Finding Myself in Faraway Lands

September 4th, 2018

I normally don’t post explicit about my “real” life on this blog, but my recent vacation includes some wonderful expressions of sexuality and personality that I wanted to reflect on.

As someone who lives in a small midwestern city, there’s not a lot of sex positivity to be found. Our sex stores are sleazy. I am not sure that you could ask about “body-safe” toys and get a helpful answer. You’re most definitely better off shopping online.

But one of my must-see stops in Seattle was Babeland, where I knew I would finally use gift cards that I’ve had nigh on a decade (and I did, on We-Vibe Touch). The Seattle location isn’t the flagship store, and it was smaller than expected. Still, it was a dream come true for a sex nerd and toy lover like myself (my Facebook check-in read “Dreams do come true!”). I also appreciated the vintage vibrators that had on display.

A few blocks down the road sits a bondage shop (Doghouse Leathers) staffed by folks who clearly participate in the leather community. It was not only larger than Babeland but the largest storefront I’ve seen dedicated specifically to BDSM. The smell of leather was heavenly as it washed over me; although, nothing begged me to take it home. Alas.

Both of these stores sit in Capitol Hill, Seattle’s gay neighborhood (is gayborhood too cute here??). It boasted the occasional rainbow crosswalk, and drag queens crossed the street, bedazzled and bejeweled as if it were nothing to bat a perfectly-applied lash at. Capitol Hill was a safe place for anyone who might not be cis or straight, but it also provided a place for anyone to express their sexuality in a positive and inclusive place. It was far for home as I could be, and yet it was more welcoming than I could have imagined.

I could have stayed all day if the walking wasn’t killing my back and feet. I returned to the hostel (Aside: when I mentioned staying in a hostel, one of my friends assumed I meant brothel instead. Chuckles ensued.) with a new sex toy and a feeling as though I had come within inches of my tribe and shared in energy that is only available to me here when I sign on to Twitter. It may sound corny, but I recently discovered Oprah’s “A-ha moment,” which occurs when something resonates with you and your consciousness recognizes it (Oprah’s words, not mine).

I attempted to fill my time on vacation with more things that would strike that cord within myself, but the stars just didn’t aline. I would have loved to attend a burlesque show, go to a sex club, or learn something new at a BDSM class, but time was limited. After having visited a few stores (as well as all of the tourist hotspots, the planetarium, and the cemetery), I felt my energy waning. Perhaps it was for the best that I didn’t try to add anything more to my schedule.

There’s always next time, I suppose, when I am in Seattle. Or Chicago. Or Minneapolis. Or wherever I decide to travel. When a small town girl from the Midwest is able to step out of her comfort zone and into the arms of something bigger, welcoming and somehow familiar despite its exotic status, that can only be found in certain places.

Until then, there’s always here.

This post contains sponsored links. All opinions are my own.

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Categories: Everything Else

Holiday Shopping with Babeland

November 25th, 2013

Babeland has officially released multiple gift guides for shopping for your loved ones this year. I figure I didn’t need to write my own. Epiphora already has one, and plenty of retailers do, too. Anyway, a guide would appear something like my “Best of” lists, and I’ll be writing one of those in a few short weeks. But I do have thoughts on some of the gift guides are that are out, so here’s my informal critique.

Tenga Flip by Babeland

Tenga Flip by Babeland

Top Ten Sexy Gifts for Him

This list includes masturbators, cock rings, anal toys  and a few kits. I’d  recommend the Tenga Flip for individual users and the Mio cock ring for couples. I’m not really a huge fan of kits because they all usually contain something that I really won’t use. Of course, a nice bottle of lube is ideal for anyone on your list. Babeland carries Ride Rub Stroke Oil intended specifically for jerking off.

Top Ten Gifts for Her

This list is almost entirely made up of vibrators with the exceptions of  the Under the Bed Restraints, which I do love! To be honest, I don’t really like anything else on the list. The Minna Ola was frustrating, the Form 2 sucked and the Pikobong toys are a joke. I do have high hopes for the We-Vibe 4 but haven’t had a chance to try it yet. So here’s my recommendations instead:

We Vibe Touch

We Vibe Touch

  1. Stronic Eins for unique pulsating sensation
  2. Siri for clitoral stimulation
  3. JimmyJane Form 6 G3 for strong vibes and versatility
  4. We Vibe Tango  or Touch for strong external vibes in a portable package
  5. Babeland’s Orchid  G for something that won’t break the bank or someone who isn’t sure what they want yet

Also, the list is sorely lacking in dildos. I love the look of the Babeland Mustang and the Candy dildos. You can also pick up the Leo with include bullet vibe.

Stocking Stuffers

If you’re running low on funds or just want to top of someone’s stocking this holiday season, Babeland also has a list of stocking stuffers under $30. This list includes Tenga eggs, which are perfect for masturbating on the run, and all sorts of Babelube.  I’m a particular fan of Babeland’s massage products, so check out the bars on the list. There’s even a mini riding crop for just a little (tehe) bondage fun.

I would personally add the Sliquid lube cube to the list. Why not toss in a condom sampler?

Kits

Although I said I don’t like kits, some of the pricier ones are an all right deal. There’s an entire page of kits. My recommendations are for the Start Kit that includes the Orchard G and a bullet vibe, Bootie + Sliquid kit, Mystic Wand + G-spot attachment, Jaguar Harness + Leo dildo, Power to the Pink (which has lube and a Siri) and maybe the Sweetheart Kink.

Right now Babeland is doing 30% off best sellers, so take a look. They’re also holding a contest for newsletter subscribers. You can win a $600 shopping spree when you sign up.

 

What’s on your Christmas list this year?

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Categories: Shopping

Sliquid Lube Cube

March 27th, 2012

Sliquid Lube Cube

Sliquid Lube Cube
$15 from Babeland

It’s about time I got down to writing this review. I’ve had the lube cube for long enough. Sadly, I haven’t had great opportunities to try all of it but I really like the idea. You see, this sampler set includes pairs of several of Sliquid’s lube, including Sliquid H20, Sliquid Sassy (for anal), green apple, blue raspberry, cherry vanilla flavored lubes and Sliquid silver (silicone). Each comes in a square foil package that features a different color. H2O is blue, for example, apple is green so on and so forth. The packets fit perfectly into this little cardboard box. Generally, I dislike packages inside packages, but this just works so well. Plus, it makes sense.

The box itself is also cute. Mine has a purple to blue gradient that I love. There’s also a white flower on the front. It’s super classy, y’know, for lube. The box itself is only a little over 1″ thick, so it would fit in my purse perfectly. I actually like this as a portable lube sample. I mean, if I forgot it at someone’s house, I’d be less upset than if I forgot a whole bottle of lube. Not that I’m getting any of have any need for portable lube. Whatever. It could happen.

I’ve tried the water-based lube mostly. It’s a bit thin for toy play IMO. It also seems to get a bit sticky. I’ve heard good things about Sliquid so I was a bit disappointed. Sassy is a thicker water-based formula that’s compatible with all toy types. I’m pretty sure it’s geared for anal sex, but I like gel lubes for masturbation with toys. As you would expect, the silicone-based lube is slicker and thin. It’s good for PIV sex but not great with silicone toys. Especially not VixSkin ones. Le sigh.

The flavored lubes are pretty tasty, especially the cherry vanilla. The mix of two very common flavors produces something more exciting. I would definitely buy a bottle of this. The blue raspberry tastes a little powdery to me. It’s not my favorite, even though I usually enjoy that as a flavor. The green apple is sweet and a little artificial but good nonetheless. All of the flavored lubes are clear and water-based. They contain not sugar, so I’d think you could use it for penetration, if you performed oral beforehand and there was some lube leftover.

I’ve purchased flavored lubes in the past and not only was it syrupy tasting, but it was incredibly sticky. This does make for a stickier hand job; however, it’s not as sticky as I expected and slicker than I expected. You’ll want to wash your hands of course, but it wasn’t unbearable like my past experience. Oddly enough, the flavored lube seemed to develop something of a film when I used it to stroke. This looked.. weird, but it didn’t impede the function of the lube.

As is the case, packets are always too much or too little. The inclusion of pairs means you get a much better experience with these products, which I like. I actually don’t use a lot of lube so the packets are more than enough for my tastes. Even after sampling every flavor, I still have a bunch left to use. As your box winds down, you can easily grab a few packets and toss them in your bag. I’d maybe keep them in a baggie, because there’s a pre-cut notch that makes for easy opening and could potentially lead to tearing.

I don’t usually give a flying eff about lube but the Sliquid lube cube manages to be impressive. Plus, $2 of the purchase price goes to immigration equality so that’s awesome.

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Categories: Lube, Reviews

Simply Blown G-Glass Dildo

October 10th, 2011

G-Glass Dildo

G-Glass Dildo
$180.00 from Simply Blown

I drooled over Simply Blown’s products when I first saw them. I delighted whenBabeland started carrying them and pretty much squeeled when they sent me one for review. I could have cried when I saw they were no longer carrying them and while Babeland didn’t require me to write a review, I wanted to because these are awesome products.

The thing that draws the eye is that Simply Blown somehow fills their glass pieces with a bright color, like red or blue, and there’s a layer of clear glass around this. It’s breath-taking and, let me tell you, even more amazing in person.

I received a red G-Glass dildo and if the piece itself is a work of art, the box is understated. It’s a simply grey box with a formed foam insert that highlights the sex toy inside and nothing else. Not surprisingly, my piece was heavy. Heavier than any rabbit or the Pure Wand. Heavy enough that I will never use it for extended periods of time lest my arms fall off.

But I won’t have to because the weight and the gentle curve of a Simply Blown glass dildo are perfect for hitting the G-spot, for applying pressure in just the right way and getting the job done in no time. In fact, I was squirting before I even had time to try both sides. I’m pretty sure the wider end is intended more for insertion but the smaller end is usable, too, especially if you’re not quite ready for the 1.59” diameter. This toy is already heading toward larger status but the rigid glass definitely makes it feel huge. The girth stays about the same for most of the length. The smaller end is actually just about as wide, with no tapering, but it does slim down to about 1.27” about 1” into the toy.

The dildo I have measures around 7.5” from tip to tip. Unfortunately, Simply Blown doesn’t provide any storage options and I find boxes to be bulky so I’ll probably adjust my toys so I can steal a padded bag from something else.

Like all things glass, take care when washing and storing. Dropping could break the toy, your floor or a toe. Ouch! Go easy with lube because it’s already so slick and, if you’d like, apply warm or cool water for temperature play but go slowly so avoid burning yourself or stressing the glass.

I can’t find the G-glass dildo for sale anywhere but the Simply Blown website but you can purchase the similar and adorable Lover Dildo and the sleek Siamese dildo on SexToy.com

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Categories: Dildos, Reviews

Maximus

September 2nd, 2011

Maximus

Maximus

Maximus parent company Bodywise, which also makes Liquid Silk, has a limited US presence due to FDA regulations. You can purchase Maximus from Bodywise as well as a few other retailers, but it’s no longer readily available.

Maximus is a water-based lube that has long been touted by fans of anal sex because it’s thick and more or less stays where you put it. Although I can’t even remember the last time when I ventured into anal territory, I enjoy thick lubes that stay where I put them because I’m a toy fiend. There’s nothing worse than lubing up a toy, only to have it drip all over your hands, or erotica book, or partner or floor or bed (see my point?) on its way to your target destination. So I like my lubes a little thicker.

Yet, in the past, I’ve used lubes that were so thick that they not only stayed exactly where I put them but they felt solid and thus lacked in any lubricating goodness whatsoever. This is not the case with Maximus which is a thin, gel-like lube. It’s definitely not a liquid but it does move, eventually. If you hold a toy upright, the lube will slow obey the forces of gravity. But not so much that I wind up covered in it, which I enjoy. It’s actually thinner than I would expect and the opening in the bottle is a little thicker so it came out faster than I was ready for. I’ve got it down now.

Texture-wise, Maximus is pretty silky and it just keeps going and going. I generally test between my fingers when I write a review so I can give you an idea how long it takes for a lube to dry up and whether it gets stick as it does. My fingers are starting to become sore from rubbing together and they’re still silky, although not as slick, and not sticky at all.

Because this is a water-based lube, it’ll wash right away with water. This is bad in showers but good when it comes to washing off your body or toys after playtime. I didn’t taste it but it has no recognizable smell. It’s completely safe for internal play and with your silicone toys as well.

In summary: Maximus might be the best water-based lube I’ve ever use. Kthnxbai.

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Categories: Lube, Reviews

Gotta Have It

August 10th, 2011

Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex

Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex
$15.95 from Babeland

There’s nothing like a long book that you don’t really like. I guess I could sum up my experience with “Gotta Have It” in those words and leave it but I’ll try to explain exactly why this book didn’t catch my fancy. I mean, there’s a cat on the cover so that should count for something, right?

“Gotta Have It” promises to offer 69 stories of sudden sex and while the sex may be sudden, it’s not all sudden fiction. That is, some of them are just a little longer than I like and we all know how I don’t like erotica that lasts longer than I do. And, honestly, I think the sheer number of stories is not working in this book’s favor. It appears bulky, especially because it’s shorter and squatter than any other erotica book I own. It’s ten times as big as Five Minute Erotica! Maybe I wouldn’t have noticed so much if I weren’t reviewing it but I felt the deadline pressing against me and was just trying to finish all the stories, one by one, and they kept blending together. By the time I finished the book, I couldn’t remember anything about the first stories–there was just too much data to try to recall in one place. This would have been much better off as two volumes.

But it’s more than that because I found myself paging through and passing by more stories than I read. A lot of them just didn’t pull me in from the start and I couldn’t get into them by continuing on. I don’t like to waste my time so I skipped ahead. The problem is that the focus of these stories appears to be the writing rather than the sex or sexuality. They’re all spectacularly written and interesting as literature but not as erotica. It’s almost as though the sex is an afterthought in some of them.

There are well-written stories with a wide variety of subjects. The themes in this book include golden showers, sex with strangers, voyeurism, phone sex, gender play, online dating and Godzilla. Yes, Godzilla. In fact, Salome Wilde’s “Too Wondrous To Measure” is a fantastic tale about the giant reptile that I remember simply because it was weird. Call me old-fashioned but I just don’t get turned on by the guy. There are a mixture of gay, lesbian, bisexual and straight couplings but there’s a lot of monogamous sex that I just didn’t find particularly thrilling in “Gotta Have It.”

One of my favorite stories actually details the make-up sex of a married couple. Daniel Burnell’s “Ties That Bind” was interesting when I first read it. Yet, it’s not something that is so interesting or different that I remember it once the book leaves my hands. The same can be said for “Lucky Number Fifty-One” which follows a man who gets the chance to have sex with his favorite porn star and is able to impress her.

At the end of the day (or page or book), “Gotta Have It” Is simply not the best erotica collection I’ve read. It’s better than, say, X, because I like stories short but I have four or so anthologies on my nightstand that I found to be much more interesting. I don’t know if it’s the sole reason but I seem to really enjoy collections that Alison Tyler have edited and this one was edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel. I’d recommend Five Minute Erotica if you want a short and sexy story. Some of those have left some pretty vivid memories in my mind.

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Categories: Books, Reviews

Babeland Tote

August 4th, 2011

Sadly, my tote ripped after having it for just a few weeks. I was not able to get much use out of it. Babeland has since discontinued the tote, perhaps because of quality issues.

I have a lot of tote bags and, to be honest, I don’t use them much. I did when I lived in San Antonio and walked to Wal-mar. The ones with especially long handles I could sling over my shoulders. These days, I use paper bags for recycling so the totes tend to stay in storage. But that won’t be the case with my Babeland Tote if only because that cats won’t let it.

The flash on the store images make this appear to be shiny, like vinyl. The tote is made from your typical, heavy tote fabric on all sides. The front features the Babeland logo in pink and the bottom is sewn rectangularly. There’s also a piece of plastic that sits in the bottom of the bag to fill out the shape. I love this because sometimes things with corners can wear away at the bottom of the bag, causing it to give out eventually.

The bag measures roughly 13.5″ high, 12.5″ wide, 8.25″ deep and has 20″. That’s standard size, which I like. It’d be great if the site included measurements because sometimes retailers pass of mini-totes as normal sized and that bothers me.

I haven’t actually gotten around to using the bag, not because I don’t like it, but because the cats have commandeered it. It must smell great because they keep knocking it off the dresser, rolling around in it, chasing it across the floor and pummeling it. My cats might commit suicide if they lose it. The other day I woke up and Phantom was sitting in it so I promptly picked it up to show the roommate. That said, the Babeland tote holds cats quite well.

At $1.50, it’s in the range of the bags you can buy at the grocery store and, if you had some leftover money on a gift card, I’d definitely pick one up.

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Categories: Non-Sex Toys, Reviews

Image © MisterUnlucky; used with permission.