Hustler - The Fine Art of Escorting

2000 - Mona Lisa celebrates 10 years of providing superb sexual services.
Leonardo da Vinci's painting of the Mona Lisa is regarded as the epitome of pulchritude and style. Small wonder then that the owner of Sydney's classiest escort agency decided to call the business Mona Lisa. The name suggests elegance, style and bewitching beauty, and also has that hint of classical European tradition about it. Supreme quality and discretion are the watchwords at this superb home of pleasure, as Rod Hardy discovered when he caught up with Mona Lisa's international booking co-ordinator, Amanda Bonatti. 

Mona Lisa models aren't cheap in any sense of the word. They represent the cream of Sydney's escort scene, and that's why it will cost you anywhere between $500 to $5000 an hour to have such a woman join you. They're sensational ladies and they're reserved for those who can afford them. Top girl at the agency is adult-erotica star Melissa Foxxx, for whose hourly company the five-grand fee applies. There are, for the less affluent, 11 ladies listed in the $500 - $600 an hour 'Deluxe' category on the Mona Lisa Models website.

It's obvious from such figures that not just any woman can become a Mona Lisa escort. They have to be between 18 and 28, they have to be drop-dead gorgeous and they must have confident, outgoing personalities. And those qualifications only get them through the door.

After acceptance at Mona Lisa, the new recruits must take deportment classes, and receive tutoring in the art of seduction and high-class entertainment. They're also trained to perfect a number of specific sexual techniques. They are taken shopping for designer clothing and lingerie, and provided with a pack that holds their tools of trade - 3 or 4 fantasy outfits, vibrators, oils and lotions of all kinds, cock ring, handcuffs, feathers, candles - you name it! By the time they're ready to take calls, they're perfect ladies who can be taken to any social function and hold their own in any conversation. Take them to the bedroom, and they out class every woman you've been with before.

The only thing you don't get are their hearts. For most clients that's a huge relief. What they pay for - what you can pay for - is a good time without complications. The model takes your money, you take her body and her charms, and the world is as right as rain. It's an eternal transaction that shows no sign of going out of vogue in the 21st century. And thank heavens for that!

Of course there will always be those who rail against prostitution, be it of the street-illegal kind, or of the sort we're examining here. Preachers fulminate against women who sell their bodies and charms, and men who hire those women for their pleasure. Such a transaction, they claim, is against the laws of God, violates marriage vows, degrades the participants, and leads to health catastrophes. Such dramatic, sensational pronouncements fit the show-biz requirements of those fighting for the Soul Dollar.

The truth of the matter, however, is that escort services are crucial to the social and sexual wellbeing of many men. Whether they're lonely, between partners, or neglected on the home front, millions of men worldwide need women to satisfy their need for company, for aesthetic beauty and for sexual intimacy. Quality callgirls do it with a smile. They are, in truth, as essential to society as psychologists, stockbrokers and gym instructors.

Further, the nature of transactions at the upper-end of the market is remarkably uncomplicated, and utterly devoid of sordidness. Men phone and say what sort of woman they want. The agency lines up a girl, and confirms the fee. The girl is taken to meet the client at his five-star hotel. The driver waits downstairs till he is phoned to say things are fine. The woman entertains the man, anywhere from one hour to several days, and is then driven back by her chauffeur.

The stock clichès are defied daily. It's not like in the movies. Guys don't go ballistic, and subject the girl to personal S / M fantasies. Nor do they scream and shout and refuse to pay, at least not when faced with one of these girls. Amanda says she can't remember the last time somebody cancelled or was unhappy with one of their ladies. The high-class girl, in turn, doesn't project disdain, or false bonhomie.

She isn't there in the hope that she will find a rescuer. She performs her duties with natural friendliness, and leaves the experience behind her at the door, although many ladies have their favorite clients whom they look forward to seeing again. In other words, what Mona Lisa facilitates is business. Like all successful businesses, it makes sure its representatives are courteous, caring and very accommodating.

The only difference is that its salespeople are all stunners, and what they're selling are their superior talents and companionship. Apart from that, Mona Lisa is like any other top-notch business. They listen, they provide, and they satisfy. And they charge in proportion to their outstanding expertise.

* * * * * *

"The art of cultivating well-bred ladies with excellent deportment and grace is an art the world has almost lost. But not at Mona Lisa." The speaker is Amanda Bonatti, a key member of the Mona Lisa Models management team. Amanda exhibits the very qualities she seeks in the girls who work for her, and is a latter-day wonder.

She is part manager, part PR executive, part booking agent, part deportment coach, part confidante to her charges. She also works round the clock to keep the business ticking.
With her long, dark hair, olive skin and refined manner, she is a wonderful role model to new and younger ladies.

"When any of our girls is on an overseas assignment, I'm on 24-hour call," she tells me. "They have to check in whenever their routine changes. Clients will often jet them off to another city for lunch and dinner, so they call me at whatever time it is overseas. It's the high-flying, champagne lifestyle for some people!" she laughs appealingly.

70% of Mona Lisa bookings are by visitors from interstate or overseas, with 20% local clientele. Given that the remaining 10% of bookings include the ladies travelling overseas or interstate, this can mean a fair amount of overtime for Amanda. Yet this apparent inconvenience doesn't phase her in the least.

"I'm so used to it that I just do it automatically. I don't mind at all. I love what I do." So she must. And one can understand why. Matching up people to ensure a good time is a challenging task, and one that requires understanding, skill and experience - plus a little instinct.

"There's no cancellation fee, and no financial obligation if the client isn't satisfied," explains Amanda. "That means it's important to get things right first time. The key to our success is being very honest on the phone. A client has particular things in mind, and we make absolutely sure we know what those are. The requirements are usually physical, but it's also important to know the type of person they want.

"We've never had a problem with an overseas client, and rarely have problems with others - our methods go a long way towards preventing dissatisfied clientele. Mona Lisa is about the quality of the experience, from the ladies' looks, personalities and service, to our firm commitment to discretion and honesty. Our clientele pay for the privilege of receiving quality every time, not taking pot luck from less discerning sources."

The minimum booking for an overseas assignment is three days, and the girls end up in places as diverse as Singapore and London. The opportunity to travel overseas is one of the job's attractions. So is the opportunity to ride in limousines and private jets, to receive expensive gifts of jewellery, and to live a life immersed in fantasy. Money, and lifestyle, are the main attractions for these ambitious women.

"The work gives them a chance to attain a much higher level of lifestyle," says Amanda. "If a girl works four nights a week, and works consistently for five or 10 years, she could quite conceivably retire after that and be very, very comfortable. "Most girls will become very rich at a young age, and will come and go from the industry as their finances demand. Most of them earn an income that would rival that of some of the top CEOs in the world.

"For those who work less frequently, the work can provide the funds for a lengthy overseas trip, a house or a car." While the lure of such an earning capacity is immense, there is little prospect of a girl born in poverty becoming a cash-rich callgirl. "The girls who come to us have middle to upper-class backgrounds, and are well-educated," Amanda explains.

"They are well spoken and move easily in distinguished social circles. Apart from having extreme sexual confidence, they know how to carry themselves, how to hold a quality conversation, how to dine properly, and how to be comfortable and relaxed in any setting."

**My mind immediately leaps to the 'Pretty Woman' scenario. Does escorting provide serious relationship opportunities for the girls? Are there several Julia Roberts characters on the books waiting for a knight-in-a-shining-condom to carry them away to domesticity in a well-appointed penthouse? Amanda quickly shatters this celluloid fantasy.

"Working girls regard such a scenario with deep suspicion," she says. "The essence of the interaction with a client is that of a pleasant business arrangement. It is unnatural for such a relationship to become serious or romantic. It is very difficult for a relationship of this nature to transcend the bounds of business.

It can and does happen, but it’s very rare indeed, and is generally looked upon by those in the high-class industry as very distasteful. You know the saying – 'Never mix the business with personal.' - We've never seen this situation work out, either for the client or the model..

"It would certainly be very difficult for any model to make the necessary sacrifices if she's going to quit the business. She's used to earning a lot of money and living a life filled with excitement and variety. She'd lose that if she stopped working to pursue a firm relationship." This lifestyle, I think out loud, would surely prevent a callgirl from enjoying a steady relationship while plying her trade. Yet this proves not to be the case.

"Some of the girls do have boyfriends," says Amanda. "One of them has been going with the same guy for seven years, although she began escorting for us about nine months ago. Before that, she was an interior decorator. "It's not a situation a lot of men could handle. It's very difficult for a boyfriend who has never worked in the sex industry to relate to sex work. Those who've worked in the business understand that it's about business, and are much more likely to handle it. It takes a very special man to be suitably supportive and loving when his lover is a callgirl."

I ask the predictable question about health risks, and Amanda quickly sets me straight. "Working girls are the cleanest you'll find anywhere," she confidently asserts. "They're not out there having casual, unsafe sex like many other women of their age. They never forget the safety aspect of what they're doing, whether at work or in private.

They always use a condom, and have regular medical checks and blood tests. In fact, part of our tutoring involves teaching ladies how to protect themselves healthwise. We always refer them to reputable doctors and health clinics for sexual health certificates. That's as much for the girl's peace of mind as anyone else's. She wants to continue developing her career, life and family once she leaves escorting. She doesn't want any nasty reminders.

"You must also remember that their work isn't just about the sex act. This might involve only 20 or 30 minutes of a girl's time. She will attend a lot of social functions, and in private she will dance, strip and do a vibrator show. She must use the full art of seduction." Much of that seductiveness takes place inside the rooms of this, and other countries' best-equipped hotels. Is high-class prostitution an accepted activity inside such high-profile establishments? The short answer to that question is "yes."

"We're both part of a big-city culture, and therefore we do work together in a certain sense," comments Amanda. "People on the desks at leading hotels are very tolerant and polite. There's nothing sleazy or disrespectful about their attitude to our girls. "In point of fact, we often find concierges approaching our drivers for a business card.

Their guests often ask them about escort services, and they much prefer to have sophisticated, discreet and well-presented escorts working in their rooms than those with lesser social skills and 'party' lifestyles. "Our girls dress as businesswomen and are faultless in appearance. They are professional and discreet. Their presence causes no problem."

It's not just that Mona Lisa girls are presentable and discreet. Their presence brings financial benefits to the hotels. "It's appreciated that guests entertaining callgirls are more likely to order champagne and food, and view in-house movies on pay-TV. Having a working girl stay the night is definitely good for business," says Amanda.

I find it hard to believe that high-class callgirls always remain attentive and enthusiastic while serving the needs of such a diverse clientele. Amanda, however, tells me I've no right to be skeptical. "Only girls with the right skills are employed," she says. "We only take warm and personable women who are also very sexual people. They are totally comfortable with their bodies, and enjoy being worshipped for their beauty. Any girl with any problem concerning her sexuality won't be hired.

"These girls are fresh, easygoing and warm. For them it's a pleasure to be touched, watched and worshipped. "They also have compassion. They know what their clients need, and they make no judgments about this. They treat them with the utmost respect, and are respected in return. They're paid to provide an outstanding professional service, and they are able to deliver under all conditions."

Given the "performance" dimension of the job, along with the ritzy settings, isn't there a danger that the girls slip off into a fantasy world? "Yes, it's true that can happen, particularly with the younger girls," agrees Amanda. "That's why we prefer it when our girls do other work as well. We employ girls who also do things like modelling, dancing, teaching or nursing.

When they work only as callgirls, they can lose touch with reality. That's not what we want. "When we see ladies starting to go down that path, we try to chat with them and bring them back down to earth, although reality normally does it for us shortly after - nobody likes a prima donna!"

It's good to hear that the management at Mona Lisa cares about such things. Amanda is also adamant that her girls are not seen or treated as mere moneymaking devices. "The management here is wonderful," she says.

"There is a certain level of strictness, but we look after the girls very well and both parties are extremely loyal to one other. "If a girl is upset about an experience, we deal with it carefully and very supportively.

This doesn't often happen, but the girls know we care and will always be there for them." Such consideration is reflected in management's unwillingness to see its business purely in terms of numbers.

"This definitely isn't about getting the maximum number of girls together with the maximum number of men," says Amanda. "We weed out those callers who will not make good clients.

Anyone who sounds arrogant or uses unsuitable language or tone of voice is not going to be able to hire one of our girls. We don't deal with such people. "Sometimes it's just instinct that tells us we shouldn't send a lady to the caller. It doesn't cost anything to be a gentleman."

True gentlemen, thankfully, are not in short supply. Amanda tells us: "It's very common for our girls to come back from an appointment and tell us that the client was a lovely and considerate man whom they'd love to see again. Others will say, 'He was alright, but maybe arrange another girl for him next time.'

"That's an okay scenario because management doesn't push the idea of regular link-ups between girls and clients, even though many clients stick with one or two girls they prefer. The whole point of a callgirl service, after all, is to offer clients variety, and variety is what most of them are after."

Who are these clients? Mostly, they range in age from the early 30s to the late 50s – businessmen who have made their mark in the world and have surplus capital to play with. Some of them want one lady at a time. Others ask for several ladies for themselves or to meet the needs of their friends as well.

"The minimum is usually one lady per gentleman," explains Amanda. "Sometimes the action is communal. Sometimes each couple goes to a separate room."

Whatever is needed for the ultimate good time, Mona Lisa provides it. The 40 or so ladies on their books have been handpicked to meet the needs of fussy blokes with bucks to fund their ultimate desires. Only the very best women will keep getting such gigs. After 10 years in town, Mona Lisa is still doing a roaring trade. This fact alone speaks volumes for the quality of the business's services.
"We have around 85% return clientele, which says it all," comments Amanda.

* * * * *

As Amanda shows me out, I meet one of the working girls. With an exotic name, and an exotic figure to match, she could effortlessly meet any fantasy I threw at her. And I get to look at a lot of naked flesh. I'm Rod Hardy, one very discerning connoisseur. This girl, however, has disarmed me, and taunted my dick, in a matter of seconds. This is, I recognize, the Mona Lisa way.

Nowhere else in Sydney is it going to get any better than this.

I cannot help but be impressed with Mona Lisa and its cast-list of fantasy women. Fantasy, though, isn't all they offer. Unlike photo models and strippers, these babes aren't just about tease and titilation. They talk the talk, then they walk the walk.

To pleasure and entertain men in such an all-encompassing way, night after night, takes skill, courage, insight, endless attention to self-image, and supreme levels of confidence. These girls are sexual Olympians, and deserve our adoring recognition for their feats.

It's heartening to know that wherever there is a gentleman with a stiff dick-wand, and a burning desire, there is a working girl somewhere who will meet that need, and do it with a willing smile. That's nothing short of incredible.

Granted, the services of the Mona Lisa girls aren't available to any gentleman with a boner. At the absolute top of the market, it's only the rich, the powerful and the fortunate who will spend the night with an erotic artist from this auspicious establishment.

It is, after all, the only agency in Australia to date with rates beginning at $500 per hour, which seems appropriate since their standards are unlike those of any other agency in Australia.

But that's what a man works hard for. To the victor go the spoils. That's the way capitalism, and life, works. One day, you might hire your own Mona Lisa model. Why not? It's cheaper than buying a Leonardo original, and this woman won't just stare at you beguilingly - she'll tease and fuck you into helpless submission.

Like good Italians, I think these people have just given us "an offer we shouldn't refuse." Are we worthy of it? Time to pick up the phone and find out. More information about Mona Lisa is available at www.monalisamodels.com.

Rod Hardy

One of them has been going with the same guy for seven years, although she began escorting for us about nine months ago. Before that, she was an interior decorator.