Sam Roddick likes sex and isn't afraid to say it. Our interview was the most fun I've had out of the bedroom all year - with who else would a first meeting involve frank discussions about the use of lube in the bedroom and every other room of the house come to think of it?
Admitting to always being a salacious little so-and-so, in love with all that's naughty and nice Sam Roddick is very much a product of her heritage. A divorced grandmother - the only one in the village in fact - and a saucy and dedicated activist mother, the super successful late Anita Roddick, combined with her own exploration into feminism leads to Sam's innate attraction to the heady world of sexual pleasure.
The book The History Of Whores (now out of print but you can still track it down) was a turning point when Sam read it in her twenties giving her a much longed-for sense of empowerment and the realisation that "holy f*ck we haven't progressed we've digressed". And led to her asking the question "how do we occupy our bodies?" and determining that "sexuality is the vehicle of my pleasure" and should not be ignored but celebrated, explored and embraced. Amen to that!
That celebration and exploration culminated in the creation of Coco de Mer. Asking 'what is sexy to me?' Sam filled her luxurious boutiques with the answers. That natural curiosity about sexual pleasure opens up the interesting question of sexual education - where does it come from? The only forms available to most are books, TV and past lovers but these aren't nearly as expansive or detailed enough and this is where the Coco de Mer Salons step up to fill the holes (pardon the pun) in your sexual education.
The Coco de Mer Salons or Lessons In The Art Of Loving strive to transform the way erotica is viewed hosting days of unrivalled entertainment, education and at the heart of it - enjoyment, something Sam believes is the 'je ne sais quois' of sex.
Designed for both singles and couples to learn about sexual pleasure in a warm, relaxed environment the Salon teachers are experts in their field and delight in passing on their intimate knowledge of one of life's greatest pleasures.
Interrogating Sam about the popularity of the Salons I was unsurprised to find that the Tips To Please Your Man Salon is the most popular - we ladies do aim to please, but gobsmacked when Sam said that the one Salon she'd recommend as a first port of call would be the Masturbation Techniques. Hmm, surely most of us have been practising this for years and have got it down to a fine art right? Apparently not. This salon will take your everyday orgasms into another stratosphere and once you know how to do that you can teach your partner. Where do I sign up?
Drawing to a close I happened to mention that I had just started seeing someone but was pretty nervous about the whole sex shebang as post-baby my body isn't quite what it was. And this is the point where Sam Roddick changed my life. "Sex doesn't look good it feels good and if you're worried about your body, self-conscious even, then you desperately need to find some confidence". We all know this but how do we go about getting that confidence? "Think of yourself as a gift", Sam said. Hmm, I don't look good in bows, I thought. Or if you're really in dire straits then "employ some man-style arrogance when you're with him and think 'you're f**king lucky to be here'", just maybe don't say it out loud. It's a mental pep rally for your sexual self-confidence and it really works, even in broad daylight on a Sunday afternoon. Ahem.
Finally, I asked Sam what one thing we all need to get our hands on from Coco de Mer - "Ruby Sunrise lube. There's nothing more ridiculous than thinking you're too juicy for lube. This isn't optional, lube should be in every bedroom. Or even every room."
The next Coco de Mer Salons are being held this month and are £65, for more information see cocodemer.com.
