photos and words by Dakota Fine
additional photos by Chris Svetlik
...
You, dear reader, had been long planning on attending the high heel race for weeks now. It's one of those annual DC traditions that's hard to miss. Perhaps the best DC has to offer in terms of street parties, and definitely the gayest.
But then the weather happened. Cold, wet, rain. Shitty. The kind of cold rain that makes you think twice about leaving your couch so that you can line up 17 deep on 17th st when you know that a million umbrellas are just going to crowd your view of the high heeled competitors strutting just a few breathless yards away from you. Well, as Svetlana said to me yesterday, if you could predict the weather based solely on the event itself, predicting rain on the eve of the high heel race, you'd be right most the time. After an exhausting weekend of comedy, dear reader, we don't blame you for not being out there in attendance last night. That's what we're here for. BYT to the rescue. Allow us to deliver you, a dispatch fresh off the streets of the gay-borhood.
Despite the crappy weather, DC residents still turned out in droves for the spectacle. With all the usual suspects in tow, mayor, Paul Wharton, gays, photographers, the race was as it always is, a shitshow in the greatest sense of the word. Who knows who won? Not important, I don't think anyone even keeps score, at least not for the running. For the fashion definitely, but not the actual finish line stats, honey please. Sports shmorts, is Heidi running? Didn't think so. Work it out.
So since you missed it last night, opting for hot cocoa over Coco Chanel blazing past you in a fit of glory on the cold wet asphalt, come on a journey with us now and enjoy the queens of DC.
and we'll close out with some by Chris
Previously in I Heart DC:
- 5/24: DC NEWS YOU CAN (MAYBE) USE...
- 5/23: DC News You Can (Maybe) Use
- 5/23: BYT Patio and Outdoor Dining Guide - Spring/Summer 2012
- 5/22: DC NEWS YOU CAN (MAYBE) USE...
- 5/21: DC News You Can (Maybe) Use
- 5/21: PHOTOS: Artomatic 2012 Opening
- 5/18: DC NEWS YOU CAN (MAYBE) USE...
- 5/17: DC News You Can (Maybe) Use
- 5/16: D.C. NEWS YOU CAN (MAYBE) USE...
- 5/16: Photos: Dance In The Circle @ Dupont Circle
God loves a cheerful giver.
for the last six years I've lived in DC it has rained on the Tuesday before Halloween.
Love it!!! Despite the fact that I mostly don't hang out in gay bars (despite being gay) I just love all the faggotry that is the 'High Heel Race' - flirting with strangers on the street, being confused by straight boys in dresses and wondering that "I think I would be totally into that dude if he wasn't in drag...I'm not sure, but I think that's a hot guy under that wig!"
Love it.
Anyone else see that ~*-DiVa-*~ get angry and shatter his/her oversized martini glass in the middle of the street right before the race? Bitch shoulda been arrested.
I think this was the one:
Also, I started falling in love with one of those dancers in the Eric Prydz-esque dance troupe. Made sure to study her features with the intensity of a 10th century bible scholar by candlelight to make sure she had distinct feminine traits. Attempted to get a blood sample to check for XX chromosomes, but I left my electro gel phoresis kit at home.
My favorites were the Cash for Clunkers group and Sue Silverster.
LOVE the PETA girls!!
JEM!
SUPER COOL!
the energy of this night is awesome
this evening is always a night that brings respect to our often tame city
I am a straight guy who was at home carving pumpkins with the kids...
bummer it has rained on the Tuesday before Halloween
I threw an image from your page on my bicycle blog
http://gwadzilla.blogspot.com/