A Virgin Goes to IML and The Grabby Awards
So, what does it look like when a virgin, also known as the girl who writes filthy things for money, me, goes to International Mr. Leather (IML) and The Grabby Awards with the Sexy Underwear King himself, Andrew Christian? Well since it’s us, we do a whole lot of allllll of it! Cheers to two people can fit a metric ton of good times into five days. Sit back and read up, here is a virgin’s guide to visiting IML and The Grabby Awards in Chicago! Enjoy!!!
Day 1….. started with a hilariously ill timed arrival into Chicago at 5 PM. Which made my first experience one of very sexy rush-hour traffic AND even sexier game traffic as the Cubs were playing. Off to an epic start. 10 out of 10 can definitely suggest you should not try it! Luckily, this was the only fail of the trip, so got it out of the way early!!
Checked in and met up with Andrew for dinner, drinks, and dancing. Hit Ping Pong for dinner with my co-passenger princess for the trip and Andrew’s BFF, Sorel. We had amazing food and even better conversation. Then it was off to Sidetracks for a few drinks and some dancing! Sidetracks didn’t disappoint, the vibe for the long weekend was already high. All of us were still ready to stay out, so we walked to Charlie’s. Taking in their sexy go-go dancers shadow dancing sets. It’s not be missed if you’re “What’s really going on behind the curtain” curious!
Day 2… Thursday had us up early and being angelic as we started with time at Lakeview Athletic Club. Balancing all that debauched lifestyle with some sweaty working out. Stopped by Wrigley Field because it’s required by law when you stay in Chicago. Went to MCA where we had just 20 minutes to get our art fix in. Ran up the stairs to the third floor and casually hot lapped down. Lunch was at Ralph Lauren for one of the most lovely lunches I can ever remember having. Walked in and audibly full on gasped. Gorgeous space!!
The evening was spent getting into IML and Grabby party headspace! We met Sorel and started at the IML kick off party hosted by Andrew at Cram Boutique. Free drinks poured by Trophy Boys in Andrew Christian undies, personal styling by the staff and major give aways of AC products all evening. Let it be said, Marc, the owner of Cram, knows how to throw an incredible party, and Andrew is a natural host. It was too much fun! Full of friendly locals and people in town for the events. Of course, I found a sweater to buy too…! The shop is hand curated to make sure all product is on point.
We had dinner at Angelina with Marc and and his husband, Stephane. I told Chef Phil I couldn’t eat anything, especially not pasta, because I had to fit myself into corsets for the parties. But he made me a dish anyway… something special from his kitchen just for me! I mean… swoon!!! Who says no to that?? Plus, Lord, it was divine. Needless to say, Andrew had to break a few ribs to tie me into my outfits, but, worth it!
Thursday night will live on forever in the highlight reel of my life!! Sorel, Andrew and I went to LUBE WRESTLING hosted by my most favorite Canadian adult content star. The super extra, Oh my God, filthy hot, Skyy Knox, at Hydrate. He was there as part of the Skintrade party celebrating 25 years of the Grabby’s with Chi Chi La Rue spinning. We got there and Andrew decided that it would be really nice to add in a $250 Andrew Christian gift card to the winner’s prize package because, let’s be honest, 1,000,000% of the crowd was there to watch guys in jock straps roll around all shiny covered in lube and the winner should be able to swath himself in fresh Andrew Christian garments!
Logan Aarons, an up and coming adult creator and Go-Go dancer, was one of the wrestlers and, Ma’am, they got the memo! Thicc ass out, legs spread, rolling all around slick with lube… he brought the show you came to see. Another match saw, rising adult star, Boe Jack Ryan put on a gorgeous show. He and his competitor played little rougher, but still extra hot hot!! Boe was the eventual overall winner, but, truly, the winners were us. The spectators who risked lube stains on their shoes to get up close and personal with the inflatable pool of wet limbed boys.
Day three…. found us a little bit…. you know… what’s the word for it? Hung the ever living fuck over… but that’s OK, we earned it. And, by we, I mean me. Andrew was fine, up and in the gym. Sorel was at work. And I was cocooned in a blanket fort praying for coffee to summon itself into my still lube covered hand… why was that still there…? I couldn’t wallow long though, because today was IML Market day!!!
We took a quick river walk first, then met Stephane at 3 Arts Cafe for a bomb lunch in a stunning setting. Dessert was affogato - ice cream floating in espresso!! We all got one, because life is too short to share an affogato!
Now, for the good stuff, The IML Market!! Could not have been easier or more welcoming. Volunteers are all over the place ready to help you out. The vibe was really really high just walking through the lobby. You don’t have to be dressed from head to toe in leather to share in the community. They say inclusive, and mean it.
Since I was looking for a flogger, Andrew and I started with his longtime friends at the unreal Rough Trade booth. They had the equivalent of a department store worth of all things leather and leather related on display. Just wandering around looking, smelling and talking to the staff was it’s own IML Market experience. Everybody was unbelievably helpful. And, the RT clients outfits… LORD! So stunning. Men in custom fitted leather will NEVER be disappointing. Never.
I ended up meeting up with one of their sales associates, Ido. I told him I wanted to buy a flogger, but I wasn’t really sure how exactly you went about picking the right one. He took me through everything I could possibly need to know while we found the right one for me. Then, before checking out, he told me about the materials, how to take care of it, how to hold it properly, showed me why it was the right length and why it would work with my hand. I felt like I got absolute all star service and all star attention.
After my purchase, we wandered around the rest of the show. Going through each of the three levels. It was unreal. We saw so many new products, things you’ve never seen, things you’ve never heard of, and things you didn’t know you needed! Each booth had a rad vibe full of people who are psyched to be there sharing their passions.
A few of my favorite things at the market were the fully mechanical sex toys. Like the all in one fuck machine packaged inside a dildo. Smooth piston quality action with vibration speeds included. Or, the butt plugs that not only vibrated, but also had rotating beads in the base that would rub around your rim. Technological advances at their finest!
One of my other favorites booths was Emma Alamo, who made stunning harnesses. They had the ultimate size and gender identity inclusivity that we saw at the show. Kudos to them on being for everyone! Plus, they have the most amaze shade of green available too!
But, my total favorite, had to be the Dungeon Beds. They knew their target audience. I walked up and it was like sister, I have the bed for you. And, they were correct! With everything the beds can become, it is highly easy to justify 4k in price. Just have to talk my husband into it… !
If you ever get a chance go to the leather market even if you don’t get to attend any of the other events, GO!! It’s so welcoming, it’s great people watching and you will learn a ton of information on all things leather lifestyle.
With the market finished, we had to get a wiggle on to meet our friends, Jordan Starr and his husband Brian, at Bar 360 in downtown. This is the spot to go. Yes, it’s touristy. But, sometimes touristy things are amazing, and 360 is amazing! The views over the lake, all the buildings stem to stern…. you see the entire city. Well worth it, especially with such solid company!
After we finished a drink with Jordan and Brian, we met Sorel at Obelix. Oh my God!! Friends, we ate the house down! We had duck on duck on duck on duck. It was the most phenomenal meal I think I’ve ever had in my life!
Dinner finished, we needed to burn off some of the everything that we just shoveled into our mouths. We went to Sidetracks to the Meet the Men of Carnal party, and then to Hydrate dancing our feet off. The music was incredible. The vibe, the crowds, all the gorgeous porn stars and leather daddies out and about… energy for days. Didn’t want the night to end!
Day Four….! This was our fancy day! High Tea at the Langham during the afternoon and The Grabby Awards at night.
High tea with Sorel and Andrew was the perfect afternoon. Just a stunning service of beautiful little small bites and crafted teas… the conversation floated effortlessly as we tasted specialty themed confections and drank ice cold champagne. Highly suggest trying it out if you’d like to do something more unusual when you’re in for the awards and contest.
Time to dress for the show!! Andrew, looked mad fit as always! Like he’s a fashion designer or something?? Lol! Perfectly styled in a tailored suit to present Best Cock. I mean, talk about a perfect pairing, nobody can make a dick look better covered than Andrew! Sorel was in HtT Tom Ford and I was in a black corset jacket, liquid latex pants and my tall boots. We got the style memo!
We got to the Grabby’s and went right to the step and repeat saying “Hi!” to the show creator and Grab magazine publisher, Stacy Bridges. Stacy, who, I’m pretty sure is the nicest human being I’ve ever spent time with, put on a fabulous show and weekend of parties. Hosted, as always, by Chi Chi LaRue. She was joined by Honey West and Sister Roma. It was way too much fun. We have highlights for days, but will share some of our personal favorites from the award show.
Favorite Show Moments…. Lawson James had my all-time favorite outfit for the night. Leather on leather on leather. He was serving a leather kilt look that had us gasping “Daddy!” at the sight of him. Sir Peter was a very close second. He looked every bit the most fuckable Bond villain of all time in a flawlessly fitted suit. The super sweet on and off screen, Southwest College Boys, brought their parents as dates. Awwww! Beau Butler is getting a mention here just for being Beau Butler. He looked a snack.
We LOVED the best movie clips sprinkled through the show… seriously. Do not ever not have them. Andrew brought up the energy in the room presenting Best Cock to a very deserving Legrande Wolf. Dom King’s Best Newcomer speech was as Dom King as a Dom King could Dom King. This means nothing, I just like typing his name and he seems like a proper fun time. Jordan Starr won for Best Bottom, and looked so genuinely shocked it made us love him even more. Overdrive won a pile of awards, which is good, because I have watched the life out of the Derek Kage and Paul Wagner flip fuck car scene from that movie.
The Lifetime Achievement award was given to Dominic Ford of Just for Fans. He’s put so much into his site and supporting the adult entertainer community. He hires former and current sex workers to run his entire company so they know what they’re doing. Dominic is an unbelievably kind person and, also, plays a killer piano when he’s down in PV.
We finished The Grabby’s, and it was time to go to the after party at Charlie’s!! It was too much! You couldn’t move without tripping over an adult content creator and star. It was, in my cocktail-ed opinion, taking too long for the dance floor to get going, so I coaxed a willing Logan Aarons out to get it open with me. Bruh is a party and a half. Cheers to his infectious happy! It felt like the whole city was out and rolling after that. Even caught Howard Andrew grooving by the entrance in his lit jacket! After Charlie’s, we went to Sidetracks where it was packed to perfection on all three floors and in all 72 different rooms… it’s bananas good. We spotted Drake Von across the dance floor fresh off his Best Twink win and hosting gig. The dancing and good vibes went till dawn.
Day 5… how is this all one weekend!? Capping our time, we started at brunch at Drew’s on Halsted. Sorel had to work, so Andrew and I were joined by Kam Stone and Marco Napoli. In adorableness, Kam at one point said, “Yeah, I just turned 21.” I choked on my champagne, Marco and Andrew both snort laughed at me… I mean, I thought he was at least 23… but anyway, he’s a good shout and very on his way.
We had time for one last dinner, so we rejoined Sorel and decided to go back and see our friend, Chef Phil, at Angelina. He’s such a sweet soul and of course he makes spectacular food, so we went out with a bang of champagne, cocktails, calamari, risotto, ravioli and desserts. No regrets!
Last event, we made it!!! We went to dance to Honey motherfucking Dijon at the IML Queen party at Metro thanks to gifted tickets from Allan at The Men’s Room on Halsted! Was unreal. I’ve never seen a crowd with better style!! The explosion of bounce as soon as she came out was surreal. It was the absolute perfect ending to our entire five day experience.
I went right from the dance floor to my flight. Yeah, I looked as amazing as you can imagine in an airport at 4am. No worries. Greasy hair for days. Definitely got pulled into secondary, but, made it to my flight.
Home….. My pants don’t fit but my flogger does!! Meow! Made so many new friends, it’s crazy. Thank you times a million to Andrew Christian for giving me the absolute most wild five day experience my life. Till I see you there next year, babes.