Fun Weekend

Please don't let the lack of posts let you think something is amiss in our little world. We've been having a good time, and that has kept me from having time for blogging!

We took Friday as a vacation day and headed to camp for a long weekend.  We got up Friday morning ready for an adventure. I starting with an attempt to make Aebelskivers, a Norweigan treat, for breakfast. The experiment ended up being a messy flop, but we had fun all the same. I tried two batches before giving up and make a giant pancake for two with the remaining batter.

Next, we headed off for a hike to Rounds Mountain.



View Larger Map

We used to make the hike, top to bottom, in one and a half hours. We knew the path would be overgrown, but gave it a shot.

We greatly underestimated the degree of over-growth. The path was barely passable. It was covered with weeds and briar coated plants that reached out and snagged us.  It took us about 40 minutes to cut a trail 1/2 mile long. Mike used this feet instead of the clearly needed machete or scythe that we did not bring. He was covered with cuts and blood and we were both drenched in sweat when we decided to turn around and bail.

We got back to camp only to realize we'd both being cut to ribbons. Even though I trailed Mike, my fragile skin looked worse for the wear. Below is a photo showing part of the damage. It was taken 24 hours after the hike.

That part of my legs didn't actually look too bad... Luckily, a few soaks later and I am looking much better.

Our next adventure was a trip to Bob's to find out the extent of damage to our trailer. We noticed a wet carpet in the bedroom. They investigated and found that a trim piece had dried out caulking that was letting water wash into the insulation below the trailer. It all has to be replaced, as well as removing and replacing some caulking around the outside. Fortunately the damage was caught very early on. We were lucky.

We headed back to camp and ended up having happy hour with friends. The time was happy and fun until Mike was trying to staple a tablecloth to a table using a staple gun and stapled his thumb instead. Ouch! He didn't even blink, he just pulled the 1/2" staple out of his thumb. He was really hurting on the inside. Fortunately, the healing process seems to be going smoothly. No swelling, no discoloration, no temperature. The site is very sensitive when he hits it wrong and his outer thumb is partially numb. He may or may not go to the doctor (boys).

We hung out at the fire and had a nice evening Friday night, then off to bed! Saturday was the Ghetto event, a pig roast. We needed to rest up. The event ended up being a lot of fun. There was a corn hole championship with a $50 first prize. Food was good and socializing was great.

We came home Sunday in time to have lunch, go for ice cream, cut the grass, wash the cars, and wax the Accord before dinner. Whew! What a weekend!

We hope you had fun, too! Smiles!

Did you think I disappeared?

Oh, you could only be so lucky!!!!

We had a great time at the Eastern Naturist Gathering in Lenox last week. We saw many old friends and met some new friends, too. We were asked to join the Membership Advisory Committee for TNS and are looking forward to continued involvement with such a phenomenal organization. Goodbyes abounded as we left friends at the end of the week, as well as Eastover will be closing its doors in November. We will have a wonderful time no matter where the Gathering is next year.

I heard a song on the radio yesterday that made me think of my friends and family [who are generous enough to follow this blog]. It is called Smile by Uncle Kracker. You can listen to in online over at MusicRemedy. It is the first track to be released from the upcoming album Happy Hour. I hope you like it as much as I did!

Smiles

NAC Advisory - Death of Lee Baxandall

 

NAC Advisory - Death of Lee Baxandall

via Diary of a Nudist by noreply@blogger.com (Nudiarist) on 11/28/08

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NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE ADVISORY
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http://www.naturistaction.org
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Copyright 2008 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without alteration.

DATE: November 28, 2008
SUBJECT: Lee Baxandall (1935-2008)
TO: All naturists

Dear Naturist,

The Naturist Society has announced with profound sadness that its founder, Lee Baxandall, has died in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Baxandall, who had suffered from Parkinson's Disease, was 73 years old at the time of his death on November 27, 2008.

Baxandall began his work as a naturist activist more than 30 years ago. With a background in writing and publishing, Lee's naturist passion led him in 1976 to form the Free Beaches Documentation Center, which he located in his hometown of Oshkosh. By 1980, Lee had founded The Naturist Society (TNS), and TNS had presented its first Gathering for naturists. 'Clothed with the Sun,' the flagship publication of TNS in its early years, was renamed 'Nude & Natural,' or more simply, 'N' magazine in 1989. Today, the magazine has a staff of professional and volunteer writers, but in the early days, much of the content of the magazine was pure Baxandall.

Lee was also the initiating force behind other familiar naturist organizations. In 1983, it was a Baxandall idea (and $70 in seed money that Lee pulled from his own pocket and gave to Murray Kaufman) that led to the TNS special interest group that would become Gay Naturists International. In 1990, Baxandall jump-started the Naturist Action Committee as an adjunct to TNS. The Naturist Education Foundation followed in 1993.

For the decades of the 1980s and 1990s, 'Lee Baxandall's World Guide to Nude Beaches and Resorts' was the standard companion for those seeking information on naturist destinations throughout the world. Each edition of the World Guide reflected Lee's naturist philosophy, not only for growing numbers of naturists, but also for the benefit of an expanding mainstream audience. Baxandall's World Guide is the inspiration for 'The World's Best Nude Beaches and Resorts,' a recent TNS publication that carries on the tradition.

In 2002, recognizing the inevitable effect of his declining health, Baxandall transferred ownership of The Naturist Society to a carefully selected handful of longtime associates. TNS is necessarily a dynamic organization that responds to the changing needs of its members. Nevertheless, owners Nicky Hoffman Lee and Margaret Thornton have remained remarkably faithful to the vision of Lee Baxandall.

DETAILS AND ARRANGMENTS
Arrangements are pending. Lee's family has not yet announced details. More complete obituaries will, of course, appear in N magazine and in The Newsletter. The Naturist Action Committee will distribute further information in the form of NAC Updates, as details become available.

The directors of the Naturist Action Committee and the Naturist Education Foundation join with the ownership and staff of The Naturist Society in marking, with respect and appreciation, the passing of an exceptional individual.

"Body acceptance is the idea. Nude recreation is the way."
- Lee R. Baxandall (1935-2008)


Naturally,

Bob Morton
Executive Director
Naturist Action Committee

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Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Director Bob Morton - execdir@naturistaction.org
Naturist Society:
Nicky Hoffman Lee – nickyh@naturistsociety.com
Online Representative Dennis Kirkpatrick - naturist@sunclad.com
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September on the Vineyard

We spent a lovely day with Steve and Helen on the Vineyard today. The forecasted high was 69 degrees, so we figured it would be too cold for the beach. We arrived as high tide was finishing up.

 

The beach was little (then) but the weather was beautiful. We laid out our stuff.

 

It ended up being a beautiful day. We got lots of sun and had lots of fun.

Now we're home. I'm tired. Even though I slept on the beach, on the bus, and in the car.

 

And we're both sun burned...

 

Nighty night.

Catching Up: Photos from Puerto Rico

Mike is off to work today, and I am taking a few minutes to share our weekend fun.

We are staying in Old San Juan, at Hotel El Convento.

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El Convento was constructed in 1646, through a petition made by King Philip IV of Spain. The convent was closed by the Archbishop of San Juan in 1903. It reopened as a hotel in 1963, and has undergone many restorations since that time. It is unique because you walk into the core of the hotel to a large open-air courtyard. The rooms on each floor surround the courtyard with huge walkways. There is a small table in the walkway for each room. The view of the courtyard is beautiful. There are numerous sitting areas, both facing the courtyard and facing Old San Juan. The nightly manager's reception (with complimentary wine, alcoholic beverages, and nice selction of cheese) takes place on the 3rd floor terrace. The pool and hot tub on the 5th floor overlook the city and harbor. Last night the Adventure of the Seas (Royal Caribbean) left port at 9:15 pm. It was quite a site to see it leave. It was also funny to see all the passengers' flashes go off as they took pictures of the city.

We explored some of Old San Juan on Saturday when we arrived. The city is surrounded by the "city wall", a fortification that remains from Colonial days. There are many beautiful plazas as well as some very nice outlet stores (I will be revisting the Coach store over the next few days). A few of the photos we took are below. You should be able to click on any of them to go directly to Photobucket for a full description.

We took a trip to Culebra yesterday so that we could enjoy some of the commonwealth's most beautiful beaches.

View Larger Map

We had two options for reaching the island, located off the east coast of the main island. We could drive a little over 90 minutes to Fajardo, then take a ferry to the island. That would have required renting a car for the day, so that it could sit in a parking lot. Or, we could fly from San Juan to Culebra; that would take 25 minutes. We opted to fly so that we could enjoy more of our day.

We arrived an hour before our 8:30 am flight. Two large cruise ships were in port yesterday morning: Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas, and Princess Cruise Lines Caribbean Princess. Their size was daunting, especially compared to the 8 passenger plane we would take to the island. The ride was trouble-free and very fun.

We rented a Jeep Wrangler for our day on the island so that we could explore as many places as possible. We got a neat one that was hard top with removable panels. It was very nice and fun to drive around. We started out by driving into the only town on the island, Dewey. We stopped in at Pandeli bakery and had a couple of Cubanos (a pressed sandwich with turkey, pork, pastrami, pickles, and mustard) to give us energy. Then we headed out to Zoni Beach. Zoni is a nesting area for a variety of sea turtles. We saw several areas staked off where turtles laid their eggs and covered them with sand. The beach was beautiful and remote. The water as warm as bath water -- so lovely. We spent a long time in the water there, to attempt to escape the 98 degree heat. We left after about 2 hours in search for Playa del Carlos Rosario. We parked in the lot for Flamenco beach (the most famous in Culebra and world-renowned) and took the 20 minute hike over the mountain. We must have over-shot it, because we ended up at Tamarindo Grande Beach instead. We enjoyed the shade of a palm tree and more swimming for another couple of hours. Finally, we ended our beach exporation with an hour at Flamenco beach. It was the prettiest of the three, though the most crowded. We would definitely return to Zoni again, and would like to find Carlos Rosario.

We arrived back at El Convento at 6:30 pm sunburned to the gills, but happy and relaxed. We had a great adventure! Some photos from our day are below. Again, you should be able to click on any one for a more detailed description.

Today I am off to a beach in the Condado area. I will take the public bus for $0.75 and spend a few hours. Then I will be back to explore more of Old San Juan.

Smiles!

Point Brewery Blogs Naturist Society Fans Reaction

Point Beer's Blog at http://pointbeerblog.com/wp-trackback.php?p=37 has a great post showing the photo recreation of the Nude Beach beer label by the Black Beach Bares in San Diego. I see our friend Dave Cole in that picture!

Check it out:

 

from: http://pointbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/reenactment-photo1.jpg

Sweet!!!  Time for the weekend for sure!

Have a Happy Day!

p.s. Happy Birthday, Steve! Your birthday post is coming!

Martha's Vineyard

We had a lot of fun on our trip to Martha's Vineyard this weekend. We've been so many times, and have tried to share the trip with others, but it is hard to visualize unless you've done. We decided to take a video of our trip this time around. If you want to view it directly, please go to http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-615649297761231855&hl=en. I recommend clicking the Google Video drop-down in the lower right corner (under the video) and choosing the options Double-Size and Smooth Video.





I hope you enjoy the video! I had fun making it, but not nearly as much fun as going to the beach :)

Have a great day!

Time for a Change

Mike and I have been struggling for months over what to do with our "other" website. We rolled it into a blog in January, but were not really satisfied with the feel of it. After much discussion and deliberation, we have re-instated the website with an updated look and feel. The updates to the style were made last year, but we didn't roll out then because we weren't "finished." We decided, enough! we'll finish when we can. I really like the new look of things. We are maintaining the blog (which is not this blog, but a separate one) as well. Hop on over to the website and let us know what you think!

If you don't know what website I am talking about, hmm... Either email me to ask or leave a comment below (with your email) and I'll provide the info.

Have a super weekend! We're off to the Vineyard again tomorrow. Can't wait!

Fun in the Sun

Saturday was a beautiful day here in Massachusetts. We are so glad that we decided to spend it on Martha's Vineyard. We left the house at 5:30 am, intending to catch the 8:15 am ferry. We made good time getting to Woods Hole and arrived at the Steamship Authority by 7:15. Lucky for us, the Martha's Vineyard (ship), scheduled to leave at 7:00, was running behind. We were able to walk on just before it left the dock.

We were on the beach by 10:20 and had a fabulous day. A few walks on the beach, eating, chatting with friends, and playing in the ocean made the day zip by. It was 4:00 before we knew it! Our friends Alex and Joanne gave us a ride to Chilmark, where we caught the 5:22 pm bus to Oak Bluffs.

We walked around town, then enjoyed a lovely dinner at Linda Jean's. We lucked out again when we were able to get on one of the unscheduled (read freight) ferries at 7:45. The ship only holds 142 people, including those in vehicles and only 12 people were allowed to walk on.



We asked someone to take our photo, but it didn't capture for whatever reason. So, the only one we have is of me alone :( Mike really was there!

We were back home by 10:30. Showers, chatting, etc landed us in bed around midnight.

Can you hear me sighing in happiness? It was great!

Have a happy day!

Nude Beach Summer Wheat Beer

For the second and final installment of our gathering tales, I have to tell you about THE beer of the summer -- Stevens Point Brewery's Nude Beach Summer Wheat. The description on their site reads:
 
"Point Nude Beach is the perfect summer pleasure. Available only during the warm months of summer, this lively and unfiltered wheat ale is well balanced using "au naturel" raw and red wheat, then delicately finished with Yakima hops. With a refreshing light flavor, Point Nude Beach is perfect while enjoying summer activities or just hanging out with friends. Clothing optional.
Introduced: 2008
Availability: May 1 - August 1
Suggested Pairings: Chicken, Pork, Summer Salads, SPF 30 and Swim Suit (optional.)"

This is the beer tasting TNS had at the gathering. Led by master brewer Allan Baylis, naturists learned about the various brews Point Brewery offers and taste them. After the presentation we were invited to buy a Point Brewery t-shirt or TNS cup (each with a complimentary bottle). Cool!

We had a lot of fun at the tasting. We got silly at the end and we all laid on the lawn pretending to be passed out, with empty bottles all around. What a fun Friday :)

Have a happy day!

DumAss Special Interest Group (SIG)

I wanted to start our vacation tales by sharing the part of the Gathering that was the most fun for me -- the DumAss SIG.  What?!, you say?  Well, you all knew I was a dumb ass, now it is official!

But, seriously, here is how things went.  There was a "Closest to the Pin" event on Wednesday sponsored by the DumAss SIG.  If you know about golf -- and I don't -- you know this is a tournament that involves hitting a golf ball towards the flag (known as a pin) at a par hole.  The person with the closest distance to the pin is the winner.  I am sure Mike knew this.  I did not.  One thing neither of us knew was what this SIG was, and who was in it.

We showed up at the putting green a bit before 11 am and found that Dave Cole was running the event.  Dave is very active in the Naturist Society (TNS) and on his local beach, Black's Beach, in San Diego.  Dave is also a really fun guy.  Nearly everything he does involves smiles and good humor.  We knew we were in for a treat.

As the event got underway, Dave told us that the schedule had mistakenly featured the first event of the SIG before the inaugural meeting.  We decided that was okay, given that it is a DumAss SIG (which I'll refer to as DA).  Dave pulled out  some ping pong balls from a golf club bag and told us they were numbered. He also pulled out a small plastic bowling pin that would serve as the flag/pin.  He explained the challenge to those of us who were unfamiliar with the Closet to the Pin tournys.  We were all ready to start when he pulled out an itty bitty golf club set made for children.

Ok...  This would be interesting. For most adults (excluding myself) the best way to hit the ball was on their knees.  No one figured that out (#2 clue to us being at the right event).  In all there were about 10 of us playing.  The person who came closest to the pin won the entire golf set.  I was envious -- it was fun!

The following day was the Inaugural East Coast meeting of the SIG. I did not mention that the SIG first met at the West Coast gathering last year.  The west coast event was written up in N magazine in a such a non-descript way that there was no way to know what it was.  The east coast inaugural meeting ended up being one of the most attended events at the gathering.  Tons of people showed up just to find out what it was about.  The answer?  Just having fun!  There are lots of serious workshops at the gatherings that focus on health, body, and political issues.  Dave wanted to introduce a way for us to just be silly.  We had a great deal of fun at the meeting and many of us shared stories of our own personal DA incidents.

Friday held another fun event, sponsored by the DA SIG, the Dressing "Silly" contest.  We didn't have to dress up for the fun, we just had to arrive with our bodies.  The Silly contest was scheduled concurrent with a beer sampling (more on that in another post), so we were doing pretty well when 10 people showed up.  What would the costumes be?  Why, Silly String!  TNS had a case of silly string in 4 different colors. We were split into three groups of three, with one volunteer model for each group. The other two team members were charged with dressing the models.

Ironically, each team had one woman and each woman volunteered to be the model. I had no idea what to expect of this.  It ended up being so much fun!!!  My teammates did a fantastic job of creating my outfit (though we had some difficulty getting my dress to stay put on the right breast).  The spray felt kind of cool and was pretty easy to control.  Here I am before the judging:







After we were all dressed, the owners of Eastover, Ticki and Betsy, judged us. We were all winners and received a bottle of champagne.







When we disrobed, the silly string just slipped away. It didn't leave any goopy remains. That was pretty cool, too!

I took two things away from this fun part of the gathering: 1) I am now an official DumAss, 2) Silly string dress up could be a fun camp event.

Smiles!

The Encampment

We are here at the Gathering and all set up. You can see the screen tent (our EZ-Up with screen sides and solid sides we roll up when not needed) with our sleeping tent behind the EZ-Up.




We've been having fun at sessions and catching up with old friends. We'll update the blog as we have time over the next few days, but we're awfully busy having fun!

Smiles

Day of Discovery

Today we went on an exploratory trip with Mark and Paul (aforementioned editors) to a skinny dipping site. It was a great adventure that will be written about in upcoming publications.

Before we left Mike and I took a photo. We have so few together. Isn't he a cutie?!



Have a happy day!

And We're Off!

Today is the first day of our summer vacation. Woo hoo! We're, tucking Mattie in his room and kissing him goodbye and then heading to camp mid-day (or so). Tonight will be spent unpacking the truck and stowing the gear from home, then gathering our Gathering supplies (thanks for the funny term, Deb!) so we are ready for our excursion.

Tomorrow we are doing a day trip with people who are traveling from Seattle, WA and Ottawa, Canada. They're coming early for the gathering with a stop-off at BVR. It should be a great excursion. Sunday and Monday we'll putter and play in the Berkshires, then off to Eastover on Tuesday.

We'll post as often as we can while we're away, but we are going to be awfully busy having fun!

Have a happy day and perfect weekend! We'll be back soon :)

Celebrations and Miscellany

What a nice week it has been!

We had dinner at Texas Roadhouse Wednesday night with Paul and Deb. We had a lovely time catching up on our camp and theirs. We sure miss seeing them on the weekends... We exchanged birthday gifts while we were there...


Deb got me this beautiful necklace and earrings from Fire and Thyme (an Etsy shop in Northborough). Aren't they fabulous?! Thank you, Deb!




I got her this pretty dish from handmade Pottery and this cute card that coordinated from JaneSays (of course both Etsy shops, which I have mentioned over and over because I love them!). It was pretty fun to celebrate an Etsy birthday!

We are taking today off for an early start on the Memorial Day weekend. Four days of relaxing will be nice!


Every time I walk by my Anniversary roses from Mike, amazed that they still look so fabulous.


Yesterday I cut their stems and put them in a different vase. They are now a more petite arrangement. I can't believe they look so good after 19 days!

As you may have surmised, this is another post of miscellany... I got a new hair dryer back in March. Mine had been getting hot in the electrical cord (never a good sign), then sparked and went "PFFFFT" while I was using it one morning. This caused quite a scene as I screamed, threw it to the ground, then attempted to explain to Mike when he came running. Anyway, I got an Elchim Professional 2001. It was a little pricey (though I paid $67 compared to the current price of $80), but well below the suggested retail of $125. I know, I know, that is a lot of money... I was crossing my fingers that I would like it.


(Mine is all black) I have to say, I have been using the new dryer for 2 months now. I absolutely love it. It dries my hair in half the time any other dryer has taken, and has caused so much less damage. I have been wishing that either a) there was a travel version, or b) it was way cheaper, so that I could get one for camp. I just can't justify the cost for the estimated 35 days of usage a year... I definitely recommend it if you have thick hair (like I do) or curly hair (like I don't).

So, enough of that little plug!

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

Helen Mirren Praised by Naturist Society

from: Contact Music

HELEN MIRREN - HELEN MIRREN PRAISED BY NATURIST SOCIETY

Caption: HELEN MIRREN's on and off screen antics have seen her rewarded for her naturist...

Click for the Helen Mirren Gallery

HELEN MIRREN's on and off screen antics have seen her rewarded for her naturist tendencies.

The actress, whose credits include ELIZABETH I and GOSFORD PARK, has bared all in the hit movie CALENDER GIRLS and is also reportedly a fan of sunbathing in the buff at home, reports the Mirror.

The USA Naturist Society has presented the 62-year-old with its top showbiz personality for "promoting healthy nudity" accolade.

Nicky Hoffman, a member of the society, told the publication: "Nude is not lewd, it is beautiful. Helen is actually a naturist and goes nude sunbathing."

Other well-known names praised for their attitude towards naturism include KYRA SEDGEWICK who in the past has admitted sunbathing in the nude.

LOST star MATTHEW FOX rounded off the top three after it was revealed that he had been swimming naked in Hawaii.

Hollywood heartthrobs MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY and BRAD PITT also held spots among the top ten, for playing the bongos naked and hitting the beach naked, respectively.

Meanwhile, HELEN MIRREN recently came second in a poll conducted by FX TV to find the 'Queen of Nip and Tuck'.

The actress, who is rumoured to have had a subtle face lift, came second only to SHARON OSBOURNE.



26/03/2008 10:40:43

Related articles:
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/a92286/helen-mirren-bags-us-naturist-award.html
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/entertainment-news/2008/03/26/helen-mirren-wins-nudity-award-86908-20362999/
http://www.pr-inside.com/mirren-scoops-best-nude-gong-r503552.htm
http://www.mirror.co.uk/showbiz/2008/03/26/helen-mirren-wins-award-from-usa-naturist-society-89520-20362948/

Naturist Society Picks TV's Top Nudes

from: http://thebiz.fancast.com/2008/03/exclusive_naturist_society_pic_2.html

Exclusive: Naturist Society Picks TV's Top Nudes

Go figure, the human body -- the one thing all of us have in common -- is causing a stir in the TV world again. On one end of the spectrum, the Parents Television Council is angry with NBC after the finale of the series Las Vegas included silhouettes of three bare women, and on the other end Lifetime’s self-esteem boosting How To Look Good Naked was the highest-rated unscripted series in that network’s history when it debuted last January. (Watch clips on Fancast.) To nudity expert Nicky Hoffman, spokesperson for The Naturist Society, a clothing-optional organization based in Oshkosh, WI, the fuss is much ado about nothing. “We do not believe non-sexual nudity is offensive,” she says of the NBC issue. “But I don’t want to see people getting undressed and having sex.” As for HTLGN, she says, “I have mixed emotions about it. Our premise is that everybody looks good naked. Why do you have to make people look good?”

So who in the eyes of Hoffman is getting it right? What shows have included nudity in a manner the Naturist Society approves as tasteful and promoting healthy, appropriate nakedness? Hoffman provided Fancast with relevant top 10 lists. But first her credentials. The 59-year-old Midwesterner has been a member of the Naturist Society since 1985, and before that, she says, “I used to come home from work and the first thing I’d do was take off my clothes.” Philosophically, she believes in “promoting nudity on appropriate public lands, like nude beaches and resorts.” But she makes it clear that “nude is not lewd.” What nude is, she says, is “beautiful.”

The Naturist Society, which publishes a guidebook of the 1000 best places to get naked, has 20,000+ card-carrying members. (Yes, we asked where they carry their cards if they aren’t wearing any clothes, and the answer is in tote bags, wrist wallets, and hats featuring Velcro pockets, all of which are sold in the Skinny Dipper Store). But “there are a lot more people who are naturists than we have members,” says Hoffman. “In a Roper poll done in 2006, 25 percent said they’ve gone skinny dipping or nude sunbathing in mixed company. That works out to about 55 million people. In 1983, it was only percent.”

Given that stat, you’d think everyone would know how to get naked. But apparently not -- at least judging by the popularity of the Carson Kressley-hosted series How To Look Good Naked. Clips of HTLGN have proven very popular on Fancast. That itself inspired a question that has yet to be addressed by Kressley on the series: What’s the best way to watch TV while naked?

“Lay on your bed,” says Hoffman. “That’s the most comfortable way to watch TV naked. But if you’re not in bed, sit on a towel. Whether you’re at someone else’s home or your own, always sit on a towel. That’s naturist 101. Then all you have to do is put your feet up and get comfy.”

What about watching TV online naked (an issue for Fancast users)? “The same rules apply,” says Hoffman. “Unless you’re in an office. Nudity in the workplace is inappropriate.” Even at the Naturist Society? That question elicits a laugh from Hoffman. “No, we wear clothes here. We have people come in for appointments.”

Hoffman says she’s a fan of Kressley, whom, she notes, has yet to doff his clothes. However, according to her, the Naturist Society includes “a number of members who are celebrities.” Such as? “They’ve requested privacy,” she says. Nonetheless, here is Naturist Society’s list of the top 10 celebrity nudists. It’s followed by their list of top 10 TV series that have also furthered the issue.

Top 10 Celebrites Who’ve Promoted Healthy Nudity:

1. Helen Mirren: “She’s actually a naturist and goes nude sunbathing.”
2. Kyra Sedgwick: “Years ago, she said she sunbathed nude.”
3. Matthew Fox: “He swims nude in Hawaii and calls himself a naturist.”
4. Alanis Morissette: “She did a video for a song in which she was nude and her hair was draped around her breasts. I heard she has no problem walking around the set naked.”
5. Lindsay Lohan: “There was a shock factor when she posed recently as Marilyn Monroe, but she promoted a beautiful body in an artful, non-sexual manner.”
6. Matthew McConaughey: “He played bongos nude at home. That puts him in our Hall of Fame. He’s a free spirit.”
7. Kevin Bacon: “From past performances, he doesn’t appear to have any problem with appearing nude.”
8. Kate Hudson: “Nudity was never a big thing in their home; she has a very healthy attitude toward the human body.”
9. Elle McPherson: “She’s originally from Australia, where nude beaches are common, and she has a healthy attitude about the nude body.”
10. Brad Pitt: “Years ago he was photographed sunbathing nude. Good for him, shame on the paparazzi.”

Top 10 TV Series That Have Promoted Healthy Nudity:

1. National Geographic: “A lot of people saw their first naked bodies thanks to these shows. They always do a good job of showing non-sexualized nudity.”
2. Taboo: “A National Geographic production, this show looks at taboo rituals and traditions and regularly shows people nude, but always educationally.”
3. NYPD Blue: “They’ve always show backsides. Maybe they’ve done it a little on the titillating side, but there’s nothing overt or offensive about a butt or a breast.”
4. Monk: “Last season, in a show they did a show featuring a murder on a nude beach, it came out that Monk’s phobias about nudity stemmed from his being born naked. Hilarious.”
5. Surreal Life: “Several seasons ago, they actually went to the Desert Shadows naturist resort in California. While none of the celebrities got naked, they did play a volleyball game against the nudists, and except for Tammy Faye Baker, the stars were okay with it.”
6. The Naked News: “It’s a Toronto-based news show in which the newscasters appear in the nude.”
7. The Simpsons: “Many episodes feature top-free and total nudity.”
8. The Tonight Show With Jay Leno: “Jay often features clips borrowed from the Naturist Society, including on clip from the Eastern Naturist gathering featuring the world’s largest nude Frisbee toss.”
9. Malcolm In The Middle: “In a 2005 episode, Malcolm and his brother decide to attend the Burning Man festival in the desert, and there’s brief nudity.”
10. Chicago Hope: “They showed the breast of a young girl after reconstructive surgery. Nobody complained. Goes to show you that non-sexualized nudity can be in good taste.”

Posted on March 4, 2008 7:51 PM | Permalink

Spaghetto Article in N Magazine

The newest issue of N Magazine (27.3) should be out on the newstands (or in your mailbox) in the coming days. Keep an eye out for our article on Spaghetto in the Ghetto. You'll see Mike pictured as one of the cooks. For a text only version of the article, click here.

Another Shameless Plug

Today is my first work day back, but I just can't let the wonderfulness of our trip go quite yet...

I just want to share a few more tidbits about the resort, food, and atmosphere at Caliente Caribe... Why? Well, I think that it would be a great place for a relaxing clothing optional getaway for anyone -- ranging from a die-hard naturist to a newbie -- who has interest in an all-inclusive vacation.

The Physical Layout

The physical layout of the resort is very interesting. Located on the main level are the main building, which houses reception, gift shop, spa, exercise room, media room, Club Caliente (the disco), and the dining room. Outside of the main building is a hot tub, pool and pool bar. The Seacliff units are a short walk from the main building on this level. Two tennis courts are located in front of the main building. Seacliff accommodations include hotel rooms, studios, and 1 bedroom condos. A set of stairs -- a long set of stairs -- connects the upper area (just described) with the lower area of the resort, called the Cove. The cove is on the ocean and the location of a beach bar, volleyball pool, regular pool, hot tub overlooking the ocean, sand volleyball court, shuffleboard, massage area, and beach. Behind these facilities are free-standing one bedroom condos, spread up onto four levels.

Food

Food and alcoholic beverages are included in the price of the stay at Caliente Caribe. The food at the resort was definitely 4.5 to 5 stars. It is presented beautifully and the menus has a wide range of choices.

Breakfast and dinner are served in the main dining room. Lunch is served at the beach bar. Food is available nearly 24 hours in the facilities. Though we are not big eaters, we enjoyed the food immensely and loved being able to eat whatever we wanted without any worries.

Atmosphere

The resort has a variety of activities to keep guests busy if they want something to do. From Spanish lessons, to water volleyball, to dancing lessons, there is always something to do during the day. Water equipment is available for playing in the ocean (snorkeling gear, kayaks, etc...). In the evenings entertainment is provided from 8:30 to around 10 at the upper pool and pool bar. It is a fun way to socialize, dance, and just have a good time. If all that isn't enough, Club Caribe is open from 10 until people tire out and leave.

We had a wonderful trip! It is hard to be back home with 18" of snow and more to come, but I guess we have to pay for these trips somehow :)

Happy and Relaxed

We are back home from our trip! We had an absolutely fabulous time! We left our house at 4:45 am on Friday for our 7 am flight from Logan International to JFK. The flight was delayed by storms and we sat on the tarmac for almost two hours before lifting off. We barely made our flight to Puerta Plata (by literally, the skin of our teeth) In addition, I temporarily lost Mike's passport, and fortunately found it. He was not amused :) A taxi met us at the airport in Puerta Plata and we arrived at the resort nearly 12 hours after leaving home.



The resort, staff, management, and other visitors to Caliente Caribe we so wonderful! The grounds and ammenities of the resort were better than any other place we've been. The all inclusive offerings were expansive. We met many great people that we were able to call our friends by the time we left yesterday. Mike and I look forward to putting our thoughts and experiences on paper for possible publication in N magazine.

Now we are back home. Surrounded by the reflective snow that came in our absence. Mattie has told an untold number of tales about what occured while we were away.