a&e features
Necessity mothers invention for D.C. queer businesses in pandemic era
Online drag bingo, free home delivery among tactics employed by resourceful locals
With no end in sight of the COVID-19 lockdown, spotty testing and epidemiologists saying a vaccine is likely a year off, Washington’s LGBTQ entertainers and entrepreneurs are getting creative about how to forge ahead in the pandemic’s wake.
Like many restaurants, Duplex Diner (2004 18th St., N.W./duplexdiner.com) is soldiering on with a closed dining room and curbside service. Resident drag queen Goldie Grigio (aka Andrew Bair) works two Friday nights per month from 6-7:30 at the pick-up window (Venmo: @goldiegrigio) keeping, of course, at least six feet away. Customers pay online in advance.
“She’s kind of our resident drag queen and she does lots of different things so we thought this was a fun way to tie in with the viewing party for ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’” says Duplex manager Kelly Laczko, a lesbian who’s worked there for eight years, including five as manager.
Most of the Diner’s 27 employees (about 60 percent of whom are LGBT, Laczko says) have been laid off. Laczko and five others are rotating to fill current shifts. Duplex is open Monday-Saturday for dinner and Saturday and Sunday all day for brunch (no dinner on Sunday nights).
Prior to the pandemic, the diner didn’t have a large carryout component but had added Uber Eats and GrubHub within the last year. Most of the menu, save about 12 items that are not conducive to takeout, are available. Drinks and alcohol are also available.
“Things have been surprisingly good,” Laczko says. “We’ve had so much love from the community and people have been amazing. We’ve gotten a lot of support so far. We are very lucky.”
As for coronavirus concerns, Laczko says it’s something she’s hyper aware of. With 2,927 confirmed cases in the District and 105 COVID-19 deaths as of this week, she’s aware of the potential danger.
“Obviously it’s stressful,” she says. “I try not to be in my head too much about it. All of the staff, we’re taking all the precautions — wearing masks and gloves, washing our hands constantly, just trying to be as safe as possible. Nobody comes into the building except those of us who work here.”
Drag bingo moves online
Long-time D.C.-area drag performer Regina Jozet Adams (aka Richard Armstrong) has moved her weekly drag bingo events for Freddie’s Beach Bar and The Brass Tap (locations in Annapolis and Baltimore) totally online with the bar owners’ blessings. She has an intact day job in manufacturing but knows many area drag queens who performed full-time who are hurting.
“As a show director, I’m concerned about my girls not being able to work,” she says. “It’s hard for me to sit back when I see my girls not able to make any money.”
The Brass Tap bingo nights, which feature mostly straight crowds under normal circumstances, had just started in October and were still gaining steam but the Freddie’s one — which, perhaps surprisingly, drew about a 60 percent straight crowd — was popular, Adams says.
She hostesses the shows with Jalah Nicole at the Brass Tap and Ophelia Bottoms at Freddie’s and her drag daughter, Ashlee Jozet Adams at both locations.
There were logistical hurdles in getting the operation set up online — a wi-fi boost, two laptops, her TV and phone in addition to performance space in her living room. She gets the bingo cards online that allow her to see the cards of those playing. She and her girls intersperse games of bingo with lip sync performances. She says internet delay can be “pretty intense” at times and slows down the proceedings.
Adams concedes some of the magic of live performance is lost by going virtual but bar owners and patrons spoke up and said they wanted to continue during lockdown. So far the Freddie’s virtual bingo attracts about 10 players weekly. The Brass Tap averages just a few. It’s $5 to play.
Adams says doing the games online is fine, but she worries it may erode patronage when things get back to normal.
“I’ve been in the business since 1988 so I’ve seen it change quite dramatically,” she says. “Of course initially people will be excited to come back to the clubs once the lockdown lifts, but once the novelty of that wears off, I could see us losing another 5-10 percent of people who just want to sit at home and watch drag on their computer the same way we lost about 20 percent when ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ took off and people could just sit at home and get their drag fix. We’ve already had people say, ‘You’re gonna keep doing this, right?’”
Freddie Lutz, long-time owner of Freddie’s, has been posting comical fashion videos on his social media. He’s closed at both Freddie’s and Federico Ristorante Italiano just down the street in Crystal City, Va., but remains hopeful.
“One loan just came through today,” he said by phone last week. “We’re gonna try to get people back in some aspect or another soon.”
Miss Pixie soldiers on
Miss Pixie (i.e. Pixie Windsor) of Miss Pixie’s Furnishings and Whatnot (1626 14th St., N.W./misspixies.com) is also keeping busy and says things are, “Good, good, good.”
Though she had to furlough her staff of 10 and says her sales overall are down 88 percent, she has been keeping busy working in the shop between five-seven hours daily, selling things on social media (her Instagram, especially, has been popular) and through her display window. She’s offering free deliveries throughout the region (“I just drove a 10-inch brass bowl out to Centreville, Va.,” she says) and just does her best to practice safe social distancing.
“I’m surprised, the first couple of days of this, I was pulling everything out of closets thinking I’ll finally have a month or two to go through everything, then we got busy, so it’s not a bad problem. … It’s a different kind of way to work.”
She hasn’t been able to go to auctions — her usual source of inventory — but had plenty on hand and in storage to keep things going. She also has vendors who are eager to supply her with items should the pickings get slim.
“Another guy who’s a picker for me, he just called me today and said, ‘I got a whole warehouse full, you just tell me,’ but I’m gonna wait ’til it thins out a little here first,” Pixie, who’s bi, says.
She’s on unemployment but says she can maintain her rent if she sells $1,000 per day. Her landlord balked at her suggestion of a free month. A normal Saturday pre-pandemic, she’d sell between $10,000-20,000 worth of merchandise. She sells antiques, second-hand furniture, household tchotchkes, collectibles, dishware and more. She’s applied for small business aid but received nothing thus far. But no city interference so far either.
“I’ve been kind of waiting for it but I haven’t had anything yet,” she says. “I’ve been doing a lot of deliveries but I’m not out in the big pink van. I have thought, ‘Oh my God, what am I gonna say I’m doing if I get pulled over.’ But all my deliveries are contact free. I call them up, they come out to the curb. I’m kind of walking the line. I may hear something but so far so good.”
Shhhh, no talking!
Also moving to 100 percent virtual is today’s National Day of Silence, an annual GLSEN event celebrating its 25th anniversary that is a student-led protest of the “silencing and erasure of LGBTQ people.” Last year, nearly 8,000 gay/straight alliance clubs (GSAs) participated. This year, organizers predict the day of protest will be the largest-ever online gathering of LGBTQ youth.
Ordinarily students participating take a vow of silence for the day. But with school closed, Day of Silence this year will consist of social media campaigns, virtual meetings, artwork, videos and resource guides to “connect and empower LGBTQ youth.”
Christ Staley is a 17-year-old high school senior, lesbian and president of Spectrum, the GSA at her school, Monroe Woodbury High School, a school of 2,312 students in Central Valley, N.Y. Though she hasn’t seen a lot of anti-queer bullying in her school (she’s been out since seventh grade), she says it’s still important for the 10-15 Spectrum students to have a presence. She was pleasantly surprised last year to see so much solidarity from teachers. So many requested ally stickers they ran out.
She says the April 24 event to her will feel successful if she and her fellow members are “just able to get the message out there that LGBTQ discrimination is prevalent and we should stand together to help end this.”
Find out more at glsen.org.
a&e features
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars’ cast visits D.C.
8 queens vie for $200,000 prize for charity in new season, premiering May 17
Donning sparkling and star-studded red, white, and blue attire on a gloomy, humid D.C. Monday, the cast of the latest “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” season sashayed on the National Mall to promote the reality show’s ninth season.
This upcoming season is different than those in the past — eight queens are competing for a donation of $200,000 for the charity of their choosing, rather than a personal cash prize.
Several cast members noted how it felt important to visit the nation’s capital, being authentically themselves and wearing drag. Nina West, who competed in season 11, likened drag to armor.
“We’re here during a really specific time in history, that’s, I would say, markedly dark,” she told the Blade at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. “And there’s an opportunity, as drag has always done, which is for our community as specifically LGBTQI+ people, to stand in our truth and be wonderful — like guardians and fighters for our community.”
She’s competing for the Trevor Project, which is focused on suicide prevention and crisis intervention for young LGBTQ people. This season’s pivot to compete for charity made Nina West want to come back on the show for the All Stars season. She’s been offered the spot two times before this, she said, and this twist aligned with what she wanted to do.
Several of the other queens mentioned that it’s an honor to be featured in this season, including season 5’s Roxxxy Andrews. She also competed in two subsequent All-Stars seasons.
She chose the organization Miracle of Love, which provides HIV/AIDS prevention programming and assistance in central Florida. It’s a smaller, more local organization, which is why Roxxxy Andrews chose it. She wants to make its work more nationally known. Also, vying to win during a charity season makes the competition feel more rewarding, she said.
Plastique Tiara of season 11 also noted it’s different competing for charity. She’s competing for the Asian American Foundation, which launched in 2021 in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate and aims to curb discrimination and violence through education and investments in nonprofits.
“It’s more competitive because then you’re fighting not just only for yourself, but your ideas and the things that you love,” she said.
Vanessa Vanjie of seasons 10 and 11 agreed that competing for charity adds a bit more pressure — she chose the ASPCA. And as onlookers near the Lincoln Memorial took pictures of and with the queens, she said she was relieved.
“I was a little bit worried somebody would yell some slurs at us,” Vanessa Vanjie said. “Nothing happened. Everybody came to take pictures like Santa Claus in the middle of the mall.”
There’s a range of contestants from different seasons for this round of All Stars. Some queens hail from recent seasons, but Shannel competed on the show’s first season. To be a part of this new season is surreal, she said.
She’s competing for the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, which she has a close tie to. She’s dealt with anxiety her entire life. The association is focused on increasing awareness and improving diagnosis and treatment.
“I always felt like I just wasn’t normal, sadly,” she said. “And so now being able to be able to do this season and to get back to that organization is like amazing to me.”
Gottmik, from season 13, is competing for Trans Lifeline — a nonprofit providing advocacy, a hotline and grants created by trans people, for trans people. Being able to do drag and give back is the “perfect scenario,” Gottmik said.
Gottmik was the first openly trans man on Drag Race, which was overwhelming when first on the show. Gottmik felt pressure to be the “perfect example,” but later realized that they didn’t have to worry so much.
“I just want to show people that trans people are real people. We can express ourselves however we want to express ourselves, through drag, through whatever it may be,” Gottmik said.
The new season will be available to stream on Paramount+ on May 17.
a&e features
Pride season has begun
LGBTQ parades, festivals to be held throughout region in coming months
LGBTQ Pride festivals, parades and other events have been scheduled in large cities and small towns throughout the region. Pride events around the world culminate in June, but organizers in some municipalities have elected to hold celebrations in other months.
Pride in the region has already begun with last weekend’s Mr., Miss, and Mx. Capital Pride Pageant held at Penn Social as well as Roanoke Pride Festival held in Elmwood Park in Roanoke, Va.
Below is a list of Pride events coming to the region.
MAY
Capital Trans Pride is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library (901 G St., N.W.). The website for the event advertises workshops, panel discussions, a keynote address, a resource fair and more. transpridewashingtondc.org
Equality Prince William Pride is scheduled for 12-4 p.m. on May 18 at the Harris Pavilion (9201 Center St.) in historic downtown Manassas, Va. equalityprincewilliam.org
D.C. Black Pride holds events throughout the city May 24-27. Highlights include an opening reception, dance parties and a community festival at Fort Dupont Park. The Westin Washington, DC Downtown (999 9th St., N.W.) is the host hotel, with several events scheduled there. dcblackpride.org
NOVA Pride and Safe Space NOVA will hold NOVA Pride Prom from 7-11 p.m. on May 31 at Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, Va. The event is open to all high school students throughout the region, regardless of identity, from rising ninth grade students to graduating seniors. novapride.org
Capital Pride Honors will be held on May 31. The Capital Pride Alliance has announced on its website that nominations are open for awardees. The Honors celebrates excellence in the LGBTQ community and its allies. capitalpride.org
JUNE
Downtown Sykesville Connection is sponsoring Sykesville Pride Day in downtown Sykesville, Md. on June 1 from 12-4 p.m. downtownsykesville.com
Reston Pride will be held at Lake Anne Plaza in Reston, Va. on June 1 from 12-6 p.m. restonpride.org
Fairfax Pride, hosted by the City of Fairfax and George Mason University, will be held at Old Town Hall (3999 University Drive, Fairfax, Va.) on June 1 from 5-7 p.m. The event will include children’s activities and more. fairfaxva.gov
OEC Pride celebrates Pride with “art, dance, education, and fun” in Old Ellicott City. The OEC Pride Festival is held along Main Street in Ellicott City, Md. on June 1 from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. visitoldellicottcity.com
Annapolis Pride has consistently drawn a giant crowd for a parade and festival in the quaint downtown of the Maryland capital. “The Voice” star L. Rodgers has been announced to headline the 2024 festival. The parade and festival will be held on June 1. annapolispride.org
The Alexandria LGBTQ+ Task Force Alexandria Pride is scheduled to be held at Alexandria City Hall from 3 – 6 p.m. on June 1 in Alexandria, Va. alexandriava.gov
The Portsmouth Pride Fest will be held at Festival Park adjacent to the Atlantic-Union Bank Pavilion in Portsmouth, Va. on June 1 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. portsmouthprideva.com
The Delaware Pride Festival is a free event scheduled for June 1 at Legislative Hall in Dover, Del. from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.The event is billed as family friendly and open to people of all ages and sexual orientations. delawarepride.org
The City of Rockville is hosting Rockville Pride at Rockville Town Square (131 Gibbs St., Rockville, Md.) from 2-5 p.m. on June 2. The free event features live performances, information booths, and children’s activities. rockvillemd.gov
Equality Loudoun is hosting the ticketed Loudoun Pride Festival from 1-7 p.m. on June 2 at Claude Moore Park in Sterling, Va. The event features three stages, a “#Dragstravaganza,” a kid’s zone, an alcohol pavilion, a food hall and more. Tickets $5. eqloco.com
Culpepper Pride is slated to be held at Mountain Run Winery in Culpepper, Va. from 12-6 p.m. on June 2. The theme this year is “True Colors.” culpeperpride.org
The Southwest Virginia Pride Cookout Community Social is planned for 2 p.m. at the Charles R. Hill Senior Center in Vinton, Va. on June 2. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.
Capital Pride kicks off with the RIOT! Opening Party at Echostage starting at 9 p.m. on June 7. Tickets run from $27-$50 and can be purchased on the Capital Pride website. The event is set to feature Sapphire Cristál. capitalpride.org
Pride events continue over the weekend of June 8-9 in the nation’s capital with the Capital Pride Block Party featuring performers and a beverage garden, the massive Capital Pride Parade, Flashback: A totally Radical Tea Dance to be held at the end of the parade route, and the Capital Pride Festival and Concert. Visit capitalpride.org for more information. Other Pride events planned for the weekend in D.C. include a number of parties and the unforgettable (and free) Pride on the Pier & Fireworks Show at the Wharf sponsored by the Washington Blade from 2-10 p.m. prideonthepierdc.com
Pride in the ‘Peake will be held at Summit Pointe (580 Belaire Ave.) in Chesapeake, Va. on June 9 from 12-5 p.m. The family-focused Pride event does not serve alcohol, but will feature community organizations, food trucks and more in a street festival. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.
Celebrate with a drag show, dancing and a lot of wine at Two Twisted Posts Winery in Purcellville, Va. for a Pride Party from 2-5 p.m. on June 15. twotwistedposts.com
Baltimore Pride holds one of the largest Pride parades in the region on June 15 in Baltimore. (2418 Saint Paul St.). The parade concludes with a block party and festival. Pride events are scheduled from June 14-16. baltimorepride.org
The fourth annual Catonsville Pride Fest will be held at the Catonsville Presbyterian Church (1400 Frederick Rd.) in Catonsville, Md. on June 15 from 3-6 p.m. The event features a High Heel Race, pony rides, face painting, local cuisine and more. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.
The Ghent Business District Palace Shops have announced a Ghent Pride event from 5:30-9:30 p.m. on June 17 at the Palace Shops and Station (301 W 21st Street) in Norfolk, Va. ghentnorfolk.org
An event dedicated to celebrating the elders in the LGBTQ community, Silver Pride is scheduled for June 20 at 5:30-8:30 p.m. Location and more information to be announced soon. capitalpride.org
Visit the Hampton Roads PrideFest and Boat Parade for a truly unique Pride experience along the Elizabeth River. The full day of entertainment, education and celebration will be held on June 22 from 12-7 p.m. at Town Point Park (113 Waterside Dr.) in Norfolk, Va. hamptonroadspride.org
Frederick, Md. will hold its annual Frederick Pride Festival at Carroll Creek Linear Park on June 22 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Entertainers include CoCo Montrese of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” frederickpride.org
The fourth annual Pride at the Beach is scheduled for 2-10 p.m. on June 23 at Neptune’s Park (3001 Atlantic Ave.) in Virginia Beach, Va. The event features entertainment, community vendors, beachside DJ sets, food trucks and offers a “perfect conclusion to an unforgettable Pride weekend.” hamptonroadspride.org
Winchester Pride will hold its Mx. Winchester Pride Pageant at 15 N. Loudoun St. in Winchester, Va. on June 23 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance/$25 at the door. winchesterpride.com
The organizers of last year’s inaugural Ocean City Pride with a “parade” along the boardwalk in Ocean City, Md. have announced that they will be organizing a return this year with events from June 28-30. instagram.com
The third annual Arlington Pride Festival will be held at Long Bridge Park at National Landing (475 Long Bridge Dr.) in Arlington, Va. on June 29 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. arlvapride.com
FXBG Pride is holding its annual community Fredericksburg Pride March on June 29 from 10-11 a.m. at Riverfront Park (705 Sophia St.) in Fredericksburg, Va. Speeches begin at 10 a.m. and the procession starts at 10:30 a.m. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.
Salisbury Pride “90’s Edition” is scheduled for 3 – 7 p.m. on June 29 in Downtown Salisbury, Md. Magnolia Applebottom is listed as the headliner and grand marshal. salisburyprideparade.com
The 2024 Suffolk Pride Festival is scheduled for Bennett’s Creek Park in Suffolk, Va. on June 30 from 12-7 p.m. Visit the Facebook event page for more information.
Expect music, entertainment and drag performances in the picturesque mountain town of Cumberland, Md. at the Cumberland Pride Festival on June 30 from 12-4 p.m. at Canal Place. cumberlandpride.org
Montgomery County’s annual Pride in the Plaza will be held on June 30 from 12-8 p.m. at Veterans Plaza (1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring, Md. liveinyourtruth.org
JULY
The sixth annual Westminster Pride Festival is scheduled for downtown Westminster, Md. on July 13 from 12-6 p.m. westminsterpride.org
Hagerstown Hopes is holding its annual Hagerstown Pride Festival in Doubs Woods Park (1307 Maryland Ave.) in Hagerstown, Md. on July 13 at 11 a.m. Visit the Facebook event page for more information.
The Rehoboth Beach Pride Festival will be held on July 20 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., with other Sussex Pride events scheduled throughout the weekend of July 18-21. sussexpride.org
Us Giving Us Richmond hosts Black Pride RVA in Richmond, Va. with events on July 19-21. ugrcrva.org
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.”
Tel Aviv authorities cancel Pride parade
EXCLUSIVE: White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on speaking out and showing up
Vladimir Putin takes office for fifth term as Russia’s president
Billy Porter, Keke Palmer, Ava Max to perform at Capital Pride
Center for Black Equity announces leadership change
PHOTOS: Gay Day at the Zoo
Trone discusses transgender niece
200 turn out for ’Love Fest’ Drag Story Hour at Freddie’s
Another successful Taste of Point fundraiser
