nate_sf

Such a wonderful tribute to a special friend. Hugs to you and the rest of your pack.

Putting a link to your RM ad in your signature is always a good idea.

 

https://rentmen.eu/beaudejour

 

~Boomer~

I like the camping option offered at the end of the ad... for someone like me that doesn't know anything about camping, that sounds like fun.

I do not know if it is a breach of privacy, but if you might PM any men working the weekend that are attending. I had very preliminary plans with Tyler and Ace, but once again the fates have intervened to keep us apart. So I am looking for an alternative to their special companionship. If you feel that giving that information out is improper, then perhaps asking any men working the weekend to post here so as to see who might make an excellent private dinner companion.

Thanks @GregM and @Keenan for jumping in. Other gents, I invite you to do the same here and/or in the Travel section should you be inclined. As organizers we aren't posting an attendance list since we don't see that as our role or decision to make, but that isn't to say someone can't make themselves known and available. From my experience with these weekends in the past, there can be great opportunities for the working guys if they let that be known!

Awright, we're counting down to the weekend! Looking forward to seeing friends again, and meeting new ones.

One minor change to the itinerary, is we've learned Rock Hard Sundays has gone on hiatus indefinitely. So we'll look for something else for Sunday evening. If you have suggestions, we're game. Just get in touch with me or @ArVaGuy, or post something here.

If you're wanting to join us but haven't RSVPd, be sure to get in touch. We'll send out another email in the next day or two with any updates.

See you soon!

Happy Birthday Fluffy! May you have a celebration that's the cat's meow!

Back in the earlier days of TV, couples (even married ones) not only were fully clothed, they had twin beds:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wcfCdFMtaDY/VbH2mJZ_PJI/AAAAAAAAWIE/DnP-dE-L3fM/s1600/vandyke.jpg

As for me, sex or no sex I sleep in the buff. Though I keep a pair of sweatpants next to the bed for taking the dog out, or if I need to go to the door for anything,

For those who have made the jump has your experience of renting influenced how you interact with escorts you hire?

Yes definitely. I think the most significant thing has been knowing how the hire is arranged, structured, that I can ask for what I want, etc., which I've learned by being hired myself.

As @Rudynate mentions, the reason to hire is because you want to. Or as I would tell clients, you hire "who you want, for what you want, when you want it." Most significantly, you know they'll show up and will be professional, so you know you'll have a good time. It's great to be able to pick out a guy you're really attracted to, get to meet him, touch him, and just have a lot of fun.

I did some hiring when I was still escorting, and that created some wierdness in deciding whether or not to tell the guy I was also an escort. I wrote some blog posts about them at the time here and here. But now that I'm retired for the most part I usually don't make any mention of it.

The confirmation emails with the event details have been sent out. If you've RSVP'd to us with your email address you should have received yours.

There's still time to RSVP if you'd like to join us, or if you haven't sent your email address. Send a PM to @ArVaGuy or to me @nate_sf, or send me an email directly.

If you've confirmed but have not received your email confirmation, please get in touch.

We'll send another reminder email next week. If you have questions that have not been covered in the email, or you have suggestions, let us know.

We're looking forward to having fun and creating some heat in DC. See you soon!

Tyler and I will be there, looks like. Is it too late to RSVP?

Great to have you guys on board! And yes to anyone still on the fence, plenty of time to RSVP.

The arrangements are in place for the upcoming Forum DC Gathering, January 12-14, 2018.

Important: If you're planning to attend, please send a direct message to either @ArVaGuy or @nate_sf or both of us (direct messages can include more than one recipient). Please include an email address, as we’ll be sending the final itinerary by email, not PM, so we need to have an email to contact you.

@ArVaGuy and I have been working the past couple of months to put together plans for next year's gathering, and we'll be co-hosts. As with past DC gatherings, the weekend will span the MLK weekend, and coincide with Mid Atlantic Leather (MAL). There will be a range of get-togethers, culminating in the traditional brunch on Sunday, January 14th.

For those of you who may not be interested in MAL or the leather scene, not to worry! Traditionally the DC gathering has coincided with MAL because it's a long weekend and many of us are in town, but the forum gathering is otherwise independent of the leather activities and is welcoming to all forum members. You may choose to sample some of the MAL activities, or go "whole-hog", or alternatively forgo them completely. That's up to you.

The Events

Here is a rundown of the various events planned:

• Friday, January 12th early evening – Cocktail Hour at or near MAL. This is an informal kickoff to the weekend, dovetailing with MAL. Great for those attending MAL, or who may just be curious in checking out the scene. Leather and uniforms are welcome but not necessary; jeans and t-shirts are totally fine, or you could right from the office in your suit (for those who appreciate men in suits!). And later that evening, there will be a dance party at MAL where at least one of the Forum guys will be go-go dancing...
  

• Saturday, January 13th afternoon – Informal Get-together/Happy Hour, Dupont Circle Area. For those who are not as interested in the leather scene, or want a break from it, we’ll have an informal gathering at a bar in the Dupont Circle area.
  

• Saturday, January 13th dinner – “Newbie” dinner designed to welcome those new to the DC weekend. * If you'd like to attend this, please note it in your RSVP.
  

• Saturday, January 13th evening – Road trip to Secrets/Ziegfeld’s. Strippers upstairs, drag performers downstairs. Conveniently located in the same venue so you can take your pick or sample both. And yes, in a unique to DC twist, the strippers are nude(!)
  

• Sunday, January 14th midday – The Brunch. This is the “main event” and will allow forum members to meet each other in a relaxed setting. There will be a limited set prix fixe menu to keep things simple.
  

• Sunday, January 14th evening – Rock Hard Sunday. For those who have not had enough strippers, here’s another opportunity at Rock Hard Sunday.
  

Accommodations

Generally speaking, DC proper is easy to get around on foot, Metro, cab/rideshare. The weekend’s events will be mostly in the Dupont Circle area or at the Hyatt Capitol Hill (walking distance to Union Station), so anywhere near or between those locations will be convenient.

Rooms at the MAL host hotel are sold out, though they get cancellations periodically. Reservations need to be made directly through the MAL website, not the Hyatt website. Here is the link to the reservations page: http://www.leatherweekend.com/hotel/

There are several other hotels in the immediate vicinity of the Hyatt, within walking distance. However just as many forum members are likely to be staying at other DC locations, including the Dupont Circle area. If you have a question about a particular hotel you’re considering, post the question in this thread and you’re likely to receive feedback.

Confirming Attendance

If you're planning to attend, please send a direct message to either @ArVaGuy or @nate_sf or both of us (direct messages can include more than one recipient). Please include an email address, as we’ll be sending the final itinerary by email, not PM, so we need to have an email to contact you.

Currently we have about 30 Forum members who have confirmed or expressed interest in attending. The current mix is approximately 60% clients/40% providers, and while that ratio may change a bit between now and then, past events have been pretty balanced.

Attendance is open to current and former Message Forum participants in good standing. We value everyone’s privacy, and ask that you respect others’ desire for privacy at the events. We will not post a list of attendees either in the Forum or by email, and emails will be bcc’d so you can be assured your information will be not be shared without your consent.

Questions and Suggestions

If you have general questions or suggestions for the gathering, please do so in this thread or send us a PM. We’re happy to receive input.

We look forward to seeing you in DC soon!

i do not know if I already RSVP but I will be attending and staying at Rouge, another KLimpton hotel.

It will be great to see you @purplekow!

Everyone, @ArVaGuy and I have been finalizing the arrangements, and we'll put together a new post this weekend and an email following up.

Mom's mac and cheese. I've tried to duplicate it but it's never the same. She says all she does is follow the sauce recipe on the side of the Wondra package and add Cracker Barrel cheddar cheese (gold label), but it's still not as good when I make it. Mom knows that one sure way to get me to come over for dinner is to offer mac and cheese... yeah I'll be there!

When I was younger I shaved my ass and balls (and for a while chest too). I'd see guys in the shower at the gym with hairy asses and wonder why they didn't shave them, it just seemed like they didn't know enough to get with the program. But then as I got older I changed my thinking, and now really like hairy asses. I've let mine go back to its naturally moderately hairy state, and guys seem to like it... a lot. I'm sure there are guys who wouldn't like it, but that's not who I end up meeting. For me, an Italian guy with a hairy ass would be a big turn-on.

I'm only just saying all this since you mention you feel like most guys probably prefer the inside of the ass crack to be smooth. Some yes, some no, so don't assume it's universal. If you'll feel sexier being smooth, go for it, but in my experience there are plenty of guys who really like hairy asses. Balls I'm less sure about... I haven't heard anyone extol the thrill of hairy balls the way they do hairy asses, but I'm sure they're out there somewhere!

I went back to butter 100% after hearing an old interview on NPR with Juila Child. She made a good case, and I think at the time there were also a bunch of articles about how margarine is not very healthy, so that was that. Growing up we always had tubs of Fleischmann's in the fridge, but no more. Though I love those Mother Nature commercials!

I've done it a few times, once in Phoenix and a couple of times in SF. Both were all men. I enjoyed the class in Phoenix, but the SF one felt a bit cliquey. Not as erotic as might be expected, since you gotta focus on doing the poses and can't worry too much about what everyone else is doing. Nice to get naked all the same!

Good luck with this event, guys. I won't be attending it (I'll be in Bali then) but if any of you who are organizing this have any questions, perhaps I can help - as a longtime DC resident - and a former organizer (and DEMO host, hahaha) of the DR DC weekend - for several years. Just hit me up.

Dave

Thanks Dave! It won't be the same without your demos but we'll see what we can do...

You went to a bar alone, which takes nerve. Well done! I've been going to bars for 30 years now and I still don't like going alone, though I've gotten to the place where I can stand it. I still prefer to go with friends but will go alone if I'm in a city where I don't know anyone and just want to be around people.

If you find yourself in a situation like with the guys with the darts, next time just try saying, "this is only the second (or third...) time I've ever been to a gay bar." Just blurt it out before you can think too much about it. We've all been there at some point, and my bet is you'll make some new friends fast. Whether those are friends for action or just social friends, you never know. And unfortunately there is no way of knowing who will be top, bottom or vers until the moment of truth (or unless you ask).

The gay sports leagues seem like a good option, and my bet is the more you go and people see you, the more people will approach you to get to know you.

Fun at IKEA

Erik Estrada

Mine too.

Yep the date is approaching, just over two months away!

The Hyatt Regency (host hotel) is now fully booked for Friday and Saturday night. Immediately near MAL, The Liason is directly across the street and as of now still shows rooms available though they're pricey. The George is one block up the street, and also still shows rooms and the rates are more reasonable. I've stayed at both for MAL and they're both good. The Washington Court Hotel is also up the street in the next block, though I haven't stayed there myself.

In terms of Hotwire, the Hyatt where MAL is held is in the "Capitol Hill" zone. DC is relatively easy to get around on transit, and walking too though it can be damn cold in January. The "Dupont-Embassy Row" zone includes the traditionally gay neighborhood Dupont Circle, and is also convenient to where the brunch will be. I'd think anywhere between Dupont and Capitol Hill will be convenient to the various events planned for the weekend.

@ArVaGuy and I have been keeping a list of those who have said they are interested or confirmed in coming. Get in touch with either of us if you have questions or want to let us know you're coming. And of course questions can be posted here in this thread.

Here's an article that provides background and instructions. The setting is in the Timeline and Tagging section, which may not be the first place some might think to look.

https://www.dailydot.com/debug/turn-off-facebook-face-tagging/

The article includes the caveat Note that the wording of that privacy setting doesn’t say Facebook itself can’t recognize your face. Your features will still be analyzed using Facebook’s AI software, but your friends won’t see tag suggestions.

As of today, August 26, 2017, the host hotel is either Sold Out or hasn't opened rservations yet.

https://washingtondc.regency.hyatt.com/hyatt/features/searchResults.jsp?error=true&xactionid=15e20114eab&isFromHICBookingValidator=HIC&_requestid=300768

You must use the link or phone number provided on the Leather Weekend site to book a room as the entire hotel is for the guests of MAL Weekend. Rooms will appear sold-out if using the Hyatt website directly since MAL has reserved the entire hotel. I'd expect this also avoids someone unbeknownst booking a room expecting a regular ol' Hyatt experience and being in for an unexpected surprise when they arrive!

Here's the link for booking a room. A two-night stay is required:

http://www.leatherweekend.com/hotel/

As of right now, there are still rooms available for the weekend dates.

Thanks all for the early interest so far. We've got you on the list and will be in touch with more details as the date approaches.

As for deadline for deciding, the only part that has a deadline is the Sunday brunch since we'll need to provide the venue with a head count a few days before the event. The rest of the events can be more spontaneous.

And yep it will be cold, but I've found it manageable in the past and I'm no fan of cold myself. The host hotel has a coat check, and well... seems like a lot of clothes get checked along with the coats!

Please mark your calendars for the next Forum DC Gathering, January 12-14, 2018.

@ArVaGuy and I have been working the past couple of months to put together plans for next year's gathering, and we'll be co-hosts. As with past DC gatherings, the weekend will span the MLK weekend, and coincide with Mid Atlantic Leather (MAL). There will be a range of get-togethers, culminating in the traditional brunch on Sunday, January 14th.

Last year's effort for the gathering had the best of intentions, but fell short when a venue for the brunch was not arranged. No harm, no foul, but not something anyone wants to have happen again. For this next year's event, arranging the venue for the brunch has been the first order of business, and it's been all confirmed. This event WILL happen, and you can start making arrangements with confidence.

Along the lines of making arrangements, we wanted to post an announcement early particularly for those interested in booking a hotel room in the MAL host hotel, or one of the hotels nearby. As of this writing there are still rooms at the MAL host hotel, but in year's past the host hotel has sold out well in advance of the event. So if you've been thinking you might want to book a room in the host hotel, you might want to do that sooner than later. Here is the link to the reservations page: http://www.leatherweekend.com/hotel/

For those of you who may not be interested in MAL or the leather scene, not to worry! Traditionally the DC gathering has coincided with MAL because it's a long weekend and many of us are in town, but the forum gathering is otherwise independent of the leather activities and is welcoming to all forum members. You may choose to sample some of the MAL activities, or go "whole-hog", or alternatively forgo them completely. That's up to you.

At this early stage we are posting so you can plan the dates ahead, book your hotel if inclined, and let us know if you're interested in attending so we can start putting together a head count for the brunch.

If you're interested in attending, please send a direct message to either @ArVaGuy or @nate_sf or both of us (direct messages can include more than one recipient). As the date approaches, we'll get in touch with each member who has expressed interest.

And if you have general questions or suggestions for the gathering, please do so in this thread.

We're excited to be continuing this fun tradition and hope you'll join us!