All that hard play can be hard work, and the deeper it gets, the realer it becomes. From degradation to grace and back again, turning forever on itself like a mobius strip. Beat, Beat-Up, Beatitude: words to fly by from the jam-sweet lips of angel-headed hipsters. Top or bottom, sometimes retreat is a good option. For those times, just outside the dungeon (aka The Heart Lodge) mildly hidden in the landscaping, a small magical nishikigoi (koi) pond waits. A rock ledge provides enough room for a semi-lotus, and a fine venue for adventures in ego dissolution. Flash of Orange. Take me…OM…country roads…splash sky water…gone.
Tag Archives: Culture
Beatitude and Beat in NorCal: Saratoga Springs Nishikigoi Pond
California’s Saratoga Springs used to be a stagecoach stop. That was way back in the 19th century day. Now it is a “retreat and conference center.” Yoga retreats, raves and weddings are part of the draw, but they also host Leather and S/m Club Runs. The 15 Association does the annual Boot Camp run every June. Leather Levi Weekend does a mixed ‘Twisted Summer Camp’ run in August, and this year, a new mens’ run called Gear Up premieres in late July.
Posted in ANIMALS: Human and otherwise..., Gardening, History, Leather, Nishikigoi, Northern California, Photography, Spirituality, Subcultures
Tagged 15 Association, BDSM, Beat, Beatitude, California, Culture, Gay, Gear Up, Koi, Lake County, Leather, Nishikigoi, Photography, Retreat Center, S/m, Saratoga Springs, Spirituality, Stage Coach, Yoga, Zen
Running The Gauntlet – Jim Ward Book Event at Mr. S Leather
Jim Ward at LDG, May 2011. Photo: Gay Highwaymen
Friend of this site Jim Ward founded The Gauntlet, and is widely regarded as the grand-daddy of the modern body piercing phenomenon. Now he has published a history. In May, he spoke to a packed room at The Leathermen’s Disscussion Group in San Francisco. Running the Gauntlet—An Intimate History of the Modern Body Piercing Movement tells the detailed story of “how Jim discovered his own fascination with body piercing and went on to found the industry.” Full of wonderful and terrible stories and amazing photographs, it includes details of his friendship with the heavily pierced and very gay Louis Rove – the adoptive father of the notorious Carl Rove. Other interesting bits include how the color purple came to signify piercing in the hanky code, and how he was collared to his long-term partner and Master, Drew Ward.
On Saturday, July 16th, 2011, from 1 to 5 pm, Jim will be at Mr. S Leather , signing books and chatting. Mr. S is at 385 8th St at Harrison in San Francisco, four blocks south of the Civic Center BART Station. If you can’t make it to the book event, and you want a copy, you can order one at the Running The Gauntlet website, here. Jim will even sign it for you.
Posted in DIY and Maker Culture, History, Leather, Photography, Scholarship, Spirituality, Subcultures
Tagged BDSM, Carl Rove, Culture, Gay, History, Jim Ward, Kink, Leather, LGBT, Louis Rove, Photography, Piercing, Purple Hanky, Queer, Sexy, The Gauntlet
Shooting Rich Trove!
Snap! Gotcha! Leather Community photographer Rich Stadtmiller has new photos of SF Pride’s Leather Contingent up on his Rich Trove site, here. For Gay Highwaymen photos of the kinky section of the parade, click here. For more photos of photographers and their big sexy cameras, click here.
Posted in Leather, Photography, San Francisco, Sexy Holidays, Surveillance
Tagged Art, Culture, Gay, Kink, Leather, Photography, Rich Stadtmiller, Rich Trove, San Francisco, Scopophilia, Sexy, Surveillance
On a Mission…surveilling Mormons!
Two Latter Day Saint boys walking in Willits, California. They could be walking to a gym, one to beef up the other to trim down. That would be a good idea. They could be walking to a motel, to check in and fuck each other silly. That would be great! But probably…they are just out to make more Mormons. Everybody needs a hobby. Messing with Jack Mormons is a good one! Surveilling Saints is another. For hunky shirtless Mormon men, visit Mormons Exposed, where you can buy a beefcake calendar called “Men on a Mission.” More soon…
Posted in Mendocino County, Photography, Subcultures, Surveillance, Youth
Tagged Culture, Gay, Jack Mormon, Latter Day Saint, LDS, Mendocino County, Mission, Mormon, Photography, Surveillance, Willits
John, They’re only Dancing – Marines Shake It! (Hot & Silly Video)
These two are just too cute. Barely more than kids, as soldiers usually are, they are caught in a complicated history, their own personal stories intertwined with that of their country at war. Vets, and children of vets, understand how one can despise war and still honor warriors. Many of us still carry the physical and emotional effects of conflicts long past. “It’s complicated” – as they say on Facebook. War is hell, but it is also boredom. In these media days, that’s easily taken care of with a camera and a YouTube account. The Internet is awash with interesting videos made by soldiers with time on their hands. These two mess around to Soulja Boy’s Donk. For a great Lady Gaga Telephone re-do, click here. For an interesting musical political commentary, based on a lyrical re-working of the Beach Boys’ classic Kokomo, click here.
Posted in Afghanistan, Internet, Iraq, Middle East, Military, Music, SCANDAL: Politics, Crime, Revolution and More., Subcultures, Video
Tagged Beach Boys, Culture, Dance, Donk, Hot, Internet, Kokomo, Lady Gaga, Marines, Military, Music, Sexy, Silly, Soldiers, Soulja Boy, Telephone, USMC, Video, War, YouTube
Happy Independence Day! – from hot Bear artist Jiraiya…via Bearotic
Jiraiya - Independence Bear
It’s all bears all the time at Bearotic, where we found this great Independence Day Bear from Jiraiya. Lots more from this artist over there. For all your ursine needs…
Posted in Art and Artists, Comics, Sexy Holidays, Subcultures
Tagged 4th of July, Art, Bara, Bear, Comics, Culture, Gai Comi, Gay, Independence Day, Jiraiya, Manga, Sexy
Sights Seen at SF Pride: Cruising Sexy Big Cameras!
When we got the sexy new camera, we became aware of the subculture of camera cruising. Peeps with BIG cameras check each other out. Seriously. We see each others cameras first, and only THEN the person behind it. Cruisy banter often ensues: “Yours is big, but mine is bigger!” Ahhh…the joys and terrors of scopophilia!
Posted in Photography, San Francisco, Sexy Holidays, Subcultures, Surveillance
Tagged Cameras, Cruising, Culture, Gay, Parade, Photography, San Francisco, Scopophilia, Sexy, SF Pride, Surveillance
Gay Biker Buddy Riders from WAY Back in the Day: Koalas Club 1967
Ride like a sleeping bag! The Koalas were a Gay Motorcycle Buddy Club from the 1960s. The Koalas would hop on behind the gay club bikers and independents. Always on the back, hugging the biker like a koala hugs a eucalyptus tree. And so the name! Peter Fiske is kneeling in the front row, on the right. More on Peter here and here. Photo by Henri Leleu. Koalas Motorcycle Buddy Club, 1967. Via Ron Williams.
Posted in ANIMALS: Human and otherwise..., History, Leather, Photography, Subcultures
Tagged BDSM, Bikers, Culture, Gay, Henri Leleu, History, Kink, Koalas Motorcycle Buddy Club, Leather, Motorcycle, Peter Fiske, Photography, Sexy
The Gay Highwaymen 