Life is a Drag

It was an atypically cold and dreary January Sunday, the type of day that keeps most south Floridians hunkered down at home or in sports bars watching playoff football. But the line for brunch at HavAnnA Café in Chokoloskee was out the door on Sunday, January 14.

“We had people here from Ft. Myers, Marco, West Palm, Naples, Ft. Lauderdale and Key West,” says David Ardelean, owner of HavAnnA Café. “They came by car, foot, bicycle, golf cart and boat. We had an overwhelming amount of people that have never seen this before, and they were blown away by the talent, the showmanship, and the theater.”

What blew them away was Chokoloskee’s first-ever drag brunch, staged by Ardelean and his husband Aaron Tabor, who was raised in Chokoloskee.

“Here in town, we’re known as the boys of Chokoloskee,” says Ardelean. “Everyone who’s come to know us knows that we are men of integrity, and we mean well for our community. We want to create a space where everyone feels welcomed from around the world through our hospitality.”

According to Ardelean and Tabor, who also run the Parkway Motel and Marina in Chokoloskee, the inspiration for the brunch came from one of their cooks, Alondra Matthews, who is a drag performer originally from the Midwest and whose stage name is Alondra Sparks.

“Back in Minnesota, there was no place for her to perform except in the basement of the VFW,” says Ardelean. “Alondra needed an outlet for her self-expression, and we said ‘of course, let’s do it!’ She set the whole thing up. This is what makes her happy.”

Branded “The Pursuit of Happiness,” the brunch featured professional drag performers from all parts of Florida, lip-synching and dancing to hits like “I’m Every Woman,” “Respect” and “Natural Woman.” The sold-out shows at 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM drew diverse crowds including a good number of Chokoloskee locals and out-of-town visitors of all ages and demographics, enjoying the café’s lush tropical setting and Cuban-inspired food and cocktails.

Ardelean said the show was marketed as 18 and older, with children allowed only if accompanied by an adult. There was no foul language, nudity or suggestive dancing, just festive pop music, elaborate costumes, and make-up and lots of singing and clapping along by the audience.

“We’re not here to force a vision or point of view on anyone.” Ardelean said. “But we’re also not going to hold back, because the truth is, people are afraid of what they don’t know, right? What we presented was done with professionalism, love, integrity, and a sense of community at the core of it all.”  

Tabor and Ardelean both said there was some online negativity expressed about the event beforehand on various social media outlets, as well as rumors of a possible protest, which never materialized.

“If they would have come,” Ardelean says, “I would have brought them pitchers of water to keep them hydrated and showed them where to gather on the causeway where it’s safe from the traffic.”

Ardelean and Tabor are in agreement that the show was a success for everyone involved and that they’ll definitely hold the event again in the future, likely as the season starts winding down in the spring.

Ardelean notes that their business, which they’ve owned for two years, has a strong and loyal customer base and that the brunch wasn’t intended to simply drive sales. “We don’t need an event to bring people in,” Ardelean says. “Whoever thinks this is about the money isn’t seeing it right. We just did the best we could in the name of love and through what we know to be true.”

He ended our interview with his favorite RuPaul quote: “We’re all born naked, and life is a drag.”