Newsletter No. 36: VALENTINES 2007

10 Years of Making Love!

Love is our life, literally.  Love is what we do for a living and what we do when we get home from Come As You Are each night.  As our online biographies will attest, we’ve spent the last ten years advocating, sharing and creating love to the exclusion of almost everything else.  Incredibly, collectively the three of us have spent over 30 years making love happen.
We at Come As You Are love love for the sake of love.  We love deep eye-gazing romantic love that causes skipped heartbeats and head-over-heels to make sense.  We love pure raw physical love in back-alleys and in candle-lit bedrooms.  Most of all, we love self-love in all of it’s glory - whether it’s self-love Betty Dodson old-school workshop-style, or it’s a late-night, quick-and-dirty, illuminated by the glow of the computer monitor, self-loving session. We love love so much; we’ve committed our lives to it.
Unsurprisingly, each year when Valentine’s Day rolls around, we make an awfully big deal of it.  Until Masturbation Month gains the wide-spread, mainstream acceptance and obligatory Hallmark Card it deserves, we will claim Valentine’s day annually as our official holiday.  For those of us who make love their life’s work, Valentine’s Day is a brand new bike, a skywriter and a cherry on top rolled into one. 
While many of you may spend a couple of weeks agonizing over the perfect Valentine’s gift, we spend an entire year agonizing over your perfect Valentine’s gift.  Fortunately, this is the 10th Valentine’s Day we’ve spent with you, and because we’ve been together so long, we know you pretty darn well.
We know you appreciate that we read every single book on our shelves, that we actually do love the toys we carry, and that we personally watch and review each and every DVD we stock online. We know your favourite colours and we always try our best to stock your size.  We know that you still love the classics like the Hitachi Magic Wand or Debbie Does Dallas on DVD, but you’re always up for trying something new and we love when you create an instant classic like The Cone or the iPod-controlled OhMiBod.
We’ve got your back - we’ll make sure you have batteries for that new vibe, lube for those vibrating anal beads and if you shop online, we’ll even include a little message with your gift, free of charge!  For an extra few bucks, we’ll wrap it with as much love and attention as if you had done it yourself.
Whether you’re celebrating with yourself, your friends, your partner, your lover, or your other lover, we’ve got you in mind, we’ve been searching for the perfect gift for you all year and we hope you love it!
Most of us struggle to keep the love alive in all of our relationships, but the fire that has burned in our hearts for you hasn’t flickered, let alone burned out in our ten years together.  If anything, knowing you better has made us love you more, and loving you more has made us love you even better. 
10 Years of Great Sex Parties!
To celebrate our 10th anniversary and thank you for a decade of supporting us, we're throwing erotic events and passionate parties all year long.   Get your calendar out, and mark these dates!
10th Anniversary Party 
We're throwing an in-store customer appreciation party to kick off our 10th year.  Free thank you gifts, special pricing on our 10 most popular products, prizes, erotic pastries, toonie toy bin, and more! Thursday January 25, 6-9pm

Erotic Blender
Our biggest art exhibit each year, this collaborative photography show features emerging artists, many of whom come from our Erotic Photography workshop.  Art Opening: Saturday February 3, 7:30pm -10pm. Show runs from February 1-28. 

Erotic Arts & Crafts Fair

A one-of-a-kind sexy fair that will bring together artists and crafters just in time for Valentine's Day. Knitters, crafters, zinesters, card makers, and artists of all types will be creating erotic objects for this one day celebration of DIY sex and romantic culture.  Saturday February 10, 12pm-5pm  at the Gladstone Hotel.  For more info. visit www.eroticartsandcrafts.com

Five Hole Stories: Book Signing with Author Dave Bidini
In-store book launch with author, musician, and Canadian renaissance man Dave Bidini . Bidini’s exciting new collection of erotic stories features an eclectic mix of sex and hockey in settings of ultimate Canadiana for the love of the game. Thursday February 22, 7-9pm. 

4th Annual Midnight Mayhem Sale Thursday March 29, 9pm - 12am
15% off everything in the store!  Free gifts and door prizes at midnight! Cookies, Toonie Toy Bin (yes, sex toys can be just that cheap!)  And just what ever late night sex store shopping experience needs….a live DJ! Thursday March 29, 9pm - 12am.

All events are free admission.

Toys

Get a heart-on this Valentine's Day with our new Love Vibes. Love Vibes features ten-speed, push-button control, a waterproof seal and is adorned with soft textured hearts.  There's no better way to say "I Love You" without actually saying it! $26

More than just a rechargeable vibrator, the Lelo Nea is a true object of pleasure. Decorated with a delicate floral motif and black glossy finish, this tiny vibrator has reliable, button-controlled variable speed, up-to seven hours of usage from one charge and comes complete with a one-year warranty. $135

At last, a gift for the person who has everything… or at least it's the gift for anyone who has an iPod.  This rocket-style vibrator comes with everything you need to turn your iPod (walkman or discman) into a rhythmic self-love experience.  The OhMiBod plugs directly into your iPod's headphone jack and vibrates along with your playlist.  The best part is that you control the intensity with a combination of song selection and volume control. $100

In the immortal words of Sun-tzu - keep your lube close, and your condoms closer.  Featuring a clever magnetic closure and measuring in at 2 5/8" x 2 5/8" x 2 1/2", these sleek and elegant Condom Cubes are designed to keep your favourite condoms neat and tidy and easy to find. $22 

It's worth the wait to stroke 28, because Stroke 29 is when this lube really hits its stride. Incredibly, this is the first masturbation cream for men that actually gets better as you use it.  Containing almond oil, Aloe Vera and Vitamin E, Stroke 29 never loses it slippery-ness, warms up as you use it and maintains its texture no matter how long your self-loving lasts. $24

Books

Looking for that perfect gift for the guy who has everything this Valentine’s Day? Penis Pokey is a hilarious celebration of male sexuality! Colourful depictions encourage one to imagine a penis in a variety of humorous situations. From worm on a hook to outer space, your imagination is the only limit! $12.95

I Can’t Fight This Feeling is a book of poetry from the music of the 70’s and 80’s. Feel like you can’t say “I Love You” without breaking into a sweat? Let these rockers and disco divas do it for you!  Olivia Newton-John, REO Speedwagon, Axl Rose, Barry White, The Partridge Family, and more;  I Can't Fight This Feeling is sentimental poetry for those of us who want to re-live the days of necking in the parking lot (minus the steering wheel bruises) with someone special.  $22.95

Presented by prolific and well-loved editor Alison Tyler, Caught Looking is chock full of exhibitionism, lovers caught in the act, and high stakes voyeurism. From Stan Thomas’s celebration of voyeurism in My Finest Hour, to Saskia Walker’s sexy peep-show in Room with a View, each story is rife with originality and spark, offering much fodder for both the voyeur and exhibitionist reader. Another great collection of solid writing! $18.50

Five Hole Stories reads like tales told at the bar – funny, clever and very gritty. This collection of stories from esteemed author and Canadian music maker Dave Bidini brings his love of hockey and sex together at last! From groupies to high sticking antics, these characters are refreshing, very Canadian and full of daredevil eroticism. A must read for anyone who loves both hockey and sex (and who doesn’t?) $19.95

Penthouse VI is an explicit and raunchy ode to true paperback smut. These fast, furious and scandal filled stories feature ménage a trois, racy affairs,  and out-there orgies. This volume promises all the delights we’ve come to expect from Penthouse and more. For those looking for less talk and more action, Penthouse VI is sure to thrill! $20.99

DVD’s

A twist on typical high-budget deluxe porn, Velvet Thrust was produced with a woman-oriented focus. Good-looking dudes are taking care of business and taking care of their female co-stars throughout this tastefully done, but still moderately explicit flick. Recommended for anyone who is looking for high quality erotica, all scenes are one-on-one, guy on girl, with one scene that is solely dedicated to a couple masturbating one another and themselves. Classy, pretty porn that suits its title, and gets the job done! $29

We can always count on Suze Randall to produce top-notch films that don’t disappoint. Escape to the party at Hotel Bliss where luxurious sets are the backdrop to some playful spanking, light bondage, and tons of beautiful actors gettin’ it on with total style. If you want something passionate and sensual but still hot and gritty, check in to Hotel Bliss, you won’t want to leave. $29

Ever wanted to experiment with a strap-on toy? Devinn Lane's Guide to Strap-On Sex is a great instructional DVD for those who are just curious, as well as well-seasoned users, and those who just want to see some hot women in charge! Six spicy scenes offer an assortment of scenarios that showcase fun techniques as well as practical advice for any strap-on situation. Grab your harnesses, dildos, and lube - let Devinn Lane and Company be your guide! $29

Belladonna proves again to be an amazing and gifted performer/director in the delightfully cute Fetish Fanatic 3.  This collection of charming and well-acted all-women scenes feature sex with vegetables, an array of toys, costumes, foot fetish play, light bondage, and anal sex. With little storyline, each scene has a particular theme that is instantly gratifying and sparkles with erotic wit! Best: a great dirty talk moment between Belladonna and her transsexual girlfriend. Double disc.  $35

You'll definitely wish you were invited to this party! Fresh, feisty and fun indie lesbian porn is at its finest in Superfreak, from the director that brought us the best-selling title, Crash Pad. Loaded with gritty sexual magnetism and true-to-life action, we follow Madison Young to a steamy soiree which quickly turns into a slew of all-out sex sessions around every corner. The spirit of Rick James turning people on is a cute and campy theme throughout, but there's nothing cute or campy about the seriously sexy situations these gals take on. $40

Workshops

Saturday, January 20
Women and Trans People Only
Sunday, January 21
Women, Trans People and Men Accompanied by Women
Female Ejaculation 
With Shannon Bell. $30

Wednesday February 7
All genders.
Tantra for Everyone
With Paul Barber. $30

Sunday February 18 & 25
All genders.
Erotic Photography
With Christine Ablett & Leanne Gillard. $90

Tuesday March 6
Men and Trans People Only
Tuesday March 13
Women and Trans People Only
Waking Up the Neighbourhood: An Anal Massage Workshop
With Paul Barber. $30

Wednesday March 21
Women and Trans People Only
Taking It Off With Confidence
With Jade. $30

Tuesday April 3
Men and Trans People Only
Male Sexuality Workshop: Having Your Cake and Eating Hers Too!
With Carol Camper. $30

Tuesday April 17
Women and Trans People Only
Female Sexuality Workshop: More Than Just Pie!
With Carol Camper. $30

New text for workshop side panel:

Pre-registration is required for all workshops. Sliding scale is available. Cancellation requires 48 hours notice to receive refund. Late attendees who are more than fifteen minutes late will not be admitted to workshop. For more info or to register, please call us at 416-504-7934.