It takes Sterling, Va. cosmetics salesman Charles McWilliams under an hour in a Crystal City basement to turn into a woman. Beneath Freddie’s Beach Bar, alongside the Kosher salt, lime juice, and nacho cheese, McWilliams sweats and smokes his way into Ophelia Bottoms, the drag persona he’s perfected over the past decade.

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George Mason community bemused, infuriated by tiara recipient.

Drag queen Ryan Allen wasn’t the only man to be honored at George Mason’s homecoming festivities earlier this month. In a more traditional turn of events, fellow Mason man Ricky Malebranche was crowned Mr. Mason. Malebranche has possibly the most tempered opinion on the man-as-homecoming-queen broohaha:

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SWDCBlog reports some good news on one gay-friendly locale displaced by Nationals Stadium: “Ziegfeld’s, the drag performance venue with a decades-long presence in near Southeast, will soon reopen on Buzzard Point in Southwest.” Ziegfeld’s closed in 2005 after 25 years in the neighborhood. The new spot, at 1824 Half Street, is slated to open in late December, and will be split into two venues: “Ziegfeld’s” for drag shows downstairs, and “Secrets” for dancing upstairs.

Photo by procsilas.

In case you haven’t signed up to volunteer for the high heel race—or run it yourself—you can take in all the ostentatious glory of this pre-Halloween drag tradition tonight between P and S Streets on 17th Street. The parade up and down 17th (which will be closed) begins around 7 p.m.; the race starts at 9 p.m., and lasts about 15 minutes.

Photo of last year’s race by Poldavo (Alex)