Oldest in the USA

The Sky Farm Nudist Club

Caliente Homeowners Fight Back: De-Swing This Place!

Caliente is handed a task list

By Chuin-Wei Yap, Times Staff Writer
In print: Saturday, June 21, 2008

---

LAND O'LAKES — An attorney for 351 property owners at Caliente Resort & Spa has laid down a list of conditions for the nudist resort to repair its reputation or face a lawsuit.

Calling it a way to "open the door for dialogue" between the resort and its homeowners, Anne Hathorn, of the Clearwater firm of Becker & Poliakoff, said the resort must cut off ties with Web sites that promote the swinger lifestyle, tighten control on the use of Caliente's name in event advertisements and where the ads are distributed, and get Caliente reinstated in the American Association for Nude Recreation.

Caliente Resort said it plans to keep on marketing to those it calls "nontraditional nudists."

Caliente was embroiled in controversy last month when the association temporarily suspended its membership and opened an investigation into sexually charged monthly parties at Caliente organized by Aahz Party Lifestyle Group, a "lifestyle," or swingers, group with Caliente's blessing.

The association promotes family-friendly nudism. Its investigation puts at stake Caliente's access to marketing assistance and membership subsidies for tourists, among other advantages.

Caliente is not just a resort. It is also a full-time home for hundreds of people, many of whom objected to the swinger parties, called "Swingfest." They hired Hathorn, who wrote on June 10 to R. Gale Porter, Caliente's attorney, demanding the resort clean up its own image.

"If the reputation of the club changes to something more risque, people will worry about bringing their kids," Hathorn said Friday. "The board wanted to open the door for dialogue and come to a reasonable resolution. So far, we haven't heard back."

Angye Fox, Caliente's spokeswoman, said Friday that the resort is a family-friendly place with rules that create a safe environment, but the resort refused to scale back what it called a brand campaign focused on "nontraditional nudists."

"Caliente has an aggressive marketing plan that targets outside the traditional nudist clientele," she said. "This has created dissatisfaction with a minority of homeowners in the Caliente community. Caliente intends to move forward in expanding our brand to nontraditional nudists and people who want to enjoy occasional skinny-dipping in luxury both here and at our resort in the Dominican Republic."

Hathorn acknowledged in her letter that "the resort has recently taken (actions) to alleviate the members' concerns, including withdrawing the resort's direct participation in Swingfest and continuing to communicate with the (property owners' board) about its concerns."

But she warned of legal consequences.

"The board of directors has a fiduciary duty to act on behalf of the (homeowners) association members, and the board will not hesitate to do so in this regard, to whatever extent is necessary, including legal action for violation" of the declaration of restrictions and covenants for Caliente, Hathorn wrote.

"They will realize they need to work together," Hathorn said Friday. "It's in everyone's best interests for the two entities to work together."

Chuin-Wei Yap can be reached at cyap@sptimes.com or (813) 909-4613.

Caliente: Throw the Book at Them

News of the suspension of Caliente Resort in Florida hit the net this week. AANR has suspended the resort due to their open catering of sexual deviants (swingers).

This is a radical departure from what might be called the naturist/nudist ideal: non-sexual social nudity, accompanied by body-acceptance. Sexualized nudity always rejects body acceptance since attraction is selective (and rejective).

Caliente is not alone. It is always disturbing to see sexualization of nudity, and NW will publish credible reports of the same. Place your report in comments, and if I can confirm it I will publish it.

I call upon the Naturist Society to also make a statement regarding Caliente, and to join with AANR and clothesfree.com. This letter is now on their website:

An Open Letter to All Nudist Resorts...

A few nudist resorts are going into a direction that has caused many to no longer recommend them. We also will no longer recommend some resorts in response to their sexually explicit ads we have seen.

Why sexualize something that is not sexual? Especially since we are already fighting the false notion that nudity equals sex. Why fuel the flames ourselves? Of course, we believe the human form is neither immoral nor inappropriate and endorse the culture of positive body acceptance. But we protest the “pornification” of the human body. There is a line to not cross and it is simple where it is drawn.

We need to set a good example! People will discover that nudism is good for the whole family and allows everyone, including children, to have a better body image, learn respect and have more self esteem. Present yourself as an exemplary naturist resort by fully abiding by all the standards of naturist behavior. Keep sexuality where it belongs, in private. Don't mix it with nude recreation and cause others who are just discovering it to leave.

Nude beaches and resorts are typically family-friendly places. Children benefit from the experience through improved self-image and confidence. But if we blur the lines between sex and nudity we will not gain society's respect and could lose many of our rights.

The core of our philosophy must be strong.

We believe swingers and others seeking sex is the biggest threat to nudism. If the "nude equals sex" idea is the biggest threat to our lifestyle, should we allow swinger or sexual activities of any kind at family nudist resorts and beaches? Nudists enjoy sexuality as much as anyone but should we give in to those who would sexualize nudism? It might make more money for some but it will destroy us starting at the foundation of our philosophy.

In order for nudism to really grow and gain acceptance in the long run, we need to keep it wholesome at all costs.

Some say adults want to have places for these "adult" activities. But should they be at family nudist resorts at the expense of our lifestyle? When sexual activity of any kind happens at a nude beach or a resort, the public uses that to attack us.

We also need to stay united with our core beliefs. It is necessary that we keep strong in numbers. We all may not agree on every nudist philosophy but we must not let that divide us. Friction among ourselves will hurt us all in gaining respect and credibility with the population at large. As always, we fully support and belong to great organizations like the Naturist Society, the American Association for Nude Recreation, Federation of Canadian Naturists, and the International Naturist Federation.

Our society is obsessed with hiding what they call the "indecent" body. Together we can fight that. It is such a worthy cause.

CFI Staff

Good for CFI!

Until then, regards Caliente, I say,

THROW THE BOOK AT THEM!

You're Kidding, Right?

From the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:

Barenaked beer

Stevens Point Brewery's newly released Nude Beach beer attracts nation's nudist organizations

By TOM DAYKIN

tdaykin@journalsentinel.com
Posted: May 5, 2008

Stevens Point Brewery's newest beer leaves little to the imagination, and that's drawing admiring glances from an unlikely group of beer drinkers: those who imbibe sans clothes.
Nude Beach Summer Wheat

Quotable
It's a whole subculture that I didn't know existed.
- Joe Martino,Stevens Point Brewery operating partner

Nude Beach Summer Wheat is the latest seasonal beer launched by Stevens Point Brewery, which has launched three other seasonal craft brews over the past year. The ale's name popped up during a brain-storming session, said the brewery's operating partner, Joe Martino.

"We decided to have a fanciful name," Martino said. That's a common marketing gimmick used in the brewing industry, where you don't even have to leave Wisconsin to find colorfully named beers such as Louie's Demise, Spotted Cow and Bitter Woman.

The beer's label features a nude beach scene - although the beachgoers have their naughty bits covered by such objects as a surfboard, towel and volleyball. The full monty would have not amused the federal regulators who approve beer labels, Martino said.

Nude Beach's recent launch quickly drew attention from the nation's nudists, said Carolyn Hawkins, spokeswoman for the American Association for Nude Recreation, a group that claims 47,000 members who enjoy sunbathing, swimming and other activities au naturel. The Kissimmee, Fla.-based group bills itself as "a trusted source for nudist information on such topics as what to expect at a nudist club, a nudist resort, or even from a skinny dipping experience."
"Our members have bombarded us with messages" about Nude Beach, Hawkins said.

And that led Hawkins to contact Stevens Point Brewery about providing some free beer for the association's annual convention. The event, which usually draws around 1,000 people, will be held this year at Turtle Lake Resort in Union City, Mich., which is south of Battle Creek, from Aug. 11-17.

Stevens Point, based in the central Wisconsin city of that same name, will provide 25 cases of Nude Beach in return for some ads in the group's newspaper, and in the convention bulletin.
"We're glad to get the help," Hawkins said. Colorado-based New Belgium Brewing Co. couldn't supply its Skinny Dip Beer to this year's convention because New Belgium doesn't distribute its brands in Michigan, she said.

Nude Beach will probably see a spike in sales thanks to the buzz among nudists, Hawkins predicted.

"The nudist organizations all stick together," she said.

Martino welcomes the fans of his nude, uh, new beer.

"It's a whole subculture that I didn't know existed," said Martino, whose company is probably best known for brewing Point Special Lager.

However, Martino doesn't plan to attend the August event.

"I might have attended 20 years ago, when my body was in better shape," he said

Naked Life Changes

Photo from the Bare Necessities Website

From CNN.com:

'Honey, let's become nudists'
By Sarah Jio

(LifeWire) -- In 1989, Nancy Tiemann was 36 and living in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Tom. "We were both desperately in need of a getaway," says the one-time banking officer. When Tom suggested they join a boat trip to Belize chartered by a group of nudists, Nancy was
horrified.

Tom, 66, a former lawyer, handed her a brochure on nudism and told her he thought the trip could be a lot of fun. After many discussions, she reluctantly agreed to give the experience a try -- under one condition: "I won't tell a soul; no one ever needs to know!"

Your marriage vows may have spoken of hanging in through sickness and health but what about stomaching extreme life makeovers?

"The prevailing message of our time is that you can be whoever you want to be," says Dr. Scott Haltzman, a clinical assistant professor in Brown University's department of psychiatry and human behavior. "The problem in relationships is that some partners change in ways their mates wouldn't have chosen for them. They begin to form new likes and dislikes, new tastes and ultimately new identities."

For Nancy, something unexpected happened in Belize.

"It was so refreshing to find out how wrong I had been with my preconceived ideas on nudity and being nude with others," she says. "A nudist was born."

Had it not been for her husband's dramatic suggestion, Nancy, 53, says she might never have discovered nudism, which is now a source of joy in her life -- and career. Shortly after their trip, the couple launched Bare Necessities Tour and Travel, a travel agency devoted to the nudist vacationer. It has since chartered more than 40 cruise ships carrying more than 25,000 nudist travelers.

"Desert Sun Resort" (AKA Desert Shadows 2.0) Hits Mainstream Media

The famed “naked bridge” attracted international attention in 2003, and a few jokes from Jay Leno, when it opened. The 140-foot-long pedestrian bridge crosses over Indian Canyon Drive and allows resort users to cross in the buff, shielded from view by a 66-inch protective canvas.

Debra Gruszecki, The Desert Sun

PALM SPRINGS - The sun has set on Desert Shadows Resort & Spa, a clothes-free retreat on Chaparral Road, but only because there's been an ownership change.

The resort, known for its famed Lee Baxandall Memorial Bridge - the "Naked Bridge" or "Bridge of Thighs" - over a main thoroughfare into Palm Springs, noted in its Web site that it had closed.
Reservations weren't being accepted, it said.

But Michael Williams, hotel manager, said Tuesday that it only appears that way: The naturist resort will reopen Friday as the Desert Sun Resort.

The ownership transition was not seamless, Williams said.

That's because John and Elizabeth Young, who bought the resort at an April 8 auction, learned afterward of the need to negotiate the purchase of furnishings in the resort that included office equipment and the phone line for reservations, Williams said.

"Our phone service arrives on Thursday,'' he said. "We've had a few people getting a bit panicky over their future reservations, and we're doing everything we can at this time to confirm these reservations over our personal phones."

The Youngs, naturists for about five years, declined to cite the purchase price at this time.
Former owners Linsu Corp., which filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California in Riverside in late 2007, could not be reached for comment.

Privately owned Desert Shadows condominiums are not linked to the sale, Williams added. However, the condominiums are connected to the grounds and, in that way, are impacted by the transition.

Initially, the condo association was leery but concerns since have been allayed, Williams said, noting, "We're all working together to bring this property back to its glory days."

From the Shadows to the Sun: Desert Shadows will Re-Open as Desert Sun Resort

From an e-blast from Cheri Alexander, well-connected naturist leader:

Re-opening of DSI as " http://www.desertsunresort.com/ " by new owners Desert Sun LLC
John and Elizabeth are the new legal owners of the resort as Desert Sun LLC, and condo owners and residents at the resort.

The facility will be opened as a family naturist and nudist resort allowing singles soon as the required permits and licenses, and inspections, furniture, and fixtures are in place.

The new Resort web site reference: http://www.desertsunresort.com/

Refer to the new web site for new contact, phone, and reservations, opening, and planned events.

List of what will be available soft opening this weekend:

The rooms are in fine shape and have all received or are receiving a thorough cleaning.

The phones should be operational upon (PBX) installation today Tuesday, 4/22/2008

The condo rental pool is being slowly formed. At least one of each condo type in the rental pool is available now, more are expected by the weekend.

They'll try to provide some food, perhaps pizza, perhaps a BBQ, perhaps ordering out, but it's definitely BYOB for now.

It's possible that one pool or hot tub might be under maintenance at various times during the weekend.

They are still on track to having everything up and running by the holiday weekend.

What's not available:

The restaurant, Spa, in-room Movies on Demand.

The state of the in-room and condo rental cable TV is unclear at the moment. The status of the volley ball pool, new poles and net is unclear at the moment.

Please check the website http://desertsunresort.com/ and phone # 1 (800) 960-4SUN before arriving. 1533 Chaparral Road, Palm Springs, CA 92282

Cheri Alexander
PO Box 90836
Columbia, SC 29290
http://pages. prodigy.net/cheridonna

This is welcome news to all naturists. The website looks great, and we're happy that it's being re-established as a family naturist location. The couples, no children policy of the previous owners was a departure from the long-standing prior owners.

Desert Shadows Situation Hits the Mainstream Press

Desert Shadows nudist resort closes in Palm Springs

Desert Shadows Resort & Spa, a clothes-free retreat at 1533 Chaparral Road, has closed, according to its Web site.

The Web site for the clothing optional resort on Tuesday said Desert Shadows also is no longer accepting reservations.

Calls to the resort at 1533 Chaparral Road, Palm Springs, are not being answered.

The Web site adds, "any guest who has a deposit holding on a reservation will be contacted soon."

The action comes several months after its owners, Linsu Corp., filed a "statement for financial affairs" with the federal bankruptcy court in Riverside. Linsu filed for Chapter 11 protection in October 2007.