While I am having fun with flashbacks, I had another lovely memory pop up at WOW when Mayafire told me she had something for me. She had come across an issue of The SandMUtoptian that I had done an article for in 1999 entitled “How Mistress SxySadist Travels”.

It was basically a smattering of pics of my kink travel bags with some brief descriptions. But what I found really ironic is that I still have that guitar case and although it has had a bit of a revamp, it is still very much in use when I go to events. In fact, I had even brought it with me to WOW! 🙂 I cringed a little when I saw the photo of me because it was take so long ago and I looked like a baby Domme, but it still made me smile. I posted a gallery of pics from that shoot recently in a blog post about Lady Lori’s Basement Dungeon.

But getting back to the magazine! The SandMUtopian Guardian was an actual printed magazine. Yes kids like printed on real paper – that was a thing we used to do before the internet. It was put out by Mitch Kessler and Gerrie Blum of ASWGT – Adam’s Sensual Whips and Gerrie’s Toys. (www.aswgt.com)

Their wonderful publication had a wealth of knowledge with loads of helpful educational articles on all things kinky. There is even a complete set of them archived at the Leather Archives Museum in Chicago!

I called Mitch the other day and asked him if there was a possibility to still acquire a full set of the SandMUtopian since over the years I have mislaid and missed to many issues and I was completely delighted to find out for a mere $65.00 US I could own a all the ones still in print which is issues 18 – 39! I have already placed my order and will have loads of lovely inspiration coming my way shortly! I can hardly wait!

I was blessed to have found Mitch and Gerrie early in my kink journey by accident or just dumb luck. The first kink book I ever bought was “Screw the Roses, Send me the Thorns” by Philip Miller and Molly Devon. (My autographed copy is a prized possession) While perusing the resources section in the back I noticed they had listed ASWGT and that the phone number had a 516 area code. I was like OMG that’s Copiague! I of course called them up right away and even though it wasn’t set up as a retail shop after talking to them on the phone they decided to let me come right over. (lol I can be charming and persistent sometimes) Turns out their shop was only a couple of miles from my parents house!

Back in those early days of the Castle I had begun buying my own toys even before I started topping to be truthful because I wanted to know where they had been and that they had been properly cleaned before they were used on me. (I wasn’t too much of a control freak, eh?) This was also long before I had even considered doing pro sessions and I became a regular customer and started spending a good chunk of my travel agent salary on toys every week. 🙂

As I got to know them better they became very dear friends and mentors to me and taught me so much. Mitch even taught me to make a flogger myself and it gave me a much greater appreciation to see how much work goes into creating these works of art.

Mitch and Gerrie have always been pillars of the community and my ABSOLUTE favorite toy makers. Every single piece of equipment I have ever bought from them – even 25 years ago is still in use and still works great. In all of these years I only ever had a teeny bit of trouble with one crop and Mitch reinforced it and it has been perfect ever since. We are talking top of the line, high quality materials and craftsmanship. In other words – I cannot recommend them highly enough and I feel very fortunate to have found them so early in my career. If you are ever in the market for great equipment – check their website. You definitely would not be sorry. 🙂

Here is a gallery of some of my ASWGT toys – Yes, I own things by other toy makers but I am most proud of my ASWGT collection. I also included a REALLY vintage SxySadist pic of me with the first flogger I ever bought from Adam & Gillian’s.

And I want to take another moment to brag on my trusty guitar case. <grin> I stand it on end these days because I discovered that it was soooo much easier to take things out of the case with them hanging this way than bending all the way down to open the case flat on the floor, especially while wearing heels! LOL!

Plus it looks so elegant to walk up carrying the case – “Like don’t mind me – I’m with the band” And then stand it on end and open it like – boom instant dungeon. It saves time and energy setting things up and makes things so convenient to access in the heat of the moment during a scene.

I had seen something similar once right before I decided I needed to copy cat that brilliant and creative kinkster. I still remember the day I walked into a Sam Ash music store and asked the salesman there for a hard sided guitar case.

He said “Umm ok – what kind of guitar do you have?”

I chuckled and said “I don’t have a guitar”

“So why do you need a guitar case?”

I looked at him a bit side eyed and said mysteriously “Do you really want to know?”

Clearly his interest was piqued and when I told him I intended to use it to carry whips and paddles for kinky play he got very excited and went to the back room and pulled this baby out. It was $50.00 used and didn’t come with a key for the lock but it is absolutely perfect and I have been using it when I “take my little kink show on the road” for over 20 years!