Female Trouble.’ (Photo by Staley Munro)
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Looking back at 50 years of Pride in D.C

Washington Blade’s unique archives chronicle highs, lows of our movement

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Gay Pride Day 1976 (Washington Blade archive photo)

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ Pride in Washington, D.C., the Washington Blade team combed our archives and put together a glossy magazine showcasing five decades of celebrations in the city. Below is a sampling of images from the magazine but be sure to find a print copy starting this week.

D.C.’s Different Drummers march in the 2006 Capital Pride Parade. (Washington Blade archive photo by Adam Cuthbert)

The magazine is being distributed now and is complimentary. You can find copies at LGBTQ bars and restaurants across the city. Or visit the Blade booth at the Pride festival on June 7 and 8 where we will distribute copies. 

Thank you to our advertisers and sponsors, whose support has enabled us to distribute the magazine free of charge. And thanks to our dedicated team at the Blade, especially Photo Editor Michael Key, who spent many hours searching the archives for the best images, many of which are unique to the Blade and cannot be found elsewhere. And thanks to our dynamic production team of Meaghan Juba, who designed the magazine, and Phil Rockstroh who managed the process. Stephen Rutgers and Brian Pitts handled sales and marketing and staff writers Lou Chibbaro Jr., Christopher Kane, Michael K. Lavers, Joe Reberkenny along with freelancer and former Blade staffer Joey DiGuglielmo wrote the essays. 

The 1995 Lesbian and Gay Freedom Festival was held on Freedom Plaza on June 18. (Washington Blade archive photo by Clint Steib)

The magazine represents more than 50 years of hard work by countless reporters, editors, advertising sales reps, photographers, and other media professionals who have brought you the Washington Blade since 1969.

We hope you enjoy the magazine and keep it as a reminder of all the many ups and downs our local LGBTQ community has experienced over the past 50 years.

I hope you will consider supporting our vital mission by becoming a Blade member today. At a time when reliable, accurate LGBTQ news is more essential than ever, your contribution helps make it possible. With a monthly gift starting at just $7, you’ll ensure that the Blade remains a trusted, free resource for the community — now and for years to come. Click here to help fund LGBTQ journalism.

The D.C. Black Gay Men & Women’s Community Conference table at Gay Pride Day in 1978. (Washington Blade archive photo by Jim Marks)
A scene from 1985 Gay and Lesbian Pride Day. (Washington Blade archive photo by Doug Hinckle)
A scene from the 1988 Gay and Lesbian Pride Day. (Washington Blade archive photo by Doug Hinckle)
A scene from the Capital Pride Block Party in 2018. (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)
Keke Palmer performs at the 2024 Capital Pride Festival. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
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In stressful times, escape to Rehoboth Beach

Here’s what’s new in D.C.’s favorite beach town for 2025

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Rehoboth Beach is ready to welcome visitors for the 2025 season. (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

At last, after an uncharacteristically cold and snowy winter, another Rehoboth Beach season is upon us. I have been going to Rehoboth Beach since 1984, and it was the first place I went where people only knew me as a gay man. It was the year I came out. It was a summer community back then. Today it really is an exciting year-round community. But it’s still the summer season when Rehoboth shines, and when the businesses make most of their money. 

The summer brings out tens of thousands of tourists, from day-trippers, to those with second homes at the beach. Everyone comes to the beach for the sun and sand, food, and drink. Some like to relax, others to party, and you can do both in Rehoboth Beach, Del. 

Stop by CAMP Rehoboth, the LGBTQ community center on Baltimore Avenue, to get the latest updates on what is happening. CAMP sponsors Sunfestival each Labor Day weekend, and a huge block party on Baltimore Avenue in October. They train the Rehoboth Beach police on how to work with the LGBTQ community, and have all kinds of special and regularly scheduled events. Pick up a copy of their publication, Letters, which is distributed around town. 

I asked Kim Leisey, CAMP’s executive director, for her thoughts, and she said, CAMP Rehoboth looks forward to welcoming our friends and visitors to Rehoboth Beach. We are a safe space for our community and will be sponsoring social opportunities, art receptions, concerts, and art exhibits, throughout the summer. If you are planning a wedding, shower, reception, or business meeting, our beautiful atrium is available for rental. We look forward to a summer of solidarity and fun.”  While at CAMP stop in the courtyard at a favorite place of mine, Loris Oy Vey! Café, and tryher famous chicken salad.

There’s something for everyone at the beach, from walking the boardwalk and eating Thrashers fries, to visiting Funland, or playing a game of miniature golf. Or head to some of the world-class restaurants like Drift, Eden, Blue Moon, or Back Porch.  

Some random bits on the summer 2025 season. Prices are going up like everywhere else. Your parking meter will cost you $4 an hour. Meters are in effect May 15-Sept. 15. Parking permits for all the non-metered spaces in town are also expensive. Transferable permits are $365,non-transferable $295, or after Aug. 1 if you only come for the end of summer, it’s $165. Detailed information is available on the town’s website.

Rehoboth lost one of its best restaurant this off-season, JAM, but Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant is open for its fourth season. Owner Freddie Lutz told the Blade, “We are looking forward to a fabulous season. Freddie’s has a dance floor and is the only music video bar in town.” There is also live entertainment, karaoke, and Freddie’s Follies drag show Friday nights. 

Magnolia Applebottom performs at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Rehoboth Beach, Del. on May 12. (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

My favorite happy hour bar is Aqua Grill, which has reopened for the season. I recommend taking advantage of their great Tuesday Taco night, and Thursday burger night. Then there is The Pines and Top of the Pines. Bob Suppies of Second Block Hospitality told me, “Come, relax, and play. We are ready! I have been spending summers here since the mid-90’s, and Rehoboth Beach seems to age like a fine wine. Between the new, and favorite restaurants opening back up, the shops bursting with incredible finds, and all the great LGBTQ+ bars to entertain everyone, nowhere beats the Delaware beaches this summer.” 

Head down the block on Baltimore Avenue and you get to La Fable restaurant. Go all the way to the beach and you will see the new lifeguard station, which is slated to open later this month. Also, demolition of the old hotel and north boardwalk Grotto Pizza has happened. The site will become a new four-story, 60-room hotel, with ground level retail space. 

Then join me at my favorite morning place at the beach, The Coffee Mill, in the mews between Rehoboth and Baltimore Avenues, open every morning at 7 a.m. Owners Mel and Bob also have the Mill Creamery, the ice cream parlor in the mews, and Brashhh! on 1st street, where Mel sells his own clothing line, called FEARLESS! Then there is the ever-popular Purple Parrot, celebrating its 26th year, now with new owners Tyler Townsend and Drew Mitchell, who welcome you to their iconic place. It has only gotten better. If you head farther down Rehoboth Avenue you will find the Summer House with its upscale Libation Room, and a nice garden looking out on Rehoboth Avenue. Also on Rehoboth Avenue is Gidgets Gadgets owned by the fabulous Steve Fallon. With the renewed interest in vinyl records you may want to stop in at Extended Play

Then there is the always busy and fun, Diegos Bar and Nightclub. Joe Zuber of Diego’s told the Blade, “Get ready for a great gay ole time in Rehoboth Beach. Plenty of entertainment, dancing and fun as we seem to be the next Stonewall generation with this newest administration. Each election brings its concerns about how our gay community will be affected. Come to Rehoboth Beach to escape this summer season!” 

If you are in town for Sunday happy hour, make sure to stop there to hear the talented Pamala Stanley who is celebrating her 20th season entertaining in Rehoboth.And on Mondays, Stanley plays Broadway and other classics on the piano at Diego’s.

If you are looking for culture Rehoboth has some of that as well. There is the Clear Space Theatre on Baltimore Avenue. Rumors abound that Clear Space will move out of town. But I can’t believe the commissioners and mayor would be dumb enough to let that happen. This year’s shows include “Spring Awakening,” “Buyer + Cellar,” “Hairspray,” “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” and “RENT.”Tickets sell fast so I suggest you book early and they are available online. Then mark your calendars for Saturday, July 19 for Rehoboth Beach Pride 2025 at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the other fine restaurants and clubs in town. Just a reminder, during season you often need dinner reservations. Come to the beach often enough, and you can try them all: Café Azafran, Dos Locos, Goolee’s Grille, Rigby’s, Frank and Louie’s, Above the Dunes, Mariachi, and Henlopen City Oyster House, and Red, White & Basil. And take a short drive to Dewey for breakfast or lunch at the Starboard; popular bartender Doug Moore (winner of the Blade’s Best Rehoboth-Area Bartender 2024 award) holds court at one of the inside bars, which has become a de facto gay bar on Saturdays. 

One major development in the local dining scene last summer was the purchase of the Big Fish Restaurant Group by Baltimore-based Atlas Restaurant Group. Nearly a year later, not much has changed at the many Big Fish restaurants, although many locals are hoping for a renovation of Obie’s along with a gay night at the ocean-front bar/restaurant. 

These are only a few of the fantastic places to eat and drink at the beach. Remember, book your reservations for hotels and restaurants, early. Rehoboth is a happening place and gets very busy. 

We are living in stressful times. A visit to Rehoboth is a nice way to escape them for a while. Take the time to destress, enjoy the sun and sand. Take a stroll on the boardwalk and listen to the sound of the ocean, and people having fun. Enjoy good times, good food, good friends, and remember that life can still be good. Recharge your batteries for the rest of the year, by enjoying some summer fun in Rehoboth Beach. 

(Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)
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Down to shuck! 

Oyster farmers Jordan Nally and fiancé Jimmy Kane on caring for Delaware’s waters — and sharing something special with customers

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Jordan Nally shows off one of his newly harvested oysters on the dock in Rehoboth. (Blade photo by Will Freshwater)

Although I didn’t come out to my family until my 20s, they should have seen the signs. During one of our annual trips to Indian Shores Beach in Florida, my parents splurged on a Polynesian dining adventure at the only tourist spot in town – Tiki Gardens. While waiting for our table, my sisters found a saltwater tank lined with oysters. For what felt like a fortune to an eight-year-old, a fisherman would shuck a pair and sift through the contents. Dressed in my floral Hawaiian shirt, my excitement turned to desperation when both of my sisters’ oysters revealed pearls. After much begging, my father reluctantly paid to have the small, oddly shaped gems mounted in rings. Watching my sisters flaunt their new jewelry, I seethed with envy and secretly vowed to return one day to claim my own treasure from the sea.

Nearly 50 years later, I’m a full-time resident of Rehoboth Beach, Del. It’s the Atlantic Ocean, not the Gulf of Mexico, but it’s close enough to Florida for me. As a local in a small coastal town, I’m keenly interested in how entrepreneurs are capitalizing on the growing tourism industry with innovative business ideas, so when I stumble across an Instagram page featuring two gay oyster farmers, Jordan Nally and his fiancé Jimmy Kane operating just a few miles away on Rehoboth Bay, my curiosity is piqued. After liking all the posts on the page, I slip into their DMs and ask whether we can meet for an interview. I’m delighted and a little nervous when they agree and invite me out on the boat to tour the farm and talk shellfish. Since everything I know about oysters came from a restaurant menu, I did some research.

Less than a week later, I arrive at the marina on Collins Avenue in Dewey on a picture-perfect morning in early May. Nally is waiting by his pickup truck, casually chatting up a couple of tourists. He’s a Delaware native and looks every bit like an oyster farmer in a long-sleeve, sweat-wicking shirt, PVC-coated shorts, and a branded baseball cap for sun protection. That’s all the more surprising given that Nally spent more than a decade working for JPMorgan Chase and had run for election to the Delaware House of Representatives in 2020.

As a good reporter, I’ve done my research: I know that the Inland Bays (made up of Rehoboth, Indian River, and Little Assawoman Bays) were once prolific oyster producers, with peak annual harvests reaching up to two million bushels. However, by the mid-20th century, overharvesting and a parasitic fungus drastically reduced the oyster populations. By 1960, the annual harvest had plummeted to just 49,000 bushels, marking a low point for the industry. In 2013, former Gov. Jack Markell signed legislation, and the commercial shellfish industry was reborn.

As we unload the flatbed of his EV pickup truck and transport the contents to the waiting boat, a retrofitted pontoon, “The Mullet,” Nally fills me in on his origin story. He came up with the idea to dive into aquaculture while he was quarantined in a hotel in Vermont with nothing but a TV and a local magazine with a cover story on oyster farming. He pitched the idea to his partner Jimmy Kane over the phone, and together they started planning how to make it happen. Nally jokes that what began as a fun “COVID project” quickly bloomed into a thriving business: “Some people did sourdough starter, but we decided to start an oyster farm.” 

Although Kane is always there to lend a helping hand, Nally is the one who’s usually out tending the farm. Still, Nally stresses that Kane plays a critical support role: “He’s in charge of merchandising, running sales at the market, and grounding me when I have too many wild ideas.”

In April 2023, the couple planted their first batch of “oyster babies,” provided by the hatchery at the University of Delaware. At the time, they were still living full time in Wilmington, so the first year on the farm meant long drives, managing their day jobs from the car, launching the boat, and working for hours out on the bay before heading back home. Eventually, the capital investment and 14-hour days paid off; now, just two years later, they have 50 floating bags, each holding about 2,000 oysters.  

Out on the open water, we see a half-dozen other oyster farms off in the distance. Despite the great weather, we’re the only boat on the bay. Standing confidently at the helm with his eyes fixed on the horizon, Nally gives me a quick biology tutorial on how oysters make it from the bay to the bar. Growers trigger spawning by adjusting water conditions to mimic spring, then feed the larvae specialized algae. After two to three weeks, the larvae develop an “eyespot” and are transferred to grow-out areas on the seabed or suspended bags. Oysters generally reach market size in 18 to 36 months, but the ideal conditions in Rehoboth Bay cut that time down to less than six months.

oysters, gay news, Washington Blade
Jordan Nally shows off a freshly shucked oyster from his farm in Rehoboth. (Blade photo by Will Freshwater)

Nally opens the throttle and, in less time than I expected, we reach the place where the magic happens – the acre of water designated for Nancy James Oysters. Unconventional and bordering on camp, the couple came up with the moniker to honor their late parents. When I ask Nally to explain why they’ve stuck with the venture, his answer, like the name of their business, is personal: “Every single day, we learn something new. And every single oyster reminds us why we started: to grow sustainably, care deeply for our waters, and share something truly special with our customers.”

As we arrive at the oyster farm, Nally cuts the engines and explains the innovative farming technique Nancy James uses to grow its oysters; picture a series of mesh bags, buoyed by floats, and attached to a main line stretching across a tract of water and anchored at both ends. Growing oysters at the water’s surface allows Nally and Kane to capitalize on natural currents and food availability, resulting in faster growth rates and enhanced flavor profiles. The only downside to this growing technique is that the guys never find pearls because the insides of their oysters are cleaner than those of the bottom dwellers.

The farm is directly across from Bird Island, and the cacophony of 10,000 birds is even louder than the whirring sound from the propellers. After anchoring the boat, Nally casually strips down to his bathing suit and surf shoes and jumps into the 60-degree water without a second thought. It’s the ultimate cold plunge, but if he feels the cold, he doesn’t show it; there’s too much work to do. 

“You ready to get dirty?” 

The waters of Rehoboth Bay may be pristine, but Nally’s question and smirking grin reinforce the message that oyster farming is a messy business. The first order of the day is to change out the older bags to address biofouling — the attachment of seaweed and algae that can affect the health and inhibit growth of new oysters. Nally selects three gnarly bags and hauls them over to the boat. I pull one onto the deck. Once he’s back on board, we empty the first bag onto the cleaning table, and I feel my stomach lurch. Mixed in with small crabs and tiny shrimp, the oysters are covered in muck. Suddenly, I’m glad to be wearing a pair of rubber gloves. 

Following instructions, I start sorting; chefs prefer smaller oysters with well-shaped shells. Trying not to get distracted by Nally’s stories and the ravenous flock of waiting sea birds floating above me, I count out four batches of 100 oysters for same-day delivery. Nally and Kane care about how their oysters taste and look. The boat has a portable generator, sump pump, and pressure washer to clean the shells thoroughly. Always ready to quote DNREC requirements scripture and verse, Nally explains that he has to use approved water, and the easiest way is to clean them with water from where they’re growing. 

When I ask if it’s hard to comply with the federal and state requirements, like logging the exact time oysters go in and come out of the water, Nally shrugs and offers a surprisingly pragmatic answer: “Everyone on the bay is aware of safety and works together to comply. If anyone gets sick from shellfish, they don’t care where it came from; it will affect all of us. When you are eating oysters in Delaware that came from Delaware, I feel really confident about safety.”

After harvesting and storing the oysters on ice, Nally checks the currents and wind direction before jumping back into the water; he regularly inspects the bags, floats, securing lines, and clips to ensure everything is in working order. As the oysters grow, Nally and Kane move them into bags with progressively larger mesh sizes and mark each with color-coded zip ties to indicate their growth stage. As they mature, the oysters are thinned out and spread across more bags to prevent overcrowding. It’s hard work, but at the end of the day, the two men are proud of what they’ve built together.

Nally explains that the warm temperatures, sandy bottoms, and high salinity of Rehoboth Bay are ideal. Still, not all farm sites are created equal: “The water here tastes different than the water on that side of the bay. It’s the fetch you’re getting from waves, all the swell, and the current. We have a really strong current on this side, and that side doesn’t, so they’re not as salty.”

Although Rehoboth Bay is known for its shallow depths and typically calm waters, aquafarming is still risky. Nally recalled a harrowing incident last winter when his lines got tangled in the boat’s propeller. Rough weather and a hefty chop made it hard to keep the boat steady. Determined to free the line, he put on his wetsuit and plunged into the frigid water. As a safety measure, he shared his location via iPhone with Kane and told him that if the location stopped moving, Nally was in the water and Kane should call the Coast Guard. 

On another occasion, Nally slipped on a wet deck and hit his head — an accident reminiscent of what happened to poor Jennifer Coolidge in “White Lotus.” Fortunately, he fell into the boat rather than overboard. He takes no chances now, wearing a special life vest that automatically inflates if he falls into the bay.

Nally and Kane are the only local farmers offering premium catering services, bringing the freshest oysters and top-notch shuckers to events such as weddings and birthday parties. Nancy James Oysters can also be enjoyed at local restaurants, including Drift Seafood & Raw Bar and Lewes Oyster House. You can find them in person at the Bethany Farmers Market and the Historic Lewes Farmers Market. This summer, the couple will be shucking oysters live every Sunday afternoon at Aqua Bar & Grill. Oysters are always available for purchase online at nancyjamesoysters.com

It’s another beautiful day when I make the short trip to town and park just outside Drift on Baltimore Avenue. Grabbing an empty seat at the outside bar window, I order without looking at the menu (at Drift, ask for the “Rehoboth Rose” oyster). In less time than it takes to check my phone, there are a dozen premium oysters in front of me — bedded in a tray of crushed ice, just waiting to be devoured. 

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Chef Zane Rego of Drift in Rehoboth Beach presents a dozen local oysters. (Blade photo by Will Freshwater)

Savoring the poetry of the presentation, I lift a shell to my mouth and slurp down the meat in one swallow. The taste is pure Delaware. Tom Wiswell, the former executive chef at Drift, describes it best: “It reminds me of being a kid at Rehoboth Beach and like a wave splashing you in the face. It’s fresh, briny, and salty.”  

As I enjoy a swallow of a good glass of Cava and reach for another oyster, I realize why these exotic delicacies were dubbed “white gold.” Nearly a half-century older and wiser than that kid in the Hawaiian shirt at Tiki Gardens, I’ve finally realized that the hidden treasure inside the oyster was never the pearl.

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