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B Fresh Photography

Jean Bardot's Fetish Ball 2011

E.L. James is coming to town on Thursday. Don't know who she is? Well, 1,343 people are currently requesting her first book, 50 Shades of Grey, in the Hennepin County Public Library system (and that's not including 393 requests for the audiobook). Back in May, the Times gave us national attention when it reported 2,121 requests in the system, a number the paper called "more holds than anyone can remember on a single title."

So, Hennepin County readers like their BDSM literotica. Which could be why James, the breakout British author behind Grey and the other two books that round out its trilogy, included the Edina Barnes & Noble on a mini-tour of six U.S. cities this month. (Her other stops: Houston, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles).

Feverish fans can start lining up at 9 a.m. on Thursday in order to ensure a wristband to James's 7 p.m. signing, and stay tuned to see how many desperate housewives of Edina storm the bookstore (the trilogy's main readership is married women over 30). But while we wait for the queen of "Mommy Porn," there are plenty of places in our state that would put Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, the star couple in the 50 Shades series, to... if not shame, than at least to greater pleasure.

Here's our list of the 50 sexiest things about Minnesota. Think we missed something? Please tell us in the comments. Sexiness is worth sharing.

See also:
- "Fifty Shades of Grey" most popular book in Hennepin libraries, banned in Fond du Lac
- 50 Reasons Minnesota is the best state in America
- 50 Fun Things to Do in Minnesota
- 50 Reasons to love Minneapolis/St. Paul

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As an outspoken advocate for carnal satisfaction for all consenting adults regardless of kink, columnist Dan Savage was destined to raise the intolerant ire of a segment of the population devoted to decrying such acts as shamefully depraved. Rather than attempt polite diplomacy, however, Savage has consistently inflamed his critics (and even angered some allies) by responding with gleefully indecorous barbs and sardonically provocative actions. Here then, in anticipation of Friday night's Savage Love Live at the Pantages Theatre, are five of Savage's most memorably controversial moments:

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Photo by Christopher Staton

On September 23, 1991, an alternative weekly newspaper named The Stranger launched in Seattle. Inside that first issue was Savage Love, a sex-advice column infused with the irreverent wit of openly gay author Dan Savage. In the twentysomething years since, Savage Love has become a syndicated staple of publications across the United States, as well as Canada, Europe, and Asia. Forgoing any semblance of staid gentility, Savage's incisive responses are crafted with an encyclopedic knowledge of sexual mores, an unwavering respect for the fulfillment of personal kinks, and frank language guaranteed to draw the wrath of morality squads. Whether read as a practical reference guide or a vicarious guilty pleasure, the column has paved a career path for its creator, establishing Savage as the leading authority of carnality.

In addition to books, podcasts, an MTV program titled Savage U, and ongoing speaking engagements, Savage has also co-founded the It Gets Better Project with his husband of seven years, Terry Miller. In anticipation of Savage Love Live at the Pantages Theatre this Friday, City Pages spoke with him about the contemporary state of sex in America.

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The main virtual hall

​By Paul T. Bradley

This past weekend, XBiz and Red Light Center hosted the Adult Entertainment Virtual Convention, porn's first online-exclusive gathering in a 3-D web environment called "Utherverse." If that all sounds a bit strange and complicated -- you don't even know the half of it.

Most conventions are pants-mandatory kinds of affairs -- even those of the adult nature. For the world's first virtual porn convention, however, I'm not wearing any (relax...I'm in my PJs).

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Jean Bardot & Charger on the cover

​This week's cover story, Bound for Love, is in part a first-hand account of my entrance into the Twin Cities fetish world. For the past six months, I have studied fetish, learned first-hand about kink culture through veterans of the community, workshops and meetings, and most importantly, I went in-depth into the lives of 8 local fetish practitioners, getting a glimpse of what makes them tick.

After previously covering Jean Bardot's fetish ball this past August, I knew I had to do a story about this fascinating community. The performances were spectacular, the attendees were happily socializing, but most of all, this community has been around for 40 years and receives no good press (or no press at all). 

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