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Her plans start at $69 for six months—a bargain for anyone who knows what online dating sites charge for their services—and she takes a personalized approach that matches people based on personalities and priorities. You can find more information on her site.

Tell me a little about the process of matchmaking, especially for your newest friends that you may not know as well.

Matchmaking isn’t so much a method as a feeling. I’ve had a lot of success in the past setting my friends up, both romantically and connecting them socially. I feel like I have decent intuition when it comes to who will get along and who won’t. This intuitive feel is the reason why I insist on meeting all of my clients personally.

What makes you a good matchmaker? What are some of your skills and qualities that help you make good matches?

You have to love people and see the best qualities in everyone you meet.

Is there a vetting process, or do you take all applicants?

I do vet the applicants. I try to weed out people who I think might be disrespectful or aggressive or ignorant, but most people are awesome, so it’s not that much of an issue. I am also considering putting a “you must have been single for at least three months” rule into place, just so people are all in a reasonably clear-headed mindset when they register. It’s kind of the equivalent of not allowing drunk people to get tattoos. (DUDE, YOU ARE SO GOING TO REGRET IT TOMORROW!)

What happens in the case of a lousy match? Or if the relationship falls apart not long after the initial match?

That’s life. When I set people up, I am not insisting that they immediately marry. Most dates and relationships will not be successful, and that’s okay. If finding true love were that easy, it wouldn’t be as special. But I think finding compatible people is the hardest part, and I want to make this easier for people.

Matchmaking seems so retro, what made you decide to before a professional relationship broker?

I did the online dating thing forever and it was terrible. I know a lot of people in the same boat. But it’s really hard to meet people in this city. I’ve read time and time again that most people meet their partners through friends of friends, and considering I’ve been setting up friends for fun for years (and many became long-term relationships), I figured it was high time I turned it into a career.

What’s your success rate like?

I can’t really answer that yet! The site launched 2.5 weeks ago and things are only just getting started. I’m meeting my clients at this stage, and I’ll be doing set-ups starting in July.

This week on XO Video, Stephanie talks about the Cobra Libre, its dual-motor vibrations and its touchpad commands.  What makes this vibrator stand out is that the toy focuses its vibration on the head of the penis rather than the entire shaft.  There is virtually no stroking needed to climax!

The design of the toy allows for you to turn the toy on, rest it on your waist, insert your penis and think of things that turn you on — even the illustration on the side of the box shows that you can do it, I’m not making this up!

Take a look at this week’s XO Video for more information on the Fun Factory Cobra Libre!  If you like what you see, give us a subscribe on the Youtube Channel.  You can also read our past xoxoamore review on the Cobra Libre for more details.  See you next week!

We’re going to talk about the Cobra Libre, Fun Factory’s innovative and impressive male masturbator! At first glance it may seem like something straight out of Tron, but I can assure you the Cobra Libre can do much more than a trail of indestructible laser paths (warning: the Cobra Libre can not create indestructible laser paths).

See you in two days for the release of a brand new XO Video: Fun Factory Cobra Libre! If you haven’t already, take a look at last week’s special video on Shaving Off the Winter Beard! Be sure to also follow us on Twitter for updates, photos and more at the xoxoamore office!

Since I started sounding last June, it has quickly become a passion for me and my partner, Brad (our resident toy blogger!). I’ve always been interested in sounding and curious to know what sort of sensation and intimacy it could offer for us. I can safely say the experience has gone above and beyond my high expectations, becoming something so much more.

The experience has been so break taking I’ll be doing my first workshop, For the Love of Sounding, on Sunday, June 9 (from 5:30-7:30pm) at Come As You Are in downtown Toronto, Canada. If you live in the area and are interested in attending and learning more about the basics of sounding (in a female perspective, but covering sounding for both men and women) please try to stop by. It’s $25 to sign up, any help would be appreciated.

Here are some common questions about sounding:

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What is sounding?

Urethral sounding is a form of edgeplay that involves inserting objects into the urethra, and sometimes the bladder, for pleasure. It’s called edgeplay because of the risks involved (including UTIs and urethral tearing); however, with care and attention these risks can easily be avoided.

Why sound? 

For the pleasure, of course!  Whether male or female, the sensation is very intense, much more so than even g-spot or prostate stimulation.  For men, it can stimulate the corpus spongiosum which becomes engorged with blood when the penis is erect. For women, it can stimulate the urethral sponge which engorges with blood when stimulated.

There’s also the BDSM element to sounding that entices people.  The power exchange between you and your partner can further intensify the sensation while sounding.  Whether using a sound on your partner, using one on yourself or having your partner use one on you, the experience can be cathartic.

What sort of instrument do you use  for sounding? 

A sounding rod is one type of device that comes in a variety of widths and styles.  Most sounds are made of either stainless steel or silicone and are your safest option when sounding (always remember to sterilize your instruments before use).  Certain sounds are meant more so for aesthetics, but still offer an intense sensation, like penis plugs, wedges, Prince Albert wands and many more.  Typically these sounds are limited to men because of the anatomy of the male urethra, which is considerably longer.

What styles and sizes are there? 

If this is your first time sounding, you want to start small and work your way up.  Typically starting with a 3mm or 4mm sounding rod is your safest choice in order to avoid any substantial discomfort or tearing.  Even if you’re not interested in dilating, working your way up to larger sizes may prove to be more comfortable so try what works best for you.  You don’t need to sound too often for the urethra to stretch so working your way up may prove easier than expected.

As for styles, one of the most common beginner’s rod is the Hegar, a slightly curved rod with a rounded tip/s (depending on if you’re using a double-ender).
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I don’t want to give too much away so I’ll leave it at that! If you have any more questions about sounding please leave a comment below or visit probably one of the best resources on urethral sounding on the web, FetLife.  Here you’ll find two of the best, most informational groups on sounding (Sounding and Urethral Penetration, Female Sounding and Urethral Stimulation).  Everyone is very welcoming and always willing to lend an ear.

If you’d like to learn more about my workshop, here’s the sign-up page: For the Love of Sounding

Sex in Words posted a great interview with me about sounding.  Check it out! Kink Conversations: For the Love of Sounding 

The X40 is the newest in the line of Bathmate pumps. It’s their mid size pump and is made for men 8 inches or shorter but with a thicker girth. It works on the same principle as a regular air vacuum pump, but uses water instead of air to help create the vacuum in the tube. Also instead of using a grenade or a trigger style handle to force out the air and create the vacuum, the X40 just uses a valve on the end of the tube and the user just simply forces out the water to help create the vacuum. There are definitely some advantages to using water — it helps create a stronger vacuum quicker, the heat of the water helps the users skin from damaging and it also removes the need for a lubricant.

Bathmate makes a lot of bold claims with the X40 as well. Not only do they claim it will increase your overall penis size, be it erect or flaccid, they also claim it will straighten a curve, cure erectile dysfunction, help with premature ejaculation, create stronger orgasms, make you shoot further and increase the users sexual stamina.  It’s common knowledge that vacuum pumps help with erectile dysfunction, and they have been used to help increase overall penis size as well. All the other claims I am hesitant to agree with.

The X40 comes with the main unit, a replacement valve, a comfort gater ring and the instructions. I haven’t had a problem yet with the valve so the replacement has remained unused, but is nice to know it’s there in case I need it. The overall unit is made of nice materials and feels quite sturdy. Since the device has a rubber accordion style bottom there is no need for a sleeve or doughnut to put between one and the pump. It does also come with a comfort gater ring, which didn’t provide any benefit and actually caused some pain in the pelvic region when the pump was being used at its higher pressures.

The X40 took a few tries to get used to and could provide a challenge for a first time pumper.  The hardest part was just getting used to using the valve, it was a little tricky. Also once I got rid of the comfort gater ring and was used to using the valve it was smooth pumping!  After the first use, I could already see the effects on my flaccid member, but I’ve seen similar results using my other pump. With repeated use the effects lasted longer and it became easier to use the pump quickly and efficiently.

I have only been using my X40 for 3 weeks now so I haven’t seen any  substantial gains nor has it fixed any of the problems I didn’t have in my pants. I have noticed that my erections are harder and last longer, but once again these effects happened before when using my air-based vacuum pump. I mean, as long as the basics are there it will have the desired effect of a vacuum pump. Where the X40 does excel though is the overall appeal and marketing. Every guy this day and age is at least a little concerned with image, just take a walk through your local drug store and look at all those products aimed at men, and putting this in the shower is the best idea Bathmate could have had. Overall it is a well made product, works well, is easy to use and fits in with any routine. I’m excited at seeing how well it performs overtime and if it can offer any substantial gains!

If you’re not quite able to nail down just how far back your retro dance night should go, check out the popular dance night Chronologic. Held monthly at The Garrison (1197 Dundas Street West), the Goin’ Steady DJs begin their set with classical music and then groove through the decades in chronological order. It’s one of the few events where you can hear Buddy Holly, Holst, the Beastie Boys, Whitney Houston, and Nicky Minaj on the same playlist. It’s a gimmick, sure, but one that works — no matter what era they’re spinning, the DJs always choose danceable music. The crowd is generally young and excitable, and it’s best to arrive early, since the dancefloor can fill up fast.

The first Friday of every month, Handlebar (159 August Avenue) hosts SoulSkank, a raucous love letter to soul, funk, ska, and dancehall classics. The DJ spins vinyl while live musicians add sparkling updates to your favourite tracks, and the result is a dynamic blend of old sounds and new energy. The vibe is the perfect blend of dancehall sweatiness and a cool night on the town — the kind of night that encourages lingering until last call to soak up every song.

If you like your action a little more girl-on-girl, check out The Henhouse‘s  (1532 Dundas Street West) roster of queer-friendly dance parties. They host Tits ‘n’ Toques (the hipster’s favourite blend of alternative and college radio jams and Top 40 guilty pleasures) and TRASH! (hosted by the amazingly-named DJ Sigourney Beaver): both no-cover dance parties that boast the sweatiest, jumpiest, most sing-along crowd in town. Be prepared to hoist a bottle of beer and grind on some new friends.

RvM (Revolution vs. Machine) offer blow-your-speakers sound for fans of industrial, EBM, electro and other genres that demand a heavy bass to match your heavy eyeliner. Four times a year, head to Club 120 (120 Church Street) in your finest PVC and mesh outfit to dance with other cyber-inspired fans of machine-made music. The vibe is intense, sexy, and colourful — expect plenty of exposed skin, strobe lights, and maybe even a futuristic go-go dancer or two.

Let’s say you or your date can’t make it out on a weekend —  you’re bartending or waiting table, maybe — and you just can’t make the scene. Don’t despair — DJ Shannon, who was voted as Best DJ by Now Magazine readers in 2011, hosts Manic Monday nights at the Dance Cave (529 Bloor Street West). No cover, and drinks are $3.50 before 11:30 PM, but the best thing is how well she reads a crowd: she can switch from moody 1980s synthpop to early-’90s electronica to girlish pop music in the course of the night, and she always has the crowd on her side. Plus, she takes requests.

Hip Hop Karaoke at Revival (783 College Street) is perfect for folks who want to impress their date with a blend of technical and bravado. It’s exactly what it sounds like: sign up to get onstage and recreate your favourite hip-hop tracks for a crowd. You’ll be accompanied by DJs and musicians, but the the flow is all you. If you’re not prepared to showboat, enjoy the energy of the crowd and host MC Abdominal’s quick wit — you’ll be able to dance no problem.

This week on XO Video we’ll be talking about condoms, their different styles and how you can have fun with them. Safety first! Always wear a helmet before entering a cave, because… rocks will fall? I don’t know anymore. Enjoy the video and subscribe to us on Youtube! And if you haven’t already, take a look at some of our past videos! See you next week!

Wayward Girls isn’t what most people would consider an erotic comic. Michiel Budel, the Dutch creator of Wayward Girls, has a soft-focus style that’s more pastels and pigtails than pasties and pornography, but there are hints, both subtle and overt, throughout both volumes of Wayward Girls that hint at more complex sexuality. These hints are layered in with absurd dialogue, comic in-jokes, and flights of fancy that make reading Budel’s work a more intense experience than first glance might suggest.

The books are slim, gorgeously coloured in Easter candy hues: pinks, greens, and yellows. The titular girls are practically identical, distinguished only (and barely) by small details like hair ties and slight variations in tee-shirt style. No matter, since the stories don’t exactly hang on character development. Instead, they’re weird little gems that operate in some alternate universe where everyone, with the exception of a pervy older professor who is variously aroused, bored, and asleep, is a teenage girl. The girls get up to adventures — Penal colonies! Talking ponies! Alien invasions! — that are flattened by their identical neutral expressions and tendency to narrate what’s going on. The stories run one to two pages, and often end with one of the girls perched on the professors lap as she relates some “moral” about what happened to her.

The erotic element is definitely there, but it’s not always clear if it’s designed to titillate. The girls flash their panties in practically every panel (reminiscent of manga girls and their ultra-short skirts), and they occasionally grow breasts (thanks to a gamma ray) and kiss each other, but the eroticism is just another part of the absurd flavour of the comic. There’s no erotic arc to these characters or stories; instead, the nudity, panties, and light BDSM are flashes in a rich landscape of weirdness. As a result, the stories are best digested in small doses: too many in one sitting and they blur together, creating a wall of naked, pigtailed girls… some of whom happen to be aliens.

In case you’re getting the idea that this is some sort of Dutch take on ultra-sexy comics — Bright colours! Visible underwear! Aliens! — rest assured that Budel’s style is definitely naive. These girls are mere line drawings. Many of the panels often have some element that has been pasted over with a sticker — an expression on a character’s face, for example, or a thought bubble. It makes me wonder about what’s underneath, which adds another layer to the reading experience. The non-storyline stories, the frequent text-talk contractions (“R U coming 2 my house?”), the colours, and the style, all combines to give the impression that this could be the work of a pervy and talented middle school student. This isn’t a bad thing — absurdity in comics is terrific, if you’re looking for it, and Budel has some tricks, cameos, and jokes up his sleeve to remind us often that we’re reading the work of an adult.

If you’re looking for something to arouse you, this might not be the best place to start. The zaniness is just a little too much, and the eroticism is a little too random. On the other hand, if you enjoy the full spectrum of human strangeness, including a bit of nudity, these stories will suit you just fine. They’re a great example, and celebration, of the delights of the absurd.

Special thanks to The Beguiling for providing a copy of Wayward Girls and Wayward Girls 2. Please visit them at 601 Markham Street in Toronto for more sexy comics.