Arts & Entertainment
Best of Gay D.C. 2013: Nightlife
Blade readers choose their favorite clubs, parties, monthly events and more
![Best of Gay D.C., nightlife, gay news, Washington Blade](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2013/10/Best_of_Gay_DC_Nightlife_thumb_c_Washington_Blade_by_Lee_Whitman.jpg)
![Best of Gay D.C., Freddie's Beach Bar, Best Outside District Bar, gay news, Washington Blade](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2013/10/outside_district_bar.jpg)
Freddie’s Beach Bar (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Best outside-D.C. bar:Ā Freddieās Beach Bar
555 23rdĀ Street
South Arlington, Va.
703-685-0555
Runner-up: Club Hippo (Baltimore)
![Best of Gay D.C., Blue Moon, Rehoboth Beach, Best Rehoboth Bar, gay news, Washington Blade](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2013/10/rehoboth_bar.jpg)
Blue Moon (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Best Rehoboth bar:Ā Blue Moon
35 Baltimore Ave.
Rehoboth Beach, Del.
302-227-6515
Runner-up: Rehoboth Ale House
![Best of Gay D.C., Number Nine, Best Place to Meet Men, Best Happy Hour, gay news, Washington Blade](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2013/10/place_to_meet_men.jpg)
Number Nine (Washington Blade photo by Lee Whitman)
Best happy hour:
Best place to meet men:
Number 9
1435 P Street, N.W.
202-986-0999
Runner-up for both: Cobalt
Best drag show:Ā Big Bang Bingo at Mellow Mushroom
2436 18thĀ Street, N.W.
202-290-2778
mellowmushroom.com
Runner-up: Ziegfeldās
Best place to meet women:Ā glittHER by V Spot D.C.
1807 4th St., N.W.
Dancing wonāt feel right again without being covered in glitter.V Spot D.C.ās glittHER dance parties infuse great music, glitter, dancing and did we mention glitter? All while mingling with local ladies. (MC)
Runner-up: BARE by LURe at Cobalt
![Best of Gay D.C., Best Gay-Friendly Straight Bar, gay news, Washington Blade](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2013/10/gay-friendly_straight_bar.jpg)
Stoney’s (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Best gay-friendly straight bar:Ā Stoneyās
1433 P Street, N.W.
202-234-1818
Runner-up: Brixton
Best live music:Ā 9:30 Club
815 V Street, N.W.
202-265-0930
Runner-up: Black Cat
Best neighborhood bar:Ā JR.ās Bar & Grill
1519 17thĀ Street, N.W.
202-328-0090
Runner-up: Nellieās Sports Bar
Hottest stripper or gogo dancer:
Christian Lezzil
By day heās a graduate student with one semester left to earn his masterās in literature. By night, Christian Lezzil strips at Secrets.
Having done some modeling during his time in Virginia Beach ā he came to D.C. about a year ago ā Lezzil says dancing nude, initially at the behest of a drag queen friend, was a lark. He says in addition to paying for grad school, itās had an unexpected benefit ā itās given him plenty of material for his writing. He has two books ā āCrimson & Caramelā and āThe Maniac in the Coffee Shopā ā out (written under his real name, Eddie Generazio).
āIt started with a student body competition in Virginia Beach,ā Lezzil says. āSomebody said I should enter and I just thought, āHell, why not? Iām not doing anything else.ā I was waiting to hear back from my graduate school application. ā¦ I was looking for some kind of alternative lifestyle-type of thing to do and I just thought, āWell, whatās more alternative than dancing in a male revue?ā Thereās a lot of poetry in there and it just kind of started taking off after I arrived in D.C. I got so much material, my second book kind of wrote itself.ā
The 23-year-old bi Virginia native, Lezzil (a stage name) says he enjoys the irony of stripping and writing. He says many of his colleagues at Secrets are also smart, though some try to hide it. He views his Best Of Gay D.C. award as a validation of sorts.
āMaybe Iām just a jerk and Iām inflating it, but I think of it as a kind of performance art,ā he says.
(JD)
![Best of Gay D.C., Christian Lezzil, Hottest Stripper, Secrets, gay news, Washington Blade](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2013/10/hottest_stripper.jpg)
Christian Lezzil (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Runner-up: Ben Reznik
Best menās party:Ā CTRL at Cobalt
Last Saturday of the month
1639 R Street, N.W.
202-232-4416
Runner-up: Bear Happy Hour at Town
![Best of Gay D.C., BARE, LURe, Cobalt, Best Women's Party, gay news, Washington Blade](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2013/10/womens_party.jpg)
BARE by the Ladies of LURe at Cobalt. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Best womenās party:Ā BARE by LURe at Cobalt
Third Saturday of the month
1639 R Street, N.W.
202-232-4416
Runner-up: glittHER by V Spot D.C.
![Best of Gay D.C., best Alternative Party, Gay/Bash, Joshua Vogelsong, gay news, Washington Blade](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2013/10/alternative_party.jpg)
Joshua Vogelsong of the Black Cat’s Gay/Bash. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Best alt party:Ā Gay/Bash! at Black Cat
Next event: Oct. 26
1811 14thĀ Street, N.W.
202-667-4490
Runner-up: Mixtape
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The 2024 New York City Pride Parade wound through the streets of Manhattan and past the historic Stonewall Inn on Sunday, June 30.
(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)
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The fourth annual Fredericksburg Pride march and festival was held at Riverfront Park in Fredericksburg, Va. on Saturday, June 29. The event began with a march around downtown Fredericksburg beginning and ending in the park.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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Covering Fredericksburg Pride for @WashBlade . City Council member @WillMackintosh speaking: pic.twitter.com/tDdVD2IVsM
— Michael Patrick Key (@MichaelKeyWB) June 29, 2024
Photos
PHOTOS: Goodwin Living Pride
Senior living and healthcare organization holds fourth annual march at Falls Church campus
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The senior living and healthcare organization Goodwin Living held its fourth annual community Pride march around its Bailey’s Crossroads campus in Falls Church, Va. with residents, friends and supporters on Tuesday, June 25. Following the march, a drag brunch was held with performances by drag artists of SADBrunch: Crimsyn, Sapphire Dupree and Evon Dior Michelle.
(Photos courtesy of Goodwin Living)
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