Washington Blade - December 3, 2004
Dionne Walker

But when Saturday night rolls around, more than a few women in D.C., who would like the option of visiting a gay bar, find their social life is about as fun as washing gym socks.

Perhaps they should consider heading north - to Baltimore.

Joe Berg, marketing director for Grand Central, a gay club there, said Baltimore has a thriving nightlife that's becoming increasingly inviting to women. Traditionally a male-dominated venue, the massive North Charles Street dance club recently began hosting "The Lady Eve" on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month.

"Naughty girls have all the fun at Baltimore's hottest ladies night," the club's Web site says about "The Lady Eve," an event that draws about 200 women and costs $6 to attend.

"Baltimore's got less of a huge town feel," Berg says. "It's easier to be personal."

Just 45 minutes up the road there's a plethora of new faces, venues and enough sights and sounds to give even the most jaded lesbian clubber a jolt. But while some promoters laud Charm City's nightlife for its intimate feel, others warn that the club crowds there lack diversity and tend to be a bit rowdier than in D.C.

Denise Byrne, president of Dykes in the City, a local social and community-oriented group, said other lesbian gathering spots in Baltimore include Gallagher's, Coconuts and Club Hippo, a Baltimore staple with drag shows and a monthly women's tea dance.

In addition to touring Gay Pride festivals and distributing shirts, Dykes in the City recently began hosting social events aimed at women. They sponsored a World AIDS Day commemoration and HIV fund-raiser on Nov. 27 at Grand Central.

To shake a tail feather, Byrne recommends lesbians visit Coconuts on Friday nights. "The music is awesome,'' she said.

For a more intimate venue, she suggests Gallagher's and compared it to the now-defunct Hung Jury, which used to be a lesbian hotspot in downtown D.C.

Saturday nights find African-American lesbians and gay men in Baltimore at the Paradox, a warehouse club in the shadow of M&T Bank Stadium. The spot is legendary for both hip-hop and unique Baltimore house music - a blend of fast-paced Motown classics over heavy bass and raunchy lyrics.

The Paradox is not for lightweights; the party doesn't start jumping until 2 a.m.

Danielle Dixon, founder of Moodee Entertainment, said other lesbian gathering spots in Baltimore include Club Bunns, near Lexington and Green streets, and the Healing Garden, a tiny wedge of a club that occasionally sponsors women's events.

But for all that it has to offer lesbians, Dixon said Baltimore's party scene has "poor quality events." As a result, she often advises visiting friends to try straight clubs.

Dixon is slated this weekend to launch a series of first-Saturday parties geared toward African-American lesbians. The first one will be held at the Purple Pepper, at 2218 Boston St. The cover will be $10 before 11:30 and up to $15 after that.

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