By André Hereford on February 12, 2022 @here4andre
A bracing wind chilled a recent Sunday night in D.C., but inside Licht Cafe on U Street, the atmosphere was warm and cordial. Gathered around a corner of the burnished wood bar, a circle of friends celebrated some occasion, while, cozy on a couch behind them, a gay couple appeared to be deep into their date night.
A pair of friendly bartenders kept beer and cocktails flowing, serving up mules, mojitos, and Negronis to the dozen or so patrons enjoying the relaxed vibe. The ambience, somewhere between low-key house party and after-hours at your neighborhood coffeehouse, seemed exactly as owner Spencer Hurd had intended.
“My target audience when I was conceiving this was queer professionals like me that just want a space they can come and chat and relax,” says the entrepreneur, who debuted Licht with a soft launch in early December, before opening to the public later that month.
Elegantly filling a snug 600-square foot floor-through above Big Planet Comics, its walls adorned with alluring homoerotic art, Licht’s look and character were inspired in part by gay bars and cafés Hurd experienced while living and working in Germany. The ex-Mormon Air Force vet, originally from northern Utah, later moved to D.C. for a job with NASA. But his dream was to start his own business.
Hurd’s first retail venture, men’s fashion boutique Whiskey Ginger, which also was on U Street, closed in 2018. “My husband and I actually had our daughter in 2018,” he says. “And when we found out that she was coming, it just didn’t make sense for me to have the shop anymore. I still wanted to be in the small business realm and do something entrepreneurial, but I knew I had to be a parent first.”
Remarkably, everything came together for Hurd’s new venture — the location, concept, and all-important liquor license — just as COVID-19 blew up the world’s plans. Opening a venue designed for human interaction during a pandemic has posed its share of difficulties. “For us to have to impose the city’s regulations, it’s a little bit problematic,” he says. “But, of course, we support and are going to do it because that’s what’s required.”
Undaunted by the challenge, Hurd appears more focused on perfecting the Licht experience, clearly a labor of love. The team is set to install a compact oven for turning out their prospective signature offering, flammkuchen, a super-thin tarte flambée with crème fraîche and different types of toppings. And he plans for Licht to host events soon, when “I have a full staff complement in order to do them.”
For now, Licht is still getting acquainted with the community. “It’s been really great, because I’ve seen a lot of repeat customers,” Hurd adds. “So I’ll see them several times over, which is awesome, because then it means it resonated with them and that they enjoyed it and they want to come back.”
Licht Cafe is located at 1520 U St NW. Visit www.lichtdc.com.
By John Riley on February 7, 2023 @JRileyMW
Since 2011, twice a year, in the spring and fall, Stonewall Bocce, the District’s only LGBTQ bocce league, has met at Logan Circle on Thursday evenings for about 12 weeks.
During the season, hundreds of people pack the circle each week as they watch their friends, neighbors, or teammates toss or roll brightly-colored two-pound balls along the grass, hoping to get their balls as close as possible –- or at least closer than their opponents’ balls –- to a small white target ball, known as the pallino.
The rules are simple: a team has four balls, and scores points for each ball that gets closer to the pallino than their opponents’ closest ball. Balls are recycled after each round, and games continue until one of the teams reaches 15 points.
By John Riley on February 6, 2023 @JRileyMW
In December, Salah Czapary was confirmed as Director of the Mayor’s Office of Nightlife and Culture, a position commonly dubbed the city’s “Night Mayor.”
It’s Czapary’s job to serve as an intermediary between the District government and the owners and workers who populate the city’s once-vibrant restaurant, nightlife, and entertainment industry. He’s also charged with facilitating coordination between public safety personnel and local eateries, nightclubs, and other venues.
“My attitude towards the nightlife economy and the restaurant industry is that if I'm not asking what their needs are, what their opportunities are, what the potential issues are, then I can’t tell policymakers what those needs, opportunities, and potential issues are,” he said recently during a 45-minute conversation. “The most important thing for me is to be a willing partner and an active listener to their needs.”
By John Riley on February 1, 2023 @JRileyMW
Two new LGBTQ-specific spaces are opening in the D.C. area with one slated to open within a few weeks, and the other by the spring of 2023. Construction and final permitting processes are currently underway at both locations.
The first location, expected to open in mid-February, is Bunker, located in the subterranean space that once housed Tropicalia nightclub, at 2001 14th St. NW.
Owned by the producers behind the KINETIC Presents LGBTQ dance parties, Bunker seeks to establish itself as the District's answer to what has been a dearth of LGBTQ-specific dance clubs following the establishment of Nationals Park, the closure of Town Danceboutique, and the pandemic-related closures of the DC Eagle, Ziegfeld's/Secrets, and other venues that once played host to top DJs and live musical entertainment.
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
Washington's LGBTQ Magazine
Follow Us:
· Facebook
· Twitter
· Flipboard
· YouTube
· Instagram
· RSS News | RSS Scene
Copyright ©2021 Jansi LLC.