Just a head’s up on another upcoming event this month, Skin TWO at Arousal in Dunstable is taking place on the 24th of September.
Hosted by Dungeon Mistress Ms Rebekka Raynor, Arousal is a friendly alternative sex club that caters to everything from Fetish and BDSM to Clubbers and Swingers.
Tickets are £15 in advance, £18 on the door. The nite goes from 10pm til 12.30pm, dress code is black and smart, with a preference for fetish wear.
If you happen to be in Amsterdam around the 10th of September, you might want to check out the Kinky Salon event. Its a artistic gathering open to anyone with a kinky side, be they straight, gay, bi, or tri!
There will be performances at the Kinky Salon Theatre by such names as Cherise Noir, Rachel V, Lilly Mae Lovitt and The Iron Queen.
The dress code is Love Dolls, Naughty Bunnies, Flower Power, Bonnie and Clyde, Lollipop Girls, Groovy Cats, Shagadelic Babes…the list goes on!
Here’s a list of upcoming kink and LGBT events:
Thursday 28th July – Sunday 31st, Tampa, Florida: FetishCon
www.fetishcon.com
Friday 29th July, London: Salon Fetish
www.thefclub.com/events/salonfetish
Saturday 30th July, London: The Gate
www.thegateclub.co.uk
Saturday 30th July, London: SM Gays Celebration Party
www.smgays.org
Wednesday August 3rd, London: Sweet Wednesday
www.sweetwednesday.co.uk
Saturday August 6th, London: Subversion
www.clubsubversion.com
Saturday August 20th, Sunbury, West London: Swish
www.theold-hellfireclub.co.uk/FetishNight.htm
Tuesday August 30th – Monday September 5th, Montreal Fetish Weekend, Canada
www.fetishweekend.com/news.htm
Well, I was distracted for rather a long while (!) checking out the blog for the new trans male zine ‘Dude’. Launched in February this year in Australia (which, from the U.K., is a mighty long way to go to pick up a printed copy. So yay to them that it should soon be available on download!), those hot off the press Antipodean folk are hoping to keep up the printed version as well as making it available to us Northern hemisphere types on download.
The blog page for ’Dude’ will help to keep you informed of all the latest news on the zine. It also features a picture of the cover of the first edition, how to get hold of a copy, and how you can help to keep it as good as it, so clearly, is. Originally intended as a ‘How to play with transguys guide’, it hopes to open up to cover more info, help, advice, relevant articles and hot, hot pics for future issues.
Judging by the cover (my, some of us transguys are well fit!), and what’s inside, we can only hope it’s a success. Zines on transmasculinity, that are not afraid to cover our sexuality, are a much needed resource. The more widely this zine is seen the better for our community, our understanding and, let’s face it, our libidos. (Really, the cover pics are very sexy..am I stressing that enough??)
Dude cover by Sam Orchard
Showing at the BFI London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, ’Mutantes (Punk Porn Feminism)’ is a documentary about the sex positive feminist movement, as seen by the activists, sex workers and performers. Virginie Despentes (director of the film ‘Baise-Moi’ amongst others) has interviewed a wide-range of pro-sex performers, academics, film makers and activists across the U.S and Europe, notably France and Spain. With clips from various porn films and performance pieces interspersed throughout, this winner of the CHE ‘Derek Oystan Film Award’ at this years’ LLGFF, is thought-provoking, entertaining, sexy and informative.
The list of interviewees is extensive, starting with Annie Sprinkle, who always manges to raise a smile and challenge prejudice in an enlightened and humourous way, Carol Queen and other women from the early days of the pro-sex feminist era. We follow the changes, growth and expansion of ideologies from the early 1980s to the present day, demonstrated by the views, activism and porn produced by the punk porn movement’s new radicals in France and Barcelona. The way the shift in feminist thinking has occurred over the decades shows how there is constant change as our understanding of gender, femininities and masculinities and sex itself is constantly challenged and built upon.
This refreshing, provocative film has many instances of humour, politics and what the pleasures and limitless expectations of sex is all about. It will leave the viewer with much to think about, as well as the memory of some hot films, which I am sure you will want to remember the titles of. Some of these clips have not been widely seen before, and will leave you wanting to seek them out to view in full. It also helps you rediscover some lost classics; I, myself, had forgotten the joys of Lydia Lunch’s fishnet clad ass as well as Tribe8′s ferocious BDSM influenced live performances. Strong, intelligent women, with a pro-sex, ethical feminist stance and aesthetic, that will hopefully counteract what is unfortunately an often misogynist porn industry, can only be a good thing. Let’s hope we get the chance to see more work from the punk porn feminist movement, and open up all our eyes to what is possible.
Having delighted many a fan of muscular men with previous photoshoots for their clothing ranges, Dolce and Gabbana have not disappointed said fans again. Steven Klein’s photoshoot for Dolce and Gabbana’s spring/summer collection has a Spartacus-come-Sicilian fishermen theme. Grappling with ropes, netting and chains, as well as each other, (which I am sure we are all quite familiar with, in one form or another!) the mixture of smooth, pretty boys and hairy, rugged-type models get all sweaty in their range of warm weather wear.
Fashion photography is reknowned for using kinky, erotica-themed ideas. In this particular shoot the muscular homoeroticism fair ripples off the page! If you are a connosseur of such imagery, you should check out Coffee, Cake and Kink’s selection of Ulli Richter’s photography, which gives a few, hard lessons to any imitators. (Especially my personal fave ‘Hard Labour’. There’s no messing with these men!).
Patrick Califia is one of my all-time favourite writers. He is an incredible wordsmith, able to write both fiction and fact in a way that both draws the reader in and informs you. His erotica is some of the hottest writing you will come across. Boy In The Middle is another of his compelling, sexy short story collections of polymorphous perversity and hardcore, sexually charged scenes. Califia has a way of taking the reader right into the story. He has the ability to describe place, character and atmosphere so well, you can’t but help feel a part of it.
cover for "Boy In The Middle" by Patrick Califia
Boy In The Middle has such a collection of differing characters and set-ups that I defy anyone not to get some pleasure from it. Whatever your kink, fetish , gender or sexuality, Califia caters for you in this book. His writing will surprise you, in being able to turn you on to a story, scene or character you may otherwise not have thought you’d be interested in; such is the power of his imagination. I recommend anyone who enjoys erotic fiction to read this book. Allow yourself some time to indulge and immerse yourself in it, because it will be hard to put down. Oh, and if you’re reading Boy In The Middle in public, be aware that its effect may leave you needing to find somewhere, for a ‘quiet, private moment’!
There are still some places on a couple of workshops coming up soon at Sacred Pleasures. ‘Plug ‘n’ Play With DK and Luisa Leather’, this Saturday from 16.00-23.00 hrs, has just a few places left. DK and Luisa Leather are experienced BDSM and Tantric practitioners, and this workshop looks perfect for anyone interested in breath control, especially its tie-ins with Tantric/kink and energy practices. After the workshop there will be a play party too! If you are interested you can find out more and book places at:
http://sacredpleasures.co.uk/events/plugnplay/
On Saturday 19th, from 15.00-22.00 hrs, London Faerie will be holding ‘Whipping Up A Storm’, which is a workshop designed to teach you the basic start up points in BDSM and kinky play, including consent, safe words and a ‘how to’ of the various toys you may come across. If you are keen to discover what kinky play is about, or would like instruction from an experienced practitioner on how to use some of the equipment you may not have had experience in yourself, this is the perfect workshop for you.
The London Launch of Art Wank happened last night, and what a happening it was. Curated and hosted by the talented, funny and damned sexy Ophelia Bitz, Art Wank is the perfect night for lovers of classic, retro porn, the curious and those of us who like a chance to dress up, have fun and be enlightened to our kink history. Yes, a pornucopia of entertainment was had by all!
Ophelia Bitz, photo by K. James for Coffee, Cake and Kink
Art Wank was held at the Horse Hospital in Bloomsbury, a wonderfully intimate venue that felt just right for the occasion. Ophelia Bitz, our hostess with the mostest and wearing a stunning outfit to boot, welcomed a glamourous capacity crowd who had also dressed for the occasion. The night itself was a glorious mixture of showings from very early porn films (from the silent era up to early 70s ‘lost’ classics), entertaining acts, music, comedy and an insightful mini-lecture on ‘Why sex is fun’.
Kitty Stryker, photo by K.James for Coffee, Cake and Kink
Ophelia has spent days, nay months, researching early porn films (so you don’t have to!) to delight a very appreciative audience. From early (mostly French, ooh la la) films, that seemed to have a penchant for outdoors threesomes, up to early 70s football themed gay male porn, with a witty, specially selected (by Ophelia herself) and apt music accompaniment , the films showed how both the aesthetics and content of porn have changed over the decades. The innocence, naivety and lack of camera awareness of the early performers was a refreshing joy, and the audience happily laughed along to the films. Mr Tom Baker provided wonderful musical accompaniment on the accordion to these very early classics, which seemed especially fitting for the French films, in particular.
Kitty Stryker, sex worker and sex educator, who you may know from Kinky Salon London, gave a thought-provoking, amusing, empowering and well researched mini-lecture on ‘Why sex is fun’. Challenging the audience to think about how we view and consume porn, how we should bring the fun and pure joy back to it, even encouraging us to take control and make it ourselves; Kitty reminded us that sex is both fun, and often funny. She is also probably the reason why there were so many clowns in the audience (you should’ve been there).
Crimson Skye, photo by K.James for Coffee, Cake and Kink
Ophelia Bitz held the night together with both wit and aplomb. Charming all who were there, she added her amusing asides to accompany and introduce the films, performed a very funny take on the song ‘Falling in Love Again’ (with an apt change to the lyrics) and held a competition that had the crowd hooting with laughter. Performance artiste, Crimson Skye, also entertained the crowd with her sassy, sparkling (in more ways than one!) act. She had the audience whooping for more, and added to a brilliant night’s entertainment.
Ophelia and contestants, photo by K.James for Coffee, Cake and Kink
Art Wank is a magical amalgam of a night out. Educational (though not in the way that our education system works. If only school was like this, I would’ve paid more attention!), fantastic performances, fabulous films, humour and the chance to socialise with a charismatic crowd, it was all very enjoyable. There will be another Art Wank next month, and if the popularity of last night’s event is anything to go by, I recommend you get your tickets early. Trust me, you will love it!
I Envy the Rose…
18 NovIt was a dreadfully grey winter’s day in 2006, dull and drizzly and damp enough to guarantee we wouldn’t be warm until the third class of the afternoon. The wind howled down around us, though none of us really noticed it; we were transfixed by the song being thrown out of a friend’s mini speakers, the tinny voice ensnaring us and causing us to cry with laughter. That was the day I was introduced to Tom Lehrer and the amazing Masochism Tango.
My best friend had stolen her father’s mix CD, and we could hardly contain our mirth when the erstwhile Lehrer warbled lyrics such as ‘your eyes cast a spell that bewitches/ the last time I needed twenty stitches/ to sew up the gash/ you made with your lash/ as we danced to the masochism tango’. Incredible. Invincible. Immortal.
Tom Lehrer is an American singer-songwriter, satirist, pianist, mathematician and polymath. A Harvard graduate, he went on to lecture at MIT, Harvard and Wellesey. To say he is a genius is an absolute understatement.
Years later, this song still brings a smile to my face. A truly timeless tune: I urge you all to take a few minutes of your day and watch this video. I assure you, you will never regret it.