blog

July 6, 2010

But here's the thing - you folks transformed today into a really great day for me. Today should have been terrible - it should have been just the worst - but luckily, I got/had to cover a shift in mail order, and I got to email and talk with so many of you and you were all just the nicest, loveliest bunch of people I could've encountered. 

Today could have been a day of heavy breathers and non-consensual telephone jerker-offers, but instead every customer (I hesitate to call you customers, because it isn't really about the buying, right?) I interacted with today had awesome questions or just really interesting things to say - even the fellow (who shall remain nameless for confidentiality reasons) who was having troubles with Canada Post delivering his order was so incredibly courteous and said such nice things about Come As You Are that it truly made my day, and probably my week. Similarly, my email interaction about the legal designations of vibrators (see more here tomorrow on this) was equally flattering and just the nicest. Also, one of our favourite special-order-only customers called today, and I always enjoy those chats.

Anyhow, you folks thank us all the time for doing good work, and I just wanted to thank all of you for making it so worthwhile.

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July 4, 2010

The Internet is finally getting an officially sanctioned red-light district! The reality of the XXX domain will probably be a cash grab as folks in the sex industry snap up domains to protect their brands, but there's something appealing about the domain too. If folks kept porn only at .xxx domains (much as porn was segregated voluntarily in usenet back in the day) it would be somewhat easier to keep it away from minors at least. It will be interesting to see who winds up using these domains and if they become at all popular - ICANNs last batch of new domains didn't do so well, after all.

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posted by gill on July 3, 2010

If buying Canadian wasn't your thing yesterday, you're in luck because today and for the entire weekend, we're celebrating Pride with our annual Pride sale! Whether you're stocking up for the weekend or hanging low and shopping online, we're offering 10% off our entire selection of LGBT books and DVDs! From the educational to the erotic, we've got it here for you and on the cheap too.

Check out our selection of queer and trans erotica, educational books and DVDs on sale!

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July 2, 2010

We've never gotten our sex tips from Cosmo or Glamour - and we're certainly not going to start now - but we seem to share a similar complaint about the language of sexuality. This list of 'new' names for old sex acts bothers me less than the wave of contrived 'new' sex acts (each designed to be somehow more offensive or just plain gross than the last and suited more for porn and gossip than actually getting off) and there are definitely great sex acts saddled with names that some folks don't like.

While the replacements suggested in this post aren't the sexiest or particularly catchy, and the vocabulary routinely introduced by Dan Savage (Santorum for example) is mostly politically motivated rather than pleasure motivated, both of these 'projects' underscore the need for a new language of sex.

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July 1, 2010

If sex in a canoe isn't quite your thing, but you are looking to have some great Canadian sex, here's your chance to get in on the action and do something great for your local sex toys makers at the same time! In addition to our usual awesome free Canadian shipping, we're giving you three made-in-Canada sex toys for the price of two!

Here's how it works: add any three made in Canada sex toys, books or DVDs to your cart and one will be automatically discounted to $0.  

As is the case with these things, the lowest priced item is free!

Not sure if the vibe you're coveting is Canadian? All products on our website are marked with a handy maple leaf to let you know it was made in Canada. Also, check out our page of Canadian sex toys, books and DVDs.

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posted by hh on June 30, 2010

Come As You Are was at the Guelph Sexuality Conference last week, being held at the University. I drove our awesome outreach & co-op purchasing program co-ordinator Charlotte down, only to find that the campus was a mess of arrows pointing every which way to get to registration. I almost lost it (no pun intended), until I found this hilarious sandwich board which I interpreted as either a) which way to take my sexuality, or b) how to find my sexuality. If only it were that simple.

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June 25, 2010

If you're not spending this weekend protesting the G20 meetings in Toronto, you may be planning on spending your weekend as far away from Toronto as possible!  Well, either way, we're always working harder to make sex easier and we'll be open all weekend as usual. Rest assured! The only barriers we'll be helping folks erect will be of the latex variety!

With The New Yorker and the world's attention on Canada this weekend, we thought we'd take the opportunity to introduce the world to 20 of the best sex toys Canada has to offer and at the best price we have to offer! Even better, for everyone staying in or out of the security zone this weekend, we deliver!

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June 24, 2010

I would summarize this myself, but Fleshbot did it so much better than I could:

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posted by RJ on June 22, 2010

Join us on Sunday, June 27th for Buck Angel's totally uncensored workshop! Buck Angel will discuss the ups and downs of ushering a new genre of porn into the adult entertainment industry. How he started in the business and then the pitfalls, obstacles, and joys along the way. This is a rare opportunity to hear Buck Angel speak about his rise to fame in the porn film industry, his work as a pioneer in the adult entertainment world and his commitment to pushing the boundaries of sexuality everywhere.

Learn more about Buck, register for Buck Angel Uncensored or view our selection of Buck Angel DVDs

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posted by hh on June 18, 2010

Check out this cute comic that one of our staff members found today:

It’s interesting to think of the ‘morning after’ as something that is shameful. Personally, I feel like it’s kind of an awesome thing – there are many good things tied to it (I’m thinking caesars and bruch). Even though we all have our fair share of what might feel like regrets, the walk of shame should, in fact, be more of a walk of accomplishment. I’m a big fan of notches in bedposts.

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posted by CAYA on June 18, 2010

Welcome to the Come As You Are Sex Position of the Month Club! This month we'll take a closer look at the spooning sex position - a kind of side-by-side sex. Demonstrated beautifully by the talented, gender-ambiguous couple "A + B", the spooning position is a really great position to get close to your lover, and can be less physically strenuous than partner-on-top style positions.

Here's how to do it: Lying on a spaceous surface like the bed or the floor, both partners should be lying on their side with the partner doing the penetrating spooning their partner (pictured).

Although this position allows for a lot of physical contact between the partners, movement can be limited, and moving in concert with your partner can allow for more active penetration.

The Spooning sex position is ideal when a wide range of movement isn't ideal, and can be very comfortable during pregnancy (although consider avoiding lying on the right side after the first trimester).

Additionally, the spooning position causes less strain on the body, and is also a nice option for folks looking to change-up power dynamics during sex!

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posted by HH on June 16, 2010

There's something for (almost) everyone this week in DVDs. No matter how you look at it, Annie Sprinkle has had one of the most remarkable sex careers of the modern era. With the uncut and remastered release of Annie's classic Deep Inside Annie Sprinkle her true fans can revel in 3 full discs of Annie bliss.

We haven't been able to resist the wave of XXX parodies that have flooded the market lately, and Seinfeld XXX was no exception - it has a good home amongst the Scrubs and The Office porn parodies. Porn Wars has gone well beyond the parody and is a phenomenon in it's own right and the saga continues in Porn Wars Episode 2. Don't miss Courtney Trouble's Roulette or Penny Flame's new Expert Guide.

Deep Inside Annie Sprinkle Uncut Edition DVD The deluxe version of Deep Inside Annie Sprinkle is here! 3 discs featuring a digitally remastered version of the original film including the cut "golden shower" scene not available to the public until now. Also included is a full length commentary by Annie, Q&A interview, bonus scenes, the original trailer, a 24 page colour booklet, and last but certainlty not least, an Annie Sprinkle finger puppet. What more could you ask for? $45 | more

Expert Guide to Rough Sex DVD Sometimes the best way to spice things up in your sex life is to learn how to push your sexual boundaries while respecting each other's limits, and Penny Flame does just that in the newest edition of the Expert Guide series. In the same style as other DVDs in the series, the upbeat way that information is presented makes learning fun--you might even forget that you're watching an educational movie! Learn different types of slaps, what parts of the body to hit (and parts to steer clear of), hair pulling techniques, bondage, communication including dirty talk, establishing safe words and boundaries and much more. Three sex scenes follow, demonstrating a variety of power play situations and even games couples can play together. Heterosexual focus. $35 | more

Porn Wars Episode 2 DVD Love the first episode of Porn Wars and just want more? Porn Wars 2 is another installment of great sex and great graphics, with a feeling that the actors are really enjoying what they are doing. Big budget and high action infused with sex and CGI equals a "force" to be reckoned with. $29 | more

Roulette DVD Queer sex is as hard to define as it is to ignore. Roulette is a series of sex scenes, music videos, short art films, and more. Each short is directed by a different person, yet everything seems to fit quite nicely together. No rules, just real sex with a very diverse cast. From Courtney Trouble and the folks at nofauxxx.com. $35 | more

Seinfeld XXX DVD With a bang-on set, ridiculously cheesy jokes and a perfect cast, Seinfeld XXX is another gem in the porn parody genre. It really couldn't have been done much better. A great variety of different sex acts and intensity abound. $35 | more

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June 15, 2010

Once upon a time there was so much to love about American Apparel. Well, there was the seemingly sweatshop-free cotton goods, and the... oh maybe that was it. Well, after years of accusations of sexual harassment and often over-the-line creepy porny advertising, American Apparel is, of course, being accused of discrimination in hiring. Shockingly, Dov Charney and company are said to hire store employees based on beauty and this is evidenced in former employee testimonial and the company's requirement for job applicants to submit a full body photo with their application. Sigh.

Initially, there was something kind of appealing about American Apparel's outward and explicit sexuality - possibly because it is so totally opposite to the co-operative culture at Come As You Are. Come As You Are is all about boundaries. My favourite CAYA inside jokes are about our parties ending promptly at 9:30PM before anything inappropriate could possibly happen, and about how we tend to wave at each other more than we hug or shake hands. Well, sometimes we high-five too!  We're really not into the professional come on.

American Apparel says that they hire based on personal style and that's not discriminatory. I'd like to think that labour policy works a little differently in Canada (and I'm probably mostly wrong in my idealism here) but it strikes me that what AA does is perfectly compatible with how labour rights and anti-discrimination works in the US. That is, how does Hooters even exist in the face of anti-discrimination law? If Hooters is any indication, AA is merely typical in their hiring practices.

In a press release, AA gave our CEO's Dov Charney's phone number, but there is no answer and voicemail doesn't work, but I would keep trying. The conversation to be had could be awesome. Ultimately, I don't think AA thinks there's anything wrong with how they do business and they probably think they're actually groundbreaking in making sex part of their corporate culture, but really, they're actually just reverting to the model we're all trying so hard to break.

Be sure to check out the American Able ad series Jes Sachse did a little while back.

More info: [American Apparel] [American Able]

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posted by HH on June 14, 2010

Selecting erotica that's right for you is as difficult as choosing a new toy. Reviews are always subjective, and novels are pretty hit or miss. Fortunately, our favourite erotica editors know what its like, and our shelves are always packed with best of the best anthology collections. Erotic anthologies come in a variety of flavours: some focus on a particular sex act or type of sex (like BDSM or anal erotica); some collections are grouped loosely around orientation or gender (like the 'Best Women's Erotica' series); and then some erotic anthologies are thematic (like Cowboys).

This week, we're so pleased to present the 2010 editions of The Best Lesbian Erotica and The Best Women's Erotica 2010 which are both excellent additions to both long running series, and The Best Sex Writing 2010 which isn't strictly erotica, but also isn't strictly un-erotic either - it is one of our favourite books in our 'brain sex' collection. We've finally posted Original Plumbing #2 online and #3 should be out soon too, so keep your eyes peeled!

Here's what's new in books this week at Come As You Are:

Best Lesbian Erotica 2010 Perhaps the best collection of today's outstanding lesbian erotica. Stories of a seductive cupcake-shop femme, two lovers producing classic pin-up porn for each other, one-off trysts between two butches, and a deliciously dirty text message relationship that ends up being more than the participants bargained for make this edition definitely one to pick up. A great collection of a bunch of different types of stories, all written well and impossible to put down. $19.95 | more

Best of Best Women's Erotica 2 A great collection of well-written erotic tales written from a women's perspective, Best of Best 2 illustrates deep, dark desires including blowjobs on trains, dirty talking with strangers, and much more. A variety of different types of stories to satisfy anyone's taste. $19.95 | more

Best Sex Writing 2010 Best Sex Writing falls in line with previous years' editions - throught-provoking, entertaining and educational essays on 25 topics directly relating to sex. This year's topics include first-time swinging experiences, the sexual aspect of the Twilight saga, teen sexting, a straight man obsessed with having sex and relationships with lesbians, and much much more. Always a great read. $18 | more

Best Women's Erotica 2010 Back again with the newest edition, Best Women's Erotica promises to be the most racy volume yet. Juicy tales of vegetable garden sex, a female cop forcing a flirty male collegue to strip in the line-up room, a sexy shoe shine from a stranger and much more. Dirty and explicit without being too raunchy. An excellent collection of 18 great erotic stories. $19.95 | more

Original Plumbing Issue 2 When we heard the there was going to be a new zine created for, and made by, FTM trans guys, it caught our attention to say the least. When we finally had a chance to take a look at it, we were absolutely thrilled with the results. Original Plumbing features hot, full-colour photos of diverse models, witty, humourous and interesting interviews, and much more. This zine is flying off our shelves, and for very good reason. Published quarterly. $8 | more

Sometimes She Lets Me You know what they say about how opposites attract, and sometimes the strongest attraction can be between butches and femmes. Sometimes She Lets Me is a collection of the best butch/femme erotica out there on the market. Stories include "Tag" where two lovers play the game naked in the woods and find eachother by scent; "Homecoming Queen" in which members of different high school cliques meet up by chance for a little role play; and the super-charged "Roulette", which tells of a powerful, manipulative femme schooling patrons at a rough butch bar. $18.50 | more

Transgender History Written in an informative yet extremely readable format, Transgender History traces back the ups and downs of trans rights and movements over the last half century. Discusses underground scenes, political changes, stand-out figures, health care battles, acceptance in different communities, and much more. A great intro to trans studies for anyone! $19.95 | more

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posted by gill on June 11, 2010

We're constantly striving to bring you the best of the best new sex toys available in Canada and across the world! A long, long time ago, Fleshlight was known not only for their superior men's masturbation sleeves, but they also made a line of silicone dildos before it was fashionable to do so. Much to our pleasure, Fleshlight has dipped their collective toe (and other various extremities) and have brought us a new silicone replica of one of the Visconti triplets of porn fame. Very exciting. Check out the new stuff from Fleshlight and more below!

FleshJack Boys Visconti We don't usually go in for the pornstar replica dildos, but for Fleshlight FleshJack we made an exception. Made of firmer silicone for a more intense experience, Fleshlight has modeled this particular dildo after Jason Visconti (of the Visconti triplets) and my-oh-my, does it ever look realistic. This dildo could be used in conjunction with a harness, but it isn't ideal for harness use due to its large base. | more

Fleshlight FleshJack STU Something nice, new and shiny for the guys who like guys who want to like guys longer! Previously only available in 'lady' style, the Fleshlight FleshJack STU (Stamina Training Unit) is an extra bumpy Fleshlight sleeve intended to help fellows train to maintain an erection for longer and to help guys get sensitized to different kinds of stimulation. Great fun too! | more

Fun Factory Spring Bursting onto the scene like Spring itself, Fun Factory's Spring rechargeable vibrator features Fun Factory's Click-N-Charge magnetic charging technology to provide a full waterproof vibrator experience. Finally, you can fully submerge your silicone vibrator for versatility in use and ease of cleaning! Oh, yeah, it also has total variable speed vibration with push-controls and multi-mode vibration just like the battery operated version. The Fun Factory Spring is an excellent clitoral vibrator, but with a little maneuvering, can also provide some great internal stimulation too! | more

Fun Factory The Boss G3 Show 'em who's boss with one of the strongest Fun Factory battery-powered vibrators! Part of Fun Factory's G3 series, The Boss is made of soft, velvety silicone and it is a really lovely semi-realistic toy with curves in all of the right places. Fully waterproof, The Boss is hypoallergenic, phthalate-free and easy to clean too. | more

Fuze Halo With a great bulb-to-stem ratio for awesome stay-putted-ness, The Fuze Halo is a larger version of the Fuze Whirl. The Halo features ridges through the toy's bulb for a more textured experience. Not only are all Fuze plugs made of hypoallergenic silicone, but their handy-dandy base ring can serve as a handle or can hold your favourite mini vibe (not included). Comes complete with re-usable storage tube! | more

Gay Sex Deck The Gay Sex Deck is here! Cards are divided into three sections: foreplay, full sex and sex play, and illustrate and explain positions, new fantasies to try and how to go about acting them out, massage techniques, and much more. Great for new couples, those who are looking to expand their sexual repertoire, or just those looking to open up a healthy dialogue about their sex life. Cute illustrations as well as text on the opposite side that breaks it all down for you. | more

Glyde Vegan Condoms 12 Pack Our favourite vegan condoms are back, and they're here to stay! Glyde condoms are famous amongst vegans and vegetarians, but they're also super popular because of their form-fitting condoms. Glyde vegan condoms come in Slim Fit, Ultra or Maxi for a good fit where other condoms just don't. For a snugger fit, try Glyde Slim fit (49 mm), or Glyde Ultra (53 mm). If you're looking for something a bit roomier, try Glyde Maxi (56 mm). | more

Lil Teaser Lil Teaser definitely does more than tease! This smaller g-spot vibrator is fully waterproof, silicone and phthalate-free. Single speed, the Lil Teaser has a larger switch with loads of possibilities for folks looking for an easy-to-use and easy-to-adapt vibrator. Good for g-spot or external play! | more

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