Another great MAL weekend!
We want to pre-order the same weather from this year for next year...right at the same time as we pre-reserve a room at the new host hotel and pre-purchase our weekend packages for next year's MAL.
It was 50 degrees on both Friday and Saturday! The perfect weather to gear up and get out to MAL 2010.
The Centaur's pulled off another amazing MAL this year, the last at the Washington Plaza Hotel. Next year it's off to the Capitol Hyatt. More on that in a minute.
Friday night kicked off the weekend with heavy and hot lobby cruising as well as back to back Gear parties at the Green Lantern. We heard of some other parties around town as well but you can only do so much!
Before heading to the Green Lantern we dropped in on the introduction of the judges for MAL 2010 as well as the drawing of numbers by the contestants. The judge selections included IML 2009 Jeffrey Payne, IMSL 2009 Lamalani, Mr Hoist Leather 2009 Steven Dwyer, Mr Gulf Coast Leather 2005 Roger Alford, Oklahoma Mr Leather 2004 Keith Hunt, boy ky and of course Head Judge Mr Mid Atlantic Leather 2009 Kip Hollar.
The contestants drew their numbers, with no small amount of help from MAL 1989 Dan Noel who decided the number placards made fab earrings. Contestants, in order, were; Mr Old Dominion Leather Alan Peoples, Mr SECC Leather Jeff Jarnigan, Mr Connecticut Leather James Botelho, Mr Double L Jon Truz, Mr Capitol Pride Leather Matt Bamford, Mr Pittsburgh Eagle David Dean. Check out the interview we did with each of the contestants.
Next up we headed off to the second gear party which was a CLAW Nation event and it was gear all the way, with a twist, and a reveal. Studly models commandeered for the event roamed the bar selling boots to balls raffle tickets and after they worked over their willing victims each guy took to the stage and stripped off his gear for the raffle winner. The reveal was "mostly" street legal but we had more than a few wardrobe malfunctions. Hmmmm
Later that night is was back to the lobby for cruising in to the wee hours. The vendor market stayed open later this year as well and guys were shopping fools with most booths crowded to capacity. Hot stuff too!
Is it only Friday?
Saturday it was up kinda early for video interviews with the contestants followed by a drive by through the vendor market, which was packed again!
The excitement started to build for Leather Cocktails, the "high cow" event of the weekend. This was also our chance to get a sneak peek at the Capitol Hyatt, site of MAL for 2011. The busses dropped us off and the assembled leather folk strutted their finery down the multiple escalators to the nicely turned out ballroom. The bars (yes multiples) were stocked up with the good stuff and the food was a definite step up this year with a couple of carving stations, delicious sliders with right-out-of-the-fryer onion rings, and multiple cold buffets with sliced meats, cold cheeses and assorted crudité. Yum. A jazz band kept the energy level going all night long. The night capped off with a presentation of clubs with the stage completely packed with reps and color of all the various orgs in attendance. Very impressive!
There were a number of parties going on around town, not to mention the hotel. We decided to stop by the MAUL (Mid Atlantic Uniform League) party for a quick one with our fellow uniform fetishists, which is always a fun party. Then it was off for a gear change and out again headed to CODE DC.
Lots of guys we talk to around the world are all expressing the same disappointment with the state of gear in our bars. Namely that there isn't any. We're starting to see a groundswell of activity to combat this as more and more individuals and clubs are starting to host Gear Nights. David Merrill and Jacob Nathaniel Pring started up CODE DC, a once a month dress code club, and the parties just keep getting better and better. You can imagine how hot the scene was on the Saturday night of MAL! If you were there, you know. If you weren't, let's just say that it was wall to wall gear pigs, spiked with some deviant play, and nut-throbbing music. Yeah...CODE was hot! Put it on the calendar for a must do when you're in DC.
Sunday kicked off with the brunch buffet at the Washington Plaza and then a quick bus ride to the 9:30 club for the 2010 Mr Mid Atlantic Contest. It's a nice club with good seating and a great sound system. We staked out a spot upstairs with a killer view of the stage and close proximity to the bar. Priorities you know.
Emcee extraordinaire, and past MAL 1993, Frank Nowicki handled the stage with his usual aplomb and kept us mostly on time. The event started off with the presentation of the Centaurs and the outgoing officers. Next we met the new officers who were duly sworn in by Mary Elizabeth Boyd. Then after a quick intro of the judges it was on to the good stuff...the contestants!
#1 Alan Peoples
#2 Jeff Jarnigan
#3 James Botelho
#4 Jon Truzz
#5 Matt Bamford
#6 David Dean
The contenders are judged in three categories on stage: Bar Wear, Physique Wear, and Formal Leathers with a question from the Judges. These scores, combined with their pre-judging interview score, determines who will be the new MAL. All of the guys turned in great performances during the contest and more than a few people commented to me that they were glad they weren't judges! Of course MAL isn't complete without some rockin entertainment and this year we were treated to the amazing show put on by KENiMATTix who seemed to defy gravity as they balanced themselves in to the most incredible poses. Very hot! Next up to entertain us was Myke Lowe from Berlin, Germany.
Kip Hollar was ending his successful year as MAL 2009 and by all accounts has been an excellent front man for the MAL community. We were treated to a pretty awesome tribute video put together by American Leatherman 2008 Randy Carmenaty and then it was on to Kip's great but way too long stepdown speech. Congrats Kip on a successful year!
Now the moment of truth. The competitors were brought back on stage and presented for the final time. The presentation of the Fellowship Award was first up, and a huge surprise. In a first-ever for MAL, every single contestant had voted for the other contestants. It was a 5-way tie! Amazing.
The final announcements were made and #2 Jeff Jarnigan placed 2nd runner up, #6 David Dean came in 1st runner up and #5 Matt Bamford emerged as Mr Mid Atlantic Leather for 2010. Congrats guys! Matt of course will go on to compete at IML in May 2010.
Post contest it was back to the hotel on the plush MAL busses for more mass amounts of lobby cruising, disco naps and finally off to the Reaction dance. We heard the dance was once again the hot end to the weekend but we had to take a pass so we'd be in the neighborhood of awake for our 7 AM flights.
The Centaurs and MAL guests really said goodbye to the old Washington Plaza hotel this weekend. Next year the entire gig is off to the Capitol Hyatt. Get all the info at www.leatherweekend.com.
See ya next year!
CODE was really incredible. Definitely the highlight of the weekend for me. This was my 5th MAL and by far the best. Can't wait til next year!
Posted by: solid | 01/21/2010 at 06:13 PM