American Swing is a documentary about the rise and fall of the 1970s sex club,  Plato’s Retreat. I always talked about going, but was never went (too chicken!).  I can’t seem to find the trailer, but here’s a video clip from New York magazine .  In NY, it’s playing at the Quad Cinema.

Author and Village Voice columnist Tristan Taormino has launched a brand new website in anticipation of the release of her new book May 1.

OpeningUp.net is a website for people interested in open relationships of all kinds, including monogamy with benefits, nonmonogamy, partnered nonmonogamy, swinging, polyamory, polyfidelity, solo polyamory, mixed orientation
marriages, and other relationships styles beyond monogamy. It features a blog, an extensive resource guide, message boards, and the Open List, a list of professionals (therapists, social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists, consultants, relationship and life coaches, doctors, lawyers, etc.) who are experienced and knowledgeable about alternative sexuality, lifestyles, and elationships. Check it out!

(Banner Photograph by Hypnox)

March 21-23, 2008

DARK ODYSSEY : A journey of sexual adventure, where open minded people gather to explore Tantra, Polyamory, Intimate Communications, BDSM, Alternative Lifestyles and more. With nationally known presenters, hands on workshops, intriguing lectures and excitingsocial events, experience a vacation you are sure to not forget.

This hotel event will feature:

-An amazing line up of nationally-known presenters, including sex educators,BDSM masters, top-notch Tantra teachers, relationship experts, andaward-winning authors, activists, and community leaders

-Over 50 unique, dynamic workshops on identity, sex, relationships,swinging, polyamory, BDSM, Tantra, spirituality, and lots more

-Our infamous special events including nightly parties, a banquet withentertainment, hospitality suite, incredible vendors and, of course, a huge,fully equipped dungeon and other intimate play spaces.

All this happens in the comfort and luxury of the same hotel where wecelebrated Spring Fire in 2007.

Registration is now open with special pricing for the first 50 people to register and Early Adopter rates available through January 28th!

To join the Dark Odyssey mailing list, write info At darkodyssey DOT com.

Upcoming Dark Odyssey and Leather Retreat Events:

March 21-23, 2008: Dark Odyssey: Winter Fire, Washington DC
June 18-23, 2008: Leather Retreat, Northern Maryland
September 10-15, 2008: Dark Odyssey: Summer Camp, Northern Maryland

Yes, I’m going. Wouldn’t miss it.

September 12-17, 2007
Northern Maryland

We know you’re having a really busy summer. We got your emails about being on vacation, offline, or losing track of time but wanting to register. We heard you, and we’re responding: we’re happy to report that we’ve extended the current registration rate that was supposed to expire on August 20, so register today and you’ll still get the lower rate!

We also want to remind you exactly why we hope you’ll join us in a few weeks. Sure, there are plenty of other events out there, but no other place like Dark Odyssey: Summer Camp, with over 75 workshops, 17 special events, and an amazing community of sex-positive people.

Here’s a taste of things you can find only at Dark Odyssey

UNPRECEDENTED COLLABORATION BETWEEN BARBARA CARRELLAS AND DOSSIE EASTON
One of the most well-known and innovative Tantra and sex-positive teachers in the East Coast meets the highly acclaimed BDSM author and educator from the West Coast. On Saturday, Barbara and Dossie will assist with each other’s workshops (Erotic Breathwork, Urban Tantra, and Radical Ecstasy), creating an entire day of classes dedicated to this powerful collaboration.

CLASSES BEGIN THURSDAY AFTERNOON
This truly is more than just a weekend event. Our class schedule begins Thursday afternoon and never lets up. That includes a full day of classes Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, starting bright and early every morning with
DO’s unique brand of yoga and exercise classes, lead by Captain Beatrice and Benedick.

ENTIRE TRACK OF CLASSES & EVENTS DEVOTED TO FIREPLAY Throughout the weekend, Margo Eve and Elkor teach Beginning Poi, Advanced Poi, and Preparing for Fire, and Barbara Carrellas teaches Flames of Desire,
a new class on sensual massage and fireplay. Saturday night, Susan B leads an incredible hands-on demo called Night in Flames: Fireplay to the Extreme. Later that night, Margo Eve and Elkor host an evening of Fire Spinning.

INCREDIBLE RITUALS
You’ll have the opportunity to participate in or simply watch unique rituals including: The Ritual of Cathartic Release lead by Lee Harrington and Del from Sacred Mark Sanctuary, The Energy Pull Ritual lead by Susan B, and The Rope Magic Ritual lead by Lee Harrington (follows a class on Rope Magic).

NEW ROOM AT THE GARDEN OF CARNAL DELIGHTS
In addition to perennial favorites The Makeout Room, The Orgy Room, and The Brothel, we are debuting a brand new room in Sex-O-Rama just for the Garden of Carnal Delights: The Peep Show Room. Anyone can strut their stuff, shimmy
and shake, or take it all off for an audience of eager voyeurs…the only catch is: you can look, but cannot touch, since all performers are behind glass. Of course, any dancer can work the room after a dance set, maybe select a favorite watcher and give that person a sensual lap dance. And there are always those Peep Show performers who will give a little extra, if
you give them what they want…Wanna brush up on your moves before the big night? Check out Nina Hartley’s class on how to strip and learn the ropes from a legend!

All this happens in a fun camp environment at a retreat with great accommodations: forty cabins with real beds, full bathrooms, hot water showers, and electricity; two swimming pools, canoeing, and hiking; plus, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a midnight snack included.

Unlike a typical conference event, where you have to pay for registration fees, hotel room costs, plus meals, Dark Odyssey is an all-inclusive event. Prices depend on when you register, how many days you attend, and if you are
a member of a participating group. The current registration rate set to expire on August 20 is still good, but won’t be for long (you can register up until September 12).

Dozens of community organizations have signed on as participating groups in Dark Odyssey, and we add new groups every day. Check the website to see if your group is one of them, and you’ll be entitled to a registration discount. If your group would like to be added to this list, please contact greg@darkodyssey.com

Visit our website, http://www.darkodyssey.com for more details. We hope you will join us for this exciting event!

Best Regards,

The Producers of Dark Odyssey:
Tristan, Greg, Karri, and Colten

To get added to the Dark Odyssey mailing list please write info@darkodyssey.com and put in the subject “DO mailing list.”

Reuters

LAS VEGAS — Matt Virtue, who works as a consultant at a Washington law firm, says he spends more than $10,000 a year to attend conventions, hotels and clubs where he and his girlfriend can have sex with other partners.

“Any other hobby that I was into at 40 years old is going to cost me $10,000,” he said from a hot tub he was sharing with his girlfriend and a couple with whom they had been intimate the night before. “Dude, I’m addicted to it; there is no doubt about it.”

Such enthusiasm has turned what were once private passions into a multimillion-dollar business. Lifestyles Organization, the nation’s largest swinger services company, has annual sales of about $15 million.

Swingers also bring in millions of dollars to specialty clubs and hotels in the U.S. as well as Jamaica, Mexico, France and elsewhere.

“We’re talking about a lifestyle, but in reality we are also talking about a business,” Robert McGinley, 73, the president of Lifestyles Organization, said during its annual convention in Las Vegas, which attracts about 900 couples. (more. . . )

Thanks, Selina!

Dark Odyssey is a journey of sexual adventure, where ‘open minded people gather to explore Tantra, polyamory, intimate communications, BDSM, alternative fifestyles and more.’

This is a roundup of various posts and articles from the September, 2006 camp, which Jefferson, Selina, Marcus and I attended. Each of us, in our way, had a really good time.

Sound interesting? Take heart, Spring Fires will be held April 6-8, 2007. The easiest way to get news about DO is to join their Livejournal community, email them at dcevents ATdarkodyssey DOTcom or join the OpenUp forum at Tristan’s site, Puckerup.com.

Boymeat

• Weekend in camp… or domestic partnership…

Selina Fire

• Dark Odyssey: Participant-Observers, Transformation Bondage, and Show-and-Tell
• Dark Odyssey: All the Queen’s Men
• Dark Odyssey, The Second Night:
  Addressing My Needs
• Dark Odyssey Day Two: Food for Thought
• Dark Odyssey Day Two: In the Garden of Eden
• Dark Odyssey: Home to the Hot Tub
• Sex Bloggers’ Dark Odyssey Day One: A Sex Carnival Indeed

Bridgett Harrington

• Dark Odyssey Thoughts

Jefferson

Jefferson has organized all his posts into chrono order and posted them at Sex Camp.

marcus

• a long post, a long day

Tristan Taormino

• Objects of Desire (Village Voice)

Viviane

• Dreaming of a Dark Odyssey

Lolita Wolf

• Whipping Casey
• Me and Marcus
• Totally booked
• The Continuing Seduction of Jefferson
• The Instigator
• Marcus
• Jefferson
• Wailing
• Looking Thru a Glass Onion: Confessions of The Clown
• Quick Dark Odyssey Recap