2010 Archive
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AOL Health
Carol Queen Weighs in on "Secret Sex Dangers", Explains How to Make Sexy Safe
Date: July 26, 2010
Author: Cary Barbor
Title: "Secret Sex Dangers"
Summary: AOL Health explores the dangers of sex products, from condoms to vibrators, lube and Viagra. Good Vibrations Staff Sexologist Dr. Carol Queen explains the dangers of phthalates in sex toys and why Good Vibrations only sells products without them. She offers silicone as the safest alternative, and explains how to properly clean your sex toys.
"Emotional pain and heartache are risks we often take to experience the thrill of love and sex. However, recent findings have discovered that more than just your tender heart may be on the line. Dubious prophylactics and dangerous chemicals dot today's sexual landscape, threatening your physical health as well.
"Silicone is the best material to look for in a vibrator or dildo," says Dr. Carol Queen, staff sexologist at Good Vibrations in San Francisco. "It is nonporous so it stays cleaner, it warms to the body temperature and it doesn't contain phthalates."
Some shops, such as Good Vibrations and Smitten Kitten sell only products produced without phthalates. Queen also recommends cleaning the objects with a specific sex toy cleaner, dish soap or lathered-up bar soap. Avoid antibacterial soaps that contain triclosan, which is unnecessary and possibly unsafe, and be sure to thoroughly rinse off all soap residue."
WHORE! Magazine
A History of Vibrators in WHORE! Magazine
Date: Summer 2010
Author: Dr. Carol Queen
Title: "Buzzing After All These Years: The History of Vibrators"
Summary: Good Vibrations' staff sexologist and chief cultural officer Dr. Carol Queen is featured in Whore! Magazine with a special article on the history of vibrators. While it is tempting to consider vibrators a modern pleasure, a bit of research reveals that they were invented in the 1880s to relieve women of "hysteria", or ailments of a wandering womb. Doctors welcomed vibrators as a replacement for the manual stimulation that was required to bring about the "hysterical paroxysms of relief", otherwise known as an orgasm.
“When sex educator Joani Blank founded Good Vibrations nearly thirty years ago, she put up a little shelf full of antique vibrators right next to the new ones she was selling. Many women visiting the shop felt nervous about being there, and most had no idea that they were not the first generation of ladies who might want a buzzing sex toy – that, in fact, their grandmothers might have used vibrators too. Those antiques gave Joani’s shoppers some perspective. They proved that vibrators – the newfangled toys of the sexual revolution – had a history. And what a history it is.”
{510} Families.com
Good Vibrations' "Mommy's Playdate" Is the Pick of the Week for Families in the East Bay
Date: June 29, 2010
Author: Whitney
Title: "Good Vibrations Hosts After-Hours Event for Moms"
Summary: The site that provides great ideas for families in the East Bay recommends mommies take the night off and enjoy a playdate just for mommies - Good Vibrations' Mommy's Playdate on July 6th at the Berkeley Good Vibes store.
"Called "Mommy's Playdate", a July 6th event at the Berkeley store Good Vibrations will offer moms free cocktails (Mommi-tinis), cupcakes, and a personalized store tour by Dr. Carol Queen. This event is designed for moms, partnered or single, who want to learn to put the spice back in their sex life. Our friend, author Rachel Sarah, will be presenting her very funny memoir, 'Single Mom Seeking.'"
blisstree.com
Eco-Friendly Shopping: 10 Green Sex Toys Under $10
Date: June 16, 2010
Author: Briana Rognlin
Title: "Eco-Friendly Shopping: 10 Green Sex Toys Under $10"
Summary: Blisstree.com explores how sensuality can be sustainable and affordable, featuring three delicious products from goodvibes.com.
“We found 10 all-natural, organic, vegan, and eco-friendly products to spice up your sex life, plus a couple that will help you contribute to population control, without unnecessary chemicals and artificial ingredients. …If it’s on our skin and in our mouth, we want it to be all-natural: Lickable Body Oils from Good Vibrations. Sensuous Chocolate Body Paint: Edible, organic, and natural, just the way we like our chocolate. Ignite Me Massage Candles: Candlelight is a girl’s best friend in bed, and these natural soy candles double as massage oil when melted. We love it when products multi-task as well as we do (in bed).”
SexSF
Good Vibrations' Pride Art show featuring Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens featured in SF Bay Guardian Sex Blog
Date: June 15, 2010
Author: Caitlin Donohue
Title: "Love Art Lab's Sexy Shade of Green"
Summary: Famed artists Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens will be presenting a retrospective of their Love Art Lab project at Good Vibrations Polk Street Gallery on Thursday, June 24th. San Francisco Bay Guardian’s online sex blog, SEX SF, features a highly entertaining interview in which Annie and Beth explain their “ecosexual” identities and their mission to eroticize every aspect of life and connect it with the environmental movement.
“The two women are in the midst of what they call the Love Art Lab, a far reaching, seven year project that's seen them married eight times all over the globe in lavishly creative ceremonies that invoke Sprinkle's and Stephens' commitment to 'ecosexuality.' It's a concept they've coined to connote sensual relationship with nature, and the two very much believe there's is a message that should be heard. They'll be exhibiting photos of their work and other pieces of art at the Good Vibrations gallery later this month (Thurs/24).
The couple is on a mission to eroticize every aspect of life. Their ecosexualism seems to be the ultimate New Age belief system, a reimagining of the environmental movement – or is it nature worship?- to make the whole thing, well, sexier. Sprinkle explains that ecosexuality is the feeling that you get when the sun hits your skin a certain way, or when you see a sunset that blows your mind. 'Everything is sex in a way,' Sprinkle muses. 'It's just that we have an expanded view of what sex is'.”
Marie Claire
The 5 Most Popular Vibrators on Marie Claire, A Year of Living Flirtatiously
Date: June 9, 2010
Author: Maura Kelly
Title: "The 5 most Popular Vibrators"
Summary: Marie Claire's sex and dating blogger, Maura Kelly, reports on the most popular vibrators from Good Vibrations. From the Magic Wand to the Rabbit Habit, there is something for everyone.
“A little while back — after a day when I was singing the pleasures of self-pleasure — some of you wrote in to ask me if I could recommend some vibrators. Since I'm no expert — I tend to use the same exact models over and over — I asked sex educator Carol Queen, who works for Good Vibrations, a sex shop based out of San Francisco that sells around the world through its site. She was happy to survey its data and report back about Good Vibe's five biggest sellers.”
Marie Claire
Health conscious vibrators from Good Vibes on Marie Claire
Date: June 9, 2010
Author: Maura Kelly
Title: "Is Your Vibrator Giving You Cancer?”
Summary: Marie Claire’s sex and dating blogger, Maura Kelly, reports on the most popular vibrators from Good Vibrations. From the Magic Wand to the Rabbit Habit, there is something for everyone.
“So, yesterday, after I posted about vibrators, someone wrote me to more or less say, "Uh, all vibrators made with jelly-like plastic — like that Rabbit one — are gonna give you cancer." …I sent an alarmed e-mail over to the nice folks at Good Vibes (who helped name the top five most popular vibrators), 'What the hell is safe to put inside one's body?' "
I heard back from Carol Queen, Good Vibes' sexpert, late last night. She reassured me, saying that the Good Vibes people have known about the phthalate problem for years — and all the toys they sell are nontoxic. (Which meant I'd thrown out a perfectly good sex toy, because I'd gotten mine from Good Vibes. Great.)
How can you tell if your toy is safe? Products made from nonporous materials such as silicone, glass, and metal are just fine, as far as the experts know. Anything made from organic materials is fine, too. Good Vibes only sells the safest products on the market, so you can feel confident if you're buying from them.”
BUST Magazine
Carol Queen Begins Regular Q&A Column in Bust Magazine!
Date: May 2010
Author: Lisa Hix
Title: Questions for the Queen: Dr. Carol Queen tells you everything you ever wanted to know about sex but were waiting for someone else to ask
Summary: Good Vibrations' staff sexologist and chief cultural officer ladles out thoughtful advice to the brave and wondering in a new regular column.
“Q: ‘My boyfriend touches himself in his sleep. …Why is he doing this? Is it normal? It’s keeping me from sleeping well, and for some reason, it really bothers me. Is there anything we can do about it?’ A: ‘Your boyfriend’s actions are comparable to those cute YouTube pet videos featuring dreaming puppies running in their sleep: this is a sexual version of chasing sleep rabbits. Is it normal? More or less….”
New York Times
Good Vibrations' exemplifies the missing link between animals and people when it comes to sex toys
Date: May 3, 2010
Author: John Tierney
Title: "When It Comes to Sex, Chimps Need Help, Too"
Summary: A recent study reveals that male chimpanzees in Tanzania use dried leaves broken over their erect penis to attract a mate. “He’s using a portable object to obtain a goal. In this case, the goal is not food but mating.” The author likens this use of tools to that of vibrators among humans, leaving the only distinction between us the ability to retail our tools.
“After noting that chimpanzees’ “tool kits” are now known to include 20 items, Dr. McGrew casually mentions that they’re used for “various functions in daily life, including subsistence, sociality, sex, and self-maintenance.”
Sex? Chimpanzees have tools for sex? No way. If ever there was an intrinsically human behavior, it had to be the manufacture of sex toys.
Leaf-clipping…has remained a local fetish among chimpanzees. The sexual strategy has been spotted at a colony in Tanzania but not in most other groups. There has been nothing comparable to the evolution observed in distributors of human sex tools: from XXX stores to chains of cutely named boutiques (Pleasure Chest, Good Vibrations) to mass merchants like CVS and Wal-Mart.
So let us, as Louis Leakey suggested, salvage some dignity by redefining humanity. We may not be the only tool-making species, but no one else possesses our genius for marketing. We reign supreme, indeed unrivaled, as the planet’s only tool-retailing species. Now let’s see how long we hold on to that title.”
Men's Health Magazine
Men's Health Recommends Good Vibrations to Push Her over the Brink of Ecstasy
Date: Summer 2010
Title: "Guarantee Her An Orgasm"
Summary: Men's Health recommends several tips to ensure your lady finds her way to the big O, including use of a vibrator during sex.
"It's a simple fact that some women can climax only by using a vibrator," says Friedrichs. If your partner never hits her high note, no matter what you try, simply ask her if she's ever had a battery-assisted orgasm. If she says no, introduce her to a whole new world of wow by ordering something small but powerful, such as the Aqua Touch Vibe ($26 from goodvibes.com).
If she's over the age of 30, her answer will probably be yes, and she'll be more than happy to pull her Hitachi Magic Wand out of her bedside drawer. After asking what pressure and speed she prefers (many vibrators have several settings), all you have to do is hold it against her clitoris as you move from one position to another. Enjoy the magic show.”
Marie Claire
Female-Friendly Porn From Good Vibrations Recommended to Boost Women's Lagging Libidos
Date: July 30, 2010
Author: Sophie Moura
Title: "4 Ways to Boost Your Libido"
Summary: The mysterious female libido gets some attention in this article that aims to identify how to get hot when you’re feeling…not. From exercises to sex toys and porn, women can rev up their engines naturally with a little encouragement. Good Vibrations is referred to as a great source for fmale-centric porn.
“What turns us from frosty femmes to breathy, toe-curling, spine-arching sexpots? And why do 42 percent of us have trouble flipping that switch, according to a recent study of 31,500 women?"
"...But what if all that canned moaning still doesn't float your boat? Ask a trusted female friend for a recommendation. In a 2003 study published by Indiana University's Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction, a small sample of women were most responsive to female-friendly porn that had been prescreened and recommended by female research assistants. In other words, women are good at predicting what kinds of porn other women will enjoy. That's an important finding, says Brandon J. Hill, Kinsey research associate, because based on anecdotal evidence from focus groups, women are relatively mum on porn. "Men engage in a lot more conversations about sexual erotica," says Hill. If we were bold enough to ask each other for recommendations, we'd be even more like the guys -- and all walk away winners. For ideas, try women-founded and -run sex stores, like Good Vibrations in San Francisco. Its website (goodvibes.com) features a carefully screened selection of women-directed porn movies, and allows users to post ratings.”
BUST Magazine
Good Releasing's Feminist Porn Award Winning Films Lauded in Bust!
Date: June/July 2010
Author: Lisa Hix
Title: For Your Viewing Pleasure: Female-Positive Porn to get you Hot and Bothered
Summary: BUST Magazine celebrates the Feminist Porn Awards and features six of the 2010 nominees and winners; three are Good Releasing titles! (Good Releasing is Good Vibrations' sister film company.) "Dangerous Curves," "Queer Manor", and "Speakeasy" made the top picks by Alison Lee, organizer of the Feminist Porn Awards.
“…the Feminist Porn Awards, held every year in Toronto, trumpets films you can feel good about enjoying: the women they feature are pleasured, not exploited, and real bodies are sucked and fucked and worshiped. Wildly diverse, they do exhibit one common thread: women having body-shaking, face-contorting, visibly mind-blowing orgasms. So pop in a disc and rub one out.
Dangerous Curves: …With its continuous techno soundtrack, quick cuts, and glossy production, this porn - winner of the Most Deliciously Diverse Cast award and the only nominee directed by a man - could be splashed on the wall of an edgy nightclub….
Queer Manor: The cupcake craze goes next-level in this fantasy about eccentric female aristocrats with a penchant for strategically placed pastries….
Speakeasy: A turn-on for vintage fetishists and the genderqueer crowd, this winner of the Most Tantalizing Trans Film award explores a deliciously seedy ‘40s underworld….”
SFBookReview.com & SacramentoBookReview.com
Dr. Carol Queen Gives Mom a "Time Out" at Good Vibrations' Mommy's Playdate
Date: May 19, 2010
Author: Kaye Cloutman
Title: Discovering Mommy's "Other"Little Helper
Summary: Good Vibrations welcomed mommies from far and wide on May 4th with a special event just for moms. Mom and columnist Kaye Cloutman shares her first Good Vibrations experience and gets her questions answered by Dr. Carol Queen. Mothers left their kids at home and enjoyed a "Mommi-tini", and a personalized store tour with staff sexologist Dr. Carol Queen and met the author of "The Mominatrix's Guide to Sex, a No-Surrender Advice Book for Naughty Moms". Moms shared stories, asked questions, and got plenty of answers at this unique ladies' night out.
"How can you inject the word sexy into your life as a mom who is spread out so thinly over all of your daily endeavors? From changing your baby's diapers to rushing out wearing your jammies to get groceries and your husband's oversized tie-dye shirt, it really is impossible to see yourself "provocative" in any of these typical "mom" scenarios. After the exchange of "I do's," some women's libidos are pretty much shot the minute they suffer the morning sickness, weight gain, and sleep deprivation of having a baby. How do you put the sexy back in your marriage after all that? Luckily, I had the opportunity to cover a recent event at Good Vibrations in San Francisco that involved moms and sexual empowerment. I was a "virgin" so to speak. Not having visited any specialty "risqué" store before, I felt a little awkward before I got to the venue. It was surprisingly relieving to see a nice, hip shop with an accommodating feel and a sensationally helpful staff who welcomed me cordially. Everything in the store was displayed in a tasteful manner, and the clientele were unexpectedly decent and professional-looking couples and individuals….I came out of the shop a well-informed individual. No, I did not turn into a dominatrix or sex kitten afterwards. Instead, I felt like a complete woman again, oozing with confidence and knowledge."
The Pioneer CSU Newspaper
Good Vibrations: The Queen of Sex Culture
Date: May 13, 2010
Author: Brianna Headsten
Title: Q&A about Good Vibrations with Dr. Carol Queen
Summary: Good Vibrations' staff sexologist Dr. Carol Queen explains the beginnings of the store and how it evolved into what it is today: the San Francisco-based retailer trusted for more than three decades to provide a comfortable, safe environment for finding sex-positive products and educational materials to enhance one's sex life. Carol answers questions about the most popular products, shyness, and people's attitudes towards sexual health and shopping for products.
"Good Vibrations, the Bay Area based sex store, publishing company and online retailer, has completely changed the game in the sex toy industry. Founded in 1977 by Joani Blank, Good Vibrations wanted to set itself apart from the seedy, dark reputation of a traditional sex store. The three Bay Area locations (two in SF and one in Berkeley) are clean, well-lit and comfortable with an incredibly friendly and well-educated staff. The store aims to be women-centered, as well as to provide adequate information about safe sex. Good Vibrations' Staff Sexologist and Chief Cultural Officer, Dr. Carol Queen, who has been with the company for over twenty years, answered a few of my questions…."
East Bay Express
Exhibitionism for The Shy – Carol Queen explains
Date: May 12, 2010
Author: Rachel Swan
Title: Exhibitionism for Amatuers: How Carol Queen went from being a wallflower to a full-fledged exhibitionist
Summary: Good Vibrations’ staff sexologist Dr. Carol Queen discusses the second edition of her book Exhibitionism for the Shy: Show Off, Dress Up and Talk Hot. She divulges how she evolved from a shy wallflower into a fully self-expressed, joyful exhibitionist, and how others can make the leap to participate more fully in their erotic lives.
"Queen characterizes herself as a "recovering shy person." At 53 years old, she is smaller, daintier, and more school-teacher-ish than the term "sexologist" might suggest. She wears glasses, keeps her hair in a smart bob, and paints her nails scarlet. She described her shyness in terms that a Twelve-Stepper might use to discuss his sordid past. “A lot of things worked together to help me get over that painful, embarrassing state in which I could barely talk and wanted more than anything to disappear," Queen wrote in the updated second edition to her book Exhibitionism for the Shy: Show Off, Dress Up and Talk Hot, which she just published. The book is partly a work of political activism, in that Queen wants to remove the term "exhibitionism" from the Diagnostic Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders, where it's classified as a perversion, or illness. To Queen, shyness is the real pathology, here. Perversion is the cure."
glo.msn.com
Should You Have a Sex Quota? Dr. Charlie Glickman Weighs In
Date: April 26, 2010
Title: Should You Have a Sex Quota?
Summary: After The New York Times reported that the average married couple has sex just 58 times annually, Glo MSN decided to investigate the phenomenon of sexless marriages. They consulted experts on whether or not couples should aim for a certain quota when it comes to sex and Good Vibrations Education Program Manager Dr. Charlie Glickman weighed in.
"Dr. Charlie Glickman, Ph.D. advises: Asking how often or how long you "should" have sex is like asking how often you should eat. The answer is: "Enough that you feel satisfied without overdoing it." If you're feeling like you're not getting the sexual satisfaction, physical contact or attention from your partner that you want, then your needs aren't getting met and it would probably be good to change that. On the other hand, forcing yourself to have sex because your partner wants to, or because you think you should, is a great way to build resentment. It's quite common for people who are feeling upset with their partners to not want sex. Sexual frequency is often the canary in the coal mine, signaling that there are some deeper issues. A lot of therapists report that people come to them with sexual problems, when the real cause is something else."
Zoosk.com
Dr. Carol Queen answers top 3 sex questions for online social networking site
Date: April 26, 2010
Title: Zoosk Presents: Ask Dr. Carol Queen
Summary: Zoosk.com, an online dating resource, reached out to Dr. Carol Queen to get answers from their readers' most pressing questions. They presented Dr. Queen with three sex questions inspired by content from our Community Forums, and Carol provided the answers!
"How do you reconcile a difference in sexual experience levels?
Carol Queen: It depends partly on whether the more experienced partner treats the matter gracefully, and whether the less experienced partner feels defensive or, for that matter, judgmental. The fact is: experience with other partners is not the same as experience with each other. People are not interchangeable. Each relationship is unique. So even a virgin can teach her or his partner about how different kinds of touch or stimulation feel, things they hope to experience sexually, and all the other stuff that makes us individuals. The mature partner isn't the one who's had the most sex, but the one who realizes that the learning starts over every time you meet somebody new. The less experienced partner can make sure s/he has access to sex information in the form of classes, books, or good websites; that way, all new learning isn't dependent on the more experienced partner. Educating oneself can help level the playing field."
NBC
Good Vibrations gives Mommy a “Time Out” on NBC
Date: January, 2010
Title: Mommy Playdate on NBC Health Video
Summary: Many Moms put their needs at the bottom of the list and sex and sexual health can be easily forgotten. Most wonder when their sex lives will ever get back to normal after the baby comes home and are completely unprepared for the physical and emotional roller coaster ride that comes in the months following the baby's arrival. This can also be true as baby becomes toddler and toddler becomes pre-schooler, and intimacy takes second place as parents try and meet the demands of their child and make sense of their role as a parent. Good Vibrations offers mothers an opportunity to pamper themselves at their Mommy Playdates, a fun, after-hours mixer for moms who want to learn how to put the spice back in their sex lives. Moms can enjoy a "Mommi-tini" cocktail with a personalized store tour and a one-on-one consultation with Good Vibrations' staff sexologist and renowned author/expert, Dr. Carol Queen.
"The birth of a child is a joyous occasion, but that bundle of joy can get in the way of 'certain pleasures'. That is why you are invited to Good Vibrations' "mommy playdate."
San Francisco Bay Guardian Online
Earth Day Sex - The Real Incentive
Date: April 22, 2010
Author: Marke
Title: Earth Day sex feels even better than recycling
Summary: Recycling and planet-friendly mindfulness is all well and good, but nothing makes one more altruistic than the thought of eco-friendly sex. Who said environmental responsibility had to be a drag? Good Vibrations features “Ecorotic™” products, at a special discount for Earth Day!
"Getting' naked is as green as it gets and Mother Nature is all for frisky romps in the sack, but today is a good reminder that your love for animalistic humps can coincide with your love of the environment. Need some physical convincing? Check out Good Vibrations' Earth Day Sale at www.goodvibes.com."
Examiner.com
Celebrate Earth Day Without Getting Out of Bed
Date: April 22, 2010
Author: Sarah Estrella
Title: Sustainably Sexy: A dozen ways to celebrate Earth Day’s 40th anniversary without getting out of bed
Summary: There is no shortage of inspiration to go green in the bedroom. Consider your carbon footprint with your shoes off, with Good Vibrations' Ecorotic™ line of environmentally responsible products, and non-profit partnerships.
"…let's all agree that any movement that can start between the bamboo sheets in a bedroom softly lit by a soy massage candle is a movement worth making into a world-saving lifestyle. I like the [Good Vibrations] Mama Mia kit, which includes the USB rechargeable lipstick vibrator by LELO plus some Please Pleasure Cream and Good Vibes' house brand Smooch Me Lip Lube, all for, ahem, $69. While you're at it, make a quick donation to the Global Justice Ecology Project, this month's partner organization in the GiVe: Good Vibes Gives Back program."
XBIZ Premiere
The Feminist Porn Awards heralds a new day for porn by and for women, and Good Releasing filmmakers are ahead of the pack.
Date: April 2010
Author: Saskia Vogel
Title: Porn for Women: Seducing a New Generation of Consumers
Summary: XBIZ examines the Feminist Porn Awards and a shifting landscape of porn by and for women. Good Releasing films received 3 awards and its 2 star performers April Flores and Jiz Lee won individual awards.
"'Who wants to see that?' was a question many pioneers of the feminist porn movement heard when they were starting out. Now, 'porn for women' is coming into its own, with the volume, mainstream attention, and distribution channels to support it. ...So when we talk about porn for women, we're really talking about a different perspective and style of sex on screen. As Coyote Days, producer for Good Vibrations' new distribution company Good Releasing (and its labels HeartCore Films, Pleasure-Ed Series , and Reel Queer Productions), said: '[The idea of porn for women] is a really complex conversation. We're making amazing, cutting-edge artistic films that run at a different pace.'"
AVN Magazine
HeartCore Films "Mandy Candy" earns AAAA 1/2 AVN Editor's Choice!
Date: April 2010
Author: Peter Warren
Title: Editor's Choice: Mandy Candy AAAA1/2 HeartCore Films/Good Releasing
Summary: AVN gives a glowing review of this HeartCore release, lauding it for high quality, superior direction by Kimberly Kane, and tremendous heat from its stars.
"With its less than 80 minutes, Mandy Candy makes a brilliant case for the age-old postulate that quality will always trump quantity. An ode to the very beautiful Mandy Morbid, Candy is as visually striking as its punk-pixie star, and by an equal degree erotic. What a wonderful showcase for the very scarcely seen Morbid. She makes a terrific muse for Kimberly Kane, and here's to hoping they collaborate many more times to come."
BUST Magazine
Good Vibrations' Erotic Art Show Gets Buzz From Bust Magazine
Date: April, 2nd 2010
Author: Intern Krista
Title: Good Vibrations presents an erotic art show at their Polk Street store gallery with three fabulous erotic artists - Penny Slinger, Carol Queen, and Bobby Morgan, and hosted by the one and only Annie Sprinkle!
Summary:
“It only makes sense that Good Vibrations, the San Francisco-based sex-positive sex toy shop, is hosting an erotic art show at their Polk Street Store Gallery called, “Our Lady of Burning Dreams. …Invoke your Goddess!”
Curve Magazine
Good Vibrations' COO Jackie Strano featured in Curve Magazine's Special on Queer Parenting
Date: April 2010
Author: Lori Selke
Title: Parenting Power Couple: The New American Family
Summary: Curve Magazine gets tips from the quintessential lesbian power couple, Shar and Jackie. Curve follows their unusual journey as rockstars of the dyke porn world to rockstar parents of three adopted children. Shar and Jackie share how they navigated professional and personal transitions and they keep it steamy through runny noses and busy schedules.
"How do you balance being a 'big underground queer' with being a mom? 'You don't,' says Rednour. 'I don't think there is a balance.' Strano explains, 'It's called spinning plates. You take a break and then pick up another.' But this butch-femme power couple still have plenty of plans up their sleeve. Rednour looks forward to more books and possibly a documentary film about the first wave of lesbian pornographers. And Strano has resurfaced with a bang - she's been appointed the COO of the legendary feminist sex company Good Vibrations."
AVN Magazine
Good Releasing Titles Top the AVN Charts!
Date: April 2010
Summary: Good Releasing, Good Vibrations' sister company and film production line, boasts six titles in the AVN top film charts!
Top 25 All-Girl:
"Ciao Bella: A Woman's POV" - Reel Queer Productions
Top 25 "MILF":
"Femmetastic!" - Reel Queer Productions
Top 50 Specialty Rentals/Sales:
"Glamazons" - HeartCore Films
"Going Down: The Official Guide to Cunnilingus" - Pleasure-Ed Series
"Dangerous Curves"- HeartCore Films
Top 25 Transsexual: "Billy Castro Does the Mission" - Reel Queer Productions
Marie Claire
Carol Queen on Marie Claire
Date: April 5, 2010
Author: Maura Kelly
Title: How to Deal with the Top 6 Sexual Fears
Summary: Good Vibrations' Dr. Carol Queen, Ph.D addresses the top 6 sexual fears including penis size, orgasms, sexual appetite, attractiveness, sexual ability, and communication.
"As Carol says: 'Human sexuality is very diverse. If what you're doing sexually makes you happy, and you're sdoing it safely with a consenting partner, then I wouldn't worry about it.' I think practice is great - although I also think it's key to be with someone you trust and feel good being around. If you can't find someone like that, stick with your vibrator, your hand, your fingers…until you find someone you can relax around. I think good sex is about being just as relaxed and comfortable as you are worked up."
Men's Fitness
Ecorotic™ Products Featured in Men's Fitness!
Date: March 2010
Author: Rachael Robbins
Title: Save the Planet – With Sex!
Summary: Good Vibrations' Ignite Me soy-based candles were included among environmentally responsible products for the bedroom.
"When you score with these products, Mother Nature does, too. Yes, sex has gone eco-rotic with adult products and toys. Save the planet without sacrificing your performance or pleasure. Ignite Me soy-based candles don't produce soot or carcinogens and melt down to a clear slippery oil that's great for rubdowns."
Also mentioned: Hathor Aphrodisia Lickeurs Lube, Jimmyjane Form 2 Rechargeable Vibrator
AVN Magazine
GV's Donations Program, Partnership with Red Cross
Date: April 2010
Title: Good Vibrations Launches GiVe Campaign, Partners with Red Cross
Summary: Good Vibrations' corporate giving initiative kicks off, and Haiti is the focus of their February partnership.
"Good Vibrations has announced a new corporate giving initiative, GiVe, and a partnership with the American Red Cross to help bring relief to Haiti disaster victims."
AVN.com
Good Vibrations Declares National G-Spot Month
Date: Wednesday, February 1st, 2010
Author: AVN Staff
Title: G Marks the Spot: Good Vibes Proclaims February National G-Spot Month
Summary: In the wake of controversial study erasing the G-spot, Good Vibrations proclaims its existence and devotes an entire month to its celebration with education, workshops and discounts!
"So, just as they did 15 years ago when masturbation was being misrepresented in the news, Good Vibrations has decided it is necessary to put the speculation, uncertainty and inadequate science to rest and announce that yes, Virginia, there is indeed a G-spot. They are dedicating their educational resources for the entire month of February to help dispel the mystery. Dr. Carol Queen, widely published sexuality and sexual health author and staff sexologist at Good Vibrations, who for almost 20 years has offered her personal and professional experience to explain the anatomy, history and function of the G-spot, said, 'While every woman probably has one, surprisingly few women or their partners know where the G-spot is, let alone how best to stimulate it. Without an understanding of how it functions, the G-spot does indeed seem to be missing from many women's anatomy—but the problem is with our sex information, not our bodies, and if you have the right map it's much easier to find!'"
Curve Magazine
Curve Magazine Features GV in 3 articles: on the Olivia Cruise, As the Authority on Sex Toys, and as the Arbiters of New Wave Porn
Date: January/February, 2010
Authors: Diane Andersone-Minshall, Yana Tallon-Hicks, and Lori Selke
Title: "Caribbean Queen: Postcards from my Olivia Vacation," "Sex Toys Get Smart," and "Trouble with a Capital T"
Summary: Good Vibrations is featured as a highlight on the recent Olivia Caribbean Cruise; Good Vibes boasts the cutting edge in sex toys, including greenly rechargeable toys fit for techies and neophytes alike; and filmmaker Courtney Trouble is the new darling of queer porn, as the headlining director with Good Releasing, the sister company of Good Vibrations.
"I met her at a pool party where the burlesque duo Wau Wau Sisters and Curve advice guru Dipstick were leading teams in a dildo ring toss while the Good Vibrations girls talked about sex toys."
- "Caribbean Queen: Postcards from my Olivia Vacation"
"Naughty or Nice? The gifts you didn't get last month, but should have. At goodvibes.com."
- "Sex Toys Get Smart"
"Trouble aspires to depict 'people who are having sex the way they want to have it, and they're really enjoying themselves….My goal at the time was to make a DVD that was one of those porn DVDs that you leave out on the coffee table or you put on your bookshelf, because it's a conversation piece. I wanted something that was accessible enough for people to tlak about, and something different enough that people would talk about it."
- "Trouble with a Capital T"
San Francisco Magazine
San Francisco Magazine Examines Sustainable Sex and Good Vibrations' Ecorotic™ Products
Date: February, 2010
Author: Leslie Crawford
Title: How Green is Your Vibrator?
Summary: SF Magazine compares sex toys, lube, and massage oil to see how they stack up and why they are classified “Ecorotic™” at Good Vibrations
"Last millennium, "sustainable" sex meant something different (e.g., Bob Dole and Viagra) - and much earlier than that, green sex was just called, um, sex. But that was before phthalates and other nasty chemicals found their way into both our Tupperware and our erotic paraphernalia. But in today's environmentally conscious times, Bay Area sex-toy emporium Good Vibrations is promoting a line of what it calls "Ecorotic™" products. That's right - vibrators, dildos, and lubes with a smaller carbon footprint."
AVN.com
Good Vibrations Declares National G-Spot Month
Date: Wednesday, February 1st, 2010
Author: AVN Staff
Title: G Marks the Spot: Good Vibes Proclaims February National G-Spot Month
Summary: In the wake of controversial study erasing the G-spot, Good Vibrations proclaims its existence and devotes an entire month to its celebration with education, workshops and discounts!
"So, just as they did 15 years ago when masturbation was being misrepresented in the news, Good Vibrations has decided it is necessary to put the speculation, uncertainty and inadequate science to rest and announce that yes, Virginia, there is indeed a G-spot. They are dedicating their educational resources for the entire month of February to help dispel the mystery. Dr. Carol Queen, widely published sexuality and sexual health author and staff sexologist at Good Vibrations, who for almost 20 years has offered her personal and professional experience to explain the anatomy, history and function of the G-spot, said, 'While every woman probably has one, surprisingly few women or their partners know where the G-spot is, let alone how best to stimulate it. Without an understanding of how it functions, the G-spot does indeed seem to be missing from many women's anatomy—but the problem is with our sex information, not our bodies, and if you have the right map it's much easier to find!'"
Examiner.com
Examiner.com Examines Good Vibrations
Date: Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Author: Stephanie Prendergast
Title: Good Vibrations
Summary: Good Vibes a great place to get sex toys, but it also offers classes, workshops and seminars, tours and parties, readings and art exhibits, as well as an antique vibrator museum.
“In a respectable, consumer-friendly environment Good Vibrations is much more than a sex toyshop. Beyond the toys, the stores offer books, DVDs, How-To’s and advice, and of course, parties. What the local Bay Area Crowd might not know is that Good Vibes also offers both free and for-a-fee educational workshops and seminars on sex and sexual health in their stores. For people looking to do something different on a weeknight, their website features a current line-up of credible teachers coming to their stores.”
XBiz
XBIZ Features Good Vibrations' Partnership with the American Red Cross Haiti Relief Efforts
Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Author: Ariana Rodriguez
Title: Good Vibrations, American Red Cross Partner for Haiti Relief
Summary: Good Vibrations has announced a new corporate giving initiative, GiVe, and its partnership with American Red Cross to help bring relief to Haiti disaster victims.
"Through a partnership with American Red Cross, Good Vibrations customers can support the victims of the Haiti earthquake, as well as other disasters across the country each year, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund at Good Vibrations checkout counters and GoodVibes.com. Good Vibrations COO Jackie Strano says, 'Our GiVe campaign(s) are a way for us to formally mobilize our creativity, enthusiasm and energies towards causes we believe in. We are proud to partner with the Red Cross during this time of crisis and help those in desperate need of relief.'"
Common Ground
"People in Your Neighborhood": Common Ground Magazine Interviews Good Vibrations COO Jackie Strano
Date: February, 2010
Author: Carrie Staller
Title: People in Your Neighborhood: Jackie Strano
Summary: As part of the February “sex issue”, Common Ground explores the goals, interests, and passions of Good Vibrations COO Jackie Strano, and discovers the altruistic and fun person behind the company.
“Every box that goes out of the warehouse, every bag that goes out the doors has something inside that is going to make someone’s life more enjoyable. I work in the pleasure business, and even during wars and recession, people still need access to sexual health and information. It’s a worthy cause and a noble profession.”
AVN Magazine
"Glamazons" DVD Gets Top Marks as Editor's Choice, Rave Review of HeartCore film featuring April Flores
Date: February, 2010
Author: Iris Blocks
Title: Editor's Choice: Glamazons AAAA1/2
Summary: BBW star April Flores and director Carlos Batts receive high praise as "Glamazons" is picked as Editor's Choice.
"Though both Batts and Flores live in Los Angeles, the DVD was produced by HeartCore Films , an arm of pioneering San Francisco-based sex-toy company Good Vibrations. Perhaps that's one more reason – aside from Batts' own artistic tendencies – that the aesthetic in Glamazons feels light years removed from the productions that made Porn Valley famous."
Art Opening at Good Vibrations Surprises, Titillates and Inspires SFAppeal.com
Publication: SFAppeal.com
Date: Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
Author: Laura Hautala
Title: Appealing Events: “Voluptuary” Brings New Fun to Earthy Pleasures”
Summary: The current three-person art exhibit at the Good Vibrations’ Polk Street store exemplifies the store’s unique standing and celebrates the diverse talents of these Bay Area artists.
“Good Vibrations hosts art shows about every two months. Lune was especially excited to display her work in this most auspicious of galleries, because “the Good Vibes mission has revolutionized the way people relate to [sex]. It encourages people who want to explore and experiment, and to masturbate.”
Bitchbuzz.com
Good Vibrations electrifies the Exploratorium's "Sexplorations" Exhibit on Bitchbuzz.com
Date: Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010
Author: Anna Hennings
Title: Sex Meets Science: The Exploratorium’s Sexplorations
Summary: Good Vibrations lends Vibrators for the Take-Apart Sex Toys Workshop at the Exploratorium's "Sexplorations" Exhibit
"This Thursday night, the Exploratorium, San Francisco's museum of science, art and human perception, is hosting After Dark: Sexplorations, a hands-on exhibit all about sex, sexuality and reproduction — a look at sex from behind the microscope to what happens under the covers. …Dissect and take-apart sex toys to discover what makes them go. You'll work collectively to harvest some of the more interesting parts and "re-use" them in creative ways. Give yourself an hour to really get the most out of this one! (6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Mind area. Space is limited. First come, first served. And a big thanks to Good Vibrations for their generous donation!)"
San Francisco Bay Guardian celebrates the G-spot for Valentine’s Day
Publication: San Francisco Bay Guardian
Date: February 3rd, 2010
Author: Molly Freedenberg
Title: The Sweet Spot
Summary: SF Magazine’s annual guide to love, lust and romance gives a nod to Good Vibrations’ proclamation of February as G-spot month.
“The controversial anatomical phenomenon that’s inspired Good Vibrations to name a whole month after it (and celebrate with special programs and discounted G-spot toys)? …We can’t promise our guide will solve the mystery of that Holy Grail of the female body. But we hope our thoughts on dining, dress up, and getting a rubdown might inspire you to do a little research of your own.”
Dr. Carol Queen informs Sex & Economics Discussion
Publication: Medill Reports Chicago
Date: Wednesday, February 10th, 2010
Author: Santana A Lopez
Title: Sex sells, even in down economy
Summary: Examination of the success of upscale sex shops in a down economy.
“While eating out and entertainment are being cut out of budgets as people try to save money during hard economic times, good sex continues to be a main priority. According to Carol Queen, sexologist and chief cultural operator for Good Vibrations, a San Francisco-based adult toy retailer, ‘People find that sex is more meaningful to them when time is tough, and we’ve certainly noticed that people are willing to make sex toys a part of their life when circumstances are depressing. It’s almost free.’”
Men's Fitness
Ecorotic™ Products Featured in Men's Fitness!
Date: March 2010
Author: Rachael Robbins
Title: Save the Planet – With Sex!
Summary: Good Vibrations' Ignite Me soy-based candles were included among environmentally responsible products for the bedroom.
"When you score with these products, Mother Nature does, too. Yes, sex has gone eco-rotic with adult products and toys. Save the planet without sacrificing your performance or pleasure. Ignite Me soy-based candles don't produce soot or carcinogens and melt down to a clear slippery oil that's great for rubdowns."
Also mentioned: Hathor Aphrodisia Lickeurs Lube, Jimmyjane Form 2 Rechargeable Vibrator
[See article on our Wholesale Site]
AVN Magazine
GV's Donations Program, Partnership with Red Cross
Date: April 2010
Title: Good Vibrations Launches GiVe Campaign, Partners with Red Cross
Summary: Good Vibrations' corporate giving initiative kicks off, and Haiti is the focus of their February partnership.
"Good Vibrations has announced a new corporate giving initiative, GiVe, and a partnership with the American Red Cross to help bring relief to Haiti disaster victims."
GV’s Eco-sexy Tradition Lauded
Publication: MNDaily.com
Date: March 11, 2010
Author: Raghav Mehta
Title: Sex Made Greener – And Safer
Summary: This article examines how environmental consciousness applies to one’s sex life, and how Good Vibrations’ spearheaded the commitment to eco-friendly products in the bedroom.
“Good Vibrations has been selling eco-friendly products since day one…with a whole line of eco-friendly sex products that include rechargeable vibrators and vegan condoms. …While the health hazards remain uncertain, companies like Good Vibrations aren’t taking any chances.”
SFBG – Pick of the Week! GiVe Partner Party at the Polk St. Store
Publication: San Francisco Bay Guardian
Date: March 31, 2010
Author: Donohue
Title: “The Roadmap to Extinction: Are Humans Disappearing?”
Summary: Good Vibrations is hosting a fun, informational reception and art show with our “GiVe” partner, Global Justice Ecology Project on April 4th, and SFBG delights in the convergence of an environmental group converging at San Francisco’s favorite sex-positive retail store.
“Every once in a while, a wise many I know will tire of the endless discussion about the impending death of earth. Truly, our global importance wanes as our carbon emissions wax. This self-extermination is the subject of a photo exhibit at this info night reception for the Global Justice Ecology Project, an organization that works on the topics of climate justice and forest protection. In a uniquely San Franciscan convergence, the night’s learning is going down at Good Vibrations – a store whose arsenal of procreation-inspiring implements might huskily whisper “no” to the photo exhibition’s pressing query.”
Eye Weekly
Fifth Annual Feminist Porn Awards Celebrates a new style of porn, and awards Good Vibrations' sister company Good Releasing three trophies!
Date: April 8, 2010
Author: Edward Keenan
Title: Chick Flixxx
Summary: Toronto's Eye Weekly magazine explains and celebrates the philosophy behind the Feminist Porn Awards and what makes "feminist porn."
“When I ask Lee what makes some porn feminist, the answer isn’t easy to articulate in a punchy sentence. ‘One of the key distinctions is respect,’ she says. Respect for the women watching it via taking their reactions into account, respect for the female performers, respect for the danger of stereotypes. …the difference between a standard squealing porn-star orgasm and the moaning, gasping and (sometimes) squirting peaks in the feminist porn nominees is the difference between watching a movie on your iPod and watching it in IMAX.”
CarnalNation.com
CarnalNation finds eco-solace at Good Vibrations, just in time for Earth Day!
Date: April 15, 2010
Author: Suzanne Forbes
Title: Eco-Sex: How Green Is Your Passion?
Summary: Inspired by Earth Day, CarnalNation takes stock of how our erotic life impacts the planet. From rechargeable vibrators to vegan condoms, Good Vibrations' Ecorotic™ Green Sex line of products is thoughtfully organized to make greening your sex life easy and fun.
"Earth day is always a good time to review the impact our lives and our bodies have on the planet. Contemporary sex involves a surprising amount of plastics and disposable products, from condoms to batteries, but fortunately there are ways to make your love life eco-friendly. Legendary San Francisco-based sex toy retailer Good Vibrations has a wonderful shopping guide to what they call "Ecorotic™" toys."
San Francisco Bay Guardian Sex Blog
Good Vibrations Is Ready for Your Close-Up!
Date: June 25, 2010
Author: Caitlin Donohue
Title: "So Ya Wanna be In Pictures? Two Calls for Onscreen Lovemakers"
Summary: Good Vibrations has two calls for entries in two film projects, the Indie Erotic Film Festival (IXFF), and their upcoming explicit education film, Gush: The Official Guide to the G-Spot and Female Ejaculation. IXFF is a celebration of a wide range sexy cinema in five nights in San Francisco, culminating in the international erotic short film competition at the Castro Theatre. The deadline for that is June 30th, and entries must be 7 minutes or less. Good Vibrations’ sister company, Good Releasing, is producing a film for its Pleasure-Ed Series about the G-spot. People who would like to be featured can send in a video or essay to enter to win!
"Has your lover ever gazed at you over a post coital puff, coughed, and whispered through a cancer-wracked, husky voice (sorry, those damn cigs have me all riled today) "baby, we should be in pictures,"? Of course, right? Like, this morning, probably! Well, fire up that Gchat and ready your Flip on its charger, because you and and he-she-it have a date with destiny -- times two! -- this Pride weekend. That's because Good Vibes is running two calls for submissions of homemade/independent sex films, both due Wed/30"
isotopecomics.com
Erotic Comics Find Perfect Pairing With New Vibrator
Date: July 9, 2010
Author: James Sime
Title: "Milo Manara Does Indeed Bring the Buzz"
Summary: Famed Italian erotic comic author Milo Manara has partnered with Love to Love adult toy manufacturer to bring us the Secret Buzz Remote Bullet Vibrator. Now fans of Manara’s erotic illustrations can take their inspiration to the next level. Isotope, the comic book lounge in San Francisco, features the toy found at Good Vibrations.
“Personally I think more Manara is a great thing, and it looks like I’m not alone… Good Vibrations manager (and comic epicurean) Mark brought to my attention that there are even official Milo Manara sex toys out there in the world. And apparently at Mark’s shop these little imports have turned out to be quite a popular item with the ladies!”
East Bay Express
Good Vibrations Wins "Best Sex Store" in the East Bay Express!
Date: July 14-20, 2010
Title: "Best of the East Bay: Home Grown"
Summary: The annual Reader’s Choice “Best of” results are in – and Good Vibrations won Best Sex Store for our Berkeley Good Vibes location. Hooray!"
San Francisco Chronicle
Carol Queen's Birthday Celebration Covered in the San Francisco Chronicle's Style section
Date: July 25, 2010
Author: Carolyne Zinko and Sylvia Rubin
Title: "Sunday Styles"
Summary: Good Vibration’s Staff Sexologist and Chief Cultural Officer Dr. Carol Queen celebrated not just another fabulous year in the life, but her new book “Exhibitionism for the Shy.” Appropriately, her party featured some of San Francisco’s best burlesque and sexy odes in Good Vibrations Polk Street Gallery, which was hung with Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephen’s sexy art retrospective.
“Sexologist Dr Carol Queen, author of "Exhibitionism for the Shy" and founder of the Center for Sex and Culture, celebrated her 20th year with Good Vibrations and her 53rd birthday with a mildly risque party for friends in a private room at the chain's Polk Street store. Blues duet Keep Sweet performed blues tunes with raunchy lyrics, burlesque musician Kitten on the Keys sang a comic song sexualizing the Golden Gate Bridge and faux drag queen Trixie Carr (born a female, performs as a drag queen) lip-synced to a Hall & Oates tune using cucumber-shaped props. Party favors included samples of lubricant and sex flicks.”
San Francisco Bay Guardian
Good Vibrations Voted "Best Place to Buy Sex Toys" by the San Francisco Bay Guardian!
Date: July 28, 2010
Title: "Best of the Bay"
Summary: Best place to buy Sex Toys: Good Vibrations, Various Bay Area Locations (goodvibes.com) – Huzzah!
MSN Glo
Lube Matters
Date: July 30, 2010
Author: Natasha Burton
Title: "The Lowdown on Lubricant: Liquid Matters"
Summary: MSN Glo interviewed Good Vibrations' Education Manager Dr. Charlie Glickman about why lube is a great addition to one's sex life, how to choose from the vast variety out there, and how to wrap your mind around what can be a slippery subject.
“If you're looking for a way to spice things up in bed, or you're feeling unfullfilled with your sex life, lube can help. "Lubricants are one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to enhance sexual pleasure," says Dr. Charlie Glickman of goodvibes.com. A woman's natural lubrication doesn't always indicate arousal, or lack thereof. Medications can affect this, or you may just need a little help now and then. "Bodies sometimes change slowly and you may not notice how much less you’re producing until you try a lubricant," Glickman says."
"How to choose: Read the label. "Water-based lubes are easy to clean up, but they dry out after a while," Glickman says. "Silicone ones never dry out and they're hypoallergenic. But, they're also harder to clean up. If you spill some on the floor, be sure to wipe it all up or you might slip on it." See for yourself: "If you're resisting trying lubes because it's 'not natural,' I encourage you to reframe how you think about it," Glickman says. "Lube isn't any less natural than propping a pillow under your hips during sex. They both make sex more comfortable and pleasurable, and what could be better than that?"
SanFranSexy
Want Better Sex? Lube it Up!
Date: August 2010
Author: Charlie Glickman PhD
Title: "Looking for Mr. Goodlube"
Summary: Whether it’s Water-Based, Silicone, or Oil, Dr. Charlie Glickman is convinced that wetter is better.
“Lube is, simply, one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to improve your sex life. I’m always amazed when people resist buying a $15 or $20 bottle, especially after they’ve spent a lot more on dinner, drinks, movie tickets, babysitters, makeup, clothes, or any of the other things we buy in order to get laid. Remember – a woman can be raring to go before her natural lubrication kicks in, or wanting to keep going when she’s running low, so having lube on hand is always a good idea. There are 4 main kinds of lube…”
CNN Health
Female Condom, Newly Promoted, Receives Strong Reactions
Date: August 2, 2010
Title: "Female condoms range from 'strange' to 'natural' "
Author: Madison Park
Summary: With major promotion by city health campaigns across the country, the female condom is under new and varied scrutiny. Staff sexologist Dr. Carol Queen provides feedback in this article by CNN Health.
“After a second version of the female condom was approved by the FDA in 2009, HIV/AIDS health campaigns began distributing them in major cities and offering training on how to use them at local salons and community centers.
The condoms are another tool to empower and protect women from sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy, health advocates say. But the question remains: Will women actually use them?
Carol Queen of San Francisco, California, said "that some male partners like the extra movement they get" with a female condom. The downside: The condom could get twisted, she said. Queen, who works at a sex toys store called Good Vibrations, said sales of female condoms have increased since 2008.
"There's nothing wrong with the male condom," said Mary Ann Leeper, senior strategic advisor at the company. "If you use it, fair enough. A lot of people -- male and female -- don't like it and have unprotected sex. What we say is it gives people options and empowers women to initiate a method if he doesn't use a male condom. It empowers her to take care of herself."”
San Francisco Chronicle
Mommies Take a Time Out at Good Vibrations
Date: August 8, 2010
Title: "Mommy's Playdate: Adult toys at Good Vibrations"
Author: Carolyne Zinko
Summary: Good Vibrations’ custom parties for mommies recently drew a variety of curious mothers to the Berkeley location for a night of sexy exploration and commiseration. Moms enjoyed a store tour by staff sexologist Dr. Carol Queen and frank talk about sex after kids. Author Rachel Sarah read from her book “Single Mom Seeking” and sparked an inspired conversation about sexuality before and after kids. It was a potent combination of cocktails, cupcakes, and women who were ready to see how to spice up their sex lives.
“It was advertised as a "Mommy's Playdate," but a recent Berkeley gathering had nothing to do with children - and everything to do with the act of making them.
The first tip-off was the location: Good Vibrations. The second was the social lubricant: "Mommi-tinis" (vodka, pomegranate juice, blood orange soda and a squeeze of lime). The last clue, but not the least, was the presence of Carol Queen, the chain's resident sexologist for the past 20 years.
…These toys aren't the sort that the mommies present were accustomed to shopping for. They ranged from silicone lubricant, massage oils and bubble baths, to rubber duckies, Hitachi Magic Wands and remote control devices that looked like baby monitors - vibrators intended for external use. Some pulse in time to music, whether "Sesame Street" or Lady Gaga; some have rechargeable batteries; others are solar-powered. More esoteric products were shown off and explained, too. This was a sex shop, after all.”
Nerve.com
Nerve.com Asks Those Who Know
Date: August 6, 2010
Title: "Sex Advice From... Sex Shop Employees "
Author: Sarah Schwab
Summary: In their weekly column “sex advice from…” Nerve.com solicits advice from a wide variety of sources, and this week they chose and entertaining and highly knowledgeable group: Good Vibrations employees!
“Is it wrong to date someone who works in a sex store for the discounts?
Any dating situation where one person is dating another, primarily, for superficial or monetary gain, is a tad unhealthy. I wouldn’t date a farmer to get a better deal on steaks; I’d date them for the rolls in the hay.
Is it weird that I’m not turned on unless a girl’s vagina is completely bald?
Nope. What's weird is if you aren't willing to help her pay for the costly waxing or laser hair removal it takes to achieve bare beaver. Oh, and PS: the vagina’s the inside part, and therefore already bare. The vulva’s is the external part commonly called "the pussy" and usually is not naturally bare. Now you know – and knowing is half the battle.
I masturbate (via vibrator) at least twice a day. Can a woman lose all the sensation in her clitoris from excessive masturbation?
Gosh, I’m jealous of the amount of free time you have. The short answer is no. The body actually develops and grows new nerve endings to respond to vibration, one of the ways it responds is to help you reach orgasm faster. You might wish to diversify your sensation or masturbation style if you find a toy that was once effective is no longer doing the trick. This, however, is not from being desensitized by the toy but from getting used to it.”
San Francisco BAY TIMES
Good Vibrations' Non-profit Partnership Party a Hit!
Date: August 5, 2010
Title: "Equality Politics in a SF Pleasure Center"
Author: Rink
Summary: Good Vibrations held a reception for their nonprofit partner, Marriage Equality USA on July 29th, bringing together the principles of pleasure and equality. MEUSA was a partner through Good Vibrations nonprofit donations partnership, “GiVe”, and with food, wine, and song, they brought their message to the revelers of a happily ever after for all.
“The Good Vibrations Polk Street store hosted a benefit party for Marriage Equality/USA that was co-sponsored by The Center for Sex and Culture on July 29, and it was a uniquely San Francisco event. Equality politics merged with the pleasure center that is Good Vibrations to create an exuberant taste of what the Bay Area is known for - unapologetic same sex marriage, avant guard feminist sexuality, and outrageous erotic art.
Marriage Equality has worked tirelessly over the last couple years to create a new acceptance and welcoming of same sex marriage all over America. In cities, suburbia, and rural areas the groups’ activists and local allies have spread the word to citizens with a consciousness, politicians, and clergy that the time has come for marriage equality. Marriage Equality’s Molly McKay, a colorful and clever attorney, spoke eloquently at the event about future goals of her organization.
…Good Vibrations has always been more than a place to buy vibrators and condoms, and numerous classes and workshops are offered to enhance the sex lives of its customers. A multimedia erotic visual retrospective by sex educator Annie Sprinkle and her partner Beth Stephens graced the store’s gallery walls and it was a special extravagant mixture of rapturous art and photography.”
CNN Health
Female Condom, Newly Promoted, Receives Strong Reactions
Date: August 2, 2010
Title: "Female condoms range from 'strange' to 'natural' "
Author: Madison Park
Summary: With major promotion by city health campaigns across the country, the female condom is under new and varied scrutiny. Staff sexologist Dr. Carol Queen provides feedback in this article by CNN Health.
“After a second version of the female condom was approved by the FDA in 2009, HIV/AIDS health campaigns began distributing them in major cities and offering training on how to use them at local salons and community centers.
The condoms are another tool to empower and protect women from sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy, health advocates say. But the question remains: Will women actually use them?
Carol Queen of San Francisco, California, said "that some male partners like the extra movement they get" with a female condom. The downside: The condom could get twisted, she said. Queen, who works at a sex toys store called Good Vibrations, said sales of female condoms have increased since 2008.
"There's nothing wrong with the male condom," said Mary Ann Leeper, senior strategic advisor at the company. "If you use it, fair enough. A lot of people -- male and female -- don't like it and have unprotected sex. What we say is it gives people options and empowers women to initiate a method if he doesn't use a male condom. It empowers her to take care of herself."”
Redbook Magazine
Moms connect with their sexy side on Good Vibes Sexy Mama
Date: August 2010
Title: "A SEXY SECRET just for Moms"
Summary: Redbook magazine shows moms where to read and connect about sex after kids on Goodvibessexymama.com. Moms can share about the intersection of motherhood and their sex life, laugh and commiserate about finding time for lovin', and get a discount on special products just for moms!
"Mommy blogs are abuzz with nearly every topic, but there's a weird radio silence when it comes to Mom's sex life. Enter the new website Good Vibes Sexy Mama. "In this space, moms can share in that fun, gabby way about how motherhood affects their sex life -- and they can get answers about how to carve out time and energy to feel sexy," says Carol Queen, Ph.D., the site's sexologist. The site comes from sex-toy retailer Good Vibrations, so naturally you'll find a slew of products, like gizmos to tone your PC muscles after birth, but we also found great tips for fitting sex into a mom's busy schedule…."
[Good Vibes Shopping Guide: Sex & Parenting]
XBiz
Good Vibrations Celebrates Sexy Cinema with 5th Film Festival
Date: August 24, 2010
Author: Ariana Rodriguez
Title: "Sexy Films: 5th Annual IXFF Indie Erotic Film Festival, September 18 - 23"
Summary: From the international short film competition to the full feature films, Good Vibrations brings together 5 nights of sexy cinema to celebrate what’s hot outside of mainstream porn.
“Good Vibrations, the Bay Area’s renowned sex toy retailer, has announced five days of parties and programming culminating with the fifth annual Independent Erotic Film Festival (IXFF) competition on Sept. 23.
The IXFF competition brings together international filmmakers at the Castro Theater in San Francisco to showcase their works, which explore what’s “hot” and “sexy” in seven minutes or less.
The festivities kick off on Saturday, Sept. 18 with a party at El Rio and clip show screening of “alternative hipster porn” from Good Vibrations’ sister company, Good Releasing.
Indie films and performers that were recently honored at the Feminist Porn Awards in Toronto, Canada, will be showcased. Following the clip show, San Francisco’s queer burlesque troupe the Diamond Daggers will entertain."
AVN
Jennifer Lyon Bell Added To Good Releasing Roster of Directors
Date: August 26, 2010
Author: Buzz Killington
Title: "Good Releasing Adds Jennifer Lyon Bell to Directing Roster"
Summary: Industry publication AVN announced that Good Vibrations’ sister company, Good Releasing, has added prestigious European director Jennifer Lyon Bell to its collection of talented filmmakers. Good Releasing is the exclusive distributor of Matinée, a sexually explicit short feature by Bell.
“Named to its list of Top Five Porn Films for Women by Cosmopolitan Germany, Good Releasing will handle the film’s U.S. distribution.
Bell, a Harvard grad living in Amsterdam, “is a progressive female director with a unique vision of eroticism that bridges the gap between art film and sex film, producing erotic film for people who like film” according to Good Releasing.
Director Bell will be presenting Matinee along with several other European shorts at the Good Vibes 5th Annual Indie Erotic Film Festival on Sept. 21, at the Red Vic Theatre in San Francisco. For more details about the film fest, visit gv-ixff.org.
For more information about Bell, visit BlueArtichokeFilms.com. She’s received accolades from the Toronto Feminist Porn Awards and Cinekink in New York."
AVN
Good Vibrations 5th Annual Indie Erotic Film Festival is Back!
Date: August 27, 2010
Title: "Good Vibrations Announces 5th Annual Film Festival"
Summary: San Francisco awaits five nights of sexy cinema from Good Vibrations annual 5 night festival, which kicks off September 18th and culminates in the international short film competition on September 23rd at the Castro Theatre.
“Indie film and drag queen star Peaches Christ and Good Vibes staff sexologist Dr. Carol Queen host the film competition. The night kicks off with a pre-party in the mezzanine where filmgoers can warm up with a celebration featuring live mariachis, margaritas, burlesque and giveaways.
“There are a million different film festivals out there, but IXFF gives filmmakers a chance to challenge mainstream media’s definition of ‘sexy,’ and gives filmgoers an opportunity to watch sexy, funny, arty shorts in the company of riotous drag queens at one of the most beautiful theaters in America. What could be more fun than that?” festival producer Camilla Lombard said.
"People who send us films have a chance to really mate their own creative impulses with their erotic fascinations and social messages," Dr. Queen said. "The results are always interesting and frequently very sexy and moving indeed. These short films represent sexual cinema with the artistry and diversity put back in that so frequently is absent from both porn and mainstream movies."
Examiner.com
Good Vibrations Celebrates Sexy Cinema with 5th Film Festival
Date: August 27, 2010
Author: Sarah Estrella
Title: "Sexy Films: 5th Annual IXFF Indie Erotic Film Festival, September 18 - 23"
Summary: Good Vibrations’ 5 nights of diverse sexy cinema begins September 18th, showcasing many flavors of erotic!
“The 5th annual Good Vibrations IXFF Indie Erotic Film Festival kicks off next month in San Francisco's, with five nights of screenings and parties celebrating the best in indie porn, erotica, and adult films, including the 2010 International Independent Erotic Film competition, new this year, on September 23.
IXFF will feature a "Celebration of Sleaze" Gay Porn Night September 19, the Sexy Euro Cinema Night on September 21 (featuring Jennifer Lyon Bell'sMatinée..., and Lesbo Retro: A Dyke Porn Retrospective September 22."
Liberty Times Taiwan
Add Sex Toys to your Sex Life
Date: September 2010
Author: Joslyn Yang
Title: "Add Sex Toys to your Sex Life"
Summary: Work, children, family, and daily life can take a toll on a person’s energy, and for married couples this can result in little or no sex. One way to reignite the sexual spark is the introduction of sex toys. Dr. Carol Queen explains that couples may need to schedule time to communicate and be erotic together. The addition of avibrator and lubricant can make a real difference in the shared pleasure of a couple and the health of their relationship.
Las Vegas Weekly
Green Sex is the New Safe Sex
Date: September 1, 2010
Title: "Saving the Planet One Vibrator at a Time"
Author: Lynn Comella
Summary: Given the dangers inherent in sex toy products, the best way to have safe sex – partnered or solo – is to choose eco-friendly sex toys. Non-toxic toys made from quality materials and manufactured under sustainable conditions are the best way to ensure that what you’re putting in your body will bring you pleasure in every respect. Good Vibrations has led the trend toward sustainable sex toys and continues to encourage responsible sex with its Ecorotic® line.
“The greening of sex toys has been fueled largely by socially progressive companies rather than consumers. According to Black, the sexual marketplace is still an “uneducated” one. Carol Queen, staff sexologist at Good Vibrations in San Francisco, sees inconsistencies in consumer choices. “People who think nothing of scrutinizing the health implications of what they put in their mouths often seem to forget about the other parts.”
Given the lack of industry standards, consumers looking to be eco-sexy and sustainable should educate themselves about the kinds of products they purchase and the companies with which they do business. As Queen notes, “We can minimize our overall ‘sexual footprint’ by buying higher quality and longer lasting, not tossaway imports when we’re able to.” Saving the planet, one green orgasm at a time.”
Cosmopolitan.com
How to Buy A Sex Toy on Cosmo.com
Date: September 2010
Title: "How do I Figure Out What Sex Toy to Buy?"
Summary: Cosmopolitan.com takes on the question: how do I choose the sex toy that’s right for me? Distinguishing between vibrators and dildos, and which toys stimulate which parts is a great way to start. Whether you want clitoral stimulation or penetration, this is a great introduction on how to find the perfect bedroom accessory for you!
“Generally speaking, vibrators are battery-operated or electrically powered devices that buzz or vibrate. They are used mainly for external stimulation, so if you're looking for clitoral titillation — which most women need to climax — a vibrator is your best bet. You can pick up your passion prop at your local sex shop. Or, if you want to be a little more private about your purchase, you'll find plenty of well-stocked online boutiques (like goodvibes.com) that list items with pictures, descriptions, and specifics about cleaning and storage.”
Marie Claire (India, Global Report)
Good Vibrations' Stars Featured in Marie Claire's Report on Women-Made Porn
Date: September 2010
Author: Mandy Van Deven
Title: "Meet the Porn Queens"
Summary: Marie Claire explores the frontier of feminist porn, loosely defined as filmmaking that prioritizes authentic pleasure, artistic expression and often a queer sensibility. Many of the featured filmmakers and stars have ties to Good Vibrations, including award-winning queer porn director Shine Louise Houston.
“During her five years at Good Vibrations, (Shine Louise) Houston was asked by numerous women and heterosexual couples to recommend good lesbian porn. The customers wanted something created with a more artistic aesthetic and a queer sensibility, something that would be more appealing to women. Finding the selection of pornography made by and for women quite limited in number and scope, Houston quit Good Vibrations to pursue a career as a pornographer and became a part of the $97 billion worldwide porn pie.”
Oprah.com
Oprah.com recommends Good Vibrations for Better Sex!
Date:September 1, 2010
Author: Liz Brody
Title: "12 Simple Ways to Have Better Sex"
Summary: Oprah's team of experts presents a list of great ideas to get yourself excited and increase the heat between the sheets. By practicing a few of these suggestions you can jump start your libido and make sex fun again!
“Sexuality may not be the first thing you think of when tending to your health. But what a great natural source of energy. It's more powerful and lasting than any smoothie or protein bar, not to mention calorie-free. Whether you have sex or simply a healthy appetite for it, when that drive is activated, no matter what your age, you feel resilient, vibrant, ready for the rush of life.
How to spice it up:
- For Valentine's Day, buy yourself a new vibrator (see GoodVibes.com).
- Take a shower or bath with your partner. See where it leads.
- Think back to your courting days. Did you neck during concerts? Talk forever in coffeehouses? Go Rollerblading? Do one of those things again together.
- Pick a day of the week for you and your partner to come home from work early, and don't use the time to do chores.”
Carnal Nation 
Sexy Euro Cinema Featured in Good Vibrations Indie Erotic Film Fest
Date: September 1, 2010
Author: Suzanne Rachel Forbes
Title: "Smokin’ Hot Erotic European Cinema at the IXFF!"
Summary: Good Vibrations Indie Erotic Film Festival celebrates sexy cinema with five nights of parties and screenings from September 18 – 23. European sexy shorts will have their night on September 21st at the Red Vic Theatre, when Amsterdam-based American director Jennifer Lyon Bell curates a collection of sexy European shorts, followed by a Q&A.
“The film Bell is showing, Matinée, is a great example of what creative freedom can give rise to. The Euro Cinema screening will be an opportunity to speak with this award-winning director in person, hobnob with lots of sexy alt-porn folks, and relax on couches in the warm vibe of the Red Vic. A fabulous evening out- we'll be there for sure!
She spoke to us about issues of censorship, and the freedom independent film festivals provide for artistic erotic vision.
‘As a filmmaker and curator personally obsessed by the exciting overlap between sex and mainstream/art film, I definitely talk to other like-minded filmmakers about their challenges. There are lots of overlapping issues: Outright banning, being unfairly burdened with restrictive ratings, or being forced to excise everyday sexual acts (like power play, or female ejaculation in UK films) because, bizarrely, they are considered completely illegal to show. In the festival circuit, underground film festivals often bear the brunt of censorship issues, both because they generally embrace genre-crossing films, and because they dare to accept edgy films that make bigger festivals (particularly ones with mainstream corporate sponsors) nervous.’”
Daily Cardinal, University of Wisconsin, Madison 
Finding Good Vibrations
Date: September 9, 2010
Author: Erica Andrist
Title: "Finding Good Vibrations"
Summary: The best way to choose your perfect vibrator is to first figure out what you like and what you want to do with it, and then test it out in the store to find out how it looks, sounds, and feels. If that’s not feasible, check outGoodVibes.com.
“When you go to make your vibration determination, try to have an idea of what you’ll be using the vibe for. Are you the captain of your clitoris, or a penetration pioneer? Do you like G-spot stimulation? Will you be using it alone or with a partner? How about anal penetration or prostate stimulation? The answers to all of these questions will play a role in selecting the perfect shape, size, and material of your toy, so think a little bit about the activities you tend to enjoy.
If it looked pink online but is orange in real life—and you effing hate orange—then you’re not going to be as jazzed to use it. If it sounds like a semi and you have a roommate, then you might not use it at all. So check it out if you can. If you can’t or don’t want to check it out in person, try to buy from a website which offers customer reviews in addition to product descriptions. Examples include GoodVibes.com."
Golden Gate X Press
Vibrators Are Fun For Every Body!
Date: September 28, 2010
Author: Lindsay Harte
Title: "Erotic Film Fest Brings Good Vibrations"
Summary: SF State University’s paper, the Golden Gate X Press review Good Vibrations 5th Annual Indie Erotic Film Fest, and was delighted by the range of material. “Erotic” included far more than sexually explicit footage, and reflected the talent and humor of indie filmmakers today.
“Twelve films, all under seven minutes, explored sexual fantasies and sexual orientations. Dr. Queen wondered aloud after each presentation if the film was "sexologically significant." Each film screened that night pertained to the sexual exploration of an individual. The films varied from topics as simple as the notion of unrequited love to the significance of gay pornography in the industry.”
Glamour Magazine UK
Watch Sexy Flicks with Your Partner, Start at Good Vibrations
Date: September 30, 2010
Author: Rachel Hills
Title: If You've Ever Wanted To…
Summary: Glamour Magazine explores 24 ways to experiment with your sex life. Annie Sprinkle recommends exploring female-friendly erotic film at Good Vibrations.
“ ' There are as many kinds of porn out there as there are kinds of Hollywood movies,' says Dr Annie Sprinkle a former adult film actress turned eco-sexologist. And while you might not talk about it with your girlfriends, checking out some woman-friendly erotica can be a great, non-threatening way to explore your fantasies. 'One of the best ways for women to find some porn they really might enjoy is to ask a well informed porn expert,' says Sprinkle. “I recommend phoning up a sales rep at the feminist sex boutique Good Vibrations.' ”
The Nest
Restock Your Bedside Table
Date: Fall 2010
Author: N/A
Title: "How To Upgrade Your Goodie Drawer"
Summary: The Nest makes several steamy selections to help restock your bedside table!
“If you’re still stocking your bedside table with the same old tricks, it may be time for an upgrade. Pleasure Rings: This rubber ring wraps around the base of your guy’s penis and has a teeny tiny vibrator at one end to hit you in juuuust the right spot. It’s the perfect option if you’re (1) too lazy to manhandle a vibrator during the deed, or (2) just entering the world of sex toys and want to start with something not too intimidating. All you have to do is push it down to the base of your guy’s penis during foreplay and then have sex like you normally would—only this time, with a more intense orgasm for you.
Get it: It might look like lips, but these vibrating lips don’t go on your mouth. Hot Lips Vibrating Cock Ring, $12, GoodVibes.com.”
Carnal Nation
Gay Porn Celebrated at the Good Vibrations Indie Erotic Film Fest
Date: September 8, 2010
Author: Tim McElreavy
Title: "The Gay Vibe at Good Vibes"
Summary: Good Vibrations Indie Erotic Film Festival celebrates sexy cinema with five nights of parties and screenings from September 18 – 23. “Celebration of Sleaze: Gay Porn Night!” will feature a panel of filmmakers, talent, and reviewers and their favorite clips, followed by a sizzling performance by porn star Michael Brandon at the historic Nob Hill Theatre. Carnal Nation examines the special place for gay porn at Good Vibrations’ sex-positive table.
“Good Vibrations’ Indie Erotic Film Festival (IXFF) will present an evening of gay porn at the notorious Nob Hill Theatre on Sunday, September 19. It might seem ironic—if not downright contradictory—for a business that famously established itself as a "clean, well-lighted," and all-inclusive emporium for all things sex positive to skulk back into the dark and bawdy bowels of an “adult” theater for, of all things, a celebration of sleaze. And not just any sleaze either, but testosterone-tainted, ball-baring, butt-busting, fabulously phallocentric gay sleaze.
In shining light—the normalizing glare of daylight—onto the world of sex and pleasure, Good Vibrations never meant to deny the erotic charge of porn and such red-light venues as the adult bookstore or theater. Rather, the store and its educational mission emphasize choice and the informed permission to explore those choices. In this way Good Vibes and modern gay history share a similar trajectory, exposing that which was once secretive and shameful to public view in order to show that sex and sexuality are not to be feared. You almost can’t think of that first “clean, well-lighted” Good Vibes store on Mission Street where women in particular could openly and unabashedly learn about and buy sex toys without also thinking of the pioneering Twin Peaks Tavern, reputedly the first gay bar in the United States with clear glass windows, a half mile away at the highly visible intersection of Market and Castro Streets. In both cases, these institutions celebrate community and visibility while never denying the personal and the private. The realm of sexuality is just as important, relevant, exciting, and empowering with the lights on as it is with the lights off.”
Valley Advocate
Choose Your Perfect Condom!
Date: September 9, 2010
Author: Yana Tallon-Hicks
Title: "Love Your Latex"
Summary: People would like condoms more if they did a bit of research to find the perfect condom for them. The Valley Advocate explores variations in size, quality of latex, texture, and design to offer a huge range of condom options. Variety packs by Good Vibrations are a great way to experiment and find what works the best for you. Don’t dis the condom, find your perfect match!
“The poor condom gets a bad rap, never appreciated for preventing that unwanted pregnancy or STD or even saving your life. That little rubber guy does a lot for you, so love your latex. Your sex life is anything but generic. So why should your condom be? Like your best suit, condoms are hotter when tailored properly.
Do some research with a variety pack (GoodVibes.com has affordable pre-made options), saving the wrappers as reminders of favorites. Good sex is safer sex. And with the right condom, safer sex is good sex, too."
CarnalNation.com
Take Me Home, Lesbo Roads
Date: September 16, 2010
Author: Chris Hall
Title: "IXFF Goes Lesbo Retro"
Summary: Carnal Nation explores the difference between lesbian porn and girl-on-girl, and is excited about Good Vibrations’ Indie Erotic Film Fest honoring the tradition of lesbian porn in their “Lesbo Retro” event on September 22nd.
“Everyone who has ever watched a porn film—or even done so much as pick up a dog-eared copy ofPenthouse—knows the archetypal lesbian fuck scene as envisioned by mainstream pornographers. Temporarily deprived of men, two chicks decide to go at each other: typically, they have skin fresh out of a tanning booth, brightly-colored nails that look like the manicurist gave more thought to self-defense than fisting, perfectly hemispherical tits that wouldn’t jiggle if they were fucking in the middle of a major earthquake, and hair that’s been teased and sprayed so much that it evokes a groupie of a heavy-metal band from the 1980s more than a dyke from the 21st century. During any pussy-eating that may occur, the eater keeps her mouth a discreet distance from the actual pussy, if not in another county entirely. Only the very tip of the tongue will actually come in contact with the eatee.
Properly speaking, this kind of scene isn't lesbian porn; it's girl-girl porn, created mainly by straight guys for other straight guys. If you want to see actual lesbian porn made by actual lesbians with lesbians in mind, the Good Vibrations Indie Erotic Film Festival has just the thing for you: head down to the San Francisco Women's Building on September 22 at 8 PM where Jackie Strano and Shar Rednour will be telling the history of lesbian porn from the 1970s to the early 2000s in Lesbo Retro: A Dyke Porn Retrospective.”
A Beast in a Jungle
IXFF In the Beast
Date: September 20, 2010
Author: John Marcher
Title: "IXFF"
Summary: Good Vibrations staff sexologist Dr. Carol Queen explores the import of erotic cinema for entertainment and education.
“What a fabulous week this is to muse about erotic cinema, porno, or whatever you like to call it. Sure, in some circles it's a controversial topic. But unlike the weather, which everybody discusses but nobody does anything about, this week we can look into the future of sex movies, or at least into the alternative realities in which they already exist, and see that there are auteurs and smutmeisters who are working hard to add creativity and change to this particular form of cultural expression. How do I know this? Because for the fifth year in a row, I have helped select and judge the Independent Erotic Film Festival (IXFF), put together by Good Vibrations for your viewing pleasure.”
SexSF.com 
IXFF in Sex SF
Date: September 22, 2010
Author: Caitlin Donohue
Title: "Hot sexy events Sept 22-28"
Summary: The SF Bay Guardian’s Sex Blog lists IXFF in their sexy events calendar
“A whole Castro Theatre full of San Franciscans watching other San Franciscans get it on in homemade short films? And it's the same week as Folsom? Sounds like a recipe for sweet, sweet trouble. Peaches Christ and her fab friends and Carol Queen will be on hand to add some levity to the goings-on – and to hand out the $1,500 for the best clip.”
Examiner.com
Battery-Operated Heaven” Throws Its 5th Indie Erotic Film Fest
Date: September 22, 2010
Author: Diane Davis
Title: "Good Vibrations 2010 IXFF Indie Erotic Film Festival"
Summary: Good Vibrations celebrated sexy shorts with an international festival and party at the Castro Theatre.
“Good Vibrations (also known as battery-operated heaven!) is a Bay Area staple. GV has stores throughout the Bay Area. If you have not been, go today. Or you can wait until Thursday for a taste of Good Vibrations. The people of Good Vibrations have taken the fun to the big screen with the 2010 IXFF Independent Erotic Film Festival.
The question is; what do other people do in the bedroom and is that something you really want to see? Hell yeah you want to see it! And what other people are doing in the boudoir will either give you a few good ideas or a belly laugh. Score either way! Thursday evening is your chance to take a peak into the bedrooms of your neighbors (you know, in the legal way and not the peeping way...) with the short film competition at the Castro Theater. The evening will be hosted by Peaches Christ and Dr. Carol Queen. Whatever floats your boat will be represented; Gay, Straight, Queer, Arty, edgy, or funny - and all in 7 minutes or less!”
SF Bay Times
Gay Porn Celebrated at Good Vibration’s Indie Erotic Film Festival
Date: September 23, 2010
Author: Sister Dana Van Iquity
Title: "Good Vibes Holds Gay Porn Panel & Show"
Summary: As part of its 5 night extravaganza of sexy cinema, Good Vibrations dedicated Sunday, Spetember 19th to a “Celebration of Sleaze: Gay Porn Night!” at the Nob Hill Theatre, featuring an all-star gay porn panel, clip show, and performance by Michael Brandon.
“Good Vibrations’ 5th Annual Indie Erotic Film Festival exalted gay porn on Sept. 19 with “A Celebration of Sleaze” clip show, gay porn panel, and hot erotic show by star performer Michael Brandon at San Francisco’s legendary Nob Hill Theatre. We got to sit back and enjoy a hot collection of steamy scenes from the leaders in gay porn, then find out what’s going on in the industry with a fascinating panel featuring directors, stars, and visionaries from three industries: Titan, Naked Sword, andHeavenlySpire, porn reviewer John Karr of B.A.R.’s “Karnal Knowledge” column, and executive director of Center for Sex & Culture and Good Vibes’ sexologist Dr. Carol Queen as moderator. Following the panel, we got hot and bothered with a live performance by Nob Hill Theatre alum and gay superstar Michael Brandon.”
Examiner.com
Good Vibrations Knows How to Throw A Party! Sexy Cinema Brings Sexy Fun
Date: September 24, 2010
Author: Diane Davis
Title: "Good Vibrations 2010 IXFF Indie Erotic Film Festival"
Summary: Good Vibrations celebrated sexy shorts with an international festival and party at the Castro Theatre.
“Whew, Good Vibrations and the Castro Theater know how to throw a party! Last night was the final night of the Good Vibrations 2010 IXFF Indie Erotic Film Festival. The weeklong fest concluded with the International Short Film Competition. The Castro Theater brought out the red carpet and spotlight while Good Vibrations supplied the erotic films.
Entrants from around the world submitted their short films, seven minutes or less, for the competition. The festival opened with ‘Trash Day,’ a film by Sam Lemma of San Antonio, Texas. ‘Trash Day ‘ is a tale of unrequited love from a woman who mistakenly thinks oversized panties are sexy. From there we moved on to ‘Handcuff,’ an artful fetish film from Barcelona, then to ‘The Filth Element,’ a parody of ‘The Fifth Element’ created by Seattle filmmakers Benjamin Williams and Zan Christensen. The world of bondage, the possibility of an orgasm ray gun, rapping mothers to be, and the point of view of a newly purchased dildo were all explored.”
San FranciscoBay Times
SF Bay Times Reviews Good Vibrations Indie Erotic Film Fest (IXFF)
Date: September 30, 2010
Author: Rink
Title: Erotic Films, Art Auctions, Anita Bryant, and a Leather Brunch
Summary: It was a busy week for sex in San Francisco, and the Bay Times was happy to include Good Vibrations Indie Erotic Film Fest in the rounds of events.
“The 5th Annual Good Vibrations Indie Erotic Film Festival began with a bang on Sept. 23. Uninhibited entertainers wearing very little clothing danced and pranced in the Castro Theatre mezzanine before the erotic films were screened. Some of the Castro’s habitually naked guys were there, but were not recognized with their clothes on… ”
CarnalNation.com
Five Years of Sexy Indie Cinema, Brought to You by Good Vibrations
Date: September 27, 2010
Author: Kitty Stryker
Title: "Good Vibes' IXFF Keeps It Real For Year 5"
Summary: Carnal Nation gives an overview of the history, purpose, and pleasure of Good Vibrations’ Indie Erotic Film Fest.
“In keeping with Good Vibrations' history of being, for quite a while, the only female-friendly, non-creepy, sex-positive options for sex toys, the IXFF adheres to its independent ethos— and the quality shows. “The initial hope was that we could provide a forum for people to show what they think is sexy, regardless of mainstream standards, and have it be fun and inclusive,” Camilla said to me via email. “ In the process, attendees may discover something new that turns them on, or at least gain an appreciation for sexual diversity. And the fact that the films are contextualized by a panel of witty drag queens and Dr. Carol Queen herself also makes the experience hilariously entertaining, whether you're turned on or not.”
So true! While normally the idea of going to a theatre to watch porn might make you a little uncomfortable, the fact that these are shorts and that there’s this commentary in between puts the viewer at ease. This isn’t a wankfest, this is a film festival, and looking around the variety of people in the audience—gay, straight, queer, trans, cis, kinky, vanilla, curious, whatever—proves that the IXFF is hitting the right notes. And considering the festival used to be one day and now spans five, and is touring to other cities in the US, it just shows that people are eager for smart, interesting erotic programming—and Good Vibrations is ready to dish it out to us!”
MySexProfessor.com
Lesbo Retro Goes Way Back at Good Vibration's Indie Erotic Film Festival
Date: September 24, 2010
Author: Garnet Joyce
Title: "Lesbian Retro"
Summary: Good Vibrations celebrated the history of porn by and for lesbians as part of its 5 day festival.
“The other night I attended Lesbo Retro Night as a part of the Good Vibrations’ Indie Erotic Film Fest (IXFF) and let me tell you, this porno girl was in porno heaven.
The evening consisted of complimentary pizza and beer and a clip show from the fabulous Shar Rednour and Jackie Strano of S.I.R. Productions. We were treated to clips of lesbian porn made for and by lesbians starting in the 1970s and working up through 2001. Some was completely ridiculous and the audience laughed along with the filmmakers; some of it was panty dropping hot and the audience responded with cat calls. There was a definite buzz of excitement and shared experience going on in the audience last night.”
SF Weekly
GV’s Indie Erotic Film Competition Gets Sophisticated
Date: September 22, 2010
Author: Keith Bowers
Title: "Not Totally Amateur"
Summary: Good Vibrations Indie Erotic Film Fest goes beyond amateur porn and into artistic and sexy portrayals of real life, fantasy, and comedy.
“We can always count on Good Vibrations for two things: to help us learn more about sex and sexuality – and to keep us from taking it all too seriously. So it is with the Independent Erotic Film Festival. Every year the San Francisco retail institution gathers short erotic films from around the world and screens the best of what they find. This year local drag favorite Peaches Christ joins Good Vibes’ staff sexologist Carol Queen in showing us what people think is hot in seven minutes or less.
According to what we’ve seen from the stills and what Queen tells us from helping choose the winners, these go beyond amateur porn. Instead of thinking of it as what your neighbors might do with a Handycam, says Queen, “Think of it as what they might do if they had sophisticated equipment and the ability to storyboard their sex lives.” And then there’s the humor. One film, for example, is a parody of a sci-fi favorite (wonder if you can guess which one) called “The Filth Element.” Another is a music video. Still others explore alternative takes on eroticism and sexuality, including same-sex encounters and a couple looking for a third person to join them. The screening is preceded by a party that includes live mariachi music, margaritas, and burlesque performers.”
SF Gate.com
Dr. Carol Queen Sings Smut's Praises
Date: September 21, 2010
Author: Carol Queen
Title: "Give Me Smut, and Nothing But!"
Summary: Good Vibrations staff sexologist Dr. Carol Queen explores the import of erotic cinema for entertainment and education.
“What a fabulous week this is to muse about erotic cinema, porno, or whatever you like to call it. Sure, in some circles it's a controversial topic. But unlike the weather, which everybody discusses but nobody does anything about, this week we can look into the future of sex movies, or at least into the alternative realities in which they already exist, and see that there are auteurs and smutmeisters who are working hard to add creativity and change to this particular form of cultural expression. How do I know this? Because for the fifth year in a row, I have helped select and judge the Independent Erotic Film Festival (IXFF), put together by Good Vibrations for your viewing pleasure.”
Lifescript.com
Rev up your Sex Life with 20 Sexy Tips!
Date: September 5, 2010
Author: Norine Dworkin-McDaniel
Title: "20 Tips for the Best Sex Ever"
Summary: Balancing the demands of a busy life can push sex far down on your list of priorities. But making time and energy for a healthy sex life is important – and fun! Lifescript.com, a healthy living site for women, suggests a multitude of ways to get turned on, including perusing erotica at Good Vibrations!
“Has your sex life gone stale? Between kids, work and other pressures, steamy sex may seem like a fantasy. (Although there’s a place for that too!) We’ve got 20 tips guaranteed to turn up the heat.
13. Cultivate a rich fantasy life.You’ve heard it before: The most important sex organ is your brain. So stock it with sexy images to get your motor revved.
“It’s one more tool to bring to your play,” Barnard says. “There’s plenty of tasteful stuff out there, so you don’t have to expose yourself to something that’s going to offend you.”
Catch a couple late-night movies on cable. Or peruse the erotica at Good Vibrations ( GoodVibes.com).”
San FranciscoBay Guardian
IXFF Brings Sexy Back to the Big Screen
Date: September 15, 2010
Author: Louis Peitzman
Title: "Better Living Through Porn"
Summary: The San Francisco Bay Guardian heralds the coming of Good Vibrations’ 5th Annual Indie Erotic Film Fest (IXFF) as the premiere showcase for indie erotic filmmakers everywhere. In addition to being highly entertaining, IXFF serves as a key forum for filmmakers from around the world to redefine what’s “sexy” beyond mainstream media.
Yes, it's that time of year again. On Sept. 23, the Castro Theatre opens its doors to the Good Vibrations Indie Erotic Film Festival's short film festival competition, after a lead-up week of diverse, sex-positive programming at various venues. The annual contest, now in its fifth year, offers filmmakers the chance to share their unique erotic visions on the big screen.
"As heavily censored as film and TV are today, it's important to have a safe outlet," says Steffan Schulz, who is screening his film Lorelei. "More importantly, and specifically to an erotic festival, the Puritan mentality that dominates American society today is really kind of hypocritical."
For most of the filmmakers, who range from local to international, these movies are a response to the limited scope of the mainstream porn industry. That means looking at groups who are too often sidelined and approaching erotica from a different perspective. …It's significant that so many of the films shown at the IXFF delve into realistic portrayals of female sexuality. After all, the porn industry has long been derided as degrading to women — or at least a dangerous perpetuator of the fake female orgasm.…On a broader scale, the festival speaks to Good Vibes' sex-positive vision. It's all part of an exciting effort to celebrate and redefine erotica.”
About.com
Indie Erotic Film Fest a Prime Destination for Gay Travel
Date: September 14, 2010
Author: Andrew Collins
Title: "Odds and Ends: Olympic National Park Deals, Mohegan SunDayz, Indie Erotic Film Festival"
Summary: Andrew's gay and lesbian travel blog on About.com recommends checking out Good Vibrations' Indie Erotic Film Festival on your Fall travels. Five nights of screenings and parties make this the ideal festival to cap off Summer and warm up for Fall.
“Rounding out noteworthy GLBT-travel news, in San Francisco, the legendary women-owned erotica and sex-toy shop Good Vibrations is presenting the Fifth Annual Indie Erotic Film Festival next week - the dates are September 18-23. Events include a kick-off party on Saturday night at the rocking Mission gay bar El Rio, a "Celebration of Sleaze: Gay Porn Night!" on Sunday at the Nob Hill Theatre, "Sexy Euro Cinema" on Monday at the Red Vic movie house, "Lesbo Retro: A Dyke Porn Retrospective" in the Mission at the iconic Women's Building, and - capping off the festival - a "Pleasure Lounge" pre-party and special Indie Erotic Film Festival screening at the historic and ultra-queer Castro Theatre. If you were seeking a spicy ending to your summer, this cheeky and sex-positive celebration may be just what you need.”
SF Bay Times
Good Vibrations and the National Breast Cancer Coalition make a Beautiful Partnership
Date: September 9, 2010
Author: Dennis McMillan
Title: "Good Vibes Partners With National Breast Cancer Coalition"
Summary: Good Vibrations, the legendary San Francisco-based retailer, has announced its partnership with the National Breast Cancer Coalition as part of their corporate giving initiative, GiVe. In September and October, Good Vibrations’ customers can show their support for the fight against breast cancer by making a financial gift to the National Breast Cancer Coalition at the time of their Good Vibrations purchase.
“For over 30 years, Good Vibrations has partnered with hundreds of local and national nonprofit organizations. By donating products, advertising, and sponsorship for fundraisers, along with a percentage of retail sales, the company has provided much needed support for women’s shelters, HIV/AIDS research, art programs, LGBT benefits, sexuality education, disaster relief, and much more.
The Good Vibrations - NBCC nonprofit partnership highlights Good Vibrations’ longstanding commitment to women’s health and well-being. Good Vibrations C.O.O. Jackie Strano explains, “Breast cancer affects everyone, and we know that this issue is dear to every community. We are confident that our customers will take advantage of the opportunity to make a difference, for themselves and women everywhere.”
Bar Tab - Bay Area Reporter Nightlife Guide
Vibrators Are Fun For Every Body!
Date: September 1, 2010
Title: "Feel the Vibrations"
Author: Heather Cassell
Summary: Regardless of one’s gender or sexual orientation, sex toys can be fun for everyone! The deciding factor is what sensations you enjoy and how you relate to them. Staff Sexologist Dr. Carol Queen gives tips on how to get started on everything from BDSM play to basic vibrators.
“For the sexually creative set, “most sex toys to some degree can be thought of as co-gender,” said Good Vibrations’ resident sexpert Dr. Carol Queen recently about sex toys. And it turns out any couple of any gender or orientation can really use a few.
“It’s easy to get creative with a thing that is designed for sexual pleasure and give any body some sexual pleasure with it,” Queen said. “It’s not your gender or orientation, it’s the sensations that you experience and what they mean to you.”
But Queen said many people overlook the vibrator, thinking it’s only a chick thing. She pointed out that adding a vibrator to being blindfolded, cuffed or bound in some way for any gender only heightens the sexual experience.
Anyone who doesn’t have a vibrator, said Queen, is “missing some nerve endings that they should be stimulating,” pointing out that “almost everybody has an anus.”
The Daily Bruin
GV's Dr. Carol Queen Delivers an Education in the UCLA Daily Bruin
Date: Winter 2010
Author: Teresa Jue
Title: Sex Toys 101
Summary: Good Vibrations' staff sexologist Dr. Carol Queen, Ph.D explains the benefits of sex toys and how to choose and care for them.
"…when college students find themselves seriously burdened by the books, the studies, the classes, the tests…playing with toys and self-pleasuring can be a really strategic and wise thing to do."
XBiz.com
Good Vibes Asking Shoppers to ‘Vibrate the Vote’
Date: October 29, 2010
Author: Ariana Rodriguez
Title: "I May As Well Enjoy Mysef"
Summary: In the spirit of making politics fun again, Good Vibrations launched a cheeky "vibrate the vote!" campaign inviting citizens to vote for their favorite sex toy online or walk into any Good Vibrations store and receive a free pearl drop vibrator on election day - no purchase necessary!
“Good Vibrations is holding its own election from now through Tuesday, in which shoppers can vote for candidates from the Vibrator Party, the Green Sex Party, Proposition U and the Pleasure Party.
Voters can study the platform and philosophy of each candidate on the Good Vibrations Vibrate the Vote Contest Page, as well as at its Twitter and Facebook pages, before casting their vote by writing a review. Customers can also enter by visiting a Good Vibrations retail location and will receive a free Pearl Drop Vibrator, valued at $8, if they declare, “I want to vibrate the vote!””
SFBG Blog
Free Vibrators for All! Democracy's Call to Action
Date: October 29, 2010
Author: Caitlin Donohue
Title: "Democracy = Cheap Drinks and Free Sex Toys!"
Summary: San Francisco Bay Guardian's sex blog celebrates alternative voting incentives – like Good Vibrations' "vibrate the vote!" campaign offering free vibrators on election day, and local bars offering discounted drinks with proof of voting stubs.
"Voting's pretty good as it stands -- representative government, dictator avoidance, all that jazz. But this fall, the choose-this-or-that got a little nutty. Call upon this pleasure two-pack of election day specials – yes, the title of this post is an accurate descriptor – to lift the weight you've been carrying on your back called "the future of California is in your hands." Cheap drinks and free sex toys. Vibrate the Vote: After you chuck that ballot down the appropriate chute, head to any Good Vibrations store, where dropping the name of this paragraph on election day will score you a free Pearl Drop vibrator. The generous giveaway is a part of an online voting contest that can enter you to win the top-rated toys on the Good Vibes website."
Curve Magazine Blog
Ruminations on the Joys of Masturbation
Date: October 28, 2010
Author: Queerie Bradshaw
Title: "I May As Well Enjoy Mysef"
Summary: Curve blogger pontificates about the virtues of masturbation and takes on the challenges of her friends, siting the many wonders of Good Vibrations offerings and the inherent value in knowing her own sexyal response.
“Just because I’m hanging out on the couch for a bit, doesn’t mean I can’t have fun while I’m here. Between Babeland and Good Vibrations, I have a three-drawer nightstand full of entertainment that doesn’t even require me leaving the house, just maybe occasionally switching from the couch to the bed. …Luckily for me, I’ve got quite a collection of tools of the trade to choose from for my practice sessions. … I thought I’d still offer five must-haves for those who may need some inspiration in their masturbation….”
The Star.com
Vibrators in Pop Culture: What’s the Buzz?
Date: October 22, 2010
Author: Josey Vogels
Title: "Why All the Buzz about Vibrators?"
Summary: The mainstreaming of vibrators is evidenced in recent plays, TV mentions, and most recently a Hollywood film about the origins of the vibrator, called Hysteria. The Star examines why and how pop culture addresses the omnipresence of vibrators and explores Good Vibrations’ antique vibrator museum.
“This mutual acceptance and resistance to the vibrator is typical of our culture, says Joani Blank. The 73-year-old is the founder of Good Vibrations, a revolutionary female-friendly sex shop she opened in San Francisco in 1977. “Like anything sexual in our culture, we are both repelled, shocked, obsessed, fascinated and titillated,” says Blank, who also penned The Complete Guide To Vibrators back in 1976 and personally owned 100 antique vibrators which she donated to the Good Vibrations Vibrator Museum. (Yup, you heard that right: A Vibrator Museum. Now home of the 1906 “Shelton Deluxe-Wayne Vibrator," the 1921 “Polar Cub Type G” vibrator and the 1930 “Super Douglas Vibrator,” which frankly looks more like an electric belt sander than a source of sexual pleasure. Visit the museum online. ”
XBIZ .com
Good Vibrations Opens New Store in Downtown S.F.!
Date: October 20, 2010
Author: Rhett Pardon
Title: "How To Upgrade Your Goodie Drawer"
Summary: XBIZ shares the good news – Good Vibrations is expanding with its fifth store in downtown San Francisco!
“Good Vibrations plans on opening its fourth location in the Bay Area across from Bloomingdale's in downtown San Francisco's Union Square district.
The sex toy store, the fifth chain-wide, will occupy more than 3,000 square feet and serve as its flagship store when it opens its doors shortly after Thanksgiving, said Jackie Strano, the company's chief operating officer.
"We are so pleased and proud to be expanding our retail operations just in time for the holiday season," Strano said. "Where our other Bay Area stores are more neighborhood/destination-based locations, our new store is in the heart of the downtown shopping and hotel district, easily accessible to tourists and locals alike.”
AVN.com
Good Vibrations Opens New Downtown Store in S.F.
Date: October 19, 2010
Author: N/A
Title: "How To Upgrade Your Goodie Drawer"
Summary: AVN heralds the opening of a new Good Vibrations in downtown San Francisco!
“Good Vibrations, the legendary San Francisco-based company that takes pride in providing accurate information on sexuality and toys for grown-ups, will open its fifth location in time for the 2010 holiday shopping season: a tasteful and attractive flagship store across from Bloomingdale's in downtown San Francisco.
Situated near Union Square and featuring ample access to parking, public transit, restaurants and the museum district, Good Vibrations, always a destination retailer for adults desiring a comfortable and well-stocked place to shop for quality pleasure products, looks forward to bringing customers' experiences to a new level in this exciting and accessible location.”
Bay Area Reporter
Gay Porn Night at Good Vibrations
Date: October 14, 2010
Author: John F. Karr
Title: "Sexpertise Panel"
Summary: Famed porn reviewer John Karr reflects on Good Vibrations Indie Erotic Film Festival and his role as panelist at the “Celebration of Sleaze” gay porn night.
“It's pretty much a Power to the People sort of thing. Except in this instance, it's Porn to the People. It's the annual Good Vibrations Indie Erotic Film Festival, which in the middle of September concluded its fifth year at the Castro Theatre. For the first time this year, the event had a specifically gay evening. On one special night at the Nob Hill Theatre, a couple of entries were screened, a panel of the evening's filmmakers augmented by little ol' me waxed eloquent about gay sexography, and, as a boner bonus, a pretty thrilling live performance capped the evening... ”
Sinning in L.A. .com
Stuff that Stocking the Sexy Way with Good Vibrations
Date: October 13, 2010
Author: Clare de Lune
Title: "A Good Vibrations Guide to Sinful Stocking Stuffers"
Summary: Fabulous alt-publication Sinning in L.A. reviews the sexiest gifts of the season from Good Vibrations.
“Folks in Los Angeles do not have to trek all the way up the coast to enjoy the tantalizing treasures offered by Good Vibrations. Just log on to goodvibes.com and browse the sexy selections and shop from the comfort of your own home. Now that Christmas time is right around the corner, I have a few provocative present suggestions for your lover or for your favorite kinky couple. Make this upcoming holiday season sexier with some great gifts especially for grown-ups. Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, we’re sure you’ll enjoy these sinful little surprises from Good Vibrations. ”
examiner.com
Call the Sitter – Mommy's Playdate is Coming Soon!
Date: October 6, 2010
Author: Diane Davis
Title: Good Vibrations Hosting a 'Mommy's Playdate'
Summary: Moms who want to put the spice back in their sex lives have the perfect opportunity to find out how – Good Vibrations is hosting a "Mommy's Playdate" just for moms. Cupcakes, cocktails, and a store tour by Carol Queen are your ticket to bringing sexy back.
"It is time to call the sitter because mommy's need fun too! Good Vibrations will be hosting a 'Mommy's Playdate' on Tuesday, October 26. Kids aren't the only one that should have a toy chest. Remember how you became a mom in the first place? Well, it is time to relive those moments and a stroll through Good Vibrations is your first step. This is a free event for mom's of all ages. The mom-centric after-hours mixer will kick off at 7p with 'Mommi-tini's' at the Good Vibrations Berkeley Store (2504 San Pablo Avenue). Along with cocktails, cupcakes will also be handed out. Sexy prizes will be up for grabs, including a Good Vibrations 'Sexy Starter Kit.'"
examiner.com
College Seminar Gets Good Vibrations
Date: October 5, 2010
Author: Alexandra Waite
Title: "Seminar teaches better, safer sex, 'Good Vibrations' extends expertise"
Summary: Good Vibrations off-site sex educator program was much appreciated at Contra Costa College where sex educator Jo-El Schult illuminated sexual pleasure and health in a fun and engaging workshop.
“More than 50 people learned the physiology behind pleasure during the first Have Better Sex event put on by the ASU in the Fireside Room on Thursday. A sex educator working on behalf of Good Vibrations, an adult toy store, gave a presentation that covered the anatomy of female and male genitalia, detailed the science behind sexual arousal and stressed the importance of safe sex.
"It was a good open group," sex educator Jo-El Schult said. "There was a level of comfort and (the audience) felt open and safe enough to share personal experiences." Instead of dissuading students from having sex, the event promoted partners pleasing each other in a safe, healthy and fun way.'”
BUST Magazine
Choosing Your First Vibe? BUST Magazine refers readers to Good Vibrations
Date: October/November, 2010
Author: Denisen Hartlove
Title: What's the Buzz? Pointers for Procuring your Very First Vibrator/p>
Summary: Choosing your very first vibrator can be daunting, but it can also be fun if you have a little know-how. Hartlove runs down the basics and recommends a female-friendly retailer like Good Vibrations.
“Gone are the days when women had to sneak down a dark alleyway to buy a vibrator from a creepy guy in a grimy, low-lit store. Today, women-owned adult-toy coutiques and female-friendly online shops provide a range of options for gals ready to explore new pleasure territory. …Whether you’re young or old, straight or gay, salesclerks in stores like Good Vibrations are never judgmental. Questions you might think are embarrassing are ones they field all day long, and they’re great at providing helpful, straightforward answers.”
Cocoa Fly
Mommy's Playdate Takes Sex Off the Back Burner and Starts a Blaze
Date: November 10th, 2010
Author: Jenee D.
Title: "Good Vibrations 'Mommy's Playdate' and Dr. Carol Queen Answers Your Sex Questions"
Summary: Bay Area blogger Cocoa Fly experiences a Mommy's Playdate first hand and gets expert advice from Good Vibrations staff sexologist Dr. Carol Queen.
"On a recent Tuesday night, I joined a small group of moms in Berkeley for their kid-free "me time." No diaper changes, no Barney sing-a-longs. Instead, brownies, vibrator tutorials and their signature Mommi-tini cocktails. Those are just a few fun things to expect at Good Vibrations' "Mommy's Playdate." The women-friendly sex store hosts the FREE event to help moms, who put sex on the back burner, get the fire blazing again.
Sexologist and author Dr. Carol Queen was so gracious to answer Cocoa Fly readers' questions about parenthood and sex. Thanks to those of you who sent in questions…."
Fleshbot
Santa's Not the Only One Going Up The Chimney This Holiday Season
Date: November 16th, 2010
Title: "Marital Aid Test Kitchen: Good Vibrations' "Up the Chimney" Gift Kit"
Summary: Fleshbot reviews Good Vibrations' "Up the Chimney" anal toy kit with fantastic results.
“Somewhat new to the world of backdoor adventures, I was eager to delve into this kit. Including two friendly-looking silicone anal toys and a bottle of ass-friendly lube, my sweetheart and I were off to a great start. …Because this was our first—and definitely not the last—time we'll be bringing out these two toys I'm certain that in time we will both become masters of the ass-play domain. Good Vibrations has really done a good thing with this kit, and at $39 it's a very reasonable price for a gift that will keep giving long after the holidays are, ahem... behind us. Buy the Up the Chimney Kit (goodvibes.com).”
The Heights, The Independent Newspaper of Boston College
Good Vibrations Hosts Boston College's Sex Toy Bingo Night
Date: November 11th, 2010
Author: Michael Caprio
Title: "BC Students for Sexual Health Hosts Sex Toy Bingo"
Summary: Good Vibrations contributed an array of sex toys and lube for products Boston College's Students for Sexual Health Sex Toy Bingo night, designed to make sex education fun and informative.
“The event, Sex Toy Bingo, was organized by BC Students for Sexual Health (BCSSH) and was the first of its kind for the organization. Nick Domino, an organizer of the event and A&S '12, said that although the organization usually hosts events aimed at promoting sexual health, the bingo night had elements meant to promote sexual pleasure, as well.
Good Vibrations, a national sexual product retailer, provided the prizes for the night, which included an array of personal items for winners and runners-up.
"We found Good Vibrations on Harvard Ave., and they were very accommodating," he said. The store liked the idea and placed Domino in contact with their national office in San Francisco. "They got back to us right away," he said. Domino said that it was a good way to get information out about contraceptive effectiveness and the prevalence of STIs.
San Francisco Bay Guardian
Good Vibrations Featured in the Guardian's Holiday Gift Guide
Date: November 17, 2010
Author: Jessica Lum
Title: "50 Cute-as-Hell Gifts for $10 and Under"
Summary: San Francisco Bay Guardian's bargain holiday gift guide features Good Vibrations' Ignite Me Massage Candle for $10!
“You already know that Good Vibes is the top spot for fun, sexy and horizon-expanding gifts for your sweetie (or prospective sweetie). These two ounces of scented soy wax set the mood for a little post-mistletoe vida loca. Just light the candle and it melts into massage oil.”
Mission Local
Good Vibrations Announces New Downtown S.F. Location
Date: November 8, 2010
Author: Jessica Lum
Title: "No Glove No Love"
Summary: Elle Magazine of Hong Kong consults Good Vibrations' Staff Sexologist Dr. Carol Queen about how to stimulate a man with vibration. She explores how to use subtle vibration in various areas and introduce vibration into partner sex.
"There are lots of reasons why people like group sex. It can be fun to feel lots of people at the same time. It can be hot to watch or be watched, even if you don't want to have sex with anyone other than your date. It can be a great way to play with someone new, especially when you don't have to pretend to be interested in anything beyond sex. Of course, you need to know how to manage safer sex in those situations."
San Fransexy Magazine
Great Group Sex = Safe Sex
Date: November 2, 2010
Author: Charlie Glickman PhD
Title: "Good Vibrations Expands to Downtown"
Summary: Local S.F. blog Mission Local announces new of Good Vibrations new retail store, coming to downtown San Francisco.
"Sex accessories — Mission style — are going downtown. The new retail space, located on Mission Street between 4th and 5th streets, will pick up a lot of foot traffic, particularly from tourists, Strano said. And, true to its Mission roots, where it opened in 1977 and grew on the ethic of serving women, Strano sees the larger store as an ideal location for continuing Good Vibrations' events, such as Mommy Playdates. In the last 33 years, the company has expanded from a small retail business into a booming franchise with three branches in the Bay Area and one in Massachusetts. Currently, the Good Vibrations brand stretches from retail to web sales, wholesale, and even as an DVD production company, Good Releasing, which handles adult and educational sex films — all with a slim staff numbering fewer than 50."
Elle Magazine, Hong Kong
Using Vibration for Men
Date: November 2, 2010
Author: Joslyn Yang
Title: "Get Him High"
Summary: Elle Magazine of Hong Kong consults Good Vibrations' Staff Sexologist Dr. Carol Queen about how to stimulate a man with vibration. She explores how to use subtle vibration in various areas and introduce vibration into partner sex.
“Goodvibes.com情趣用品機構的性愛講師
Dr. Carol Queen的小秘方
當男人欲振無力時，你可先以親吻和愛撫等前戲加上震動環或是按摩棒等情趣用品來助性，使用這些情趣用品時，可以先集中在男人大腿內側和小弟弟的頂端，這些部位因為受到壓力而產生擠摸的感覺，會更容易產生快感而較快達到勃起的狀態。
當男人勃起而順利性交時，你可以繼續在讓震動環放置在小弟弟上面，因為高頻率的震動會讓女方更容易因為陰蒂的刺激而達到高潮。”
Valley Advocate
Making Menopause Sexy
Date: November 2, 2010
Author: Yana Tallon-Hicks
Title: "Men-Oh-Oh-Oh-Pause"
Summary: While acknowledging the very real changes of menopause and their sexual effects, Tallon-Hicks insists that the golden years can be the sexy years, with a little help from our friends at goodvibes.com
"Thanks to a little annoyance called biology, menopause changes female terrain pretty drastically…. The golden age, however, is not a sexless age. Sex just looks a little different on the other side of the hill, and we need to adjust accordingly. With the right toys, books and lube, early-bird specials aren't the only perks we can look forward to. The Dilator Set (while not a sexy name) has sexy results with four vibrating, interlocking sleeves of different widths, allowing you to gradually move up in size with one toy (goodvibes.com).
Whether your sexual partner comes with a built-in or not, a dildo offers a great way to enjoy hands-free penetration without... overextending yourself. Good Vibrations' Bend Over Boyfriend Kit is an affordable package including a soft harness and two modestly sized dildos that are smooth in texture and curved for G-spot stimulation (goodvibes.com)."
SELF Magazine
Good Vibrations Featured in SELF's Sexy Give-Away!
Date: November 2010
Author: N/A
Title: "Prize-A-Page Sweepstakes!"
Summary: SELF Magazine features Good Vibrations Sensual Sampler kit in its monthly sweepstakes
"Enter for a chance to win Good Vibrations Sensual Sampler Kit!"
Cosmopolitan
Cosmo's Sexy Gift Guide Features Good Vibrations' Candles
Date: November 30, 2010
Title: "The Sexiest Gifts Ever"
Summary: Cosmo rounds up the sexiest gifts this holiday season, and features the Ignite Me Soy Massage Candles from Good Vibrations.
“Indulge, seduce, enjoy. Whether you're looking to spice things up in the sack or just want a delicious way to relax, here are the most scintillating presents this season. Enjoy the atmosphere created by these lavender, vanilla, and mint-scented candles, then blow out the flame and use the melted wax for a sensual massage. Since soy melts at a lower temperature, you don't have to worry about burning your bedroom buddy. (goodvibes.com, $10)”
Psychology Today
Psychology Today Features Good Vibrations
Date: November 26, 2010
Author: Pamela Madsen
Title: "Sexing Up Your Holiday Gift List!"
Summary: Pamela Madsen,fertility/sex educator, blogger, author of Shameless, and founder of The American Fertility Association, shares her sexy holiday gift list on Psychology Today.
“Put intimacy, playful sexuality, and orgasms on the wish list! Chances are that your thoughts have now turned from turkey to shopping - and what you are going to get your sweetie for the holidays...How about spicing up your sex life this year, and putting the possibility of renewed intimacy, playful sexuality, and the big "O" on your holiday shopping list?
It's all about touch! How about giving your partner the gift of touch this year? There are few things as delicious as sharing sensuous massage to warm up those winter nights. Wrap up The Joy of Erotic Massage, a beautifully photographed book on the gift of touch, throw in a little Red Hot Touch and don't forget the massage oils! I also wouldn't mind getting this little gift pack - "It's All About Me Kit" from Good Vibrations! It will truly complete this gift!”
Now Magazine Toronto
Sasha Likes Her Good Vibrations in Now Magazine Toronto
Date: November 26, 2010
Title: "Good and Not-so-Good Vibrations"
Author: Sasha
Summary: Weekly sex and relationship columnist Sasha reflects on the grim state of geopolitics and eases the pain with the Earth Angel hand-cranked vibrator from Good Vibrations.
“So what am I doing about all this? Lying around eating Korean food and testing sex toys for what would typically be called a Holiday Gift Guide (but for what I like to think of as an emergency supplies kit). When it comes to vibrators and such, I’m always on the lookout for something that will get me through a good chunk of the apocalypse. Wouldn’t you know it, a company called Earth Angel has produced the world’s first hand-cranked sex toy for those of us who harbour such concerns.
Earth Angel has got the smooth, old-fashioned looks of one of those neck massagers you’d see advertised in vintage women’s magazines. It doesn’t require disposable batteries or electricity – just four minutes of spirited cranking will get you half an hour of one of three speeds of vibration. It’s made of non-porous hard plastic, is recyclable and is phthalate- and latex-free.
Thanks to Good Vibrations…for sending me these fine products. Check out their websites (goodvibes.com) for more seasonal cheer, and of course I will remain as committed as always to making sure your holiday gift needs are met by offering personal product reviews in the coming weeks.”
About.com: Lesbian Life
Lesbian Life's Holiday Gift Guide Gets You "Under the Mistletoe"
Date: November 19, 2010
Author: Kathy Belge
Title: "Lesbian Holiday Gift Guide 2010"
Summary: Lesbian Life assembled a great collection of gifts for every lesbian in your life. If you’re looking for something sexy, Good Vibrations’ “Under the Mistletoe Kit” is the perfect pick!
"Whether she is a sporty dyke, a fashionista femme or something else all together, here are some ideas to get for your gal pal, lesbo best friend or distant cousin on your father's side. Under the Mistletoe Kit: This is a great gift for the sexy lady or couple in your life. With a waterproof "butterfly" vibrator, a vibrating pleasure pump (good for clit or nipples), lubricant and plenty of AAA batteries, this gift will have you and your sweetie climbing back into bed for a "nap" as soon as the kids have opened all their gifts."
Nerve.com
Nerve.com’s Holiday Gift Guide Features Good Vibrations
Date: December 12, 2010
Author: Mark, of Good Vibrations
Title: "Gift Advice from…MILFs, Poets, Juggalos, et. al."
Summary: Nerve presents their annual holiday gift guide from “experts” by asking the random cast of characters they solicited sex advice from all year long. The list includes bike messengers, French people, MILFS, and Good Vibrations’ very own sex shop employee, Mark.
"Mark, sex-shop worker: LELO Mia Rechargeable Vibrator, “For all those Scrooges out there who say "screw the holidays!” I would counter with, "let’s screw during the holidays!" There is a very subtle art in deciding on the right sex toy gift. The goal isn't to shock and terrify. It’s more about providing a gift that is both functional and effective. Something you know they will use and won’t hide in the back of their closet. I would probably recommend the LELO Mia rechargeable vibe. Its stylish design allows it to easily pass as a memory stick or lipstick. But its multi-functions and speeds guarantee it will deck her halls.”
AVN Magazine
New Good Vibrations Location Makes News in AVN
Date: December 2010
Title: "Good Vibrations Opens New Store in Time for Holiday Season"
Summary: Adult new source AVN reports on Good Vibrations’ new downtown San Francisco location.
“Good Vibrations, the legendary San Francisco-based company that takes pride in providing accurate information on sexuality and toys for grown-ups, will open its fifth location in time for the 2010 holiday shopping season: a flagship store across from Bloomingdale's in downtown San Francisco.”
Examiner.com
Good Vibrations Listed in Examiner’s Top 5 Sex Shops
Date: December 23rd, 2010
Title: "2010 Sexaminer Awards: Top 5 Sex Shops"
Author: Sarah Estrella
Summary: The Examiner honors Good Vibrations as the original female-friendly adult retailer that has gone on to receive awards and love for its new line of films, its film festival, and its comprehensive website.
“After 33 years as a pioneer in the "pleasure product" business, Good Vibrations is headed for the Hall of Fame next month at the 2011 AVN Awards. Good Vibes now has four stores, in San Francisco and Boston, and one of the most comprehensive websites of any adult retailer. They also recently got into the Sexy Films biz with their new HeartCore Films, Pleasure-Ed Series, and Reel Queer Productions video lines under the Good Releasing imprint, and cleaned up at the 5th annual Feminist Porn Awards. Good Vibes hosted a sexy film fest of its own in 2010, sponsoring the 5th annual IXFF Indie Erotic Film Festival. Since Good Vibrations is the oldest shop on this list, I'm going retro with my #1 recommendation at GoodVibes.com: After reviewing dozens of other vibrators for this column over the last two years, the classic 1970s-era Hitachi Magic Wand is still my all-time favorite.”
Examiner.com
Last Minute Gift Guide - Good Vibrations to the Rescue
Date: December 22nd, 2010
Title: "Last Minute Gift Guide; Good Vibrations, Lombardi Sports & Telegraph Ave Fair"
Author: Diane Davis
Summary: In the last-minute holiday shopping rush head to Good Vibrations for the gift that keeps on giving!
“Perhaps you want to get a gift with you in mind? You know the kind, you wrap it up and hand it over knowing full well you will be the one to enjoy it. Good Vibrations is full of 'good for you, good for them' gifts. Check out their Holiday Gift Guide for a few ideas (Just so you know, not really a link that is safe for work but it is a fun read). With this entertaining guide you can match your loved ones gift to their personality! Plus, you will be introduced to a few items you never knew existed. If you just can’t choose, Good Vibrations has also put together a selection of Holiday Gift Kits.”
XBIZ Magazine
Good Vibrations Partners With Three Nonprofits Through Its “GiVe” Program
Date: December 2010
Title: "Good Vibrations Teams with Three Nonprofits"
Author: Ariana Rodriguez
Summary: Good Vibrations has partnered with three regional nonprofits this holiday season: the Women’s Community Clinic in San Francisco, the Berkeley Free Clinic, and the AIDS Action Committee in Boston.
“This holiday season Good Vibrations has announced its partnership with three different, regional nonprofits that serve its retail communities. …every several months Good Vibrations partners with a different nonprofit organizations and encourages customers to contribute directly to them at checkout, online, and in the stores, giving 100 percent of the money raised from donations to the recipient organization.”
San FranciscoBay Guardian Sex Blog
Sexy Somethings for the Naughties on Your List
Date: December 15, 2010
Author: Caitlin Donohue
Title: "Hot sexy events December 15-21"
Summary: San Francisco Bay Guardian's sex blog recommends sexy spots to find the perfect gift for your love buddy.
“Sigh. I guess I'm supposed to be Christmas shopping right now. But all I can focus is on is another week of sweet and wild sex events – what's a girl to do? In the spirit of at least trying to pretend I give a damn, however, here are five fantastic places to buy sexy somethings for the naughties on your list. And the weekly sex events, of course. Good Vibrations – duh, if you read this column at all, duh. Various Bay Area locations. www.goodvibes.com”
Gem NYC for Urban Latino
Gem NYC Gets Sensual this Holiday Season
Date: December 13, 2010
Title: "Nifty-Gifty GEM Gift Guide"
Summary: GEM NYC uncovers the Latino jewels of New York City’s arts and culture, and recommends Good Vibrations’ Sensual Sampler Kit for their Nifty-Gifty gift guide.
“Check out the Sensual Sampler Kit, $32, from goodvibes.com. Every part of your bodies can be pampered and pleasured with this treasure trove of sensual treats! With Knead Me massage lotion, Devour Me lickable oil, Touch Me massage oil, Lust Dust edible body powder, 2 mini-Rub Me massage bars, Ignite Me massage candle and Smooch Me lip lube, you'll be ready to give and receive all kinds of pleasure.”
Blisstree.com
Carol Queen’s Sexy Gift Guide and Tips on How to Survive Holiday Stress, Sex Life Intact
Date: December 8, 2010
Author: Briana Rognlin
Title: "Holiday Gift Guide: 10 Sex Toys and Advice From Sexologist Dr. Carol Queens"
Summary: Good Vibrations staff sexologist Dr. Carol Queen offers useful advice on how to stay sexy in the midst of holiday madness and rounds up a special holiday gift guide!
“Elegant gifts, glasses of champagne, lounging by the fireside… Sounds sexy, right? The holiday season sounds romantic from afar, but in reality, we spend December waiting in line at the mall and fussing over gift wrap, not get frisky in the boudoir. But Dr. Carol Queen, PhD, has some different ideas about how we should get through the holidays: The author and sexologist urges us not to let our sex lives wither. Instead of letting holiday stress and visiting relatives send your libido into remission, she suggests putting a sex toy under the tree (and making sure you have time to use it).
To find out how to keep the holidays hot, check out Dr. Carol Queen’s sex toy gift guide and our short Q&A about how to make the most of the holiday season.”
SF Weekly
Good Vibrations Group Art Show Featured in SF Weekly!
Date: December 8, 2010
Author: Keith Bowers
Title: "Who Are You? And How Do You Know? Rink Foto, Sholeh Asgary, and Kija Lucas at Good Vibrations"
Summary: SF Weekly singles out Good Vibrations’ group art show as a fascinating depiction of identity through three different mediums.
“Think of a milestone or institution in San Francisco's queer community, and Rink Foto has documented it with his camera. His work is placed with two other artists in the group exhibit "Rink Foto, Sholeh Asgary, and Kija Lucas." Although remarkably different, their work is connected by the exploration of identity. Asgary uses what she calls "abstracted watercolor" to render portraits of those who express themselves through plastic surgery, in pursuit of the perfect face. The results are not so much graphic as they are conceptual, but her disturbing point is made clear. Lucas, on the other hand, excludes the individual, focusing rather on objects in the most personal of settings -- kitchen, hallway, backyard, bed. The ghosts of daily existence haunt her black-and-white photographs through the visible evidence of invisible people.”
GayCities.com
Drag-lebrity Ladybear recommends Good Vibes on GayCities.com
Date: December 8, 2010
Author: Ladybear
Title: "Holiday Shopping Drag Bag: SF's Lady Bear"
Summary: "GayCities New York editor JJ Keyes surveyed America's top drag queens to get a fix on their xmas gift wish list. San Francisco's Lady Bear, spotted monthly as den mother at LA's Cub Scout, is the first in the series of diva dishes."
“Lady Bear’s Drag Bag: 1. A “Rude Boy” from Good Vibrations on Valencia Street in San Francisco because…..well, I consider it a beauty treatment. It’s been scientifically proven that having good orgasms promotes good skin, muscle tone & mood. (p.s.-Don’t judge me, bitch.)”
7x7 Magazine
7x7's Advice Column Recommends the Hitachi Magic Wand for Guarantee Orgasms
Date: December 2010
Author: He Said, She Said
Title: "He Said, She Said: Kisses, lies, guilt, and orgasm stats"
Summary: 7x7’s advice column offers a “He Said, She Said” perspective. When a man complains that his girlfriend doesn’t always orgasm during sex, the female advice columnist suggests he head to Good Vibrations for a Hitachi Magic Wand, which is sure to do the trick!
"By all accounts, you and your girlfriend are having an amazing sex life. Relax and enjoy it, and if you really want to do something about that remaining 25 percent, then get to Good Vibrations, buy a Hitachi Magic Wand, and once you've finished, turn that thing on and go to town."
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