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That was the place a friend of mine used to frequent. I went down there a couple of times to have a look around with friends and see if our friend's stories were true. I am not into that scene, but curiosity won us over. I was amazed at the diversity of the crowd...business executives in suits (men and women), hasidic Jews, bikers, couples, elderly etc. I won't share what went on in plain site (not PG-13) here, but there was some crazy stuff down there. Not for the squeamish or timid. I left there with some great stories to share though. The last time I walked around that area (9th Ave & Hudson St.) it was all trendy nightclubs, cafe's, and boutiques. They had actually paved over the entrance to Hellfire with a sidewalk. If only the current tourists and social climbers who hang around that area now knew went on there in the 70's and 80's. I think there was a movie filmed down there with Sharon Stone, can't recall the title.
My aforementioned friend attends "parties" which are held in someone's apartment in midtown Manhattan near the Chrysler Bldg. He pays a fee to enter and then there are Doms that you can select for play.
That was the place a friend of mine used to frequent. I went down there a couple of times to have a look around with friends and see if our friend's stories were true. I am not into that scene, but curiosity won us over. I was amazed at the diversity of the crowd...business executives in suits (men and women), hasidic Jews, bikers, couples, elderly etc. I won't share what went on in plain site (not PG-13) here, but there was some crazy stuff down there. Not for the squeamish or timid. I left there with some great stories to share though. The last time I walked around that area (9th Ave & Hudson St.) it was all trendy nightclubs, cafe's, and boutiques. They had actually paved over the entrance to Hellfire with a sidewalk. If only the current tourists and social climbers who hang around that area now knew went on there in the 70's and 80's. I think there was a movie filmed down there with Sharon Stone, can't recall the title.
I mis-spent a large chunk of my youth there. I had heard that they were looking for a new home, but didn't know they had hermetically sealed it up.
And yes, it was a very Democratic gathering - like Planet Fitness' motto, it was a "No Judgment Zone".
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My aforementioned friend attends "parties" which are held in someone's apartment in midtown Manhattan near the Chrysler Bldg. He pays a fee to enter and then there are Doms that you can select for play.
Yeah, I guess those are the new way of doing business now. Probably a lot less liability and easier to control the gawkers. The grapevine for the BDSM world is amazingly efficient, so I'm sure they have a good number of participants at the gatherings.
There was a gentleman out in the Poconos who was a big-time publisher/producer in the life - I went to several of his parties with my lady friend (pro dom) and they were awesome - picture Wayne Manor in the middle of a bunch of trees and rolling hills. In nice weather everyone gravitated outdoors to play, and it usually ended up looking like a cross between Dante's Inferno, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Through The Looking Glass.
I know the trend when I left was going toward the Eulenspiegel model of meet-ups, but thought a brick-and-mortar type of biz would always survive. Too bad.
No wonder they came to PA when I had mine.
Paddles is still around, just moved many blocks north. Hellfire - they tried to re-open in Brooklyn but it didn't go over well. Which was your place in Philly? We probably know some of the same people. Philly has had some issues in recent history - city cracking down on fire codes, etc. Some cluibs in central CT opened and shut down and now there's a private group operating in CT - it's been doing well, not a for-profit business.
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Originally Posted by SifuPhil
I mis-spent a large chunk of my youth there. I had heard that they were looking for a new home, but didn't know they had hermetically sealed it up.
And yes, it was a very Democratic gathering - like Planet Fitness' motto, it was a "No Judgment Zone".
My personal opinion as to why there's been a problem with the clubs is that couples moved in and tried to clean them up, the no judgment zone went out the door when the couples came in and didn't like sticky floors, etc. Took away a lot of the ambiance.
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Originally Posted by SifuPhil
Yeah, I guess those are the new way of doing business now. Probably a lot less liability and easier to control the gawkers. The grapevine for the BDSM world is amazingly efficient, so I'm sure they have a good number of participants at the gatherings.
There was a gentleman out in the Poconos who was a big-time publisher/producer in the life - I went to several of his parties with my lady friend (pro dom) and they were awesome - picture Wayne Manor in the middle of a bunch of trees and rolling hills. In nice weather everyone gravitated outdoors to play, and it usually ended up looking like a cross between Dante's Inferno, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Through The Looking Glass.
Are you talking about the 2 swing clubs out there? they are both closed I heard. I was actually considering getting a group together to buy the one. I am not sure how the farm is doing, though.
Times change. Businesses need to change with the times and yet, sometimes what seems to be a positive change is more the downfall than staying the course.
We had a friend that evolved into Bondage, S&M and other games. She said the best part besides the money was she made all the guys clean her house. So she got free maid service, a clean house and they paid her.
Was quite a deal.
There is a place in Dallas called the Sanctuary. Not a place for the average person.
We had a friend that evolved into Bondage, S&M and other games. She said the best part besides the money was she made all the guys clean her house. So she got free maid service, a clean house and they paid her.
Was quite a deal.
I just saw an ad on Craigslist for something similar, but it was a Mon-Fri. arrangement only (even domestics get off on the weekend!), there was no exchange of money, and the slaves had to dress up and go out in public with the Mistress.
If you know what you're doing you can make out well in the field, but you have to have a real ability to do it properly. I've known exotic dancers that decided to "give it a try", then were surprised that they did so poorly. They thought that the ability to be an adult entertainer was the same as being a Dom - wrong assumption.
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There is a place in Dallas called the Sanctuary. Not a place for the average person.
Had a friend that went there soon after they opened (2000 or 2001, I think). She said it was a great place! Of course, she wasn't average, either...
Paddles is still around, just moved many blocks north. Hellfire - they tried to re-open in Brooklyn but it didn't go over well.
*sigh* It's sad, isn't it?
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Which was your place in Philly? We probably know some of the same people.
Answered in DM.
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Philly has had some issues in recent history - city cracking down on fire codes, etc. Some cluibs in central CT opened and shut down and now there's a private group operating in CT - it's been doing well, not a for-profit business.
I think a lot of the clubs around the country had the same problems, fueled in part I think by the societal misunderstanding of the nature of the clubs.
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My personal opinion as to why there's been a problem with the clubs is that couples moved in and tried to clean them up, the no judgment zone went out the door when the couples came in and didn't like sticky floors, etc. Took away a lot of the ambiance.
Yep - yuppie fever. "We want the exotica but none of the dirt"...
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Are you talking about the 2 swing clubs out there? they are both closed I heard. I was actually considering getting a group together to buy the one. I am not sure how the farm is doing, though.
Answered in DM.
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Times change. Businesses need to change with the times and yet, sometimes what seems to be a positive change is more the downfall than staying the course.
I know. Personally I'm sad to see these particular changes - I liked the way things were back in the 70's and 80's, but hey, you can't stop change.
Ahh, it is. I'm reading The Fountainhead and Howard Roark has me panting (minus the strange rape scene in the beginning). The way he handles Dominique is electrifying.
I never thought I'd see Fountainhead mentioned in this context, but by heck, you're right. It was a huge turn-on for me too, but I think if I met a real-life Roark, I'd either run screaming, or we'd be arguing 24/7.
I work at a gay and lesbian health organization, (mainly concerned with sexual health) so (fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your POV), the S&M culture is kind of clinical for me. I think of it in terms of what's needed to play safe, issues people have with boundary-setting, the effect on relationships etc etc.
Sigh. Y'all go 'head and have your fun. Ooooh look, a spare pair of 'cuffs!
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The last time I walked around that area (9th Ave & Hudson St.) it was all trendy nightclubs, cafe's, and boutiques. They had actually paved over the entrance to Hellfire with a sidewalk. If only the current tourists and social climbers who hang around that area now knew went on there in the 70's and 80's. I think there was a movie filmed down there with Sharon Stone, can't recall the title. 
I had heard that they were looking for a new home, but didn't know they had hermetically sealed it up. 
In nice weather everyone gravitated outdoors to play, and it usually ended up looking like a cross between Dante's Inferno, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Through The Looking Glass. 
"We want the exotica but none of the dirt"...
