WInter Solstice at Black Phoenix

The problem with the perfect place to play in NYC is that it's not in NYC. It's a short hour and a half drive away in Philadelphia. I just attended the first annual "Winter Solstice" event at the Black Phoenix club in Philly. Four days stuffed chock full of presentations, a pony show, vending and a wonderful New Year's Eve party with a full hot buffet dinner to boot. All for a measly 75 bucks.

About the event:

The event was well worth the money. The New Year's Eve party was great, with tons of play going on in the dungeon and a nice dinner. Philadelphia's midnight fireworks display was fun to watch at midnight. Classes over the next three days were on a diverse array of topics from Dov's "Basic Rope Bondage" to Dottie and Zebrianna's "Skin Stapling". Lord Ramirez taught on the "Japanese War Fan" and "The D/S of Argentinian Tango." (Hot!) Other topics included Jay Wiseman's "Thin Cord Nasty Bondage" and Pyro Sadist's "Fire Cupping". The event was completed by a Pony show.

About the club:

The Black Phoenix is in the top floor of an old warehouse. Admittedly, it is still a work in progress, but the crew and management there is dedicated and full of ideas and the space has tremendous potential.

Unlike some NYC BDSM venues I might mention, a snack bar featuring a wide selection of sodas, juices, bottled water, candy and chips, pre-made salads, instant soup, hot coffee, hot chocolate and more are available for hungry players to refuel on. And no, they don't just advertise that they have it, they actually keep the place stocked.

There is a large area in the front of the club set up with tables where people can sit and eat and chat.

The next area, the aftercare/chill out section of the club features several couches, comfy chairs and rugs, separate from the main dungeon space. Imagine an area about triple the size of a living room with plenty of comfy places to sit or snuggle. From there we move into the main dungeon.

Black Phoenix's main dungeon features 10,000 (soon to be 20,000) square feet of space filled with play equipment. Since they have so much space, the many pieces of equipment are placed far enough away from each other that you can really play. There is even a long whip area in the back of the dungeon where I observed play with an 8 foot bullwhip. There is ample room to accommodate it, which is a rarity even at some large events. Lots of tables are available for needle play, medical play, and fire play, most of which was happily in progress on all four nights of this event. There were lots of suspension frames available so, of course, multiple suspension scenes were in progress at any given time. Next to several of the the St. Andrews crosses, there were racks to hang your toys for you scene. There is also comfortable seating scattered around the dungeon.

This is a club built by experienced players for people who really want to have serious BDSM scenes. The thought put into the dungeon lay out really shows. The management (Thomas/Shibari Warrior) is approachable and very dedicated to creating the best possible play environment.

Granted, there are a few issues to be worked out. It's a huge space; heating all of it is a challenge. Many extra heaters were brought in and the staff bent over backwards to keep people comfortable. There is more work to do but it is being addressed.

The thing that impressed me most about Black Phoenix, actually the most important thing, is the tremendous sense of community. The event that ended the weekend was a ceremonial branding of slave tami by her Master, Master Steve. Master Steve presented it as a class followed by a live demo but it was way more than that. The feeling was more like that of being invited to watch a major life event like a wedding. In many ways this act was so much deeper. I can not imagine this type of event happening at any other "club". Master Steve and slave tami must have known they would be surrounded by their community and the friends that love them to be able to share such an intimate part of their lives together this way. It is clear that somehow this place is way more than a BDSM club. It is a place where friends play together, learn from each other, and support each other in times of crisis and joy. It is a place where strangers are warmly welcomed and can feel safe. It is home to a diverse community, with the common thread being WIITWD. That sense of community is Black Phoenix's biggest strength.

So the search is still on for the best play in the NYC metro area... For now if anyone wants a ride to Philly - hit me up.