Peter Schwartz - Mr. Eagle NYC 2008
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April 2008 NewsletterIt's been a busy few months and the next two months will most likely be even busier with the onset of IML and the Pride season here in New York. It's hard to stay on top of all the events, particularly as we head into June. If you are wondering what events there are to attend, check out The Eagle's website (http://www.eaglenyc.com/) as well as my own (http://www.mreaglenyc2008.com/). For those that would like to get a weekly listing of events sent to their mail box, join Mike Peyton's weekly mail blast (MP's Party Roundup) at http://www.m8ny.com/email.html. So whether it's drinks and cigars with friends or a benefit for a local charity, gear up, get out from behind the computer, and come out and support the community. A bit of travel So for those of you that have been wondering what I've been up to, check out my Past Events section there on the site. With the contest season largely over, we were off to hang out with our leather brethren at MAL. Every year I always think that these would be a nice relaxing weekend hanging out with friends at the hotel or in the cigar tent, but I end up feeling like I need a vacation after the weekend instead. Leather cocktails was a lot of fun as always. I got the opportunity to meet a number of my IML classmates for the first time, which was great. I feel like I met quite a few, yet I know there will be many more once I actually get to Chicago. Of course it was great to see my friend, Chris Grasso, the current Mr. CT Leather, become the next Mr. MAL! In the very beginning of Feb, Rick was asked to judge the Mr. San Diego Eagle contest. So before we knew it, we were redeeming miles and heading out west. The folks in San Diego were wonderful. I loved meeting the new folks and hanging out with our good friend Michelle Jackson. Of course while we were there we had to see some of the local sites and take a day trip to Tijuana for some good Mexican food. It was a lot to pack into a long weekend, but was well worth it. A bit of charity Right after MAL I hosted the 2nd annual Jail and Bail event at The Eagle. I love this event. Not only is it a fun event to watch, it's actually a great way to introduce a lot of guys on the fringe to kinky play. It's great to see a new guy come in, get arrested and flogged for the first time ... and LOVE it. Of course it's completely appropriate that this went to benefit Safer+Saner, and I'm happy to say we raised over $1,300 for the organization. My partner Rick, Mr. Eagle NYC 2007, hosted a spinn-a-thon at a local gym to benefit Leake and Watts. It was the first time I had been on a bike since doing the Braking the Cycle (http://www.brakingthecycle.org/) with Team Eagle (http://www.teameaglenyc.org/). My body certainly paid for that one, but the few hundred dollars Rick raised was worth it. And of course, speaking of Team Eagle, we had our first fundraising event at Will Clark's Porno Bingo where the team raised its first $600 for Braking the Cycle this year. We've got a goal of raising $100,000 this year so this was just a drop in the bucket, but every dollar counts. Don't forget to track our progress (or even donate) at the Team Eagle site. As we moved further into March, we got into Black Party season. Mike Peyton was generous enough to offer us a few tickets to the party that we can auction off at The Eagle. Thanks to Mike and the members of Team Eagle, we were able to bank about another $850 into the team account. Thanks again, Mike! And finally a bit of fun New Jersey has been hosting an annual chili cook off in Asbury Park, and this year I'm happy to say the tradition continued. I was asked to be a judge for their chili contest, along with a few of the other local current title holders. There were about 15 entrants and winners in a few different categories. Chili and beer on a Sunday afternoon: definitely a good time, but you might want to drive home with the windows down ... For those that know me, you know that on Thursdays I can usually be found on the roof deck of The Eagle with a cigar hanging out with the gang. My partner and I had always talked about having a cigar event at The Eagle, so I started asking a few of the guys that I knew would really appreciate an event like that. Well, one thing led to another and Smokin' Tuesdays was born. We held the first event in March and it was attended by about 30 - 50 guys. It really has turned out to be a great event. It's a nice bunch of guys with a very relaxed atmosphere. The good news is that it will be back by popular demand and will now be a regular event on the last Tuesday of the month. One of the highlights of April was that Rick and I had the honor of attending the wedding of Jim Taylor (Mr. MAL 2004) and his husband, Brian Kuerze. It was a beautiful ceremony held on the Connecticut coastline. Many of their friend and family (of both the traditional and leather varieties) were in attendance. Congrats to the two of them as they continue their lives together. Lastly, over this past weekend Rick and I attended CLAW. This was both a bit of fun and a bit of charity. As many of you know, CLAW Nation raises monies as a not for profit and distributes funds to charities nation-wide. I co-sponsored an event with a fellow classmate, Steven Tompa (Mr. Mountain Leather 2007) as a way for me to give back a bit to the community. The event was a huge success and a lot of fun. I haven't laughed that hard in a while. Rick and I organized a chinese auction, and along with ticket sales (thanks spanky!!!) and auction items donated from many other community members, we raised over $1,300 for breast cancer charities. 1000 thanks to Lady Justice for pulling the event together. But as I said, the weekend wasn't all charity. I did get the chance to meet a number of other classmates, particularly from the midwest, and reconnect with some of my east coast buds. We had a great time hanging out with Steven (whom we had met in San Diego) and his partner Ray at the talent show they have at the end of CLAW. If you haven't stayed long enough to see it before ... do it. It's a fun time. I also got to meet the men of the Chicago Leather Kennel Club. Great bunch of guys and I have a great respect for what they do. And why did I meet with them? Well, because I'm heading to IML in less than a month (Yikes!). Needless to say, I'm nervous, but I'm also really excited by the prospect. I know I'm going to take away the experience of a life time and I'm looking forward to sharing that with many of the men I've met thus far. So hopefully I'll do New York proud. Wish me luck. Peter Schwartz Previous Newsletters: [January 2008] |
Upcoming EventsRead the Next Magazine article You can email Peter at mreaglenyc2008@aol.com |