Rome Antics

While I didn't get up to much kinky while I was away, I did pick up a fair bit of leather, including a gorgeous butterscotch leather jacket, a belted, black vest, and a really cool pair of black leather gloves that fit snugly to the hand and wrist, only to puff all the way to the elbow.

Funny thing, gloves. I love the idea of them and I have several pair, including custom made La Crasias of the thinnest, softest leather that come up nearly to my elbows and have that fetishizable, three button closure at the wrist. I have "past the elbow" gauntlets that sleeve my arm quite sexily. Two or three pairs of lined, wrist length leather gloves for winter. And a gorgeous, cheek-soft, Italian pair I got in Venice last year whose wrists fold back to reveal a red, red leather contrast lining.

I love wearing gloves to keep my hands warm, but wearing leather gloves in session is a little counterintuitive. It's like sense deprivation for me. Touch is such a part of my play that covering up my hands removes, like, 30% of my sensory input. Maybe more. And all the gloves I have are seamed on the inside, so my fingers feel thick and dull when I wear them. If I ever was to offer some sort of paraphilia session, though, I think it'd be for the gloves. Heck, I derailed my own blog post to talk about them!

Where was I? Oh, yes. Rome. Prego.

So I didn't get up to much kinky. Mostly I ate. "When in Rome" and all meant I was doing the multi-course primi piatti e secondi piatti at every meal. I'd gotten recommendations from my food friends and done a lot of Internet research on where to go. At Maccheroni, my first night in Roma, I sat in the "kitchen room" with a prime view of the cooks (I have a chef fetish, of all things. I do.) as well as a glimpse of the tables full of animated Italians on the cobblestoned street outside. My hunky, handsome waiter asks, "Where are you from?" "New York," I tell him. "Oh, I am going to LOVE you!" he promised, his tongue unfurling dramatically over Love.

Tucking into my carbonara and carpaccio, I fantasized about pinning his shoulders under my knees and ...

At the end of the meal, I told him I wanted just a taste of something sweet. He brought a shot glass brimming with lemon sorbetto and a card with his contact info on it. "Lovely Pirate" it said.

Dining alone's not always a bad thing.

Notes from Spain, Rome, etc.

I went back to Spain and Italy, though a new city for me in both countries. First, Madrid. Then Barcelona. And finishing up my travels in Rome and Florence. Some notes.

In Barcelona, I saw a man with a bandaged stump at the end of his arm. It reminded me of a very nice patio drink with a client. As we nibbled on appetizers and sipped our beverages, I casually took his right hand and wrapped it over and over in a self-stick ace bandage. Public bondage. It was fun watching him fumble with his non dominant hand.

Did I mention I love Barcelona?

In Madrid, I was surprised by how little English or other languages I heard on the street. That was not the case in Rome or Barcelona.

Seems the primary purpose of the various piazzas and, most especially the Villa Borghese park, in Rome is to provide a place for teenagers to make out.

I would like Rome more if I liked gelato.

And Miss Victoria X was kind enough to point out that someone has stolen my hat.

I go to Florence tomorrow. It has been a nice vacation. Exhausting in its tourism, but nice. Looking forward to autumn in New York when I return. Miss y'all.

Shibaricon: The Afterglow

So I'm back from ShibariCon and while I had an amazing time the best part about it was that now I do not have any travel currently planned for the rest of June and July. Huzzah!

There are, however, some close runner-ups for "best things about Shibaricon 2008." First would be I learned Master Z's fantastic 12-point suspension rigging which is ideal for larger bodies and people who can't have rope marks. A few of you "anything you want, Mistress" clients of mine are going to be cursing the name of Scott Smith, whose "Needles as Anchors" class taught me some really evil bondage that can be done with needles. (I'm also very pleased to report that when I commented during class about how I've done butterfly piercings (click for a poor example) using a surgical staple gun, Scott -- a twisted, sadistic fuck in his own right -- literally leaped from behind his presentation table and gamboled over to me in the audience to lift me above his head and gleefully proclaim, "I LOVE this lady!"

Sir C taught me some pretty hot hojojutsu moves ... or at least I thought they were until I tried them on a 6' ft. 5" in. friend. Then I just felt silly. I also finally learned how to do the Two Knotty Boys' crossed foot tie, seen on their home page and their Double Coin Knot (also known as a Carrick bend). Actually, I'd learned it a couple times before but this time I'm pretty sure it's going to stick.

Of course I picked up some stuff too. Two 24 ft. skeins of fat, dark brown twisted cotton rope that I have no idea what I'll do with but it was just so pretty -- like a soft, fat baby -- that I had to get it. And I was fascinated by the potential of the flat, woven hemp -- like rope tape -- that I got 100 ft. of it. (At the evening play parties, I saw Mistress Yin use hers as head bondage and loved the feelings of objectification it inspired, seeing that head haphazardly wrapped in strips and folds.)

A few of us left the rope world for an excursion downtown to the International Mr. Leather (IML) convention. As we rode the escalators down to the vendor's bazaar, the scent of leather wafted up toward us, like fresh baked goods. I ran my nails across the rubber skin of a boy in bondage; gawked at another fellow's large, pale pucker as he lounged on a bondage sling, inviting stares; and talked with a couple of guys about the pros and cons of the Ass Lock Cock Ball I'd been coveting, concluding that perhaps it wasn't the right piece for my needs after all.

On the other hand, I fell in love with the gorgeous inventions at Scott Paul Designs, particularly his Click-a-Cuff bondage system and his unique gags and blindfolds. While I managed to restrain myself from buying the collection, I just had to walk away with something so I picked up his Cruel Condom. Oh boy! Also, I found a really fantastic double thick, elk flogger from Heartwood that swings flawlessly and is just the thuddy-thump I needed in my flogger lineup.

So that's all the top-level detail, but there's lots of other stuff I'm still percolating and will share in the days to come. Needless to say, I'm now counting the days til Shibaricon 2009.

Just Can't Help Myself

What started as a quick break for some quality time with my sister turned into a longer break to mourn the loss of a family member. On a positive note, I've gotten to reconnect with a lot of dear family members and friends in the town I grew up in. There are blessings, even in loss.

Thanks for your patience.

I haven't been spending too much time on "scene stuff" while I've been gone, but when a friend emailed me about the latest Daily News over yet another, um, misappropriation of municipal resources, I logged on for more details and, while wondering if my fellow Domme bloggers had weighed in, I ended up at my friend Mistress Yin's most excellent blog, where I found this tasty post.

First of all, I want "lover-meat" ... that just sounds delicious (and not only because there's a hot grill within 20 yards of me as I type). Second, I want that Ass Lock Cock Ring she got! I'd seen it a couple months ago and coveted it then and seeing it again just awakens that desire anew! With the nice Spring weather finally on us, I've been itching to get out of the studio, particularly when I can have my play partners rigged up with great stuff (that won't fall off/out) like THIS fabulous hunk of metal.

Though after my recent trip to Fetters, I've promised myself I'm not buying any new gear until the end of the summer. This doesn't mean that someone can't buy something for me ....

I am back in NYC on Sunday for a much anticipated (on both sides!) OE based on LOTS of intense leather bondage and abandonment. Then I'll unpack on Sunday night and pack for New Orleans on Monday. When I get back from Jazz Fest (I'll be taking sessions on Wednesday, April 30 in NOLA) I will be staying put for a couple of weeks before heading off to Chicago for Shibaricon. I am so excited about Shibaricon this year, I could just pop!

And then I'm home for ALL of June. Can you believe it?!?

Mmm. Gear plus Looking for Volunteers

So I'm back from London and my trip to Fetters with Mistress Avalon.

What an unbelievable trip.

First, I want to thank Mistress Avalon who proved to be an ideal partner in kink and traveling companion. Next my gratitude to J&J for their perfect cuppas, side splitting yarns, and excellent English composure. And lastly I'd like to express my appreciation to the clients who made time to play with us. Y'all were great. Enthusiastic, even.

Avalon and I were like kids in the candy store at Fetters, with me pointing out things that I loved from my Fetters collection and Mistress Avalon inspiring me to add pieces based on her shopping list. (Thanks to P for adding his 79 pence as well!) Honestly, between the two of us, I think we're coming close to being majority shareholders in the Fetters collection.

Just thinking about all the amazing leather bondage gear we have between us -- not to mention how incredible our session chemistry is -- got us thinking about how much fun it would be to design some intensive, multi-day leather bondage scenarios. We could kidnap then shuttle our captive between our studios. Bring in some of the city's premiere Dominas to assist us. Just build this extraordinary experience for the leather bondage connoisseur. Spring suspensions in the bondage harness. Innumerable leather head trips. Overnights catheterized in my MaxCITA sleep sack or Fetters suspendable sleep sack. Randomized electrics. Or the Venus. Captivity. Immobilization.

Stay with us. Stay with me. Stay.

Gah. The possibilities are just endless.

*********

Though there's a fair amount to be shipped, I also brought a bunch of the new stuff back with me, which I'll be photographing and posting early next week (I hope). Speaking of which, I could use a bondage model. I've talked with a couple of you already and there may be some others of you interested: If you're up for a little anonymous shooting in heavy leather bondage gear April 10, 11, 12 or 14, please shoot me an email with your measurements (preference given to men 5'10-6'2, with 34-38" waist), general description, and specific availability. Thank you.

Above the Clouds

I spent most of the past week skiing in Oregon. I don't get to ski all that often, so when I do it's really treasured. Especially when there are views like this.



I'm somewhere underneath all the headgear. Even on the slopes, I'm an equipment junkie. Ha!
Anyway, all that to say: I'm back in New York City and I'm sitting tight for a bit, so if my travel schedule's been frustrating you of late, now's a good time to make an appointment. If I haven't seen you before, I am currently accepting new clients. This window will close soon. Please see my website for more information on how to request a meeting.

Thanks to the gentleman with the soft hair for making my ski experience possible; and to L., my comrade in sore muscles, oysters, etc.

I Love Barcelona -- In Pictures

Got four hours of sleep before my flight and, technically, I've been up for ....oh, 19 hours straight now. So I'm a little too looped to actually write anything. But here are some pretty pictures.

This is a Time Out Barcelona cover. I tried to MMS it to a Domme friend of mine who loves ballet ... sorta neat to see it combined, methinks. Reminds me I want to get some ballet boots for my bondage clients.


First morning I wake up in Barcelona, it's to this outside my hotel window, just off Las Ramblas. It's Saturday morning. Like 10am. And there are drums. Lots of drums. And kids. Ouch. I still don't know what the parade was for.


After MB kicked my ass in cribbage, I swore revenge. 400 single tail strokes.
Yes. That's a chastity cage you see peeking under the crack.

Then it was off to the Sagrada Familia and another kind of whipping. The bondage looks a little weak, though.
The inside was even more breathtaking.


More Gaudi with a visit to La Pedrera. The chimney sculptures on the roof reminded me of leather hoods.



Whereas this building reminded me of the first vibrator I ever bought. Though mine was cream colored. And smooth.

My next to last day in Barcelona, I spent much of the afternoon sitting in a cafe on the beach, reading my book and periodically distracted by the wind surfers, a quartet of handsome skim boarders, and these guys outside my window.



It made me miss my ropes. A lot.

All in all, an unforgettable trip. My first time in Spain. Cross your fingers for me and hope my jamon arrives safely now...

Also, thanks to all of you who provided restaurant recommendations, tourism suggestions, and general cheerleading (and to MVX for the guidebooks!). I took a lot of your advice and it definitely made my trip. I tend not to repeat myself too much when I travel but this is one place I need to return to, hopefully for a much longer visit next time.

Southern Man

He'd stopped by on his way to the office so that I could lock him into his chastity cage until our session the next day, roughly 24 hours later. For the past two days he'd been on voluntary chastity. No masturbation. No touching. No orgasms.

"One of these days I'd like to wear this longer," he said. "Maybe we could spend a few days at my beach house down south."

"I wonder what it'd be like to work down there?"

"I think there'd be a lot of business for you. Southern men are probably pretty kinky. I mean, you've read Faulkner, right? "

****

Later he emailed me: "I've never worn this with the points of intrigue before. Nasty."

I love my life.

Honey, I'm Home!

Jet lag is a bitch. Just needed to say that and get it out of the way. I'm glad to be home in New York again. Maybe now I can finally get some sleep!

Thanks -- mucho thanks -- to all of you who expressed concern, condolences, and offered your assistance in the recovery of my beloved BlackBerry. It appears to be lost in phone purgatory, never to return. I've filed the insurance claim so it looks like I'll have a replacement soon enough. But, oh! the bureaucracy!

My trip to London was outstanding. I was giddy with delight from arrival to departure. (My only regret was not being able to make it out to Manchester for a visit with LC ... so sorry, darling. Next time.) My visit to the Fetters showroom in Warwick couldn't have gone better. A lovely train ride (it's just under 90 minutes from central London) to the drool-licious premises. It was all I could do not to buy up everything in the store! The proprietors, John and Jan, and their excellent lead craftsperson, Jayne (formerly a leather detailer at Jaguar!) were so welcoming, knowledgeable, and clearly committed to quality .... You know how sometimes you don't mind paying a little more when you know you're going to be taken care of? That's what buying from Fetters is like. Just personal attention to detail from people who know what they're talking about and proudly stand behind their product.

So I got my sleepsack. With tit prick flaps, tightening straps, suspendable D-rings in every possible direction, and just every bit of intelligent design details you can imagine. And I bought (yes, Me. My money.) a suspendable strap cage (which you can kinda get a sense of in this picture). It's a hanging leather bondage device that can go vertical, horizontal, or inverted. I've never seen anything like it before. I can't wait to inaugurate it. Other nifties I picked up included a latex suffocation/breath play hood, leather face mask, suspension bar, and locking posture collar, all combined for a very, very heavy suitcase.

It should go without saying that my Fetters wishlist is far from fulfilled. If you're as excited by any of the below as I am, drop me a note. Maybe we can work together to make our fantasies come true.

Whipping Bench(the one I want has a headrest -- it's not pictured on their website but you can see it here)
Bondage Stool
Side Lace Hood (this item has been ordered! Yay!)
Anchor Point(this item has been ordered too! Thank you!)
Mailsack
Sleepsack suspension bar
Gas Mask and Bubbler
Multifunction Mask

I also want to thank MB, the Aussie, and RVD for their roles in making this such a wonderful experience all around. I'll have to pinch you all just so I know this isn't some amazing dream.

Now I've got a house full of new gear (almost forgot to mention, I also just acquired a complete violet wand set. Shocking, I know!). Who wants to play?!?