Atlantic Crossing: Highlights from Adult Online Europe and the NYC Expo

Adult Online Europe

Of all places on the globe to hold an Internet porn show, Amsterdam has to be the most inspired. A wired city in every sense of the word, it's beautiful and urbane, and embraces adult entertainment like a breastfeeding mother. This spring's Adult Online Europe, held April 27-29 at the Hotel Krasnapolsky, was especially exciting because the city was in full swing for Queen's Day, the annual celebration of the Queen Mum's birthday, which fell on the day after the show ended. The citywide celebration - during which a million imbibing citizens pack the streets and crowd onto canal-trolling boats - infused a palpable sense of elation onto an already hedonistic downtown-Red Light District, and gave the Webmasters who stayed over an experience they will never forget.

The show itself was produced with the same efficiency and European grace that sets all these events apart. The last one was in Cannes, France, and while that one had a gorgeous medieval city and that gosh-darn lovely Mediterranean coastline to recommend it, the set-up - show floor layout, seminar planning, and other assorted logistics - were better this time, no doubt due to familiarity with the venue. The AOE and World Telemedia booths were once again kept separate, but there were more of each to peruse, and the seminars, though very low in turnout, get an "A" for organization, and multi-media bells and whistles.

I wasn't able to make the opening night Interclimax party, which was apparently packed to the rafters with beautiful women, and there were very few if any other official parties, but partying the night away was never a problem, to say the least. Profuse thanks go to Toine of Python for taking about 25 people out to the Supper Club for four hours (!) of bacchanalia and dinner, and to Greg Dumas, who treated a bunch of us to the most delicious Indonesian food I've ever eaten. The Consumption Junction gang was there, crazy and really nice, and in rare form. Same thing goes for the Sweets, who you could always hear coming a few blocks away, and for everyone else in fact, including the crew I hung with: Leslie Sharp, Chuck Tsiamis, D-Money (in heaven!), Jennifer Rosenblatt, Kimberly Wilbur, and Katie Smith.

NYC Expo

The first annual NYC Expo took place April 24 -27 at the Hilton New York & Towers. The show was attended by Webmasters of all levels of experience, allowing for a high level of networking for the veteran attendees and a ton of education for the newbies. There were two days of informative seminars, and three nights of partying, New York City-style. For the opening night welcome party, everyone was invited to the Hilton Ballroom for an all-nighter, complete with open bar and entertainment.

The second night was spent at the popular Sessa Club, where a VIP room was set up with open bar, deejay, and entertainment. Last but not least was the closing party at Scores Gentlemen's Cabaret, where attendees enjoyed a full dinner buffet that included seafood, lobster tails, steaks, carving stations, and an open bar.

All in all, the attendees took full advantage of the intimacy of the NYC Expo to create valuable relationships. If you're looking for a show that will generate business while also letting you enjoy the posh nightlife of New York City, the NYC Expo is the only event of its kind.