By Sarah C. Jiménez
Glass Kandi emanates the raw, real sweetness of sex with high-end glass toys that, when used right, will last a lifetime. These days, it seems everywhere you look, happy-go-lucky, goody-two shoes sex-shops have been selling the “fun” in sex: things like cheery, animal-shaped silicone dildos and weird crap like bubblegum lube. One step into the classy boutique at Glass Kandi, however, makes the passionate nakedness of sex feel…well, sexy again.
Formerly known as Glass Dildo Me (until a neighborhood merchant complained about the name), the interior of the Tenderloin shop is a complete 180 from the gritty streets outside. Under elegant chandeliers, wondrous glass collectibles made for lovemaking adorn the shelves, literally sparkling. There are simple, elegant pieces. Light-up toys, floggers, glass plugs, double dildos, corkscrews, and kaleidoscope-like pieces. And even a line of food-related toys made to look like eggplants, bumpy cucumbers, fat jalapeños, and sausage links. Dildos come in various sizes fit for your body and in different textures; be it smooth, ribbed or bumpy. No two pieces — being handmade and glass-blown — are exactly the same. (Though most toys are priced between $100 and $200, with some as high as $449, some hover around the affordable $59 range.)