Is it still taboo to talk about sex toys and lubes? Well, if we still have to give vibrators cutesy names like “The Rabbit” or ambiguous one like “The Magic Bullet,” then yeah, I’d say it’s still not quite the social norm. Wildly popular shows like Sex and The City however, have certainly made it quite clear that society is more than ready for a dramatic change in the way we view sensuality and pleasure. And as we tried to maneuver our way through the crowd of people down the aisles of the Taboo Naughty But Nice Sex Show in Vancouver this past weekend, the general public is obviously not only able to admit that they are curious, but also willing to explore new things in the realm of sex.

For anyone who’s ever wanted to, but have been embarrassed to attend one of these trade shows, you can rest assured that it’s neither intimidating, nor obscene or dirty. Like the operation of any other business out there, all the exhibitors are nothing but friendly and professional. You won’t feel pressured to buy anything and if you do make a purchase, you won’t feel like you have to hide it. The atmosphere is fun and relaxed, and the stage shows are always a draw. There are open seminars and workshops that teach you anything from how to to avoid dating disasters to how to find that elusive G-spot. It’s definitely not just about sex toys – There are booths for energy drinks, protein shakes, “clothing optional holidays,” skin care products, tattooes on the spot, anti-snoring solutions, aromatherapy, bed sheets, and even cancan dancers…and that’s just naming a few. There are contests and giveaways galore and raffle ticket sales for worthy causes like Aids Vancouver.

But let’s be frank here. What we all want to know about is what the latest sex toys are, right? Well, if that’s what you want, that’s what you’ll get! Click on the link below for the pleasure trove of goodies that we found at the Sex Show and keep an eye out for the fantastic giveaway that we’ve got for one lucky viewer, courtesy of our friends at the Little Shop of Pleasures!

When it comes to sex toys, you’ll find that most of the stores on exhibit carry pretty much the same assortment of products. Except for perhaps the different deals that you can get depending on which one you choose to buy from, there’s not a heck of a lot that sets them apart.

There IS one store in particular though, that I found exceptionally helpful and informative, so if I were to recommend one place for you to get all your products from, it would be the Little Shop of Pleasures (Alberta’s best adult store on Mission Road and Macleod Trail South). Co-owner Don Wilhelm, and “Pleasure Experts” Sarah and Nathan were on hand with a mind-boggling assortment of options and were able to answer every question I had about each of them. Their upbeat and easy-going attitudes made all the difference. None of the other booths I visited (and there were many) were as forthcoming as they were and so here is what they had to say about the latest and the greatest:

Liberator Bedroom Adventure Gear: Have you ever struggled to shift your partner to that magic position that hits all the pleasure spots? Well, this is probably what you need. Featured here is the Ramp shape, which offers support with a deep slope elevation that strategically lifts your partner’s hips to an altitude of 12 inches, which gives you access to angles that accentuate sensitivity. You can avoid falling forward, slipping, sore elbows and wrists when you’re in a doggie-style position and the ramp also offers you an “unbeatable girl-on-top ride.”

Approximate Retail Price: $140

Fun Factory LAYAspot: This European designed “nesting toy” is submergible, has a locking mechanism for uninterrupted pleasure, runs on 2 AAA batteries, offers three vibration patterns in seven speeds, and fits ergonomically into your hand. It is the only device that allows vaginal insertion AND allows you to do it underwater. This little gadget provides not only clitoral stimulation, but also gives you the option of two sizes (one at each end) for vaginal stimulation (one for the G-spot). Men can also use it for scrotum stimulation. For the most bang for your buck, Sarah says this one’s it.

Approximate Retail Price: $80 Cdn

Ultra 10 Remote Control Bullet: There are a lot of bullet toys in the market (so named for their shape), but what sets this one apart is the fact that it is submergible (as long as it’s tightly closed) and has a wireless remote control that offers 10 pulsating variations (option 8 being the most popular one). Use it yourself or give your partner the control. For clitoral stimulation, slide on the ribbed silicone sleeve for a heightened internal sexual experience.

Approximate Retail Price: $99 Cdn

Lelo Gigi: Quite the best-seller, this stylish Swedish designed silicone device is a very popular one in the Lelo line of sophisticated sex products. It offers high/low options for seven pulsating functions in a frequency that’s slightly lower than the Ultra 10 Bullet. No batteries are required as it is rechargeable, and it has a unique lock that prevents accidental ‘turn-ons OR offs!’ (you just simultaneously hold down the two side arrows until the light turns on/off). The distinctive tip is for “the discerning G-spot connoisseur.”

Approximate Retail Price: $165 Cdn

Lelo Nea: Also from the Lelo series, this is the subtlest vibrator I have ever seen. Glancing at it, you might think it’s a pager or a pet rock. Beautifully designed with floral graphic accents, it’ll save you from a potentially embarrassing situation when your mom accidentally stumbles upon it. This is also rechargeable and has a higher rpm for those that prefer stronger clitoral stimulation.

Approximate Retail Price: $120 Cdn

Lelo Liv: Except for the shape of its silicone tip, this is exactly the same as the Gigi. But instead of a bulbous end, this one is straight and smooth. Some women don’t think that they can achieve a G-spot orgasm and opt for this model instead. It is also rechargeable.

Approximate Retail Price: $165 Cdn

If the prices are a little out of your budget (shop around online because you can get pretty varied prices, very often with great discounts), you can always stick to the cheaper vibrators that are readily available. You can get a pretty good one for $25 Cdn, like the Technobeat. You won’t really be sacrificing much BUT you do have to settle for its obvious and unattractive appearance. There’s no mistaking what it is if your niece finds it in your bedside table!

Another very affordable option is this silicone cock ring (made by the same people who brought you the very popular Dolphin and Rabbit). This little device operates on watch batteries inside a motor which you can remove so you can wash the silicone exterior. It provides simultaneous stimulation for both the man and woman during sex and costs $30 Cdn.

Jelly vs. Silicone: Choosing which material you want is of course up to you, but if you opt for a jelly product, make sure that you steer away from a material called “phthalate.” This is the magic ingredient that gives certain products that really soft, bendable and squishy texture that imitates the real thing. The medical findings are not conclusive, but prolonged exposure to the material has been linked to kidney failure, so I would opt out of it just to be on the safe side.

Silicone Taffy Tickler: Don’t let the look of this one scare you off. It’s quite deceptive because it’s actually very soft. You’ll need quite a bit of lubrication and it’s a bit harder to clean, but it IS made of silicone so it’s still pretty easy. Just leave it on while your rinse it under warm water.

Approximate Retail Price: $45 Cdn

Hegar Uterine Dilators: Originally designed as a medical instrument, you lube the stick, position it to enter the urethra of a stimulated penis, and just let gravity pull it down and into the organ. No pushing is required, which is why it’s probably not as painful as you are imagining it to be. It doesn’t go all the way down of course and stops at the hilt (at about the instrument’s half-way point). Once in, you apply vibrations to the stick with a vibrator and as Sarah describes it, by doing this, a man can “recycle the same orgasm for 10 – 30 minutes!” You can work your way up to the larger rods but keep in mind that if used too frequently, it CAN stretch your urethra, but as Don puts it, “it’ll save you time when you taking a pee!”

Approximate Retail Price: $140 Cdn (not sold separately)

Cupping Set: Unlike the ones used in Chinese medicine, these don’t employ the use of flames. The principle behind them is that the sucking action draws the blood to the area being sucked and as a result, makes the applied area super sensitive to the touch. The small cup is used for the nipples and the other one in the picture is large enough for the vulva. Some do call it a “genital torture device” so use it at your own risk! It IS a kink toy.

Approximate Retail Price: $130 Cdn per set of about 10 cups of varying sizes

Fukuoku Glove: This is operated with 3 AAA batteries and surprisingly is waterproof too! There are two levels of vibration (“high and high”). I’ll let you imagine its multiple uses, but don’t forget that it also has therapeutic benefits. Sarah sold one to a dog owner who was looking for something like this to massage an aging dog that was suffering from arthritis, for which vibrations are beneficial.

Approximate Retail Price: $95 Cdn

DABBLER CONTEST! For your chance to win a Fukuoku Glove, courtesy of Little Shop of Pleasures, email us with your best excuse for why you need one! Contest ends Thursday, January 31st, 2008!

As Nathan points out, keep in mind that sex toys are NOT regulated, so do your research. He would recommend silicone instead of jelly products, and if you purchase a metal instrument, be sure to look for the classification “medical grade surgical steel.” The quality can’t be beat (even if it’s stainless steel, it CAN still rust), and you can boil it for sanitation purposes after use. He adds that for similar reasons, glass toys are also a great option. And on a final note, he is quick to remind that your toy should not include ANY porous materials (such as cloth) because it can never be fully cleaned and sanitized. Anal balls for instance, used to be connected by a cloth string but as you can imagine, considering where it is going, the bacteria and fungi that remains in the cloth is not good for you. That’s why anal toys like this one in the picture below have the dividers between the balls, which were made to circumvent this hygienic problem.

Kegel Balls: What are these used for? Building the muscles of your “pelvic floor.” You simply insert one or more into your vagina (don’t worry, they can’t get stuck in there. There’s nowhere to go! If you stand up and relax, they will naturally fall out) and try to hold it in place. If they fall out, simply rinse them and place them back in. Practice 30 minutes a day until you can hold it for 15 – 20 minutes and your partner will definitely feel the difference during vaginal sex. And an added bonus? By the time you’re in your 60s, your pelvic floor will be strong enough that it will help you control incontinence. It’ll even diminish some discomfort in pregnancy.

Approximate Retail Price: $25 – 30 Cdn. There are also magnetic ones and apparently, the magnetic properties are good for your health as well.

If you want to splurge, you can get these fancier surgical grade kegel toys from njoy for $160 – 165 Cdn.

Sue from O!Behave (in Delta, BC) suggests the Pleasure Commander. It’s similar to the Ultra 10 in that it has a separate control unit, but the difference is that it’s not cordless. It takes 3 AAs and if used daily, Sue claims the batteries last for about 2 months. She should know – Sue encourages woman to change the way they think about these products. Because orgasms release endorphins and “takes your mind to a quite place,” Sue attributes her optimism and energy to frequent use of her Pleasure Commander. She says it definitely helps to “stabilize her moods.”

Pleasure Chest Parties: If you’re not comfortable going to an adult store for any of these products, you do have the option of hosting an event in the privacy of your own home to learn about them. We spoke to the owner of Pleasure Chest Parties, a 100% independent BC-based company about such parties, and what happens is that someone will come to your home (or wherever you want to hold your party) to demo the products and afterwards set up shop in a separate room (like the bedroom) where buyers can enter one at a time to make their discreet purchases. Such parties typically last for about three hours and are FREE. How they can afford to do this is by putting a markup on the items being sold and offering the host or the hostess a percentage of the sales. There’s no minimum purchase and you don’t have to have a certain number of people at your party.

Here are a couple of other companies that offer similar services: North Vancouver’s Lovenest Home Parties, and Regina-based (with consultants in Edmonton and Vancouver as well) Industrial Luv Products Inc (look for Jen to book parties in BC).

Terminal City Roller Girls: Now this has nothing to do with sex, but it’s sure sexy! Founded in January 2006 by a group of women who discovered a great new way to combine athleticism and creativity, The Terminal City Roller Girls is Vancouver’s first female roller derby league. If you’d like to join, the only requirements are that you must be female (sorry guys! It’s a great spectator sport though!), and that you need to be a medium to intermediate skater. Membership is $20 a month and this includes two practice sessions a week. If you wanna know what they’re all about, come out to one of their events. They’ll be competing monthly from April to August so check them out! If you can’t wait that long, there’s an Open Scrimmage on February 1st, 7 PM, at the UBC Osborne Centre – Unit 2.

Lace Embrace Atelier Corsets & Lingerie: Known for making beautiful steel reproductions of antique Victorian corsets since 1997, owner and corsetière Melanie Talkington builds regular corsets, corset dresses, and also bridal gowns that incorporate a prominent corset. Prices vary greatly depending on what style you’re after and what materials you prefer (cotton/silk), but an average corset could cost around $195 Cdn. When asked why she makes a product that used to conform women to a certain image, she said it did a lot more than shape a woman’s body back in the day. It also helped to support her breasts before bras were invented, and also ensured good posture and provided great support of the back. Men used to wear them as well, she says, although slightly modified (it was more of a wide belt). The inspiration for this business? Dolly Parton’s The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas!

Wild West Cancan Dancers: I had no idea that there was a Port Moody Cancan league that dates back 30 years! Wild West Cancan Dancers is actually a spin-off troop from the original. You can learn to Cancan once a week and it’ll only cost you $10 a year because they want you to be able to spend the money on costumes and supplies instead. There are no pre-requisites for joining. As long as you have the spirit and just wanna lift your skirt, you’re in!

For those unfamiliar with this dance genre, Cancan is a saloon dance that originated in France in the 1830s and was brought to North America during the gold rush. At the time, the railway was also being built in Canada and to commemorate its completion, the last “Golden Spike” was struck, followed by a celebration that included performances by Cancan dancers who were brought in to entertain the workers. What I found intriguing was that despite their outward appearance, Cancan dancers actually wore a heck of a lot more clothes than the average person! They all start off with skin-coloured tights (so all the girls’ legs have the same skin tone), the fishnet stockings go on top of that, followed by a bodysuit, a vest, another pair of knickers (this one decorative for show), the dress with petticoat, and finally the corset! Quite the work to look sexy eh?

Earlier we glossed over the option of glass adult toys. If this is an option you’d like to explore, you can start by browsing through the dizzying assortment of glass designs at Love Style Adult Toys just to get a taste of what’s out there. Going glass has a lot of benefits. It:

Is made of medical/pharmaceutical grade pyrex
Is strong and durable – lasts forever
Is completely hypoallergenic
Is super easy to clean
Is non-porous – no odours or discolouration ever
Can be warmed or cooled for bedroom excitement
Is the smoothest and thickest toy available

And what’s a sex show without hooker heels eh! These are Devious Shoes and can be found at Barbies Shop. The average price for shoes is $80, knee highs for $120, and thigh highs for $160.

Need a Burlesque performer? This is Andra, the Diamond Minx, who looked stunning in her Swarovski crystals-laden red corset dress, and whom we later found in stilts!

Casanova Wear Pleasure Wrap: Created by a man who used to use his bedsheets every time he wanted to bind his partner during sex (but who grew tired of messing up his bed every time), this is a little bondage fun for a newbie to this form of pleasure. Cleverly and elegantly designed, it would take one who owns one to know what it’s really used for. It is slightly padded for comfort and will enhance any sexual position. There are leather lashes on either end of the Pleasure Wrap for a little tickle or a little whipping action, and you can very easily and quickly bind (and just as quickly unbind) your partner by tying her hands or legs, or use it to spread them apart for access. Valued at $60, this sensuous satin wrap comes in 10 different Asian print colours. You can purchase it here or here.

For something a little more hard core, there’s also the Casanova Wear ConstrictHer (which serves the same function as the Wrap, but in a kinkier fashion), available here, and here.

Masks are sexy AND mysterious. For a beautiful hand-sculpted piece of wearable leather art, you can find masks like this one at Erota Leather for anywhere from $12 to ornate ones for $500. Averaging $30 – 60 for a regular mask, the one featured on our model here retails at $80.

Lubricants: Ok, here’s the lowdown on the different lubes out there in the market. You’ll have the option of three different types: 1) Water-based, 2) Silicone-based, or 3) Oil-based lubes. With water-based lubes, you’ll need to re-apply more frequently BUT it is safe to use with toys made of any material. Silicone-based lubes are thicker and therefore last longer BUT they will destroy any silicone toys that come into contact with it so don’t make that mistake! (they’re great when used on their own during regular sex or hand stimulation). Now, for the most important tip: Do NOT mix oil-based lubricants with condoms as this type of lube WILL destroy the only protection you might have against unplanned parenthood (and STDs)!

A relatively new lube product at Little Sister’s Bookstore, this Pink Silicone Personal Lube retails at $12.95 Cdn and the water-based one at $8.95 Cdn.

Also a best-seller at Little Sisters Bookstore is this book The Ethical Slut: A Guide to Infinite Sexual Possibilities, which was literally flying off the shelves when we were there. This paperback is co-authored by Dossie Easton and Catherine A. Liszt, a couple in a polygamous relationship. A semi-autobiographical publication, this book describes the lifestyles of people that choose to have multiple sexual partners and educates those of the same persuasion on how to do it in a safe and ethical way.

OhMiBod: This device redefines the term “plug ‘n play!” For all you Mac lovers out there, this is the toy for YOU. Simply plug OhMiBod into your iPod or (or any music player really) and it automatically vibrates to the rhythm and intensity of the music that you select to play. Bet you really wanna get down with your favourite tunes now!

Approximate Retail Price: $69
OhMiBod Garter for iPod Mini (an accessory)

Nadia’s Naughty Chocolates: Inspired to take action after a dear friend died of ovarian cancer in 2005, Chef Pâtissière and Chocolatière Nadia Dürig began to make provocatively-molded chocolate pieces like this penis-shaped one to help raise money for cancer research. We chose to feature this particular item in her collection because it’s fun and will definitely make whoever you purchase it for turn a deep shade of red, especially if opened in a party setting! It even rattles when shaken because it’s stuffed with mini chocolate penises! It retails at $15 Cdn and you can order it either through Nadia via her website, or from Chocolate Tofino.

To some, souped-up cars and bikes are the definition of sexy, and both were on hand at the show. This killer chopper however, served as more than mere eye candy. Custom built by Vancouver Chopper, these wheels are part of a contest to raise money for AIDS Vancouver. Each time you make a donation ($20 for one entry, $50 for four entries, $100 for nine entries), you get the chance to win a chick magnet that’s valued at $95,000! This is a 9-month contest that ends in October, so make your donation today either online or by calling the toll free number 1.877.512.3321 and help spread the word for a worthy cause.

And as our adventure through the Naughty But Nice Sex Show came to an end, we stumbled upon Eden – A fantasy night club for couples, where co-owners “Adam” and “Eve” explained how this isn’t your old-fashioned salacious swing club. Fully licensed for its purposes, this members-only club operates out of a two-story residential space in Delta, BC where for three Saturdays out of every month, exclusive parties are held for its subscribers. You can dance the night away in a downstairs night club environment, or head to the “playrooms” upstairs for a little intimate fun with one, two, three or more partners if you’d like (sex IS allowed on the premises and all safe sex supplies are provided). If you’re looking for something a bit more on the kinkier side, stay upstairs, but continue down the hallway to an open room where you can enjoy the company of a larger group of people and just watch the action or join in. Note that the premises can’t sell or serve you alcohol so if you plan to drink, remember to bring your own spirits. On hand will be nibblies served by women in sexy French maid costumes. The target market is young professionals aged 25 – 39 years old and with over 2,000 members so far, you’re bound to meet someone new every time. Here are the membership options:

Silver Membership: $49.95 but limits you to just the invites to the sexy parties (Example: Sinsations Parties, where everyone changes to lingerie (or less) at 10 PM).
Gold Membership: $74.95 and includes online benefits in addition to the party invites.
Platinum Membership: $125 per couple and includes all benefits.

Once a member, it costs $90 per couple at the door and it’s all inclusive. Forty couples is the maximum capacity so reservations are necessary.

And that in a nutshell, was the Vancouver Taboo Naughty But Nice Sex Show! Hope you enjoyed the ride!

To view all our photos from the show (relax, they are all (relatively) safe for work) visit our Flickr gallery.