On Valentine’s Day, most couples will be getting romantic with a traditional date, holding hands, exchanging flowers and chocolates, maybe dinner and a movie.
But kinkier Philadelphians will be donning leather and going out to their favorite sex clubs for a slightly less vanilla experience, ranging from “open-minded” partying, to sexual education events and straight-up group sex/swingers’ parties.
Pleasure Garden Club in Southwest Philly is holding its annual Valentine’s Day party on Saturday night.
“Yes, we have a Valentine’s Holiday party,” Kati, a bartender at the club since 2005, told Metro. “It is a pretty big event and I always get excited to work.”
Pleasure Garden’s “Hard Candy Valentine’s Ball” will be held on Saturday night.
“If you are looking to mix and mingle with lots of sexy, friendly and fun couples and singles from all over in a sexually charged atmosphere, whether to just hang out, socialize and dance with like-minded people or if you’re into watching, being watched or simply enjoy the company of another sexy couple/couples or even if you are interested in being that extra single play partner or adding one or more partners to the mix at PGC your wildest sexual fantasies could come true,” the club says on its website.”The sky is the limit, and who knows, this just may be the night that all of your wildest fantasies become your new reality!”
Meanwhile, over at Saints and Sinners, a 6,000-square-foot club in Northeast Philly, the party starts at 9 p.m. on Valentine’s Day. Single women get in free, couples are $40 and single males must pay $60 to get in.
“The main level includes our bar area, buffet area, DJ, dance floor, even a pole for you to utilize,” the club’s Facebook event listing said. “Our second level is an ultra-lounge area … This is a sexy seating area lined with sofas for you to be able to make connections with other members.”
While its hard to find customers who are willing to go on the record, Philadelphia’s regulations governing the licensing of private social clubs have allowed so-called “sex clubs” to flourish, sometimes even in quiet Philly neighborhoods unbeknownst to their neighbors. (Saints and Sinners’ proposed second location in Holmesburg was blocked in the zoning process after neighbors caught wind of the idea).
While in Philly, bars close at 2 a.m., social clubs can stay open later. But the rules are different: they can only allow in “members” and don’t necessarily have a liquor license. (Saints and Sinners is BYOB, and only sells drink mixers). While guests are permitted to have sex at these clubs, it’s not a guaranteed event.
The clubs say they appeal to a niche of kinky Philadelphians who enjoy a freer sexual atmosphere than the rest of us stiffs. And that doesn’t even include the many bathhouses around Center City which are popular meeting spots for gay men.
But its not just about mingling and sex. At the Pleasure Garden, bartender Kati hosts the club’s monthly PLEASUREcation events, where attendees can learn about alternative sexual practices that are sometimes quite complicated: such as “rope play,” or most recently, “knife play” (in which a knife is used to cut off the partners’ clothes and stimulate their erogenous zones).
If you go
All clubs have cover fees, dress codes and entry is not guaranteed. Visit the website or call for more info.
Pleasure Garden Club
6039 Passyunk Ave., thepleasuregardenclub.net, (215) 724-6090
Saints & Sinners
2533 Emery St., saintsandsinnersac.com,(215) 203-8060
