Parties from the Past: The Grind

By Teeebone

Back in the Interbay days, one of the first parties I went to was called the Grind. It was held weekly on Thursday nights. The Grind was a dark-themed, BDSM-focused party with dancing that featured Goth, Industrial, and EBM music primarily from the 90s and 00s, and it was very popular. I had fun on the dance floor and in the back room and so did many others. Certain music tracks remain “Grind Classics” in my library. “Non-Stop Violence” by Apoptygma Berzerk, “Military Fashion Show” by And One, “Megalomaniac” by KMFDM, and “The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove” by Dead Can Dance to name a few. Any time I had a free Thursday evening was an opportunity to dance the night away to cool music, watch or participate in a scene, or just simply hang out with folx, all of us dressed in black and getting into the Grind state of mind.

The Grind had its origins in the industrial club scene of the late 1990s, being inspired by Seattle nightclubs like the Catwalk, the Vogue, and Machinewerks. While the music, dancing, and fetish themes were present, BDSM play was limited. Shortly after the Center was opened, the folx who would become the founders of the Grind were approached to create a club night. Keep in mind that they were building this party from the ground up, raising funds, drafting the floor plan, forming a team, and installing the sound and lighting systems in the building. The founders selected Thursday night to hold this party as a weekly event in order to allow for dedicated men’s and women’s parties to be on Fridays. On May 18, 2000 the Grind debuted at the CSPC with an attendance of 48. Such humble beginnings, eh?

After the first year though, the attendance had doubled. By the time of my first attendance to the Grind, (2004-05) the head count was typically breaking 150. The Center was full of energetic dancers and players and the loud music was in a class all its own. As somebody who DJs, I was struck by how unique and one of a kind it was, and it was perfectly fine to dance by yourself! It was an amazing thing to behold. The Grind had cemented its reputation as one of the Center’s go-to parties, especially because orientation was held right before it started, resulting in some new members attending it afterward. 

The days of “peak Grind” would continue until the summer of 2007, when the Center had to raise admission costs, though three months later there would be an early-bird discount implemented. Also in late 2007, the Center acquired the Annex and a new party, the Chill was scheduled opposite the Grind to act as a space to allow attendees to step away from the loud music and have easier conversation. This diluted the party’s crowd even though you only needed one admission to have access to both parties. In early 2008, the Center’s yearly membership rate was increased, which peeled away some more attendees. Staff attrition also took its toll, though the Grind team held together quite well considering its long run. By 2013, the music played by the DJs began to branch out into more contemporary and dance-pop-oriented stuff. At this point, the Grind was more than ten years old and a large chunk of the original audience of members who attended week after week had left because of various “life in general” reasons. Many of the new members were not into Goth, Industrial, or EBM music as much as the older members were.

In May of 2015, the Grind stopped being a weekly party and switched to an irregular schedule, eventually settling on fifth Fridays of the month in January of 2016 and then to fourth Fridays in June. The last Grind at the Interbay location was held on August 26, 2016 and had a packed house. The Grind was the Center’s longest running party, lasting more than eighteen years. Considering that this was a weekly party for most of its existence, that’s a lot a hardcore dedication in volunteer work. I will always be grateful for the Grind team’s effort because I always had fun at that party. There were four more Grinds held at the Gallery, with the last one taking place in March of 2019. At that point, the team decided to shut things down and step away.

Which brings us to the present. This year, the Center will be celebrating its 25th Anniversary and part of that celebration will include bringing back some of the classic parties from the past, like the Grind! A new team is being formed to reboot this party and volunteers will be needed! If this sort of thing fascinates you, then click on this link and join us!

https://thecspc.org/volunteering

Parties from the Past: Paradise, Part 2

By Teeebone

With the success of Paradise over the years, the CSPC decided to do something extra special for its 10-year anniversary in 2011. By that time, it had expanded from a long holiday weekend to almost a week, Tuesday to Sunday, August 9th to the 14th! Here is a passage from the event program:

Unity Ceremony, Paradise 2011 - Festival!

Tuesday, August 9th, 7:00 pm

Let the drum draw you into the circle of stones, to the circle of friends and family at Paradise.

A Community Color Guard will open our Unity Ceremony this year. We hope all will attend and stand to honor the many varied communities who attend Paradise.

Announcements will be shared with the circle.

Hedonist, Holy, and Spiritual Benediction.

Acknowledgement of people who have made Paradise possible over the years.

Lighting of the Unity Flame.

Thank you to Allena.

Closing of the Unity Ceremony led by the Color Guard.

Color Guard escort to the stage for a spinning presentation to kick off Pride Rally!

A pretty cool way to start things out, huh? But wait, there’s more! That year they had 36 different presenters offering classes and discussions on many of the various things we at the CSPC know and love: Basic Flogging, Sensual Caning, Erotic Hypnosis, How to Do a Striptease, How to Whip like a Pro, Yoga in the Dungeon, and so many others.

In the evenings, there was entertainment (and some fire play!). On Friday night there was a live music concert featuring Mindvice, followed by a talent show “ghosted” by Morgue Ann, and then the evening concluded with an outdoor movie. Saturday night featured W.E.L.T., a whip performance troupe, and after that there was an erotic vaudeville show.

Paradise also had a group of dedicated vendors who set up shop to sell their wares to those who were looking to purchase new toys to play with later. Some vendors were active sponsors of the event like Moonsong Chainmail, Wild at Heart, and Golem Copy Center while other sponsors were sex-positive organizations like the Seattle Girls of Leather, Leather Reign, and the Seattle Men In Leather.
Everyone who attended received a Paradise 2011 commemorative pin with the event logo on it, the perfect souvenir for a one-of-a-kind experience. It was nothing short of epic because all told, it took the work of 90+ volunteers to make it happen. And coming up this August 15th, we’ve got The Frolic! Tickets are on sale now, so get them while you can! Come join us in this gathering of kinksters to go camping, have fun, and live our best lives.

Parties from the Past: Paradise Part 1

By Teeebone

The Frolic is coming in August! But did you know that The Frolic is based on an event from the past? It was called "Wet Spot in Paradise: The Gathering of the Tribes," though subsequently the name would be shortened to just "Paradise." It was first held on Labor Day weekend (August 30 to September 2, 2002) at the Longhouse. Four days and three nights of sex-positive camping fun! It was an ambitious project with an equally ambitious goal. Here are the details that were posted on the event website:

"The event will serve as the Wet Spot's Capital Campaign Fund Kickoff. The Wet Spot will be raising funds over the next several years to apply toward purchasing a building of our own. Our plans are to acquire a facility approximately three times the size of our current building so we can offer simultaneous functions and an expanded selection of events for our members and constituent communities. All proceeds above expenses from this event will go directly to the Wet Spot Capital Campaign Fund. More information about The Capital Campaign and future fundraisers will be coming your way over the next few months."

With an admission price of $100 per person for the full four day weekend and one-day passes (11 a.m. to 11 p.m.) for $50 (Saturday and Sunday) and $25 (Friday and Monday) respectively, it was a pretty good deal. By the way, did I mention there were also meals included? Once again, from the website:

"To begin the celebration with a sense of community and sharing, Friday Dinner will be a potluck. Please bring your favorite dish and share it with us. We'll furnish water, coffee, juice, tea, dessert, and plenty of marshmallows for roasting over the gathering fires that evening. Saturday morning you'll awake to a continental breakfast and Saturday evening we'll be hosting a classic cookout at the facility's new outdoor cook shack. Sunday morning, continental breakfast will again be served, then Sunday evening we'll treat everyone to a delicious country BBQ dinner and desserts. Monday brunch will be our final common meal. A hospitality area will be maintained with snacks and beverages throughout the duration of the gathering. Communal cooking areas and common grills will also be available for those who want to prepare food at times other than common mealtimes."

The venue itself was 90 acres of beautiful and secluded land well suited for camping. The grounds were clothing optional and included an indoor heated pool, indoor and outdoor hot tubs, inside and outside areas for play and sex, and grassy lawns for sunbathing or lounging. The property was wooded and had many trails to hike and several lakes. In addition to the open campground and reserved group areas, there were men-only and women-only spaces for both camping and playing. There were also dedicated spaces for BDSM play, sex play, a Venus/Aphrodite Temple, an outdoor stage for live music, and many other unique forms of entertainment.

On the topic of entertainment, it was a bit of a free-for-all back then. I'm not sure there were even classes or workshops on the schedule, maybe there were a few. I seem to remember some live music performances…. By the following year though, things would get more organized, and a planned schedule that included classes, workshops, concerts, and speakers would steadily improve the quality of future iterations of Paradise.

As you can see, this event had humble beginnings that would gradually expand over time, from a long weekend to a full week. Considering that Paradise was a consistently excellent annual event that ran for 13 years, that's impressive. And today we have The Frolic, which is clearly taking a similar path of gathering kinksters to go camping, have fun, and live their best lives.

Be a part of history in the making and join us at The Frolic August 15-20!

Parties from the Past: The Pool Party

By Teeebone and Brian

In the summer of 2002, the “Wet Spot” put together a weekend camping event and fundraiser that was held off-site at the Longhouse. It was called “Wet Spot in Paradise: The Gathering of the Tribes,” though in the future the name would be shortened to just Paradise. This event gave rise to a new party that was created the next year, debuting on June 15, 2003, the aptly named “Paradise Pool Party,” a clothing-optional swim party to be held on the third Sunday of the month.

The publicity post on the original Wet Spot website went something like this: “Those of you who attended the Wet Spot in Paradise event last Labor Day weekend remember the wonderful pool. Warm and inviting, with a great hot tub beside it to soak in. Well, starting this month, the Wet Spot will be hosting a pool party at the Longhouse on the third Sunday of the month. We'll supply pop, juice, and some snacks, you supply your own towels. While it's clothing optional, we hope that there is very little clothing in the pool. (There will also be a social area and a few areas for private and group play — sex and light BDSM play will be allowed in most of these areas).”

The party ran from 12pm to 6pm and admission was $10. Another thing that should be mentioned is that the pool was indoors, meaning that the weather wouldn’t be so much of a factor after the summer. As time went by, the event became a potluck as there was a grill on-site for barbecuing available. By 2010, the Pool Party would see increasing attendance and a change in leadership, which brings us to the interview part of this article with Brian, who acted as Host and EC to this event from then until its cancellation.

Q: When did you first attend the Pool Party?

A: I first attended the Pool Party in June 2004.

Q: What was your experience at your first Pool Party like?

A: It was a bit awkward at first because I had never been naked at a CSPC event before. When no one said a word after I stripped down, I knew that I was in a safe place! In addition, I met someone who would become a play partner.

Q: How often did you attend?

A: As often as I could get a ride out. Coloboma prevented me from driving but later on I was able to get out as far as a park and ride in Redmond and then a taxi cab from there to the Longhouse, then back to the park and ride. The arrival of Lyft and Uber made this easier.

Q: When did you become the Pool Party EC/Host?

A: I became the pool party event coordinator in January 2010 after the previous EC decided to step down. I had built up a good relationship with the Longhouse residents over a six-year period and it was a big help to the success of my tenure.

Q: Were there any changes to the Pool Party during your tenure?

A: The biggest change that I made was expanding the staff of the event. Up until my tenure, there was only one person acting as EC, cashier, and monitor. If I had to leave my post (a desk inside the pool room), I would have to carry the cash box with me. This made it difficult to properly ensure the safety of the event. I was the only one doing setup and strike, but I would have some of our guests offer to help and it was greatly accepted!

I expanded the staff to include a cashier, monitor, and split the EC shift into two. This was a six-hour event, so each shift was three hours in duration so our volunteers could have some pool time. I eventually had two cashier and monitor shifts of the same three-hour length. I did have a setup and strike crew but that varied every month. This made for a better run event, especially for the safety of our guests. Our turnout during the summer grew dramatically after I started heavy promotion on the CSPC FetLife groups and we had our own dedicated pool party group on FetLife.

Q: Were there any instances of the Pool Party that stand out as “Best Party Ever!”

A: We were named Party of the Month in November 2013, if that’s the correct year. I made this a Thanksgiving-themed event and people brought turkey, mashed potatoes, and the typical Turkey Day desserts. I remember that people had a blast during this event, but I was happy to hear that we named Party of the Month thanks to all the positive feedback.

Q: What was the attendance of the Pool Party, typically?

A: It would average around 35–40 people outside the summer months. One summer month we had about 100 people, which was a record breaker for turnout! There was plenty of space for outdoor play at the Longhouse.

Q: Were there any special events held with this party?

A: The biggest special event that I had was an evening fire play event in March 2010. We had our regular party from noon till 6pm then from 7pm till 9pm we had fire play demos — fire whips, spinning poi, and even fire flogging! I did have themed events during some events, such as a spa and massage event where we had an LMP come out and give massages. Once we had a DJ and dancing event. But these were few and far between because it was difficult for some people to get out to the Longhouse.

The Pool Party continued its run at the Longhouse until 2015, when a breakdown in negotiations occurred between the CSPC and the Longhouse over the contract for the Paradise campout in the coming summer. Paradise was canceled in the spring, but the Pool Party was able to keep going for a while longer. On August 16, 2015, the last Pool Party was held at the Longhouse, after a long and successful run of 12 years and two months. Thanks to Brian and all the other CSPC volunteers who helped make this event happen! :^)

Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash

Parties from the Past: CSPC FemDom History

By Teeebone

Earlier this year, the Femme Dominion party champions announced that the March event would be the last time this party was put on by the CSPC at Gallery Erato. The fans of this party were unhappy about this, and so the task has begun of putting together another team and a rebranding of a FemDom (Femme Dominant) event for the Center. This may take some time, but if the past is any indication, rest assured the CSPC will come up with a new FemDom-themed party in the future.

From my research into the past, there has always been some kind of event for this particular audience, though information from the early days (1999–2002) tends to be sparse. The first confirmed mention comes from a monthly schedule in July 2002, though it is a single-gender social/discussion group followed by a party: The Women-Only Salon and the Women-Only Play Party. I know, pretty generic sounding and not FemDom oriented, but I would guess that some FemDom activity could have taken place? The event itself was likely part of the first generation of parties that were formed within the first year of the Center’s inception.

It's likely that there were a few gatherings off-site during the early half of the Center’s existence. But as for a truly regularly scheduled CSPC FemDom event, the first one was a monthly event that came to be known as The Women’s Sovereign Tea. It was a monthly high-protocol event held on the second Sunday of the month from 1–5pm. Starting in September 2008, this was a party that was very service oriented, involved much pampering, and of course, tea. Oh, and then there were the menus, which featured different items each month! Here’s what was served in July of 2014:

Opening Beverage: Cucumber Lime Spritzer (Cucumber juice, lime juice, and seltzer water)

1st Course:

Potato Leek Soup with Crumbled Bacon and Parsley Garnish (GF, DF) (Vegan option available) (Potatoes, leeks, salt, and pepper)

Herb Salad with Apple Tarragon Vinaigrette (Vegan, GF, DF) (Apple Tarragon Vinaigrette: apple sauce, apple cider vinegar, tarragon, grape seed oil)

2nd Course:

Cucumber and Summer Sausage Sandwiches with Sun-dried Tomato Aioli (DF) (GF, Vegan options available) (Aioli: mayonnaise, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, fresh rosemary, lemon zest, salt, ground pepper) (Vegan option will not have mayonnaise and will substitute portobello mushrooms for the summer sausage.)

Fruit Medley (Vegan, GF, DF)

3rd Course:

Strawberries with Mascarpone and Agave Nectar (GF, Vegan) (DF option available) (Strawberries topped with a blend of marscapone cheese and agave nectar.) (DF option will be strawberries drizzled with agave nectar.)

Pretty nice, huh? It’s no surprise this party was sold out every month! The team kept the quality high and classy, and the event continued even after August 2016, the last time it could be held at the old site of the Center. In September, The Women’s Sovereign Tea carried on (at a private location) while the CSPC looked for a new home. But after October that year, the party went on hiatus, although there were a number of other “Teas” being held elsewhere.

On July 8, 2018, the event returned, reformed and with a new name: The Femme Sovereign Tea, held in the Gallery Erato, though it would be on an irregular schedule until January 2020. After that, the COVID pandemic canceled all parties and events for the duration.

The other FemDom event from the old days was a BDSM-focused play party called Women on Top. Starting in 2011, this quarterly party was scheduled on the fourth Fridays of April, July, October, and January and its target audience faithfully attended it with a flourish. This event had a successful run up until the Center closed in September 2016. There was a long break after that; a few years passed in which other FemDom events happened elsewhere, the ensuing pandemic happening to complicate matters and then . . . Finally, a new team of champions arrived to give us. . .

Femme Dominion! A new FemDom play party for the CSPC. Scheduled bi-monthly (as in once every two months), this latest incarnation started with a trial edition in December 2021 and then got scheduled for odd-numbered months in 2022. Once again, the fans of this kind of party kept the enthusiasm up and the attendance high. Sadly though, earlier this year in March, the team announced that this would be the last Femme Dominion event. Does this mean the party is over? Nope.

Rumors abound that some fans have been talking and plans are being made. A team will eventually come together—champions and some volunteers will create the core group of people needed to make the party happen all over again. New name. New look. Some new players. Some old players. And of course, the call for volunteers to work the party, folks who are into the FemDom scene.

Perhaps you would like to join in? Find out how at https://thecspc.org/volunteering!

Parties from the Past: Rough-N-Tumble

By Teeebone

In this next series, I'd like to talk about the other parties from the CSPC's past, back in the days of Interbay. One party that stands out is one called Rough N' Tumble or RnT for short. This event was first conceived on FetLife, of all places. The champion posted a thread there on July 29, 2009 to get the ball rolling. And roll it did.

Interest was generated, and an in-person meeting was put together at the Free Tuesday Social that was held at the Center in early August. After that, the pitch for the party was made at the Big Committee Meeting later that month, where it got a tentative green light. At that time, the party had the working title "Tuesday Night Fights" with the focus being on takedowns, wrestling, boxing, sparring, and other contact sports. The core crew started gathering the necessary gear to make things happen: Boxing gloves, headgear with face protectors, chest protectors, karate gloves, footgear, assorted padded weapons, and rubber training knives, to name a few.

However, there was one problem. The Center did not have any mats, which would be required in order for this event to be more safely held. The estimated cost was $2,000. The CSPC provided the funding for this purchase, which was also supplemented by the Naked Women's Oil Wrestling fundraiser.

Another issue that came up was when the director asked that the name of the event not have the word "Fight" in it . . . And "We've got to figure out a way to describe it that involves sex or sexuality. That keeps it within our mission statement and won't (I hope) draw the attention of the state regarding fighting." After some discussion, it was decided that "The Tuesday Rough-N-Tumble" would be the name of the party.

And so, on November 17, 2009, the first Tuesday Rough-N-Tumble happened. Here's a quick review from an attendee: "Forty-plus people came to the party, which I thought was great for a first-time party. We had boxing, kickboxing, grappling, wrestling, pillow fights (which were adorable), and boffer fighting. Everyone was responsible and the party went extremely smooth for a first event. There was some instruction by an MMA practitioner on grappling and jiu-jitsu techniques. A Judo practitioner did some instruction and demonstrations on various throws. Some of the hottest action I saw was when they were teaching a new person (visiting from out of state) some moves and then of course a bit of wrestling for fun too . . ."

But in spite of an excellent opening night, the party was put on hold, due to some things that became apparent to the director afterward: "There are several logistic issues that need to be addressed before we can put this party on again. One deciding factor was that there were too many people in attendance for the space and we may have to move it to a different night or just a once-a-month event when we can use the RAW/Annex or the RAW/mainspace." Luckily, the wait was a short one. It was decided that the party would be scheduled for the fourth Monday of the month, in the Annex/RAW Dungeon and simply named "Rough-N-Tumble." On December 28, 2009, the party started all over again.

In August of 2010, the founder of RnT stepped down as host and chose a successor who would carry the party legacy. And carry on it did. So much so that in January of 2012, an additional RnT event called "The Dojo" was created, which focused on instruction and demos of fighting techniques, and it was scheduled on the second Monday of the month.

Both events ran until the Center closed at the Interbay location in 2016. The last Dojo was on August 8 and featured "The Art and Science of the Pillow Fight," while the last RnT was held on August 22 and featured an American Gladiators theme, complete with a photo shoot area for publicity, promotion, and posterity and a generous potluck dinner!

Rough-N-Tumble was an excellent party and remains a good example of consistent quality delivered to the community on a steady, reliable basis. Rumors abound that this event has even been rebooted yet again and is now being hosted at a different venue . . .