Newsletter No. 24: SPRING 2004

Find Your Heart’s Desire

When you love someone you want to give them the world. Nothing feels more satisfying than giving gifts and words of adoration that speak for feelings so intense that saying them out loud makes you feel goofy. Valentine’s Day is the holiday that gives us all an excuse to go over the top into silly squishy love territory and get away with it. Chosen carefully, the right gift can go beyond any declaration of love and spark a new universe of exploration and adventure.  

So many people ask us for help in choosing the right gift. We usually find that they know what they want to give, all they need is a little help asking the right questions. Below we’ve compiled a sleuth’s list of questions and helpful suggestions to find your heart’s desire, make your lover purr, and guarantee some bliss for both of you.

Nice for the novice?
Are you starting with a blank slate, or adding the perfect companion to an extensive toy box? The first toy is always a bit of an adventure, when in doubt start with something inexpensive and cute. 

Big or little?
There are a thousand ways to evaluate what size your friend or lover fantasizes about.  Do they salivate at the sight of a Costco? Do they prefer tic-tacs over lollypops? In the absence of these clues you can always start a conversation about size preferences (make it about yourself, and then skillfully ask “and you?”). 

Super-cute or super-simple?
Take a look around their apartment. Is there pink and leopard faux-fur everywhere? Or are they a stream-lined Ikea lover? Aesthetics are important to some people and not so much for others. In sex toys this can be the difference between a practical Pocket Rocket and a glittery Silicone Charmer.

What about yourself?
In the rush to give, don’t forget yourself. We strongly encourage the gift that keeps on giving. A Valentine to yourself and maybe a special occasion of voyeurism for someone else. Who knows? Getting a new toy for yourself might open up possibilities for lovers too bashful to make the first move.

Never forget that communication is an excellent kind of foreplay. If you don’t know, ask!  Some busy people choose to browse our website together and then let their partner pick out a surprise based on the information their partner has given them. If you would rather give the gift as a surprise and all our handy tips have failed, we have gift certificates that scream lust (really they whisper it, but we’re trying to heat things up, it’s cold in February). 

All in all the perfect Valentines are those with lots of thought. If you do your homework, and give with love, it will turn out right. Too much thought and the stress is overwhelming. So remember, it’s the thought that counts and a special toy for Valentines will always last longer than chocolate and may just be sweeter in the end.

News

Chocolate or Sex?
Win A Year's Supply of Sex Toys & Chocolate this Valentine's Day. That's right, you can win a full years supply of fair-trade, organic chocolate AND a years supply of sex toys courtesy of Come As You Are and Good Vibrations, when you enter our first annual Sex or Chocolate Essay/Fiction Contest. Information will be posted soon on our main site,
and on the contest site www.sexorchocolate.com.Write your way to gastronomic and sexual ecstasy.

Share Some Love With Annie Sprinkle
Annie Sprinkle, our favorite post-porn feminist will now be appearing in Montréal and Toronto in May. The line-up includes workshops and performances of the fabulously brilliant Herstory of Porn. Annie tells her electrifying tales of pornography, sexual liberation and spiritual journeys in a performance piece not to be missed. And yes, you too can get your own signed piece of art, an Annie Sprinkle original tit-print! A full schedule of events can be found at www.comeasyoure.com.

Vegans Are Lovers Too
When ethics are as important in bed even as they are out of bed, we introduce our newest line of Vegan bondage wear, harnesses, and even condoms. Soft leather-like restraints and harnesses that have the look and feel of leather but are 100% synthetic. And while most name brand condoms use milk-proteins to cure the latex, vegan condoms are made instead with a vegetable protein substitute. Guilt-free loving for vegans and the people who love them.

Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability
Looking for something written specifically about sex and disability?  If you’re like the thousands of our customers who ask for this every year, you’re in luck.  We are thrilled to announce the release of the Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability. This exciting book is filled with first person stories, great tips and techniques, and the biggest resource section we’ve ever seen on the topic.   Written by a doctor, a sex educator, and a disability activist (one of whom is an owner here!) this book has been a long time in coming, and was worth the wait. $25.50

Toy Kits

For the perfect sweetie in your life, the Sweet Tooth Kit combines a little sugar with a lot of vibration. One classic hard plastic Lollipop vibe, a bottle of sensuous Chocolate Body Paint, and some tasty flavoured lube. Finally we’ve figured out a way you can have your cake and eat it too! $40

The Love Me Tender Kit is a kit designed for fun exploration and a romantic evening for two. Take it slow and sensual with a blindfold, bestselling Fukuoku vibe, some warming massage lotion, and a feather. The only limitation is your imagination. $66

Think above the belt this holiday and who knows where it might lead….Our Romantic Massage Kit contains everything you need to give and get great massage!  Begin with the Erotic Massage Book to learn the basics, and then apply your knowledge with our magnetic massage vibe (appropriate for all body parts!) and Kama Sutra massage oil to bring it all together! $59

Feature Toys

Why wear your heart on your sleeve this Valentines when you can display your love and affection right on your vibe?  The Heart-On! has heart-shaped texture along the entire length of the vibe and variable speed control. Why not show your love in a big way?  Our Heart-On packs in nine whole inches of pleasure! $36

The perfect toy for the gadget lover (or control freak), the Ruby Remote 3 Speed takes remote control vibration to a new level. The Ruby Remote offers a greater range (up to 20 feet), three speeds (two of them even pulsate), and a funky red patent-leather look, and the same power hungry fun of our other remote control toys. $155

Want to hit that sweet spot every time?  This great silicone toy will do the trick!  The Bulls Eye is a well-designed realistic dildo, perfect for harness use, and because it is silicone, it’s super easy to clean. $80

Better than a dozen roses and a box of chocolates combined!  Our Mint-Chocolate Body Paint has the sweetness and romance built right in and even comes with a paint brush!  Available in Mint-Chocolate, Strawberry-Chocolate, and Milk-Chocolate flavours. $12

Books

The Ultimate Guide To Adult Videos is a refreshing and comprehensive guide to what is available in the world of pornography.  It includes a great reference book, many handy tips to help you find the right films for you, a helpful chapter on introducing and watching with a partner, and an up to date resource guide. Highly recommended for both beginners and seasoned viewers alike. $26

The Big Bang is a hip and frank look at sex with a colourful twist from the people at Nerve.com. The writers challenge you to relish sex, appreciate your partners, and take proper care of yourself. Clear explanations of subjects like STD’s, anal sex, and female ejaculation are often hysterical, and always informative. A lighthearted and funny approach to sex education. $37.50

Tracey Cox has given us another fun filled manual, this time dealing with flirting. With a mainly heterosexual focus, Superflirt will teach you how to use your body language effectively, and how to become incredibly good at reading other people’s. Ever had a huge crush on someone but not known how to go about letting them know? This enjoyable read contains many foolproof ways to get the message across. $30

I Love Bad Boys is a book of sexy shorts comprised of three stories by three different authors. An encounter in a sex shop, a revealing game of poker, and a secluded island resort make up these escapist, fun scenarios. Great for anyone who enjoys a bad side to their good boy and a happy ending to their short stories! $20

Remember those Choose Your Own Adventure stories we all loved as kids? Well, now we can create our own fantasy! In Kathryn In the City, you can become Kathryn, a plain girl from a small, plain town. Moving to San Francisco, you have the power to shape young Kathryn’s life. Will she be open to a lesbian relationship? Does she prefer kink or vanilla? This fantasy has many possibilities for sexy plot twists and turns. Best of all, you can reread it over and over again, with a different outcome each time. This is a fun, sexy, little book that puts you in charge of your erotica. $18

Video & DVD Kits

We’ve compiled some of porn’s finest directors and titles that focus on the softer side of sex for the Magic Moments Video Kit. Fully explicit, but with an eye for relationships and passion, this selection of three titles from Candida Royalle, Andrew Blake, and Paul Thomas. VHS $85 (save $23) DVD $145 (save $35)

Three films that feature a little story and a lot of sex for those who have no time for subtlety. With samplings from Rocco, Belladonna, and Seymour, the Red Hot Raunch Video Kit offers a hair-pulling-nail-biting-saliva-friendly good time. VHS $85 (save $23) DVD $145 (save $35)

Feature DVD’s & Videos

We don’t think Goethe had Nacho Vidal in mind when he penned Faust, a classic tale of selling one’s soul to the devil. But we can’t think of a better company than Private to bring this story to the screen. Definitely on the dark side, this psychological thriller features sizzling performances by Bella, Nacho, and a bevy of beautiful devil babes.
VHS $34 DVD $50

Seduction is a look into the intimate lives of four uber-sexy European porn stars. Each scene is shot with a surprising mix of heat, realism and intimacy.  From foot worship to female domination to the closing scene where all four actresses descend on their male interviewer, Seduction is a nice change of pace for those looking for thoughtful raunch.
VHS $40 DVD $60

The creators of Bend Over Boyfriend 2 have turned their attention to the fine art of dirty talk in this excellent educational feature, Talk to Me Baby.  Combining good advice with explicit examples, Shar Rednour takes you on a journey to discovering your inner verbal exhibitionist. Her conversational style makes learning fun. VHS $65 DVD $60

Workshops

Toronto

February 3
Introducing Sex Toys to Your Partner

February 18 and 25
Erotic Photography

March 8 
Rope Bondage 101 and Beyond

March 9 or 16
Female Ejaculation

April 20
Girl Parts & the Big O

Montréal

February 10
Les Objets du plaisir
In French

February 24 and 25
Tantra Para Mujeres
In Spanish

March 23
Everybody’s Kinky!
In English

March 30
Tout le monde en menottes! 
In French

April 6
Awakening the Senses for Couples
Bilingual

April 20
Cultivating Sensual Awareness for Men
Bilingual