It’s a Hilarious DRAG at Top of the Pines
Thanks to COVID fears and frequent travel, I had not made it to the Top of the Pines Drag Brunch until last week. That fact was made raucously public five minutes into the brunch show when Emcee and drag superstar Mona Lotts polled the audience. “Who’s never seen this show?”
My raised hand elicited Mona to shout “Fay Jacobs. Really???” and to the crowd she announced, “I can tell you she’s no kind of a virgin!”
And the happy insults started to fly all over the room. It’s that kind of uber gay, hilarious drag show morning, where everybody has a good time, nobody is really insulted (“Oh look here, two of the last Titanic survivors!”) and the drag queens dazzle. And hey, the food is excellent.
Since this is, after all, a restaurant article, here’s the deal: The Top of the Pines Sunday Brunch offers an a la carte menu along with your show ticket. The Eggs Norway (smoked salmon on classic Benedict) were perfectly cooked, presented with a delightful salad and accompanied by bold Bloody Mary’s and sparkling Mimosas. Loved it all.
Also on the menu at the moment (and we’ve been warned that the chef likes to change it up) are sugar-cinnamon beignets, avocado toast, burgers, and steak and eggs. Want a side of tater tots? They’ve got them. And helpfully, the tab for our brunch was very reasonable, along with the $15 show ticket. Reservations required. I cannot wait to return.
Now back to the entertainers. The costumes will knock your eyes out, the routines are over the top and both Mona and her co-host Kristina Kelly are top notch illusionists in action. Also performing that morning were the beautiful Monique L’Amor and Dana St. James, both artfully combining drag and comedy. To be sure, this is adult comedy and not for the puritanical.
And we sure need this kind of gay fun these days.
The laughs are huge and the traditional paper money tips are offered to the girls. Host Bob Suppies makes certain he has change on hand for anyone who would like to swap big bills for fists full of single dollars. And cleverly, you can also tip the performers via the Venmo app.
There was a wonderful moment at the show we attended. One of the performers asked a patron her profession and the answer was “I’m a nurse.” The performer stopped the show, quieting the crowd and thanking the woman—and all nurses—for the great job they have done during the pandemic. It was a moving moment, with the audience erupting in cheers.
Mona tells me “I just love hosting the brunch because of the diversity of the audiences and the chance to interact with them. Life is so intense these days and to make people laugh and forget about real life for a little while is very rewarding.”
So check out the Pines Drag Brunch, along with the downstairs restaurant (A+ for food and atmosphere) and the other events upstairs. The building has been lovingly restored, the business has become a highlight of Baltimore Avenue, and you’ll have a lot of fun whether you are barely over 21 or a hapless Titanic survivor. ▼