I hopped on a flight to Las Vegas after a long workday. It was after midnight when I arrived, but I wasn’t ready to sleep. I had been looking forward to my third regional ever since returning from Florida. It was my first trip to the city, and I couldn’t wait to see all that it had to offer.
I had all day Friday to explore before the meet and greet. My lovely tour guide and companion, Jay, was happy to take me anywhere I wanted to go. First we went to the Strat Hotel, high above the strip. The view was breathtaking. Standing on the observation deck over 1,000 feet above the ground, I felt immensely grateful, and a little afraid! It felt nice to have my boots back on the sidewalk.
Next we went to the largest souvenir shop in the city. I was nearly overwhelmed by all the T-shirts, mugs, shot glasses, and the other items begging to be brought home with me. I, however, only had eyes for postcards. My closest friends know that one of my favorite activities is sending letters. Not only do I get to spread our movement across the country, I also get to engage in a treasured hobby. I picked out no fewer than 10 postcards, a shot glass, and an ashtray, and left the shop fully satisfied.
Soon the evening came, and it was time to head to our meet and greet dinner at Hofbrauhaus, a famous German restaurant. The decor was elaborate, from the high painted ceilings to the long wooden tables. There was a live band, and the tables were full of happy diners. After taking our seats and placing our orders the shenanigans began. A pretty woman with a long blonde braid came by with shots and a wide wooden paddle. Take a shot and get a swat! I downed a shot of Jager and before I knew it, I was bent over the table. She asked me if I wanted it soft or hard. Knowing that I flag black, I chuckled and asked for hard. She swung the paddle and it met my backside with a powerful thud. I was delightfully sore for the rest of dinner.
The next day, the leatherwomen and I gathered at the Black Bear Diner for brunch and a very casual roundtable. We discussed gender identity, play, and how to handle it when someone in the community makes a mistake. It was an enriching conversation that allowed me to get to know the women out west better, and break the ice for the play party later.
Saturday afternoon I hit the strip with Toni and Jay. My senses were inundated with the sights and sounds of the hotels, street attractions, and crowds of tourists. We took in the fountains outside the Bellagio before heading to Paris to gamble and explore. I won a whopping $20 on the slot machines, and enjoyed nutella crepes with my companions. I was effectively convinced I was truly in France.
We gathered in our hotel room for our Saturday night play party. My dance card was full with a highly anticipated scene with a certain Bay Area leatherwoman. The night started with light conversation as I waited for my turn with my lovely scene partner. There were delightful sounds coming from the other room that made me even more excited. Finally the moment came. I was ushered into the back room and climbed onto the massage table. My scene partner proceeded to cover me head to toe with hot wax, and beat me over the wax. The intense warmth and sharp impacts of her implements were incredibly er*tic. I didn’t want the scene to end, but when it did, she wrapped me in her arms and sent me off with a sweet kiss. I’ll always hold that scene close to my heart.
On Sunday morning, we gathered at Hamburger Mary’s for our farewell brunch, this time a drag brunch! This was another first for me, and I was eager to take in the show. It was a flurry of fabulous outfits, acrobatic dance moves and dollar bills flying through the air. I had an absolutely delightful time, and can’t wait for my next visit.
~Jewel, Woman of Drummer 2022
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