Bars & Parties

Men of Mautner to honor Catania

Council member praised for work on health care, marriage

Published

16 years ago

May 13, 2010

All MOMs should report to the rooftop of 701 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., on May 26, says Mautner Project executive director Leslie Calman.

And do it for your mom, she says, or your sister, your daughter or other loved one or friend — anyone who partners with other women and who has ever needed health care services including “during a time of overwhelming challenge of threatening illness.”

Why? “Because the Men of Mautner will celebrate another year of partnership on Wednesday, May 26 when we come together to honor the 2010 Man of Mautner, DC Councilman David Catania,” Calman adds.

Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be plentiful that evening, she says, and she also promises a gorgeous rooftop view of the city as well as the chance to meet other Men of Mautner, those volunteers and donors who help the non-profit organization now in its 20th year serving the health care needs of women who partner with women whether as lesbian or bisexual or trans individuals.

Catania, D.C. Council member at large and chair of the Health Committee, declared: “I could not be more excited or honored about this award,” adding that he has “supported the Mautner Project in fundraising and other ways for such a long time, because of its important, indeed indispensable, role in serving the health care needs of the lesbian community in the D.C. area.”

Catania pointed in particular to the Mautner Project’s leadership role, together with other LGBT groups, in spearheading a drive to encourage smoking cessation and the results have been “a phenomenal success,” he said, “seeing dramatic drops in the rate of smoking” among LGBT individuals. “Mautner provides a crucial voice and can clearly reach into the community with messages we need to have heard to improve health outcomes”

The 2009 Men of Mautner honoree, Bill Gannon, MD, the first man to be elected to Mautner’s board, in 2003, hailed the selection of Catania as his successor MOM this year as “an important step to acknowledge the critical leadership role of elected officials in meeting health care needs of LGBT people” as well as for Catania’s major role in promoting same-sex marriage equality in the enactment of the District’s recent landmark law.

Gannon, a physician specializing in oncology and cancer-related clinical trials for biotech and pharmaceutical companies, noted that “men play a key supportive role to women in these initiatives, and a lot of us see this as helping our sisters — actual or otherwise — touched by cancer and also as a way of giving back to the gay community.”

He also noted that in his own case his mother-in-law — partner David Weidner’s own mother — is a breast-cancer survivor. “So it’s up close and very personal for me.”

Gannon urged all men, and all others, to invest in the work of the Mautner Project. Tickets are $100 for the event, which is from 7-9 p.m., Wednesday, May 26 at 701 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. The event is sponsored by Ackerman Legal PLLC. Catania will speak after being introduced by Washington Blade editor Kevin Naff.

Speaking of the Men of Mautner fundraiser, host Glen Ackerman, head of the law firm Ackerman Legal, PLLC, said: “I have served on the Mautner board for just a little over a year, but this affiliation has afforded me the opportunity for the most personal growth and learning I have experienced so far, since as a gay man I’ve now had to learn all about women’s health issues and all the problems that lesbian women face in getting their health care needs met.” Ackerman also was co-chair of the Mautner Project’s 20th anniversary gala event.

The Mautner Project was founded in 1990, following the death due to breast cancer in 1989 of local lesbian-rights activist and mother Mary-Helen Mautner, then 42, who asked her partner Susan Hester to begin an organization to help other lesbians facing life-threatening illness. Calman calls this “our founding story … of how she literally outlined on a piece of paper a plan for how lesbians could help other lesbians deal with cancer.”

In the past 20 years, according to Calman, the Mautner Project has won many grants to advance such public health initiatives as smoking cessation and most recently obesity among women who partner with women, especially including African-American women. That newest project, a 3-year, $250,000 grant from the District’s Health Department, goes into effect later this month as an integrated research and public education outreach for direct intervention to change people’s behaviors leading to obesity.

Men of Mautner
May 26, 7 p.m.
701 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W.
Tickets $100
mautnerproject.org

Related Topics:David Catania Mautner Project Men of Mautner

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Bars & Parties

Halloween weekend is here

Local events abound for a spooky good time

Published

1 week ago

October 30, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

The annual High Heel Race is the kickoff to D.C.’s Halloween festivities. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Halloween weekend is here, and here’s a list of just some of the local events if you’re looking to have a spooky good time.

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Halloween Party” on Friday, Oct. 31 at 5 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant. This is an opportunity to mingle with LGBTQ folk and allies. Halloween costumes are encouraged or casual beach attire is fine. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Mixtape Sapphics will host “Bad Witch, Good Butch: A Sapphic Halloween Dream” on Saturday, Nov. 1 at 4 p.m. at Revolt DC. This is a halloween party for sapphics from the ages of 35 and above. There will be costumes, connection and dancing. Tickets are $13.26 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Taste Takeover will host “Abuela Halloween Party” on Friday, Oct. 31 at 8 p.m. at 639 Florida Ave., N.W. DJ Yani will play music and there will be a costume contest with prizes to be won. Tickets cost $17.85 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Metro Cabaret Club will host “Spookshow Spectacular: Dance Place After Dark Halloween Party” on Friday, Oct. 31 at 9 p.m. at Dance Place. This is D.C.’s Halloween nightlife and draglesque showcase, featuring live performances, creative marketplace, and costumed revelry. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit Eventbrite.

Punch Bowl Social will host “Halloween Bash” on Friday. Oct 31 at 9 p.m. at Punch Bowl Social Arlington. This will be a night of hauntingly good times with a killer DJ, vendors, and a costume contest. Tickets cost $12.09 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Thrust Lounge will host “Nightmare on 14th St.” on Friday, Oct. 31 at 5 p.m. DJ Tryfe will play music, and there’ll also be a costume contest with prizes. For more details, visit Thurst’s Instagram.

Nellie’s Sports Bar will host “Halloween Scariest Costume Contest” on Friday, Oct. 31 at 10 p.m. Guests are encouraged to bring their scariest, creepiest, most haunting look for a Halloween night they won’t forget — fueled by Casamigos and Nellie’s signature spooky fun. For more details, visit Nellie’s website.

Kiki DC will host “Kiki’s Halloween Costume Contest” on Friday, Oct. 31 at 10 p.m. This event will be hosted by Pirouette and there’ll be prizes for the top three costumes. For more details, visit Kiki’s Instagram.

Sinners and Saints will host “Heaven’s On Fire (Queer Pop Dance Party)” on Friday, Oct. 31 at 9 p.m. There will be two floors and music by Sonali Dawar, DJ Noons and Aria McIntosh. There will also be drink specials all night.

Crush Dance Bar will host a Halloween costume contest on Friday, Oct. 31 at 11 p.m. Drag queens Empress Lena and Sasha Adams will host the event. For more details, visit Crush’s Instagram.

Arts & Entertainment

D.C. bars step up to offer discounts for fed’l employees

Deals, freebies, events, and happy hours galore

Published

1 month ago

October 1, 2025

Evan Caplan

Bunker is offering free entry for anyone with government, contractor, military IDs this weekend. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

(Editor’s note: This list was compiled on Wednesday afternoon and is not meant to be comprehensive. If you would like to add your bar’s specials, please email [email protected].)

As the federal government comes to a standstill, the DMV restaurant and bar community has come to the aid of furloughed workers, who suddenly have plenty of time on their hands. More than a handful of spots are offering deals, discounts, freebies, events, and more. Many do require an identification to validate employment status. Plus, this shutdown looks like it’s here to stay for some time, so take advantage.

Franklin Hall: This sports bar on Florida Avenue is kicking off the shutdown hard: offering $6 Mixed Drinks, Canned Beers, and “furloughed Shooters” – as well as a free food buffet 4PM-6PM.

Carmine’s, located downtown, is offering steep discounts – $5 meatball sliders, and $8 cocktails: “Here We Go Again” and “The Essential Worker.” Carmine’s specifically noted that the specials are open to all, not just affected workers.

Compass Coffee is offering a free pastry with a drink purchase.

Cork Wine Bar and Market on 14th Street is offering a long happy hour – from 3 p.m. to close with wine specials, plus discounted fries and snacks.

Union Pub is providing steeply cheap beer ($3), alongside discounted hot dogs.

Two locations of Hank’s Oyster Bar are serving up all-day happy hour at the bar, along with $2.50 oysters and a percent off checks for federal workers.

Boqueria DC is giving federal workers with ID happy hour pricing all day long: meaning cheaper sangria, wine, beer, and lots of tapas.

Osteria Morini in D.C. is offering a “Federal Employee Appreciation Special” with $15 pastas for federal employees; Cucina Morini has $10 “primi pastas.”

Duke’s Grocery is offering a complimentary drink: A free shot of bourbon or a glass of house wine when you buy any burger or entrée. Plus, there are $5 select beers.

Thompson Restaurants is offering all government employees 20% off their bill by showing a valid government ID. The offer spans 11 of Thompson’s restaurant brands and more than 65 locations across the DMV, including Matchbox, Makers Union, Wiseguy Pizza, Big Buns, and more.

Shaw’s Tavern: $5 beers, $6 wine, $7 Deep Eddy, $10 burger and pizza, with ID.

LGBTQ BARS

Crush: This bar is offering a “Pouring it forward” event with a free vodka hour, 10-11 p.m. this Friday.

Number Nine is offering $9 cocktails all night after 9 p.m.

Bunker has free entry for anyone with government, contractor, military IDs this weekend.

District Eagle offers 30% off drinks for anyone with government, contractor, or military IDs this weekend.

Kiki has free Deep Eddy happy hour 8-9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1.

Her Diner offers all-night drink specials with ID.

Bars & Parties

Blade’s 18th annual Summer Kickoff Party set for May 16

Rehoboth Beach event to feature politicos, journalists, special guests

Published

6 months ago

May 8, 2025

Staff reports

Washington Blade editor Kevin Naff (right) with Rep. Sarah McBride at the 2024 Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach. (Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

The Washington Blade’s 18th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 16 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.

The event, held at the Blue Moon (35 Rehoboth Ave.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient is Abigail Hatting, a rising senior at American University.

This year’s event will feature remarks from state Sen. Russ Huxtable, who recently introduced a state constitutional amendment to codify the right of same-sex couples to marry. CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Kim Leisey and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak, in addition to surprise guests. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Blue Moon.

A suggested donation of $20 is partially tax deductible and includes drink tickets and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.