Arts & Entertainment
A bite by the pool
Vida steps up its rooftop dining options this summer

Photo courtesy Vida Fitness.
As always the restaurant scene in Washington is bustling with events, new restaurants and new chefs galore. Here’s just a small taste of what’s hot this summer.
This summer the Vida Penthouse Pool Club on the roof of Vida Fitness (1612 U Street NW) has a new menu created by “Top Chef” season one alum, Michael Schlow, who owns restaurants in Massachusetts and Connecticut, including Radius, Via Matta and Alta Strada. This award-winning chef has been retained by Urban Adventure Companies (the parent company of Vida Fitness and The Penthouse Pool Club) to create the new concept for the Pool menu.
Vida used to get food from sister establishments Capital City Brewing Company and 901 Restaurant, but 901 has now closed and Vida is taking a more upscale approach to the food that is being served at the pool. There is now an onsite kitchen and Schlow has created a menu full of light upscale fare such as appetizers, salads, wraps and sandwiches. Items like the Spicy Cucumber Salad, the California Turkey Club Wrap and the Serrano Ham Sandwich with manchego cheese and guava jam all sound like great items to eat while lounging.
Schlow will also contribute to the Fuel Bar offerings, creating some shakes and juices that will be available to patrons. So, if you have a membership and are going to be at the pool this summer, I recommend trying a bite from the new redesigned offerings.
Besides the changes at the Vida Penthouse Pool Club other exciting summer options include the following:
Starting on Monday and continuing for two weeks Oyamel Cocina Mexicana (401 7th Street NW) will celebrate its sixth annual Tequila & Mezcal Festival. Guests will be able to enjoy Oyamel’s newly expanded bar and dishes by newly appointed head chef, Colin King. Look for a review of the new space and chef in an upcoming column.
Throughout the month, Dolcezza Artisanal Gelato (1560 Wisconsin Ave NW) will be offering a special deal coinciding with National Ice Cream Month. Every Monday and Tuesday customers who purchase a regular small gelato for the suggested retail price will receive a second for half price. I didn’t know there was a National Ice Cream Month but I think it gives us all an excuse to indulge every day and this offer helps us all keep the cost down.
Ardeo + Bardeo (3311 Connecticut Ave NW) is offering a pie and wine promotion this summer that showcases house-made pizzas paired with a glass of wine or draft beer for $15. This promotion is available exclusively at the bar or community table on Sundays from 5-10 p.m. and Mondays from 5-10:30 p.m.
If you’re looking for a nice spot to enjoy happy hour this summer, try out the Rooftop Happy Hour at El Centro D.F. (1819 14th Street NW). This happy hour includes $4 libations such as Corona, Dos XX Lager, Tecate, house red and white wine as well as select cocktails. Also available during the Rooftop Happy Hour is a selection of $6 specialty dishes like shrimp ceviche, pork carnitas and a selection of tacos.
1789 Restaurant (1226 36th Street NW) is celebrating the summer with a specially priced four-course tasting menu. Executive Chef Anthony Lombardo has created a menu available for $50 where guests can select two appetizers, one entree and one dessert. A $20 wine pairing is also available.
One of the most anticipated openings of the summer is Doi Moi, a new Vietnamese and Thai street-food restaurant that will be the anchor of the District Condominiums on 14th and S. Chef Haidar Karoum and restaurateur Mark Kuller, the team behind Proof and Estadio, as well as Adam Bernbach, the bar manager for both of those restaurants, are all involved in this project. The lower level will also have a bar called 2 Birds 1 Stone and it will feature curated cocktails and a scaled down menu. The most outlandish detail of this project that I have come across is that the space will feature a custom made Jade cooking suite. If it’s true, it will be a sight to see.
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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