On Wednesday, February 8^th, Babeland is hosting a book launch and discussion for Great in Bed with co-authors Dr. Debby Herbenick and Grant Stoddard. The comprehensive sex guide offers a she thinks/he thinks perspective on modern sex and hits just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Dr. Debby Herbenick is a sex researcher and teacher at The Kinsey Institute and Indiana University who started teaching sex ed to college students at IU. She has written sex columns for numerous newspapers and magazines and is frequently called on by journalists, which is how she met Grant Stoddard. Grant is an author and journalist, covering sex and lifestyles for numerous magazines, including New York, GQ and Glamour. Grant started writing about sex as a naïve intern at Nerve.com with the “I Did It For Science” column. They both have great blogs, too. Check out MySexProfessor.com, and GrantStoddard.com.

Q: One of the things I appreciated about Great in Bed is that it gives a lot of advice about handling the different situations that come with sex – from the first date to the morning after. How did you decide what to focus on? There’s so much to say about sex!

Debby: We wanted Great in Bed to be able to help a wide range of people to have fantastic sex – whether they were just starting out with someone or trying to find ways to make sex better after several months or years together. We also, of course, realize that quality sex doesn’t wait until you have your clothes off and are rolling around naked. You’ve got to meet someone first. Get things to go well. Flirt, touch, kiss, have something to say to one another. All of it matters.

Grant: I thought of practical information that I really could have used instead of learning through trial and error. And of course, I’m always striving to be better in bed (as we all should be) so I learned a lot of fascinating new information through my research and even more from Dr. Debby’s wealth of knowledge in the field. I’ve already referred to it a dozen times or more! (Not *during* the act, obviously.)

Q: There’s a message throughout the book about feeling confident. We teach sex workshops at Babeland and notice that this is the number one challenge for our customers. Why do people generally feel this lack of sexual confidence?

Debby: As a society, we don’t give people much sex education or information to go on. Most of us have a sense that we’re pretty much in the dark when it comes to sex. It takes practice, learning, exposure to ideas, a partner who smiles or moans and lets you know things are going well – all of these can build confidence.

Grant: I think it’s also because people fear judgment. We’re bombarded with information about what’s “normal” and what’s not and we may be hesitant to share what turns us on for fear of feeling judged. I remember plucking up the courage to do this particular thing I had refrained from doing for weeks — thinking I’d freak my partner out – only to find that she loved that thing, too. Through experience I’ve learned that the more that we are our true selves (in sex and in life) the happier we are. This is borne out in several studies in the book — some of which were authored by Debby herself. (more…)

Whether you know Kandi Burruss from the Real Housewives of Atlanta, or from one of her Grammy award-winning songs, or from her web show, Kandi Koated Nights, you’ve come to expect a frank, sassy, strong woman. When she came out with w new line of sex toys developed with OhMiBod, we knew it would be hot.  Now that the toys have arrived, they don’t disappoint. Babeland is thrilled to be the first store to carry her Bedroom Kandi line and we’re welcoming her at Babeland SoHo on Thursday, December 15th for a special party to debut the line. Come and meet her!

Bedroom Talk with Kandi Burruss from the Real Housewives of Atlanta
Thursday, December 15, 7pm, Free
Babeland SoHo, 43 Mercer Street
You’ve enjoyed watching Kandi Burruss’ sassy and down-to-earth presence on the Real Housewives of Atlanta, now help us celebrate the launch of Bedroom Kandi, her elegant new line of discreet toys. Meet Kandi and hear about her inspiration for the toys, as well as her experiences on the Real Housewives of Atlanta! Bring your BFFs for a ladies night out with Kandi, including manicures by the Polish Bar of Brooklyn, cocktails, Bedroom Kandi raffle prizes and more.

Here’s what Kandi had to say when we chatted with her about the toys.

Babeland: You’ve had such an interesting career in entertainment, how did you decide to create your own line of sex toys? In some ways, it seems like, “well, of course she did!” and it also seems a bit risky. As women in this industry, we understand that vibrators and women’s sexy time are still challenging for mainstream America to handle.

Kandi: I was invited on the Dr. Laura Berman show.  She’s a medical doctor and she also has her own line of intimate products and I was like, wow, with my show, Kandi Koated Nights as a springboard, I can do the same thing.  Then I found out about this woman in Europe that became a billionaire in the adult product industry and from that point on, it was a no brainer.

Babeland: How did your family and friends react when you decided to launch a line of vibrators?

Kandi: My family and friends are always very supportive of me in everything I do. When I did my research and decided to step into this endeavor, I really wanted to make sure my mother did not think I was making the wrong move.  As long as she was fine with it, then I was comfortable doing it.

Babeland: We’re huge fans of the colors and shapes you’ve chosen. We’ve seen other lipstick vibes before, but Kandi Kisses has an unsurpassed weight, shape and quality. Why did you decide to go with the make-up design?

Kandi: The beauty of these pieces is that they’re not intimidating. They were designed to be very discreet. You can throw them in your purse and walk around with your own plaything and feel comfortable. They’re a combination of pleasure and style.

Babeland: What drew you to the unique powder-puff shape for the Make Me Over vibe? It’s a shape and design that is completely new.

Kandi: The whole idea was to create discreet packaging so that a woman can enjoy an orgasm on the go and so that if the product were mistakenly left on her dresser, no one would be alarmed! I decided to go with the make-up angle because it brought an elegant feel to the product line.

Babeland: Do you think that you’re part of destigmatizing vibrators for women? You have a high profile and many women look up to you. Have you found that launching this line is opening a new dialogue with your viewers and fans?

Kandi: I feel Bedroom Kandi will change the perception of how people view intimate products and open up the conversation, especially in the African American community. Sexual pleasure has such as huge stigma and it should not.

Babeland: What was the most fun part of designing a sex toy?

Kandi: Working on it has allowed for a healthy dialogue about sex.

Babeland: You’ve written Grammy award-winning music, so it’s no coincidence that one of your vibrators, the Happiness & Joy, vibrates to the beat and rhythm of music. What type of music sounds the best on Happiness & Joy? What’s your personal favorite song to play on this vibrator?

Kandi: Anything that you feel comfortable listening to in the bedroom works with this vibe! It does not have to be a specific type of song.  It can be very passionate songs about love, dance songs to make things fun, or heavy bass club songs to give it that extra “edge” in certain encounters with your mate. I do not know if I have a personal favorite song, maybe I have a personal play list!

Babeland: Do you have advice for women who are new to vibrators on trying a Bedroom Kandi toy for the first time?

Kandi: Yes, it’s the best fun you can have by yourself. Try it; I’m confident you will like it!

Babeland: Do you have a favorite that you like to recommend?

Kandi: My favorite piece is the Happiness & Joy dual-action vibe. It brings you happiness on the inside and joy on the outside at the same time.

This weekend we are excited to teach our Moregasm for Couples workshop.  This is the pinnacle of all the Babeland workshops.  This class covers the top tips from our most popular classes.
We launched our book Moregasm: Babeland’s Guide to Mind-Blowing Sex last year, and it is a beautiful book full of sex tips, positions, dirty talk suggestions, masturbation techniques, and lots of ways to get just what you want in the bedroom and how to be an amazing lover.
If you love to please the female body, this workshop is for you. If pleasing the male body is what you prefer, this workshop is for you. We cover it ALL in this class.

While this workshop is great for couples to attend together, it is also great to attend on your own, or with friends. There is so much information that we cover in this class that you will be sure to learn something new about your own sexuality, and great new tips to try on your partner.

We want to offer a special deal for the Babeland Blog readers. You can get 50% off workshop tickets when you buy them online by Friday. Just enter code “BabelandBlog” when you buy your tickets.
Want a chance to WIN tickets to class? Leave a comment below to enter. You can just leave a short hello, but we would prefer a sex tip to share with all. Maybe we will even add it to the Moregasm class this weekend!