Best of the Naturist World

This is another no-brainer.

At the top of anyone's list is the Naturist Action Committee. Founded in 1993 by Lee Baxandall and other naturists, the NAC "was created to meet the challenge of anti-nudity regulations and legislation that threaten the recreational choices and way of life for thousands of naturists throughout North America."

In the recent past, the NAC has been on the front lines representing naturist interests in Vermont, Seattle, Michigan, San Onofre Beach, Huntington Beach, and Wreck Beach. Board member Mark Storey attended the meeting in Seattle, and it was the NAC lawsuit which was instrumental in keeping San Onofre Beach clothing-optional.

All NAC board members are identified by name and photo, and can be contacted anytime by e-mail. These dedicated individuals serve as role models for any naturist, not only for their hard work, but for their fearlessness in being honest and open about their lifestyle and philosophies.

Please join me today in making a donation to the Naturist Action Committee to help preserve our freedom.

Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked

Best of the Naturist World

Anyone who has ever Googled the Internet looking for nudist resorts has certainly come across a photo of Mary Clare and her dog Godiva (photo above). The both live at the Terra Cotta Inn Clothing Optional Resort in sunny Palm Springs, California, which has been named one of the top ten places in the world to get naked.

Now I know that Mary Clare's husband Tom Mulhall works tirelessly to promote the resort, especially with his popular blog which is updated nearly every day. Tom is a past President of the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce, and is constantly touting the weather, attractions and beauty of the city. And I have no doubt that the Terra Cotta Inn deserves all the accolades it receives, and I would love to visit sometime.

But, for this particular blog post, I want to pay tribute to Mary Clare. Is there a brighter and friendlier smile anywhere? I don't think so. And is there a better model anywhere for a nudist resort? Absolutely not.

When you take the time to peruse all of Tom's posts on his blog, it's the photos of Mary Clare that draw all the attention. While Tom is letting you know about airfare deals, room availability, and Palm Springs special events, Mary Clare is playing roulette, hanging ornaments on a Christmas tree, floating in the pool, modeling jewelry, serving Thanksgiving dinner to guests, and so much more - all in the nude, wearing only that wonderful smile.

Tom boasts that Terra Cotta Inn has one of the highest repeat rates in the travel industry. It could be because of the fantastic weather, the luxurious rooms, the spa services, the beautiful garden-like grounds, the poolside breakfasts, the outdoor pool and Jacuzzi that keeps bringing people back, but I really think the secret to the success of the Terra Cotta Inn is Mary Clare's infectious smile and her uninhibited generousity in posing for photos.

So here's to Mary Clare, one of the Best of the Naturist World!

The Terra Cotta Inn Web Site
The Terra Cotta Inn Yahoo Group

The Terra Cotta Inn Blog (NSFW)

The Terra Cotta Inn Blog 2 (SFW)

The Terra Cotta Inn Flickr Photos

Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked

Best of the Naturist World

One of the first naturist sites I found that really inspired my closet nudism out into the open was SunnyDay.

SunnyDay has been writing about her naturist adventures since 2000. Her writings seem sincere and honest and embrace the best of naturist philosophies. Her stories read like fiction, and after you spend some time with SunnyDay, her family and friends, you will want to run outside and throw off your clothes.

Her earliest writings took me back to the days of my youth in rural Massachusetts, where I would sunbathe nude when my parents were not at home. The freedom of laying out in the yard with only the air and sun on my skin is a wonderful memory. I always wanted to venture out into the woods in the nude but never mustered up the courage, but I remember the urge was very compelling. Perhaps this is why I particularly enjoyed my visit to Cedar Trails which allowed me to roam freely in the woods and open fields. SunnyDay wrote about her first venture into an open field.

I stood there beside that post for a moment or so reveling in my feelings – feeling the grass, the wind, the warmth of the sunshine that had just come out, and the openness of the grassy hills surrounding me. I tried to picture in my mind what I must look like standing there in the open like that –just me as nature intended - not even a scrunchie in my hair. At that point a certain feeling of confidence came over me. I’ve always enjoyed being nude, but now I realized that I could be nude outdoors without the necessity of having clothes near by. Does that make me more nude?

SunnyDay gets to the very heart of what naturism is all about, to experience true freedom, to be one with nature. This is something everyone should experience.

In her latest story, SunnyDay writes about a discussion she had with her friends about expanding their circle of nudists. Her friend Julie exclaimed:

“Oh come on, people! You know I’m right. And you all know we’re right about liking to be out here like this. This is part of who we are. We need to share it. We need to share ourselves. We do. Cautiously, yes, but we need to do this. And we’ve got all winter long to make something happen. And what else are we gonna do? Thank about it - not much. Better to be doing something to make things better than just – I don’t know – griping and whining and wishing things were somehow different than they are. What good is that!”

The friends all agreed to bring at least one new person on their nude camping adventure this summer. It's a challenge that all nudists and naturists should adopt for themselves.

Thank you SunnyDay for being a part of what is the Best of the Naturist World.

Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked

Best of the Naturist World

In the first post of this series, I paid tribute to Lee Baxandall, who is representative of naturism's past and present. In this post, I tip my hat to The Academic Naturist, who represents the future of the nude lifestyle.

Nudist and naturist blogs come and go, but I think TAN is in for the long haul. Aside from being a strong supporter of The Naturist Society and the core principles of naturism, TAN writes about nudist issues with both his heart and his mind. In his post Naked on the Net! he writes:

My girlfriend and I now have naked pictures of ourselves on the Internet. She doesn't care in the slightest, with exception that the pictures aren't very flattering. (The good ones are in our brag book!) I'm a bit more uneasy about the concept, but it's something I need to get over if I hope to join the elite.

TAN understands, as do I, that nudism and naturism cannot survive unless the people who life the life, and profess to be unashamed, begin "coming out" to family and friends. Only them will the stigma begin to fade. Although I have not revealed myself to the readers of this blog, my lifestyle is known to my wife, my daughter and a few friends, and obviously to fellow naturists. I still have a way to go before I can call myself an absolute naturist.

I have no doubt that TAN will eventually realize his ambition end up among the "elite". In one of his posts Recaps and Winter Plans, he described his trip to Lee Baxandall's memorial service:

After the service, I got to hang out with the TNS crew at their office for a while. I was finally able to meet Bob Morton and Mark Storey, both of which have bright minds and write some great articles. Mark brought up that they are always looking for new articles, and hinted that I could be a part of that. So far, I don't think I've written anything that matches their quality of work... Have I?

I suggest that the folks at TNS take the time to read The Academic Naturist and take note of the work he has done in creating The World-Wide Nudist Collaboration Wiki, and in writing posts like Review & Guide: Mazo Beach, and What About the Children?!

Most importantly, TAN understands the link between naturism and the current crisis of global warming, and can help to lead the lifestyle into the 21st century. As he noted in his introduction nearly two years ago:

I like to research and contribute to everything that I see as a good idea. This list includes things like technology (an obvious favorite), environmentalism and the whole "green" movement, and nudity. Although the last doesn't appear to fit in very well, I assure you that it's important and deserving of more research and support. I wouldn't have started this blog if it wasn't.

Without new voices from younger naturists, the movement is doomed. The Academic Naturist is a breath of fresh air on the Internet. Where most "nudist" and "naturist" web sites are out to make a buck, or to peddle porn, his mission is clear and true to naturist philosophies. As far as I'm concerned, he's already joined the elite.

Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked

Best of the Naturist World

It's fitting that the first post in this series should honor Lee Baxandall, who died on November 28, 2008, from Parkinson's Disease.

Lee was born in 1935 and is primarily known as the founder of The Naturist Society, although he was also a writer, editor and critic. His extensive obituary can be found here, and the TNS alert on his death and impact can be found here.

Baxandall's work and influence on the naturist movement is beyond measure. Aside from founding TNS, he was the first editor of Nude and Natural magazine, was one of the originators of National Nude Weekend and later National Nude Week in the United States, organized and sponsored the first nationwide naturist gathering, and founded the Naturist Action Committee and the Naturist Education Foundation.

In honor of Lee's contributions, a walkway at a naturist resort in Palm Springs, California, was dedicated as the Lee R. Baxandall Bridge.

Lee Baxandall's World Guide to Nude Beaches and Resorts (1998) is available through Amazon.com.

Here are a few web links to learn more about Lee Baxandall.

Baring Witness
AANR tribute

Wikipedia Article

Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked

Best of the Naturist World

Previously I announced that I was going to compile a list of the top ten nudists/naturist people and web sites, and I wish to thank everyone who made a suggestion. I have modified by project a little, and will instead be doing a series of Best of the Naturist World posts where I will pay tribute to the people, places, clubs and web sites which have made positive contributions to nudism and naturism. Again, I invite all of you out there to make nominations by emailing me.

After compiling all the information I had to make my intended lists, I decided that a running feature would be preferable for a variety of reasons, chief among them the fact that I couldn't decide on the order of importance, and it seemed unfair to limit the number to ten. Also, since I came across to many unsavory characters and salacious web sites in my searching, I will be running a concurrent series of posts Worst of the Naturist World as a contrast. There's a lot of trash out there.

Again, please email me anytime with suggestions. Look for the first post in this series soon.

Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked