A Tribute To The NYC Rubber Studio

It was with great sadness and a heavy heart that I learned of the imminent closure of a New York BDSM institution. I had hoped that the studio could make it through the pandemic. It can not.

I remember when I first learned of Mistress Ariana’s space. I had been utilizing Sterling LaVey’s location in Chelsea for a few years during my annual visits. When she announced the closure of her studio, I inquired about other options in Manhattan. It was a tenuous time in New York City as a legal crackdown had closed a number of large Houses of Domination. Madame LaVey informed me that Mistress Ariana would NOT rent to me because she didn’t know me. I took her work as the truth and never reached out. It was an early lesson in don’t believe everything you hear…

I soon stopped traveling to New York as the economic downturn of 2008 made all but my international trips feasible. As time went on, I began to face my own economic situation in San Francisco. The new Tech Economy was driving commercial rents up higher and higher. I didn’t want to think of closing my studio, but I knew it might become a reality sooner rather than later. In anticipation of a Plan B, I started to travel more often. I figured that maintaining clients in other states and countries would be a good fall back plan if I didn’t have my own local space.

At the same time as I was making these future plans, I was faced with a stroke of good luck: my best friend from childhood had moved to Brooklyn! She immediately requested that I visit and stay with her while I worked. So now I had a place to say in New York, but where to work? I decided to see if now Mistress Ariana would allow me to rent from her.

She generously accommodated my request to utilize her studio while I was in town. The rest, shall we say, is history. I began to travel to New York twice a year.

What I enjoyed about the New York Rubber Studio was the sense of camaraderie and inclusiveness. I felt “at home.” Mistress Ariana always made sure that my visits went smoothly. She not only provided a space to work, but she also lent an ear. There are things that you simply can’t understand if you haven’t worked as long as we have in this industry. I welcomed her feedback and insight.

The closing of a studio is akin to the shuttering of a house of worship–be it mosque, temple, or church. SM Studios are like consecrated ground to me, because Femdom is the closest thing to a religion I practice these days. The New York Rubber Studio was very much a sacred space. It had a feeling to it of respect and deference. I welcomed that Mistress Ariana made sure to remind her renters of those who had become before them. Just as a priest will chastise an acolyte for not recognizing a bishop. She made me feel like the legend I am by reminding others of the fact. It takes one to know one! And yes, that was a very haughty statement to make, but after 20 plus years in this business, I am allowed.

Thank you to Mistress Ariana for introducing me to your space, your slaves, and clients I will never forget. You have given us all something that money can’t buy: priceless memories of kink at your space. The tales of these times will live on forever.

The Realities of A Shared Dungeon Space

It appears that I must explain, in excruciating detail, the new normal of booking a session with me. Since this is the same situation as most shared studios, hopefully it will help others in understanding why they can’t have last-minute flexibility with their BDSM appointment.

I am taking the bulk of my sessions at the Blackthorn dungeon now. I will be available at the Alchemy Estate, San Francisco in July, but it’s same situation there as well: There are a number of other Dominas and private individuals who utilize these spaces. We all work off of a shared calendar. This calendar is booked on a first-come, first-served basis. If you want to see me for a session, you will need to contact me two weeks in advance to have your pick of dates and times. You are welcome to wait a week out, but availability will be more limited. If you think you can book me the day before, or even 48 hours before your date and time–you will be sadly disappointed. If you book with me and then request to reschedule on the night before or the same day as your appointment, you will also be denied. There simply will not be any space on the schedule for you to have your change accommodated. I don’t know how I can be any more crystal clear on the concept. It doesn’t matter how many times you ask the same question, the answer will be inflexible due to the reality of the calendar: LAST MINUTE REQUESTS CAN NOT HAPPEN.

There also isn’t some sort of VIP or status situation going on, like with your favorite airline. I suppose you could book a last-minute suite at a five star hotel and then I MIGHT be able to see you for a schedule change, but I highly doubt anyone is going to pursue that option–especially when there is such whining and crying over tribute these days. You can’t attempt to throw more money at the situation. These calendars don’t have “hidden time slots” reserved for the equivalent of Global Services or the like. Once a time is booked, it’s booked. There aren’t any special and unique snowflakes on dungeon calendars. You might be a big-shot in your world, but you’re not in mine.

This is also why deposits must be secured in all booking with me now. Despite your best intentions to show up for an appointment, last minute problems just seem to be the rule rather than the exceptions these days. I’m terribly sorry that you are prone to your relatives dying, vehicle accidents, and quick-moving illnesses. It isn’t of my concern WHY you  must cancel or reschedule. I incur a cancellation fee when you this happens so I have to cover myself for the financial loss as well.

Hopefully this post will aid others in understanding the finer workings of professional BDSM studios. When in doubt, reread it.

VQ

 

 

 

VQ’s Travels Have Commenced!

As Spring is upon us, my travel schedule is well under way and it’s time to update on where I’ve been and where I’m off to. For those who have very short attention spans, my next trip will be to Irene Boss’ Compound in Pittsburgh, March 17 – 20.

Burt Reynolds being interviewed at Barrett Jackson, 2016.

January found me in Scottsdale again for the Barrett Jackson Auto Auction. I make a yearly pilgrimage to this event with a long-time client. We are both big auto aficionados. We plan the trip around dining, tourist attractions, and of course The Show. If you serve me consistently throughout the years, this is the reward you are granted: traveling with me for multiple consecutive days. I have to be comfortable around you and know that you won’t act-out in public. I also need to know that you won’t drive me nuts. There has to be somewhat of a personality mesh. Traveling can be stressful, even when the goal is to have fun. I have zero-tolerance for complaining. It’s nice to know that I can walk for hours with a client and he will maintain a consistent demeanor.

A highlight of our trip was happening upon Burt Reynolds as he entered the building. I was able to snap a couple of images as he was being interviewed next to the Bandit car. I was a huge Smokey and The Bandit fan as a kid, and this fulfilled a lifelong dream to see not only one of the vehicles affiliated with the movie, but also Burt Reynolds! He doesn’t move as quickly as he used to, but he certainly hasn’t lost any of his wit and charm.

Tony Llama boots and a sterling silver buckle for Dress Like A Texan Day.

I made it to Houston in February once again. I visit Mistress Precious for business and pleasure. We work together tormenting our slaves and then have a great time afterward. She is the consummate host. We have new adventures whenever I visit. Our first session involved a repeat customer who wanted to recreate the activity in one of my videos. He was a real sport and brought in a custom CBT board that he hand-crafted at home. He also came armed with six fish hooks that he had ground smooth and polished so they could enter and exit his flesh easily. The idea was we were going to impale his scrotum with each hook and then tie them down to the board. Our lucky slave quickly realized that the folks who appear in BDSM videos are usually a breed apart. They can take A LOT more than the average person, pain-wise. Also, he had brought in a much larger hooks than was used in my video. This added a lot more pain and suffering to the equation. He was a real champ, and we were able to thoroughly pierce him with more needles after the impaling. Unfortunately, I can’t add any images from the session. They were definitely NSFW!!

I was lucky enough to visit Houston during the commencement of the Houston Rodeo activities. I love rodeos. I wasn’t able to stay in Houston long enough to attend any of the events, but I was able to strut about on Dress Like A Texan Day. I brought my old belt buckle and Tony LLama boots to fit in. Of course there were also some other very “Texan” activities to do such as eat delicious BBQ and TexMex food.

I’m looking forward to my next set of travels in March, April and May: Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Belgium and Domcon LA. If you’re interested in seeing me at any of these destinations, I recommend contacting me early. My regulars contact me quite early and some trips are already at least 50% booked up!