So we're smack-dab in the middle of Pride Week and the city's nearly bursting with things to see and people to do but where was I amidst all of this excess and debauchery? I wasn't at Big Primpin', pretty much the only party worth a damn that night.

No sir, I was in Mississauga, exploring the X-Club one of a number of swinger's clubs clustered in one of those industrial parks that I always get lost in whenever I venture outside Toronto.

Thankfully, I had a pair of guides, two regulars who had very kindly offered to drive us there. I also had a date because you don't go to a place like that all by your lonesome; that's just creepy and wrong.

As we talked about the scene, we learned that a big part of the appeal when it comes to the location of these clubs is discretion. Some of the folks who go don't necessarily want their neighbors or family knowing what they're up to and, unlike with Club Wicked, you're not lining up in your neighborhood.

Another aspect of it, according to our guides, was improving relationships between couples. This makes sense to me. If you have partner who honestly encourages your fantasies instead of trying to repress you, it seems like there'd be a good chance of strengthening the emotional bound between you two. Think about it, how many relationships have you known where either partner couldn't satisfy their desires solely with their partner? Leaving aside all of the binary moral discussions of sex versus love, there are quite a few solid case studies to draw from and I for one wouldn't dream of suggesting that monogamy is the only way to go.

Like any scene, there's a whole lot more going on than the main event. These places really function as a place for like-minded folk to get together and have a good time. As everyone knows, it's far nicer to be able to take some things for granted and not have to worry about justifying your predilections to those around you.

So not everyone's there to hook up but the X-Club, while having a vibe similar to any kind of social outing, is also very, very hot. Quite a few folks got up on stage for a swing on the pole and I haven't seen this much petting outside of a gay club.

That being said, it was a very heteronormative environment and while some women were playing together, I didn't see any guys doing the same. Granted, since this is an off-premises club (people hook up elsewhere) a lot of hijinks could be happening but I keep on asking myself whether this is something that's frowned upon or just indicative of it being more socially acceptable for women to play with each other.

Even so, everyone was so friendly! I have never been to any club (aside from a couple of raves at the Guv) where people were so welcoming to newcomers. In several conversations with other newbies, I found they were having similar experiences and it seemed like the kind of place one could easily enter the scene through.

Better yet, I found myself in the bathroom, talking to guy at the next urinal. How often does that happen without any ulterior motives or uncomfortable silences? That is perhaps one of the coolest things that's happened to me in a club, ever.

Unfortunately, we had to leave far too soon and that was just as my date and I were testing out the beds too (strictly for research purposes, I swear). I will be back.

Coming back downtown, I was struck by how good a time I'd had. The club was a great environment, full of friendly people who know how to have a good time, and it stands in stark contrast to my experience at Club Wicked.

If you and your partner have ever had the urge to try something different (and you have the means to get there), you really can't do any better than the X-Club.