Work
03.17.21
03.17.21
Darcy Drollinger for AARP
I photographed Darcy Drollinger finding that angle and that key light for AARP and their caption is as good as it gets, so here it is:
“When his two business partners decided they wanted to retire at the beginning of 2020, D'Arcy Drollinger wasn't ready to say goodbye to @theoasissf. So, he bought them out of their shares of the iconic nightclub and cabaret in San Francisco's SoMa District. Then the coronavirus hit.
"Talk about timing," says D'Arcy, 52. "There have been times when I felt like such a fool for taking this on. But more often than that, I feel excited for the future."
One silver lining of the pandemic? It presented an opportunity for D'Arcy to work with one of his closest friends, Cindy Goldfield, 57. After losing their jobs at the start of the pandemic, Cindy, and her partner Willi Nordby, an executive chef, started a food delivery and pick-up service called Martha Avenue as a way to support the community, "and try to keep a roof over our heads." Teaming up with D'Arcy added a bright new layer — with Meals on Heels, customers could order food and drinks, with a side of lip-sync.
Here's how it works: Martha Avenue provides the food and Oasis provided the cocktails and drag performers. Volunteers help deliver the food and drink curbside to customers.
"Meals on Heels has provided such a great outlet and resource for so many," D'Arcy says. "And it gave me the chance to work with Cindy, who is one of my best friends."
Although COVID-19 threw a wrench in his original plans, D'Arcy has taken the last year as a lesson — and even used some of his training to power through. "I can use my drag performance skills in every aspect of life," he says. "When your zipper breaks right before you go on, or the DJ loses your music, you can give up and go home, or you can find some duct tape, pick another song, and go out and sell the number." “
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“When his two business partners decided they wanted to retire at the beginning of 2020, D'Arcy Drollinger wasn't ready to say goodbye to @theoasissf. So, he bought them out of their shares of the iconic nightclub and cabaret in San Francisco's SoMa District. Then the coronavirus hit.
"Talk about timing," says D'Arcy, 52. "There have been times when I felt like such a fool for taking this on. But more often than that, I feel excited for the future."
One silver lining of the pandemic? It presented an opportunity for D'Arcy to work with one of his closest friends, Cindy Goldfield, 57. After losing their jobs at the start of the pandemic, Cindy, and her partner Willi Nordby, an executive chef, started a food delivery and pick-up service called Martha Avenue as a way to support the community, "and try to keep a roof over our heads." Teaming up with D'Arcy added a bright new layer — with Meals on Heels, customers could order food and drinks, with a side of lip-sync.
Here's how it works: Martha Avenue provides the food and Oasis provided the cocktails and drag performers. Volunteers help deliver the food and drink curbside to customers.
"Meals on Heels has provided such a great outlet and resource for so many," D'Arcy says. "And it gave me the chance to work with Cindy, who is one of my best friends."
Although COVID-19 threw a wrench in his original plans, D'Arcy has taken the last year as a lesson — and even used some of his training to power through. "I can use my drag performance skills in every aspect of life," he says. "When your zipper breaks right before you go on, or the DJ loses your music, you can give up and go home, or you can find some duct tape, pick another song, and go out and sell the number." “
