Local dominas camped it up for fetish lensman Cliff Weiss and batted their long eyelashes, no doubt inspiring many would-be clients. Clad in rubber from head to toe, spread wide and lashed to the eye-bolted table, an unidentified attendee was the recipient of some serious punishment, administered by the imperious Baroness. Meanwhile, across the floor, Manhattan's cute-as-a-button dominatrix Princess Skyy was delivering severe lashes across a slave's exposed hide with a cat-'o-nine tails. I believe the whip was bigger than its wielder!

Resident masochist Andrew surrendered to the piercings of Eve Prince and Jerime on-stage sometime shortly after midnight. It seems this guy just can't get enough of being skewered! (Last time he had his throat slit, much to the management's dismay.) This was followed by a raucous performance piece featuring Gecko, Maryanna and Missy Galore. The trio had me riveted with both their fabulous get-ups and their sheer fierceness. Their performance, Patriot Play, was a political commentary on our freedoms-most notably freedom of speech-which was quite appropriate given the holiday weekend. It eventually deteriorated into a three-way wrestling match, with each woman shouting to be heard-not unlike the warring political factions in the country at present. However, they proved far more visually engaging than Clinton, Dole and Ol' Jug Ears. Expressing their freedom of expression, the three were costumed in variations on the Uncle Sam/Statue of Liberty themes-imagine Lady Liberty at Flashdancers. I was eagerly waiting to see if any stars and stripes would be flying.

Through it all, I kept checking in with dominatrix doorwoman Mistress Kate Hawthorn, making sure that she was enjoying her job as fetish dress code enforcer. Busily sucking on too-expensive margaritas served by the over-vigilant owner's daughter, I did my best to get bent, but was continually sobered up by the sight of someone being spanked, strapped down or otherwise trussed up. Or maybe it was just too little tequila. Regardless of my state of sobriety, I sincerely appreciated the efforts of my fine hosts.