Post: #1

Any of you guys ever think of doing this? Or ever been a part of one?

I think it'd be an awesome idea in a great international location. Especially if the fees were high enough to keep a private bar open where members could relax away from the bullshit or even to take their chicks late night while they kicked it with the boys. My thoughts were if you were in Asia somewhere you could keep a full-time bartender working and charge everyone per drink (so people cover their share if they drink more) but nothing more than cost for the liquor. Bartender's salary and overhead would come out of the member fees.

Same for a cook to keep the grub rolling, etc. If outsiders were ever allowed in, they'd pay full price for a cocktail.

Another great extension on the idea would be to pool money together and rent a mansion, like the poker players over there do. Of course, with that scenario, not all members could stay at the place - at least not year round.

It would be cool to stay in close contact with like-minded men, etc, and actually have a real place to chill rather than just trading ideas on a forum. The big issue I could see was the resulting politics and drama - some of the drama that occurs on the forum stands as a good example of the bullshit that could arise.

Just tossing some ideas out there. I've been rolling the concept around in my brain lately as a way to make an international location especially comfortable and sustainable for the long run. With the right group of guys, you could even leverage your resources, build local contacts, and start making some real moves in the community.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #2

Done it, tough to allocate -- can't be empty, can't be busy.

I have a new system I came up with to allocate places and penalize no-shows.

Hit me up if you're serious.

Post: #3

a fight club i want to start, no one wants to fight these days

Post: #4

(11-08-2012 06:06 AM)bojangles Wrote:  a fight club i want to start, no one wants to fight these days

What are you doing breaking rules 1 and 2?

Post: #5

The guys from ProjectGetaway is doing exactly what you're describing.

This thread may be of interest to you: /thread-2693.html

Post: #6

I've been wanting to start a gentleman's club since reading about the drones club in Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCXwtETzQ9s ,

with a formal dress code; women in only a small, drab, area--and in residences; a secrecy policy--nothing said in the club can be repeated outside it without permission; and quiet areas for study / running businesses and then group business rooms (with all necessary equipment) for teams.

All that's needed is 20 or so educated and cultured men with an entrepreneurial disposition--this includes professional men. (Think of the money that would come from the industry that a distraction free, no-PC zone, would allow.)

Post: #7

Yeah I'd like to try out a fight club and see if it actually does lead to personal nihilistic change.

Post: #8

The thing is the Drones Club in the Jeeves and Wooster series is a bunch of upper class guys who are doing a whole lot of nothing with their lives, "Wastrels". The dues have to be high because real estate in a centrally located area is going to be expensive.

Post: #9

(11-08-2012 04:24 PM)n0000 Wrote:  The thing is the Drones Club in the Jeeves and Wooster series is a bunch of upper class guys who are doing a whole lot of nothing with their lives, "Wastrels". The dues have to be high because real estate in a centrally located area is going to be expensive.

Benjamin Franklin started and ran men's clubs. Him and the men he associated with were certainly doing something with their lives. It depends on the premise of the club. If it's nothing but a social club, time investment could just be minimal to allow for other life goals to be pursued - the benefits would be surrounding yourself with like-minded people.

Dues would not have to be all that high if you're renting a posh place in Southeast Asia, like a city on the coast of Thailand, for instance. They wouldn't be dirt cheap but not expensive either (even a full-time bartender could be had for $300 a month).

If there was a business/investment side to the club, experts could be hired to come speak from time to time.

With enough guys spending enough time in the city to pay the annual fees, the overhead would be pocketchange, in my opinion. Fundraising could be a part of it too.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #10

Great idea BB. I'd love something like that, say something like the Project Gateway but for like minded guys who love to build global business and hunt international lizards around the world. South East Asia would be awesome. I know for a fact that in Thailand you can have a crazy sick place for about 1-2k month. Think 3-4 bedroom villa with a private pool. The guys at theelevatorlife.com have something like that where they live together with 3-4 guys who are their partners/friends in probably the sickest building in the entire Guangzhou and they pay like 2k/month and between them, it's like 4-500/month. They just moved into a totally sick 4 bedroom apartment with all the amenities you could ask for from a 5 star resort. Including a mega olympic size swimming pool. All for about 500 each!!!! And to think that I'm paying 2k/month for my condo here in Boretown, this is mind bogging!

I'd love to have something like this going on with similar minded guys, each working on our own projects/businesses while motivating, inspiring and pushing each other to go the extra mile in our own projects. And of course, living it up partying like total rockstars and slaying the best talent available.

I had started this topic last year but it didn't go anywhere. I'm posting the link to it to give you an idea of the calibre of places available in say Chiang Mai, Thailand.
/thread-8950.html

I'm all ears, so go ahead guys and let's all brainstorm here about this.

Post: #11

Since I'm going to Chiang Mai is a few months and have been mulling over this idea, this would be perfect timing so I'm definitely up for doing this.

I really think fights and argument comes from trivial things like someone makes a mess and not cleaning it up. I'd look into getting a bigger place with 2 extra room for a live-in Maid and Chef to do the cleaning and cooking for us. Having our own bartender would be sweet!

I don't know about Thailand but we know that the landlord usually wants a minimum of 6 month contract here in the west. I'm sure there are places without a long term contract but this would greatly shrink the pool of awesome places to rent.

Vacancier and Beyond, when are you planning on going to CM?

Post: #12

Honestly, I'm not really into living in Chiang Mai. I lived in that city for about 3 and a half years, and it was great, but the whole time I questioned myself about living in the tropics without being on the ocean.

I love access to the ocean and am into scuba diving. I'd like to get into surfing (which kind of rules out Thailand completely) and think it's one of the most realistic activities to participate in if you want to be fit well into old-age. If I was going to ever settle into Chiang Mai long-term, I'd need the discretionary cash for frequent trips out of town.

I've said it before and I'll say it again; if I could find a place like Chiang Mai that was on the ocean, I'd be set - especially if it was a surf destination.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #13

Agreed with you on the need to be near the ocean. How about smaller non touristy cities/towns in south Thailand? Phuket is over run with tourists and over priced. Krabi is cool. Anyone has lived there? I only spent a week there in the summer of 2011 and it was fun. Another good option could be Cambodia and Vietnam. I keep hearing it's great there, beautiful and sexy girls, cheap to live. Anyone who's read Neil's book would get a glimpse of how crazy in a good way it can be. I'm really curious Cambodia and Vietnam. Indonesia also can be good with exotic girls there. Thoughts guys?

Post: #14

(11-08-2012 05:57 PM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  If there was a business/investment side to the club, experts could be hired to come speak from time to time.

With enough guys spending enough time in the city to pay the annual fees, the overhead would be pocketchange, in my opinion. Fundraising could be a part of it too.

Exactly, I'm thinking something like the getaway project but permanent, classier, more mature, more intelligent, more focused, more conducive of inspiration.

Having it in a sweaty Asian shit hole is a bad idea. It should be somewhere northern.

Post: #15

(11-09-2012 02:28 AM)ben-aus Wrote:  Exactly, I'm thinking something like the getaway project but permanent, classier, more mature, more intelligent, more focused, more conducive of inspiration.

Having it in a sweaty Asian shit hole is a bad idea. It should be somewhere northern.

Yeah, I like the idea of a more classy, permanent set-up.

But on your other point, I don't know. While a "sweaty Asian shit hole" might not be a good fit, I think a modern Asian city on the coast would be perfect - tropical and with a great nightlife. It seems like a lot of us here are drawn to living in a location where lifestyle reigns king, and in many of these modern-day Asian locales, high living comes cheap.

For rejecting mainstream society and seeking an international home, this kind of environment is perfect. It just depends on your perspective. The choices you make and how you spend your cash.

We can have all the class, lifestyle, and non-stop action without the stuffy cold-weather clothing and high rent prices. And those who have the additional income can put it towards investments or retirement.

That's the vision I've been working with anyhow...

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #16

(11-08-2012 11:22 AM)ben-aus Wrote:  I've been wanting to start a gentleman's club since reading about the drones club in Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCXwtETzQ9s ,

with a formal dress code; women in only a small, drab, area--and in residences; a secrecy policy--nothing said in the club can be repeated outside it without permission; and quiet areas for study / running businesses and then group business rooms (with all necessary equipment) for teams.

All that's needed is 20 or so educated and cultured men with an entrepreneurial disposition--this includes professional men. (Think of the money that would come from the industry that a distraction free, no-PC zone, would allow.)

You're picking up what I'm putting down.

I think the place would actually operate better if members didn't live there - I think there's too much danger of it turning into a "Real World" vibe and not being sustainable for the long run. But if it was a destination a lot of forum members were interested in living at and everyone just got their own apartments, condos, or houses, the club would be a meeting place, a place to get away from shit, a place to unwind, and a place to relax.

I remember seeing some TV show where in some big city - I think it was New York - there were certain clubs that only billionaires and famous people were allowed into. The high price tag kept the places quiet. They were tranquil, relaxed places where they didn't have to worry about being spotted by the public, etc, and could go work out, take a shower, have a cocktail, get some work done, or just relax.

If we were living in a cheap location, our money pooled together could support something similar - though obviously not as luxurious and pretentious.

Now, I'm not all about completely separating myself from the locals or looking down on them or anything when living in a locale like this, but here's the thing. When you live in Southeast Asia, for instance, times come when you just need to get away from it all. No matter how culturally open-minded you are, if you live there long enough, it adds up and really wears you down, and there are times when you just want to close your eyes and be back in a city back at home just for a second.

In these times, even going to a local expat bar isn't usually enough because they aren't locking out the streets, you know what I mean?

So your only choice is to go hole up in your room for a couple days. Watch some movies, turn off the phone, and order some cuisine that reminds you of home.

A club like the one mentioned above would not only function as a meeting-place of like-minded men in a world where there's not enough of that anymore but would also become your little capsule away from the foreign world you were living in. You could go there and freshen up, have a cocktail, talk business, etc. Close out the exotic for a sec and get your bearings around others who were in the same position.

Obviously, it could be leveraged a lot of other ways for social proof and collaboration among members. The idea that all members were international players staying there as a home base or passing through would open up some amazing networking opportunities as well.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #17

Bump. I think this is still an interesting idea to entertain.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #18

You better have deep pockets to make this happen.

Soho club comes to mind

These clubs are popular in London

Post: #19

Well men's clubs follow the membership model of: current member introduces new member, whole membership must anonymously unanimously accept, if they don't then the introducing member must resign too. This obviously makes everyone in the group agreeable to each other, and generally the same faction, thus keeping impetus for drama at a minimum.

Given that travelers are of wide and varied backgrounds, I don't see how it could work.

Post: #20

I'm keen

The forum and various LINE and whatsapp chat groups that I am on with other RVF members almost act like a virtual mens club to me. Given we are all spread all over the globe I'm not sure how viable it would be to have a permanent place where we can hang out, as it would be tough agreeing on location and how to fund it etc. But I love the idea and am keen to be involved regardless.

Post: #21

Yeah, clearly this would have to be something with a group of guys keen to make a home base, at least for part of the year.

I don't think this would have to be expensive in SOutheast Asia, not starting out. You could pretty much own a bar here and run it just for yourself and friends and it would not set you back a ton. with multiple guys who make a decent salary or revenue from a business it becomes even cheaper.

There are a lot of men's clubs in bangkok, generally for an older membership. I'm going to try to visit one next week to get an idea how they do it.

Distinct, optimistic possibility: Depending on laws, we could get a great chef like Veloce in there even cooking up some dank grub and run it like an actual business with a private clubroom in the back. Finance it with a scheme like the one from the book Slicing Pie (highly recommended if you ever consider a joint venture or partnership) to minimize problems.

You don't have to add a business element but it's at least a possibility. We actually had a private forum back in the day discussing the possibility of some guys from the forum doing something like this in a beach city somewhere. I think that was more oriented towards creating a party/getting laid atmosphere, though. For me I'm more drawn to the idea of a relaxed place for smart international guys to congregate.

Don't know about brushing this off as expensive or challenging. Obviously there would be a ton of obstacles to something like this and a lot of brainstorming needed to make it viable or reasonable, as with any new organized endeavor. Maybe some spins on the way it has been done in the past. To start it could be extremely casual.

I'm just throwing ideas out there like a sounding board, so forgive me if some seem naive.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #22

(07-14-2015 01:32 AM)Phoenix Wrote:  Well men's clubs follow the membership model of: current member introduces new member, whole membership must anonymously unanimously accept, if they don't then the introducing member must resign too. This obviously makes everyone in the group agreeable to each other, and generally the same faction, thus keeping impetus for drama at a minimum.

This sounds like a smart model, but I've never heard of it before. Could you link to a resource that discusses this more?

Post: #23

I'd join this in a heartbeat.

I don't think there's a need to open a full-blown bar unless you are into that. Considering how cheap houses are to rent in SEA you could just start that way to test the waters. Have a well-stocked minibar in a member's house and a pool table, darts board etc. People could contribute towards the upkeep, furniture, drink costs etc. Just a thought.

Post: #24

(07-14-2015 03:42 AM)dreambig Wrote:  I'd join this in a heartbeat.

I don't think there's a need to open a full-blown bar unless you are into that. Considering how cheap houses are to rent in SEA you could just start that way to test the waters. Have a well-stocked minibar in a member's house and a pool table, darts board etc. People could contribute towards the upkeep, furniture, drink costs etc. Just a thought.

Yes, having a rental in a place like this with decent furniture and a well-stocked fridge would really be able all you need.

The real trick is placing it somewhere the forum members regularly frequent. Membership fees for participating in a non-profit club would not be high. The real expense would be in traveling to said location often enough to justify membership.

Bangkok or a similar Thailand location would probably be a good choice, since a lot of members spend time there anyway even without the incentive of membership in a men's club.

Post: #25

(07-14-2015 03:58 AM)Suits Wrote:  Bangkok or a similar Thailand location would probably be a good choice, since a lot of members spend time there anyway even without the incentive of membership in a men's club.

Yeah, BKK might be the best bet unless we it was possible to "sell" enough guys on some other location. Regardless of some of its drawbacks, Bangkok has become a natural meeting place. Seems to be quite a few guys in the Philippines too.

Personally, I would like to relocate near a beach somewheres. Tired of tying myself down to places with no oceanside - for whatever reason it seems to be my tendency since I first moved out here.

Maybe I just need more sidetrips.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling