This week I was lucky enough to attend one of the wonderfully fascinating and educational salons run by erotic boutique Coco de Mer. Everyone who admires beautiful things and enjoys sex needs to have a bit of Coco de Mer in their life, so I decided to sign up. The website promised:
"For the first time Sam Roddick, founder of Coco de Mer, will reveal all she has learnt from 10 years of exploring the world of sexuality - from philosophy to practical tips and techniques learnt from experts in the field, Coco de Mer customers and some very interesting friends and acquaintances.
"In this salon, Sam will take you on a sexual journey; every orifice will be covered and all of the senses explored, restraint bondage and the perfect sexual kit will be discussed. Above all it will be fun, informative and practical with a Q and A at the end... you certainly won't leave without the tools to enhance your sex life."
From a store that describes itself as 'erotic luxury', I had no doubt that this event would not shy away from topics for fear of offending, nor address them in a manner specifically designed to shock or titillate. I was curious as to the crowd that would be there too as people rarely look at other customers when shopping for sex toys so I had little idea of what to expect.
When we arrived at the South Kensington store, we were greeted by friendly female staff and invited in to enjoy a glass of champagne whilst browsing before the salon began. There was some shopping time afterwards with 20% discount so everyone wanted to make sure they knew what was in stock. Ready for the talk, rows of comfortable chairs were lined up to face the shop window, which was draped in black fabric so that no one could see inside.
The crowd was extremely mixed – women and men, couples and singles, of a variety of ages. Any anxious newbies would most certainly have been glad that the atmosphere was friendly rather than salacious. After drooling over the beautiful lingerie and sex toys - not literally! - Sam Roddick, who had been mingling and chatting with the rest of us, sat on the beautiful chair that nestled in the window and introduced herself.
Sam talked to us about her experience of walking into a sex shop for the first time and the thoughts and feelings which led her to set up her own, more female friendly store. She told us about the various ways she obtained new products for Coco de Mer and how this often led to her wondering, "how on earth would you use that?"
It was this desire for knowledge that inspired the salons. Sam thought that, if she wanted to learn more about sex and push her own boundaries, resulting in more confidence and pleasure in her sexual relationships, then perhaps her customers did too. She now has several regular speakers – including sex and relationship therapist Rachel Foux and Californian sex educator Midori – and is on the look out for more.
After the introduction, Sam's talk went on to cover topics such as sensual touch, massage as foreplay, exploring taste and smell using blindfolds, different sex toys and the sensations each type provides, the joys of lube, cock rings, an introduction to spanking, why you shouldn't be scared of anal sex, and a quick journey into light bondage. Some aspects were merely spoken about or discussed, while others were a little more hands-on.
Being blindfolded and fed by someone you've only just met is an interesting experience, and it's certainly not an everyday occurrence to spend an evening in the company of fully clothed strangers whilst watching them show off their best hand-job techniques on a large dildo! Who said learning can't be fun?
Despite my reasonably broad knowledge of sex, I learned a lot at the salon. I discovered that hard natural materials are best for sex toys as they offer little very friction, especially when combined with a good lube. Not only do glass or wood dildos and ceramic butt plugs look good, but they also work better and are easier to clean.
I learned that finding a vibrator with the right sort of vibration and stimulation for you is quite a task. I now don't feel so bad about all the toys I just didn't get on with, and I understand why Coco de Mer stocks the ones it has. I also learned that people you know may have the best sex tips that they're just too shy to tell you about!
To reveal any more of Sam Roddick's tips and tricks would be very silly of me as you really have to hear them from the lady herself. At £65 for a two hour workshop with store discount, this is a wonderful way to spend an evening and would make a lovely gift for a lover.
Don't be fooled into thinking that Coco de Mer's prices are all so high that you won't be buying before you leave either. At £12 for a small feather tickler, £20 for a gorgeous rubberwood spanking paddle, or £25 for this beautiful cross-stitched blindfold, everyone can add a bit of sophistication to their sex life.