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Skinny Dip February 12, 2015

Celebrating Galentine’s Day with Gifts, Good Reads + a Giveaway

If you’re reading this on February 13th, Happy Galentine’s Day!

Anyone who has spoken to me in the past two months is probably aware that I’ve become completely obsessed with the show Parks and Recreation. People have been recommending this show to me for years – and now I finally understand why. I mean, there’s just so much to love: the witty humour, endearing characters, Leslie Knope’s undying chutzpah and determination to make the world a better place. December was a weird month, and Parks & Recreation was what got me through on those 48hr hangover days when all I could do was lie horizontally and seriously question my life choices.

Anyway, Leslie Knope is an avid celebrant of Galentine’s Day, so I thought it was only fitting that I write my own Galentine’s Day post (plus, I wanted an excuse to share these Parks & Recreation themed Valentines because they are everything.)

Although I wish I could make personalized Valentine’s for all of you (a la Leslie Knope) and present them over waffles, instead I’ve put together a bunch of female centric “Galentine” gifts to make your life more fun & enjoyable.

When it comes to treating myself, I love to indulge in new reading material. Although Leslie Knope tends to favour books written about famous political figures like Eleanor Roosevelt and Hilary Clinton, I think she’d appreciate these female penned titles. All of them are great reads and inspiring in unique ways.

–Yes, Please by Amy Poehler – A no brainer. Amy Poehler is delightful and this book is the perfect warm & fuzzy, feel good read.

–Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham – If you like GIRLS or Dunham in general, you’ll enjoy this collection of relatable essays chock full of awkward moments that are as cringe-worthy as they are familiar.

–#GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso – Leslie Knope is the ultimate #GIRLBOSS. This book by Nasty Gal’s CEO, Sophia Amoruso is full of motivational pep talks and business advice for ladies looking to take over the world.

–Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay – I’m totally obsessed with Roxane Gay’s writing and this book of essays. Gay tackles everything from Twilight and competitive scrabble, to gender and race. A must-read for everyone regardless of whether you have a vagina or not.

–I Forgot to Be Famous by Almie Rose – My lovely friend Almie wrote this awesome collection of essays about love, dating & LA. After reading Lena Dunham’s book, I still prefer I Forgot To Be Famous. Not only is Rose funnier in general, but I Forgot To Be Famous has all of the awkward, twenty-something insights of Not that Kind of Girl, minus the hype and privilege. I also have first-hand knowledge that the author is a lovely human being.

My friends are an awesome and talented bunch. I feel like the often unlucky in love Anne Perkins would totally dig these books written by two smart women that I’m honoured to know.

–Respected: How One Word Can Change More Than Just Your Love Life by Akirah Robinson – Heartbroken? Lonely? My friend Akirah Robinson believes that you can heal your brave heart.”When it comes to finding love, it seems like everyone has an opinion. Rather than joining the loud choir of love experts and dating gurus, Respected helps women bolster their sense of self-worth and as a result, become better prepared to participate in healthy romantic relationships.” Sounds good, right? Fun tidbit: yours truly contributed to a chapter.

–Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda by Tara Lee Reed – Hey, remember those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books from childhood? Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda takes this concept to a whole new level as an interactive romantic comedy with 60 different Sometimes Happily After Endings. The perfect read for anyone who loves witty one-liners and has ever yearned for a romantic “do-over.”

Parks and Recreation’s April Ludgate hates a lot of stuff. You know what bums me out? Bad sex. That’s why last year I worked with one of my favourite companies, Lucky Bloke, to create the Skinny Dip “Her Pleasure” condom and lube sampler.

I truly believe that you can have scorching hot, safer sex. Having access to the right products really helps with this. Inside the Skinny Dip condom and lube sampler you’ll find a bunch of my favourite condoms and lubes – curated for your pleasure. As I’ve discovered, these make awesome bachelorette party favours and/or gifts for your single girlfriends. Buy one for yourself and a friend. You won’t be disappointed. A portion of all proceeds go to help women in need at the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre in Vancouver.

Donna Meagle is a total baller. Not only does she have a penchant for all things luxurious, she also seems like the kind of woman who would have no qualms taking her pleasure into her own hands. Hence, the reason I think she’d totally dig the Crave Vesper gold plated vibrator necklace or this lingerie set guaranteed to tap into your inner wild woman. Don’t want to mix sex and fashion accessories? Treat yo’ self to one of my top 10 favourite sex toys of all time. You’re worth it.

Now, here comes the really good part! As my Galentine’s Gift to you, I have one copy of Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda by Tara Lee Reed up for grabs. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post and follow the prompts below. I’ll select a winner on Wednesday, February 18th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Skinny Dip January 28, 2015

The Crave Vesper: Luxury Vibrator & Jewelry in One

On Saturday night I went to a party and wore a vibrator as jewelry – but I’ll get to that in a second.

Those of you who have been reading this for awhile are probably aware of two of my obsessions: gorgeously designed luxury sex toys and equally gorgeous fashion accessories. The Vesper Necklace from Crave combines both of these loves into one stunning product.

If the name Crave sounds familiar, it’s because they are the brainchildren behind one of my favourite sex toys ever, the very sexy and spy-worthy Crave Duet, which I frequently refer to as “The James Bond of Sex Toys.” The San Francisco based company is known for it’s sleek, well-designed, sophisticated toys, so when they kindly offered to send me my very own Vesper Necklace to review, I immediately jumped at the chance.

The Vesper Necklace has everything that I’d expect from a Crave toy. It’s ultra-sleek, stunning and utterly unique with sexy, discreet features that make you feel like you’re living in a spy movie (because what’s more sexy and daring than wearing a secret pleasure device?)

The Vesper Necklace is a luxury vibrator that also doubles as a piece of jewelry. Made of smooth, stainless steel, the Vesper is fully body-safe and features a curved tip designed for precise clitoral stimulation – in public, in private or anywhere in between. It’s fully rechargeable by USB and comes in silver, gold and rose-gold. The top of the vibrator is elegantly engraved with the Crave logo and comes with an attached chain.

The Crave Vesper is ultra discrete, and looks more like a piece of chic jewelry than a sex toy. In true spy-like fashion, to charge the device you simply have to unscrew the cap, insert the USB cord and plug it into your computer. Super easy, right?

I wear a mix of silver and gold, so I ordered the Vesper in rose gold, because I loved the two-toned look. I’m not quite sure what else to say, except that the Vesper is just as stunning in person as it is in the photos – perhaps more so, because it’s mine…ALL MINE!

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Skinny Dip October 22, 2014

Review | These Shoes Were Made for Dancing…Almost

I don’t know about you, but when it comes to putting together boudoir looks (i.e. lingerie or sexy costumes) the shoes are always an afterthought. I usually just grab my favourite pair of super high, black patent leather, stiletto pumps and call it a day. However, lately I’ve been thinking more about shoes and how they play into acting out your fantasies in the bedroom.

So, I was really intrigued when Shoefreaks.ca contacted me about trying and reviewing a pair of their shoes on the blog. Shoefreaks.ca is a 100% Canadian company based in Montreal that specializes in Alternative footwear. Think: anything from wild stripper shoes, platform goth boots to pin-up inspired pumps. If it’s out of the ordinary, they’ve got it! To quote their mission statement:

“We want you to have the power to be who you want to be whenever and however you want to. Want to feel sexy? Then be sexy. Want to rock 10” platforms to your high school reunion? Then rock them. The world is your paradise and if you’re planning on leaving a footprint behind, you better make sure it’s one people will remember you by.”

Amen to that.

However, although I’ve been known to rock some crazy cheetah print pumps on occasion, my shoe taste tends to fall more in the “ordinary” category. So, when it came time to choose my shoes I went with one of their more subdued options. Skinny Dippers, meet the Fabulicious Lip 139 Sandals by Pleaser.

The Fabulicious Lip 139 Sandals are a black patent, D’Orsay style, platform sandal with an adjustable ankle strap. Made of man-made faux leather, feature a 3/4 ” platform and 5″ heels. I was initially attracted to these shoes because their minimalist structure reminded a bit of a very sexed up version of the Stuart Weitzman “Nudist” sandal.

First of all, I was really impressed by the packaging. The shoes arrived in a blue “Fabulicious” box and came with a coordinating blue dust-bag for storage. FYI, when I travel I pack all of my shoes in dust bags, so this is definitely a plus in my books.

At first glance, the Fabulicious Lip 139 Sandals are very sleek, however also slightly daunting in height. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that they have a nice cushy insole made of soft black suede material. Here’s a few photos of what they look like on.

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Skinny Dip October 14, 2014

Meet Vancouver’s Most Eligible Bachelorette

Life is weird and fun, and sometimes cool stuff happens like when you get chosen as one of “Vancouver’s Most Eligible Bachelorettes.”

In July, I flew over to Vancouver to meet with the Eligible Magazine team to be interviewed and do a glam photo-shoot around Vancouver’s gorgeous Coal Harbour. It was such a fun (but hot & sweaty) day and everyone I worked with was lovely. I’ve kept all of this under my hat for the past few months, so I am super excited to share the feature and the photos with you. You can read the full story here, however here are a few of my favourite photos from the shoot!

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Skinny Dip September 6, 2014

Review | Burlesque and the Art of the Teese by Dita Von Teese

It’s been a busy few weeks! Since my last post about dating a younger man I’ve attended my best friend’s wedding, travelled to Kelowna, BC, spent a few days in Seattle and (thanks to travel & sleep deprivation) tried unsuccessfully to get over the cold I picked up along the way. But, enough about me!

Today I have something really cool to share with you. Earlier this summer, the lovely people at Burlesque Toy Shop sent me a copy of this gorgeous copy table book, Burlesque and the Art of the Teese by Dita Von Teese.

As many of you already know, I’m a huge bookworm. However, despite being a sex and relationship writer by trade, my collection of “sexy” books is relatively small. I have a few things I’ve had to pick up for work, a few how-to sex guides that have been sent to me via the blog and one unread copy of 50 Shades of Grey that has been collecting dust. I decided that it’s time to change that! One of the things that I love about Burlesque Toy Shop is that they have an entire section of their website called “Library” which is devoted to erotic fiction, sex-positive non-fiction & guides and gorgeous coffee table books like the one above – all of which is music this bibliophile’s ears.

A fan of old Hollywood glamour and all things retro & sexy, Burlesque is something that’s always intrigued me. Maybe it’s my background in theatre & performance or the fact that I love how burlesque performance celebrates a wide range of female body types, however when it came to choosing a book to add to my sexy library, Burlesque and the Art of the Teese seemed like a natural choice. Burlesque combines some of my favourite things: performance, lingerie, dressing up & sexual expression. It also doesn’t hurt that I have a girl crush on Dita Von Teese. We’re both petite women with very dark hair and light skin, and like me she has a background in ballet. So, you could say I identify with her look & her story.

Let’s take a look inside her book!

Simply put, Burlesque and the Art of the Teese by Dita Von Teese is a glamourous, sexy, colourful romp from beginning to the end.

Playing dress up has always been my favourite game. Like me, Dita grew up fascinated by black & white movies and old school Hollywood glamour – something that’s clearly evident in the photos contained in this book. Burlesque and the Art of the Teese is chock full of vivid, colourful, gorgeous photographs of Dita in her various incarnations. As Dita explains on the dust jacket, “I live out my most glamourous fantasies by bringing nostalgic imagery.” I can definitely relate to this statement because this is exactly how I feel when I put on a great piece of lingerie or decide to don a retro Playboy bunny costume. From glittery burlesque costumes adorned with sequins and feathers, and retro lingerie, to glamourous evening wear – this book basically reads like a wet dream of what I wish was in my boudoir wardrobe. A campy, sexy lion tamer costume? Gimme!

The beautiful photographs are interspersed with stories about Dita’s life & career with beauty and styling tips. I particularly like this piece of beauty advice: “There is no such thing as a plain woman. Every woman has a attractive points, so accentuate your best assets”

Annnnd, this book is actually a “2 for 1” type deal. Half way through, if you flip the book around, you get to experience the other half (“Fetish and the Art of the Tease“) which is devoted to Dita’s fetish inspired looks. Dita Von Teese made her start in the entertainment business as a fetish model, so it only seems natural that she’d include these photos as well. The photos in Fetish and the Art of the Tease are definitely a little bit more edgy and racy. Dita even gives some wardrobe tips…

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