The Mr. Powerhouse Contest: Raw Male Sexuality on Parade

[name and image deleted by request]
The Powerhouse Bar is known as a center of raw male sexuality, especially during a big event. The Mr. Powerhouse Contest on Feb. 18 was one of those prime events. It coincided with the International Bear Rendezvous ensuring that there was a crush and lots of sweaty guys got to be up against their favorite studs.

Aaron Baldwin (left) and friends

Stunning Aaron Baldwin was posed behind the bar — irresistible and shirtless and being worshiped by a large friendly blond. Baldwin is a fundraiser for the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence charities. He spoke passionately at a memorial for Matthew Shepard telling the heartbreaking story about a deer that sat at Shepard’s feet as he was dying while tied to a fence.

Richie Lillard and Adam Musgrave

A title holder murmured that his leather jacket had to be lowered into a bag with his name on it, like at sex parties, by coat check guy Albert Cromedy of the SOMA Guardians, because the coatroom was as packed as the bar. Tag team lovers Sean Kline and Philip Beers checked out the cruising guests while emperor candidate Ray McKenzie campaigned at the bar choke point. Charming Richie Lillard and Adam Musgrave served José Cuervo shots with a smile to promote the popular tequila.

Mr. Powerhouse 2003 Troy Anicete with Mr. Powerhouse 2010 Lance Holman

Bar manager Scott Peterson moved through the party, being eyed by regulars who like to see him in a jockstrap at special events. Friendly bartender José Guevara worked the back bar and redheaded bar back Charles was a tantalizing moving target for his admirers.

Judges Lance Holman, Brandon Clark, Ron Balos, Matt Johnson, and Troy Anicete

The attentive and good-natured contest judges included Brandon Clark, Ron Balos, Matt Johnson, Troy Anicete, and Lance Holman. Balos described himself as “eye candy” and he did resemble a sexy, handsome porn star in his harness and low-cut jeans. Anicete was a big hit at a SF Pride benefit where his custom made jeans raised big money from Deputy Vince Calvarese. Holman is the impressive 2010 Mr. Powerhouse who then won the Mr. San Francisco Leather Contest and beat out dozens of men to be Mr. International Leather runner-up in Chicago.

Contestants Hanz Bustamante and [name and likeness deleted by request] with MC Travis Creston

Travis Creston MC’ed. He is not only a primal bartop go-go dancer, but he also starred in the gay Egyptian film "All My Life" by filmmaker Maher Sabry.

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The 2011 winner was [name deleted by request] who spoke with emotion that his favorite kinky sex involved a vacuum cleaner. A high point of the evening was when a judge asked [name deleted by request] if his inhumanly bulging leather jockstrap was padded and photographer Rich Stadtmiller rose to the occasion to reach up to jock-squeeze for everyone’s clarification. Runner-up Hanz Bustamante spoke through cute sign language interpreter Kevin to make it clear that he is versatile and enjoys butt sex with cherries.

Runner-up Hanz Bustamante with his ASL interpreter Kevin

The event ended with resounding applause and with good wishes for [name deleted by request] for when he runs for Mr. San Francisco Leather.

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The Mr. Hayes Valley Leather Contest: S&M Fetish Wear in Hayes Valley?

Mr. Hayes Valley Leather 2011 J.B. Kern, runner-up Rik Lopes, and host Marlena

Black leather in San Francisco's Hayes Valley? That was a question that drew curious regulars and new customers to Marlena’s popular drag bar to check out the tenth Mr. Hayes Valley Leather Contest on Jan. 22.

Mr. SF Leather 2010 Lance Holman and Monistat

A swarm of leathermen, and some women, squeezed into the watering hole that usually is known for a mix of LGBT locals, their friends, and tourists in casual barhopping wear. The high energy of the leather aficionados created a beguiling, sexually-tense atmosphere over Hayes Valley.

Human dogs and their masters outside Marlena's

Marlena’s has been open for 21 years and its namesake Marlena — who is a philanthropist, a former San Francisco Empress, and a leatherman — has fashioned an environment that welcomes the diversity of the newly rejuvenated neighborhood.

The bar is also known for its glorification of the Imperial Court of San Francisco with its magnificent wall displays of artwork, photographs, and jewelry of one of the leading charities in the United States.

Memorial display for Absolute Empress VIII Maxine

Seven years ago, Ray Tilton and Sandy "Mama" Reinhardt suggested to Marlena that a leather contest would enhance the bar, raise much-needed funds, and bring new thrills to the neighborhood.

This year’s impressive winner was J.B. Kern, who is single and serious about S&M sex. He enjoys the hospitality of Marlena’s exciting bartenders and their stiff, quickly served cocktails.

Jay Harcourt (Mr. Hayes Valley Leather 2005), J.B. Kern (Mr. Hayes Valley Leather 2011), Sean Kline (Mr. Hayes Valley Leather 2006), Rik Lopes (2011 runner-up), and host Marlena

Runner-up Rik Lopes, and the other stimulating contestants Lex King and Kelly Rivera Hart drew guys close to them on the crowded sidewalk after the contest finale. Striking Hart is as aggressive in his leather life as he is in his political activism and he did not hesitate to make a primal invitation to the newly chosen Kern, mentioning his king-size bed.

Kelly Rivera Hart (center) with friends

The panel of demanding judges included former Mr. Hayes Valley Leather Sean Kline, Mr. SF Leather Lance Holman, former Miss SF Leather Queen Cougar, former Mr. SF Leather Ray Tilton (who had two man pups growling at his feet), and Leather Daddy Jason Ladd. Lenny Broberg, a former International Mr. Leather, did another fine job of MC’ing.

High-quality leather hats, belts, and other well-crafted items were available from Paul Johnson of Off Ramp Leathers at the back of Marlena’s doomed smoking lounge. Johnson generously provided the contest with their winner’s leather patch, which is traditionally attached to a leather jacket or vest.

Paul Johnson, Gary, and friend

The beneficiary of this year's event was Magnet. Beguiling redheaded stud Jay Harcourt, a board member at Magnet and a former Mr. Hayes Valley Leather, was thankful for the $500 that was raised. Harcourt’s quote from the 2009 contest still rings true: “The title holders are a group of friends that has become a family, and there is a change in their lives for the better because we work together on fundraising. And it comes from the top down from Marlena, who has made a commitment to the community to help out Magnet and improve peoples’ lives.” Magnet is the medical and cultural center of the Castro and serves over 9,000 men a year.

Leather Alliance Dinner: 44 Years of Service With Leather and Fetish

Performer Clint and friend

On March 5–7 the SF Bay Area Leather Alliance presented a splendid Leather Bound Weekend. The March 5 kickoff dinner at the Hotel Whitcomb set the stage for a celebration of leather, motorcycle clubs, and fetishes. Community awards were bestowed upon worthy individuals and groups, and tables full of guests loudly applauded the honorees. The three Mr. San Francisco Leather contestants were presented and they impressed with provocative fantasies. There was an almost equal number of women and men at the dinner, and they freely mingled and caroused.

The SF Bay Area Leather Alliance is a volunteer organization that provides public service and grants for members who are recovering from motorcycle crashes and illness. There is bonding and camaraderie, and the members enjoy being with others who receive fulfillment from volunteering.

The Leather Alliance was formed when The Inter-Club Fund of San Francisco and The Leather Forum merged in 2008. The Inter-Club Fund was one of the earliest LGBT groups, dating back to 1966.

The dinner featured the Mr. SF Leather Contest, and it has been choosing a leader and a spokesman for the leather community for 32 years now.

One of the most outrageous events of the Inter-Club Fund was the CMC Carnival — a large, erotically charged bacchanal held in basements, cab garages, and warehouses. Now the group presents the Leather Alley at the annual San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration, as well as group motorcycle rides and a holiday volunteer appreciation party.

BubblinSugare was bestowed the Entertainer of the Year Award by hosts Lenny Broberg and Donna Sachet

Hosts Donna Sachet and Lenny Broberg expertly wove the scheduled events together and exhibited excellent repartee. Broberg warned the judges that Sachet lusted for them. Sachet denied it almost to the end of the evening, and then requested extra cocktails for the judges so that they would be immobilized. The audience hung on every clever sarcastic remark and sharp comeback. Hopefully Sachet and Broberg will host this year’s live San Francisco Pride Parade television broadcast.

Scott Peterson (left) and friends

Notable guests included Powerhouse Bar manager Scott Peterson, who not only bought a table for his employees, but he also generously served them drinks throughout the evening.

Contestant Robbie Leonard

Contestant Stefanos Tiziano

Contestant Lance Holman

Leather clothing designer and master stylist Troy Anicete prepared stunning Mr. SF Leather contestant Robbie Leonard, and youths Clint and Rachel took the brunt of contestant Stefanos Tiziano’s faux stage fantasy brutality. Striking contestant Lance Holman won the title and his stage fantasy of surprising a burglar during a shower and forcefully subduing, beating and sexually mauling the perp was being discussed in awe for days afterwards.

Dykes on Bikes secretary Soni Wolf described her two years of service on the San Francisco LGBT Pride Board, stressing the importance of a leather presence and her organizing experience.

Katie Brown accepted the Most Visible Community Organization Award for the San Francisco Dykes on Bikes

President Dahn Van Laarz with Seth Munter who was recognized with the Frank Benoit Award

A lot of hard work and time went into the weekend’s event, and much of the credit goes to Leather Alliance president Dahn Van Laarz, who intuitively drew the best out of group members, and to dinner program designer Bill Hollabaugh. Both have tirelessly worked for the betterment of the leather/biker/fetish community for years and they have the skill to coordinate popular future events.

This journalist has a connection to the Leather Alliance, attending many of the Inter-Club Fund events since the early 70s and having been voted a 2006 Motorcycle Awards "Man of the Year." Hopefully more members and groups will join the Leather Alliance so that its future will be assured by young acolytes.