This month has been a great reminder that, for the most part, snow and leather just don’t mix. Leather is designed to make you look hot, not to keep you warm.
If your leathers aren’t lined — and most of them aren’t — you’re guaranteed to freeze your balls off in them when it gets as cold as it’s been the last few weeks. And there’s nothing worse than getting snow and salt and slush all over your best boots, which pretty much ruins them until your next bootblacking.
Better late than never, here are a few tips to survive your winter in leather.
No. 1: Don’t wear pants. This is the best time to wear chaps and jeans. You’ll look great, and you’ll appreciate the extra insulation when you’re looking for a cab at 1 a.m. and the wind chill has dropped below zero.
No. 2: Carry your boots. Don’t be afraid to wear crap boots through the sludge while you keep your nice boots safe and sound in a backpack or gym bag. Once you get to the bar, find a corner where you can change into them (and maybe a boy to help you out), then store your bag at the coat check.
No. 3: Layers. Even though it’s cold outside, it still gets nice and warm in the bar once you’re surrounded by enough people. Wear a flannel or long-sleeve T-shirt over your muscle shirt or harness, then stow it in the coat check after you warm up. Just make sure you don’t overdo it and find yourself wrapped up in too many layers that you can’t peel off when the time is right.
With proper planning, it’s easy to keep warm on the streets and still look hot in the bars. And don’t worry if your friends bust on you for making more costume changes than Lady Gaga. When has that ever been a bad thing?
Get on your boots!
The Keystone boys of Leather present their second-annual Bootlust party this weekend at The Bike Stop. The crowd at last year’s party was huge and this year promises more of the same, with cheap beer, slutty shots, hot bootblacks and special guests all designed to help bring back that good old sleazy leather-bar charm.
Don’t miss Bootlust II, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Feb. 20 at The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St. For more information, check out their Facebook group or www.keystoneboysofleather.org.
CODE Philly
David Merrill and Jacob Nathaniel Pring, the boys who run the CODE party at EFN Lounge in Washington, D.C., took “CODE on the Road” and brought their hot party up to Club Voyeur right here in Philly last weekend.
While it has the same name as a monthly event that ran at The Bike Stop a couple years ago, this was definitely a very different party. Guests included New York City’s Jake the Barber, DJ John Alvarado, DJ Eric Entrena and porn by Tom “Ropes” McGurk on the big screens.
Hopefully they’ll come back and do it again soon. Turnout was good, but the weather and the lack of local advertising probably put a dent in the attendance. When they come back, I hope they do more local promotion. It seemed like the only people who knew about the event were those on their D.C. mailing list.
Liberty Bears art show postponed
Last week’s snowstorm forced the Liberty Bears to postpone this year’s art show until next month. As of press time, they haven’t announced the new date, but it will definitely be on a Friday and Saturday in March. Remember that all proceeds will benefit an excellent cause, Camp Brightfeathers, a summer camp for kids affected by HIV.
Bears On Liberty Weekend 8 has also been postponed from May until October, but those dates haven’t been announced yet either. Keep an eye on their Web site or Facebook group for information about the new dates for both events.
The Bike Stop officially changes hands
The new owners of The Bike Stop officially took over the bar on Feb. 1, and there have already been some subtle changes, mainly in the staff’s attitude. I don’t know how else to say this except that they all seem to be in a better mood now, which makes the bar a much nicer place to hang out. It’s also great to see the new owners in the bar at night when the crowd is there.
People ask me what I think of the new ownership and I say this one thing: The fact that they’re actually in the bar at night speaks volumes about their commitment to the future of The Bike Stop. They’ll see first-hand what works and what doesn’t. It shows they care.
I don’t think they’re going to return the bar to its former glory because that’s an impossible task. That era is over and it’s not coming back, no matter what various “old guard” leather fundamentalists would have you believe. But I do think they’re going to help usher in a great new era for the bar. And you never know; 20 years from now, we just might find ourselves looking back on these as the glory years. Stranger things have happened, my friends.
UPCOMING EVENTS
— WOOF! PHILLY & LAID: Every Sunday at 5 p.m. at 1416 Chancellor St. See www.woofphilly.com or www.laidsaturdays.com for DJ and dancer schedules.
— LIBERTY BEARS MEETING AND SOCIAL: March 6 at The Bike Stop, meeting from 6-7 p.m. in The Pit and social from 7-10 p.m. on the main floor.
— LIBERTY BEARS ANNUAL ART SHOW AND SALE: March, date TBA, 7-10 p.m. on the third floor of The Bike Stop. Meet the artists at the wine and cheese reception on opening night. See www.libertybears.net or their Facebook group for more information. n
Questions? Comments? Pissed off like me that a cartoon like Avatar got so damn many nominations? Contact Jim at [email protected].
