more info at our new site : www.pleasureforumaustralia.wordpress.com

http://pleasureforumaustralia.com

Sex and Spirituality

Tuesday August 7th

http://pleasureforumaustralia.wordpress.com/

PLEASURE FORUM AUSTRALIA 

All information regarding our events can now be found at the new page.

If you were a subscriber to this site, you will need to subscribe at our new site to be kept up to date with all our happenings.

There’s also a NEW Facebook page for you to like , as our old one will soon be shutting down.

We look forward to seeing you at our JUNE gathering,

Tuesday June 5th at LOOP Bar!

As hopefully most of you know, the June gathering of Pleasure Salon Melbourne will be its last under the name of Pleasure Salon Melbourne.

After June 5, we will be operating under the new name PLEASURE FORUM AUSTRALIA.

Big thanks must go out to Christian Vega for the inspiration for this name, and also to Brian Ward who is orchestrating the web change over to our new site which will go LIVE after June 5.2012.

There will be a new Facebook page for you to like too, so please keep an eye out for these changes as they come.

For details of our final gathering as Pleasure Salon Melbourne, we invite you to join us for a night of wonder as we present an:

Introduction to Kink and BDSM

Tuesday June 5. 2012.

The realm of Kink and BDSM has been gaining not only popularity but increasing notoriety as a valid and exciting form of erotic expression. No longer the realm of the mysterious and entirely forbidden, more and more people are finding themselves drawn to the arts of this kind of pleasure and arousal.

Pleasure Salon Melbourne’s Introduction to Kink and BDSM is a night for newbies, novices, the curious and respectful to come along and listen to Melbourne’s finest BDSM educators talk at length about their craft, the attraction and how to do it safely, consciously and with the highest regard for love and care.

We’ll be looking at

• how / why BDSM serves people as an erotic pathway to pleasure and fulfilment rather than just titilating ‘stories from the dungeon’.
• We’ll consider how people can develop their own agency around this approach to pleasure, what the benefits and potential pitfalls are, and how to avoid them.
• We’ll look at some of the common misunderstandings around what this kind of play is and isn’t, and encourage attendees to seek further information and training if they’re keen to take their knowledge a step further.
• We’ll discuss how people can develop a relationship with this aspect of their  erotic -self and what some of the roadblocks might be to letting themselves” go there”

Whether you’re looking to attend Kink play parties, or are just wanting to experiment at home, this is a participation-free night of information and mingling for those who have little to no experience with this world, but have always wanted to know more.

When: Tuesday June 5^th

Where: LOOP Bar. 23 Meyers Place. Melbourne CBD

Time: 7.30

Cost $10

Our Presenters ( In their own words)

Sado BJ is well regarded around the Australian fetish scene as an expert in rope bondage, flogging and general impact play.

As co-owner of Melbourne fetish icon Eagle Leather, BJ’s accomplishments as a passionate advocate of the fetish and SM scene in Australia are wide and varied.  Through BJ’s career, he has focussed on sexual education and presented the majority of Eagle Leather’s workshops and seminars over the last 7 years; which culminated in him winning the award for “Australia’s Best Sex Educator” at the ErosShine Awards 2011, and Eagle Leather taking out the title of “Australia’s Best Independent Adult Store”.

His workshops centre around the education of fetish enthusiasts in everything they need to know, tending towards his favourite kinks – bondage, impact play and electric sex.

Bella

“Bella has been around in the scene since the early nineties, and a professional Piercer and Educator with The Piercing Urge since then too.

Bella has presented a range of skillshares for Pleasure Salon, Adrenachrome, and Melbourne Leather Pride, including Sharps for Sensation, TemporaryPiercing for Play, Rough Body Play, Microbranding, Superglue and Staples, Chastity Piercings, andthe latest skillshare From Finger to Fist – Anal play for beginners, that shepresents with her boy Paulus.

Training body-piercers now consumes most of her working life. She created and runs The Piercing Urge Training Center which reflects her fun style and passion for safe body piercing activities.

All of her classes and skills will be available from July at Melbourne’s newest specialty piercing studio – Piercing HQ. A kink and sex friendly studio developed with boy Paulus.”

Play favourites:

Flogging

Caning

Spanking

Cutting

All Sharps

Anal Play

Face play

Breath play

I like speaking about the responsibilities both players in a scene have in producing a scene that “works” for all.

“Do Me” submissives shit me to tears.

Scene etiquette and manners

The equal value of “both” Tops AND bottoms – can’t have one without the other

Mistress Electra Amore

Is a dedicated and passionate fetish and BDSM educator to the professional realm of the industry.

Classified as a senior with just under 18 years of hands on experience working as a professional Dominatrix, Mistress Electra A’more is the owner of the spectacular  Adelaide professional play space – The Fetish Palace, where with a stern hand, mischievous lads and gents undertake an assortment  of obedience  training that is catered to each individuals desires.

Mistress Electra A’more is also one of Australia’s main trainers of the up and coming generations of Professional want to be Mistress’s, switches and submissive ladies.  With an iron fist and nearly two decades of knowledge, Electra guides the willing ones through the necessary  training to become a well-rounded and experienced professional.

Well after the mammoth events that were Tristan Taormino’s seminar and workshop, PSM is back at LOOP bar next Tuesday night May 1^st, at 7.30 with what I’m sure will be a compelling panel presentation on Alternative Relationships.

We all had a blast at Tristan’s events, and for those who missed it, Tristan kindly gave permission to have part of her seminar recorded, and it can be heard by following the link under our “Media” page to the right. Thanks to Dean Beck for making this available.

Tuesday May 1^st. Alternative Relationships

Relationships and communication are often a forgotten part of the sexuality dynamic. Titillating images or instant gratification are often more accessible and for many people, or more enjoyable than the potentially complex realities of processing emotions and negotiation that go along with being in a relationship.

Our panel for Alternative Relationships, will be hosted by Cyndi and  will be made up of  experts in the field, people with real life experience negotiating different kinds of relationships; why they do it, how they do it, and why it works for them. They will examine in detail alternatives to the monogamous, pair-bonding relationship many of us engage in by default, including:

• how to negotiate boundaries
• desires
• fantasies
• safer sex
• family and society at large
• and how they carved out a life for themselves that is both unique and fulfilling.

Their areas of expertise cover, but are not limited to bisexuality, polyamory, open relationships, swinging, and the D/s dynamic as a relationship and a lifestyle.

Our panellists:

Lyndal and Andrew Coon

Chantelle Austin

Anne Hunter

Sur Jack

As with all PSM events, we welcome people of all orientations, genders and backgrounds to come along, listen and share your experiences of a life when pleasure is important.

When: Tuesday May 1^st

Time: 7.30pm

Where: Loop Bar.  23 Meyers Place. Melbourne CBD

Cost : $10

The venue is intimate, so we encourage people to arrive early for a seat, and a pre panel mingle to warm up.

Proudly supported by Take Care Out There

 Tristan Taormino ( USA)

for two nights in Melbourne 

Both events require PRE PURCHASE. See links below for access to our tickets through Trybooking.com.au

Tickets can be bought for each event separately or come to both events for a discount

Both venues wheelchair friendly. PLEASE email for further details about this

Wednesday April 11. 2012 

Public Seminar

303 Sydney Road ( formerly The Beach)

Brunswick

7.30 pm

Tristan Taormino will take you on her personal journey from activist undergraduate to law school reject to struggling writer to author, Village Voice columnist, On Our Backs editor, sex educator, and adult film director. She’ll reveal the pleasures and pitfalls of a career that revolves around sex.

Hear about her first foray into porn on and off camera, what led her to form her own company, Smart Ass Productions, and become an exclusive director for Vivid Entertainment, one of the largest adult companies. She will share her definition of feminist porn, what she hopes to accomplish with her films, and the challenges she faces in the adult industry and in her professional career as a sex educator. She’ll dish all the juicy details of her adventures along the way with swingers, strippers, dominatrixes, drag kings, porn stars, and even Howard Stern.

Tristan Taormino is an award-winning author, columnist, sex educator, speaker, and filmmaker. She is the author of seven books: Secrets of Great G-Spot Orgasms and Female Ejaculation, The Big Book of Sex Toys, The Anal Sex Position Guide, Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships, True Lust: Adventures in Sex, Porn and Perversion, Down and Dirty Sex Secrets, and two editions of The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women.

She is the editor of 23 anthologies including Take Me There: Trans and Genderqueer Erotica and was the founding editor of the Lambda Literary Award-winning series Best Lesbian Erotica. She’s written for a multitude of publications from Yale Journal of Law and Feminism to Penthouse, and served as editor of the magazine On Our Backs. For nine and a half years, she wrote a bi-weekly column in The Village Voice. She runs her own adult film production company, Smart Ass Productions, and is currently an exclusive director for Vivid Entertainment.

Tristan has taught hundreds of classes (on everything from negotiating relationships to female orgasms) at conferences, community events, and retail stores and she frequently lectures at top colleges and universities. Tristan has been featured in over 200 publications and appeared on dozens of radio and television programs.

She runs three websites: www.puckerup.com, www.tristantaormino.com, and www.openingup.net

AND

THE EVENT ”"MAKING OPEN RELATIONSHIPS WORK “ IS NOW SOLD OUT

The following night:

Making Open Relationships Work

A workshop with Tristan Taormino 

Thursday April 12. 2012

Level 10 / 225 Bourke St Melbourne

7.00pm

THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT

Do open relationships really work? How do people create nontraditional partnerships that are loving and lasting? Tristan Taormino, relationship expert and author of Opening Up, shares some of the key principles that can help your open relationship(s) succeed.

She’ll discuss common issues and problems-from “new relationship energy” and time management to jealousy and agreement violations-and ways to address and resolve them. Tristan will offer tips on communication, negotiation, and boundary setting, as well as how to cope with change. Learn how to get to the root of jealous feelings and transform them by embracing the concept of ‘compersion’.

Whether you’re a newcomer or veteran to the world beyond monogamy, come discover strategies to help you nurture and grow your open relationship(s).

Next PSM gathering is TUESDAY March 6^th, where our guest speakers will be looking at sex and sexuality form a practical and hands-on perspective. Come along to find out more about Sexological Bodywork AND the Joy of Strap-Ons!

Presenters:

Deej Juventin

Deej is one of Australia’s leading somatic sex educators. Focusing on empowering people of all genders, sexualities, and backgrounds to lead more embodied erotic lives, his work is highly experiential, and delivered with safety, heart, and integrity. Based in Brisbane, he runs workshops throughout the Asia Pacific region, and teaches individuals and couples to access more pleasure and have better sex. He heads the faculty for the Certificate in Sexological Bodywork Professional Training in Australia, and is the President of the Somatic Sex Educators’ Association of Australasia.

http://www.sexcoaching.com.au

How We Learn Sex – A Sexological Bodywork Approach To Living More Fully

An exploration of how human beings learn, limit  and expand. Developments in neuroscience have told us what anybody who has put a bit of work into themselves already knew. Rather than being constrained by the habits we’ve developed, we are capable of incredible change, growth, and expansion – a concept known as ‘neuroplasticity.’ This has contributed to the field of somatic sexology – a body-based approach to learning about sex, pleasure and intimacy.

Yes, human beings are capable of an extraordinary range of experience. We are able to access more pleasure and have more choice about how we are in our bodies, than most of us ever imagined. Come and learn how.

Louise

Louise has her finger a few different pies around sex-positive Melbourne. She’s got her hands full working at D.VICE sex shop and for Take Care {out} There, as well as studying sexual health at Melbourne Uni. One of her many interests in the world of sex is Strap-Ons. She will be presenting the ins-and-outs (so to speak) of Strap-Ons, talking about why they are such fun and sharing a few tips and tricks for how to get the most out of them.

Our presenters will be leading you through an introductory seminar and workshop starting from 7.30 pm.

Be sure to get in early for a good comfy spot and take advantage of the range of drinks and snacks available at LOOP, served by the spunky and friendly bar staff.

WHEN: TUESDAY MARCH 6^TH

WHERE: LOOP LANEWAY BAR. MEYERS PLACE

TIME: DOORS 6.30 FOR A 7:30 START. (Finishing around 10pm)

COST: $10

In other news, the gang from our old home 24 Moons, are just about to open their new venue, along with the STUNNING Madame Mama Natalia who many of you will remember as the MC of our wild Xmas party at the Order of Melbourne last year. Such a hedonistic concoction of glamour, art, sex and cocktails that just must be seen to be believed!  Check them out at Bohemia Cabaret Club.

AND…………… hold onto your girdles pleasure lovers, because we have an EXTRA SPECIAL surprise for you in April!

Details coming VERY VERY VERY soon!

Bye for now!

Pleasure Salon Melbourne is back for 2012 with a fabulous variety of sex-positive, sexual  health, pleasure  and  adult information  evenings . Our nights still feature  Australia’s  best sex educators and activists to bring you some of the most up to date and progressive sexuality information available, all in a friendly and welcoming environment.

As you know we have been looking for a new home for some time now, and have finally found one  at the gorgeous

LOOP bar

23 Meyers Place

Melbourne CBD  (Off Bourke St,  close to Parliament Station.)

We are thrilled to announce this venue is WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE and has CAR PARKING  close by.

Next week our

 FEBRUARY GATHERING

from 6.30pm will be on

 MONDAY  FEB 13

$10

Forum starts at 7.30 pm

February Pleasure Salon Melbourne celebrates sex-positive erotic films, feminism and pornography

February PSM will be trialling a new PANEL format where our guests will be able to engage in dialogue with Cyndi and the audience to explore and detail their experiences as performers and producers of pornographic adult movies.

Our Feb line up includes the gorgeous and articulate Gala  known for her pioneering work with FECK,  stunning feminist pornster Liandra Dahl  an independent feminist pornographer and blogger who has recently worked with one of the world’s most well known sex educators ( Betty) Dodson and Ross,  alongside award winning  Australian production company, Adult Voyeur’s very own  Bourke Wills.

Gala

Gala is a mutli-purpose sex-positive sex worker who entered the industry through the pornhole.  Her career in alternative smutmaking started at a Melbourne-based company Feck ( one of Pleasure Salon Melbourne’s sponsors),  and her work appears on its sites  ishotmyself.com, beautifulagony.com, ifeelmyself.com, and sonicerotica.com.  more recently she has appeared on liandradahl.com, and she is currently preparing to launch a blog journalling her experiences in various facets of the industry.’

Liandra Dahl

Liandra has worked in the alternative pornography industry for 9 years. She first began work with the Australian adult websites run by Feck, ishotmyself.com  and beautifulagony.com as a contributor and then as the hostess of their masturbation site ifeelmyself.com between 2003 to 2007. She has also worked with acclaimed European female adult film producers Erika Lust and Jennifer Lyon Bell as a performer. She currently runs her own pansexual independent reality sex site LiandraDahl.com where she performs, produces, films, edits and codes for the whole project and website.

Bourke Wills

Bourke Wills started making high quality, uniquely Australian porn a long time ago as Adult Voyuer. Our first trial shoot was August 2008 and was either a dismal failure or incredibly steep learning curve, depending on which way you look at these things.

We continued shooting,  and learning until we felt we had a sufficient backlog of material. We launched the first version of our site in 2010 to a very good reception and relaunched in in 2011 the same year we  won the Eros Shine Award for the “Best Australian Adult Website”.

Adult Voyeur continues to grow  largely due to the fascination the rest of the world has with Australia and Australian’s eager to see Australian content. We are Australia’s only high production value, top shelf,  adult film company and are dedicated to showcasing beautiful Australians having great sex in gorgeous Australian locations. We feel Australian porn as a whole is unique, it is women and couple friendly, empowering,  sex positive porn.

In other news……………………………

Starting in March,  we will be meeting the FIRST TUESDAY of each month which means our March Salon will be on TUESDAY March 6^th, and we will be continuing with TUESDAY gatherings for the rest of 2012 unless we have a special event.

We understand that may mean some of you won’t be able to attend, whilst for others it means a break from the weekend crazies and a day to recover before heading out again. Running such an event we try our best to keep everyone happy, but in the end decisions have to be made, and we hope this change causes as little disappointment and inconvenience as possible

LOOP bar have offered us the residency for the duration of 2012 and we look forward to sampling their fabulous food and drink selection and taking advantage of the fabulous tech set up in addition to the warm embrace of Pleasure Salon Melbourne’s values of open and honest discussion around the importance of pleasure and good sex.

We look forward to seeing you all again.

Just letting you know we’ll be back in February, with our first Salon for the year. More info coming soon

However, this Thursday night ( Feb 2. 2012 at 7.30pm) Pleasure Salon Melbourne is proud to present a joint event with Hares and Hyenas and Word is Out, as part of Midsumma, celebrating Bi and Poly Culture.

In last year’s Bi & Poly 1 we gave you a glimpse into the life, art and performance of two of our lesser known communities, in a night of spoken word, non-fiction, song and performance under the skilful guidance of Sally Goldner.

This year our Bi and Poly artists and writers continue the discourse and share the complexity, joy, energy and occasional frustrations of bisexual and polyamorous life. Hosted by Cyndi Darnell of Pleasure Salon Melbourne, writers and performers include Lee Kofman, the author of three fiction books (in Hebrew) and numerous works in English; writer, filmmaker and performance artist Barbara Karpinski; author Mary Rowson; writer and performance artist Urszula Dawkins; with an open mic section and more guests TBA

Join Cyndi and a cast of fabulous speakers and performers for a night not to be missed.

Where:  Hares and Hyenas. 63 Johnston St. Fitzroy. ( between Nicholson and Brunswick St)

When: Thursday Feb 2 @ 7.30

Price: $15 or $10 conc.

enquiries to Hares and Hyenas

Thanks for all your support over past couple of years,  it’s only been with your support that Pleasure Salon Melbourne has continued to grow and expand.

We are currently at a crossroads and desperately need assistance with ongoing  admin people and finding a new CBD home for 2012.

If you have been involved in PSM and would like to see it continue, please send us an email with your offerings.

Happy New Year!

PLEASURE SALON MELBOURNE CHRISTMAS PARTY

A saucy night of comedy, cabaret & sex-positive adult education for the 21st century featuring:

• Catherine Deveny 
•  Sarah Ward ( Yana Alana / Circus Oz)
•  Talking Poofy
•  Daniel Burt ( The Project)
•  Paige Phoenix ( X factor)
• Wes Snelling ( as Tina Del Twist)
• Geraldine Hickey
• Harley Breen
• and your HOST……… Madame Mama Natalia…….. ( Burlesque Bar)

WHEN: MONDAY DECEMBER 5^th  2011

TIME: doors: 7.00 PM

PRICE: $20 AT THE DOOR

Proudly supported by Take Care Out There

 Keep an eye out for the

Xmas party details on December 5th featuring:

•  Talking Poofy
•  Catherine Deveny
• Wes Snelling
•  Madame Mama Natalia
•  Daniel Burt
•  Geraldine Hickey
•  Harley Been
•  and others to be confirmed! WATCH OUT!!!!

This is going to be HUGE!!!!!!

Our next gathering will be Monday November 7^th at our brand new home

Tony Starr’s Kitten Club,

Level 2 / 267 Little Collins St. (CBD)

 (Look for the lime green door.)

Since previous host venue 24 Moons shut its doors, we have been looking for a new home to host us, and the good people at Tony Starr’s
Kitten Club have kindly offered their premises to us. Fabulous food, full menu and cocktails, we are thrilled and honoured to have access to this wonderful new space. Sadly, this venue is not wheelchair accessible.  We are still open to suggestions for a new home, so please send us your ideas for places that

• serve food and liquor
• have a space for us
• have stages, mics, projectors etc.
• are wheelchair accessible
• and in the CBD

NOVEMBER GATHERING

As you may have been following, we are revamping PSM’s format starting with our November gathering. November brings you 2 special
presenters and a flurry of shenanigans prepared by Cyndi and Christian for your delight. Door prizes a plenty and more interaction for you all.

Summer time start is now 6.30 pm for a 7.15 first presenter.

PRESENTERS;

Jessi Lewis

Melbourne performance artist Jessi Lewis joins us for a presentation like no other.

Exploring what it means to be only 22 and HIV positive, in a world where the death of face to face flirtation is imminent after the rise of Grindr, & what this new technology means for his generation while weaving this in through his own personal story of performance, gay beats, paying rent and moving to Melbourne at age 18.

Having performed Australia wide, Jessi is thrilled to bring us excerpts from his dance pieces, and engage in a Q & A with our audience at PSM.

Melbourne Rope Dojo

Our feedback has told us that you have all been VERY keen to know more about rope play and we have found you one of Australia’s best rope
instructors; Melbourne Rope Dojo!

The head instructor at the Melbourne Rope Dojo is Scott, one of the most experienced practitioners of Shibari outside of Japan. Scott started studying Shibari in 2004, which lead him to visit Japan starting in 2009 to continue his studies. He has been to Japan three times now to study under his Sensei, Osada Steve, and one of Osada Steve’s teachers, Yukimura Haruki-Sensei.

Whilst experienced in all aspects of Shibari, Scott has a particular love of newaza, or the intimate and connected tying typically performed on the floor. For Scott, the connection that can be achieved through rope is unique and forms the heart of Shibari. There is therefore an emphasis at the Dojo of learning how to obtain this connection.

Scott will be providing a demonstration of his work, along with a full suspension demonstration and a history of Shibari (Japanese
Rope Work).

Where:

 Tony Starr’s Kitten Club

Level 2/ 267 Little Collins St CBD

When:

 Monday November 7^th

Doors:  6: 30 pm for a 7:15 start.

 Full bar and meals available

Cost $10

So far we’re exploring ongoing special segments and even trivia nights…. What else do you think would be great?

Additionally, we’re looking to put together people interested in being on panels for group discussions at PSM on an ongoing basis. If you’re articulate and don’t need too much coaxing we’d love to hear from you. Please email and let us know what your area of interest is.

The frisky spring air is upon us, ( well mostly, it is Melbourne after all) and I know I for one, am inclined to have an extra bounce in my step at this time of the year, punctuated with a sneeze too if the truth be known, but I digress.

And….. normally this would be the message announcing the next PSM line up, but sadly, as you know we have been waiting for our venue 24 Moons to reopen its doors, which is taking a little longer than they had anticipated.  We had even secured another venue just for October, and then very late last Friday night, that one fell through too.

As you may (or may not for that matter) know, finding a stylish, licensed, sex-positive space that caters to our needs and has wheelchair access in the CBD isn’t easy at the best of times, and certainly not easy at short notice. For this reason, PSM was going to be running for October 3,
but has now had to be cancelled due to events beyond our control.

However, we will be all systems go for November regardless of what transpires;  with our special guest speakers on high alert and poised ready to pounce all over our November Salon.

In the meantime I urge you to maintain your presence on Facebook by LIKING us if you haven’t already ( our old group was closed down, please join us again) and keep up to date with happenings by subscribing to our blog, following us on Twitter  or putting yourself on the email list if you’re not already. pleasuresalonmelbourne@gmail.com

 Pleasure Salon Melbourne is a community oriented group and ONLY exists with the support and participation of the people who make it happen and attend our gatherings, which means we are always looking for new ways to engage, entertain, expand and grow. If you have anything you’d like to contribute by means of time, ideas or energy, there’s always room to get people on board and keep things moving along. Shoot us an email offering whatever you can!

Also if you have any ideas for a presentation for next year, please let us know by sending in a brief, bullet-pointed plan of what you’d like to present on sex, pleasure and sexuality.

And finally in other news I have had the pleasure of chatting to the Australian promoters of two fabulous sex educators and artists in their own right; check out Midori’s upcoming Australian tour in October and Ivan Coyote’s  Australian tour for 2012 .

Until next time

ENJOY!!!