Psychological/Mental: If you truly believe something will happen, it will feel as though it does. So if you honestly believe that eating bull testicles will make you an instant love machine, then it will. If you didn’t believe it, then you just ate bull testicles. Yummy?

Physical: This is the most sensual aspect of any food whether or not it boasts claims of aphrodisiac value. The texture or feel of food on the tongue, especially food that is creamy or otherwise soft recalls erotic memories of being with your lovers. Also, the texture or feel of the food when you touch it, especially a pudding. You lightly dip your fingers into a rich, chocolate pudding, letting your lover hungrily, lustily lick it off. Or you do the licking. Either way it’s delightfully sexy. Smell, especially that of vanilla, lavender, cinnamon, nutmeg, chocolate or any other spice that is usually found in desserts, plays an even more important role as scent is humanity’s strongest memory trigger. But those particular spices are very warm and inviting, just as sex and lovers should be. An important health safety concern with smell and taste are allergies. Sometimes chili pepper is used in aphrodisiacs but if you are allergic, I doubt you’ll be rushing to the bed so much as the emergency room! The look of the food… most of us would consider the look of a creamy, smooth texture of food more of a turn-on than, say, a double-stack. The sound is important as well, since few would consider hearing their lover munch on a carrot or other hard, crunchy food, to be erotic.

Even the way the food must be eaten is a significant physical aspect of any food that could be considered in an erotic context. The aforementioned carrot is one of those foods that would be at the bottom of that list. But a piece of asparagus, properly cooked is much higher. I’m reminded of the banquet scene in Tom Jones or the courtesan training scene in Dangerous Beauty. The more deliberate a food has to be eaten, primarily using the lips and the tongue, the sexier it will be to watch. When was the last time you were aroused watching your lover practically unhinge their jaw in order to shove some food in? Okay, I’ll allow that some people would be.

This is the way that I believe most aphrodisiacs operate. While I would never buy them for any of the listed claims of “instant, constant erotic arousal!”, I would buy for actual sensual aspects. With that in mind, the Museum of Sex in New York City sold chocolates infused with a 400-year-old Japanese aphrodisiac called, “Shichimi Togarashi”.

Photo from MoSex

Great documentary, by the way!

The title was an answer to my best friend and former roommate. We are both writers and grammar nerds and the topic of discussion was our personal Muses. I am writing a book* and though it is not about sexuality I still draw great inspiration from indulging in the above.

This article I found a couple months ago talks about a study showing that the number of sexual partners increases creative output. Before some people scoff at that, we must remember that some of the best artists in the world, regardless of gender, had exciting, torrid and busy sex lives: Hemingway, Kahlo, Liszt, Picasso, Oscar Wilde, Violet Gordon Woodhouse, Edith Piaf, Josephine Baker among many others. “If it is chaste, it is not art,” Picasso famously stated. After all, good sex with all its attendant orgasms allow us to have that transcendent, ecstatic experience, which some opine is spiritual in its intensity and grace, at once out-of-body and sensual. It’s mind-altering and a true creative wellspring. I have certainly found this to be true and I can only hope to one day be a successful writer. Well, that takes care of the orgasms part.

And the peanut butter? I have consistently experienced some of my most exciting, surreal and inspirational dreams when I have eaten peanut butter shortly before going to sleep, whether it is for the night or for a nap. I’ve yet to combine the two, it may turn into a mess I’d rather not have on my lovely sheets. I wish I knew what ingredient in peanut butter imparts such dreamy oddness but without a doubt, it does.

*Nothing at all escort related and while the book is not focused primarily on sexuality, I will not shy away from it and act as though it has no importance in human lives. The book is in the science fiction-fantasy genre, which is my absolute favorite to read and write.

Two months ago, the Guardian UK published a story about a new exhibit in the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens, Greece of Eros, the God of Love and son of Aphrodite. I would love to see this exhibit or other similar exhibits in museums around the world. I think it would go a long way toward creating a world that sees sex as something positive instead of, at best, a necessary evil, that sees sexual expression and sensuality as skills to be learned and honed and practiced by well-trained professionals. **ahem**I love the unabashedly erotic art of antiquity and how the ancients so carefully balanced the obscene and the elegant in the realm of sexuality, though they did not always succeed. Of course, it is important to remember that not every nude* or depiction of uncovered genitalia means it was seen by the ancients as erotic art because for them nudity did not always mean sex was to follow. In our Puritanical society nudity is equated with sex. Also, this art begins to destroy the rather false, high-brow division between erotic art and pornographic art because, as my art history professor declared, “It’s all about sexuality and it is all fantastic! It is the same thing.” I absolutely adore that woman.

Naturally, this interests me as a Companion, a woman, an intellectual and an art history student. Erotic art and fertility art is what I want to specialize in during my career as an art historian. It’d be appropriate, after all, to the other career path I have chosen for myself and indeed they compliment each other. To that end, I am posting some of my favorite erotic art, most of it from the Renaissance masters Titian and Peter Paul Rubens as they capture voluptuous and seductive women like myself with such beauty and sensuality as has not been seen since, really. What a shame the idea that a woman with buxom curves is unworthy of being depicted in such alluring loveliness these days. Of course the fact that courtesans were often models of these masters for their most sensual and celebrated works makes it even more apropos:

Pompeiian fresco found in a suburban bath, which could have doubled as a brothel

Another Pompeiian fresco, this one from a brothel.

Callipygian Venus by François Barois. Originally without drapery but added later for "decency" reasons.

The Union of Earth and Water by Peter Paul Rubens

Kandariya Mahadeva Hindu Temple

Venus in the Mirror- Peter Paul Rubens

Venus at the Mirror- Titian

Danae by Titian

Pompeiian fresco of a satyr and a nymph frolicking as they were wont to do.

*As this has been drilled into all art history majors, there is a difference between naked and nude. Naked is the body uncovered in shame and degradation, not the position you want to be caught in. Nudity, however, is a celebration of the human body in all its adorned and very adored glory and beauty. Sometimes erotic, sometimes merely nude but always sensual.

In response to the many emails I have received from interested clients about a shorter time requirement, I offer this Valentine from me to you:

February 11th, 13th and 14th (Chicago ONLY)

2 hours (Drinks & Private Time)      1000

3 hours (Dinner & Drinks)                 1500

Screening, meeting and deposit requirements remain the same. Please contact me as soon as possible, gentlemen, ladies and couples!

This past autumn quarter at my university, I was presented with the opportunity to take my writing and knowledge of writing to a higher level. I actually had the responsibility of having students! Extremely excited as I always wondered what that would be like and I have to say, I gained a new appreciation for all the education professionals that have ever been in my life. Like most students, I have a litany of prize-winning excuses and half-assed pleas for late papers though I used this sparingly.  The students I was assigned to had a similar litany though, if I do say so myself, not nearly as polished as mine. Beyond this aspect, I really enjoyed helping others improve their own writing and writing processes.

Even better, writing fellows get paid! Well, not much but it’s a nice padding for our wallets.

So the responsibility of being a Fellow in addition to my 16 hour course load kept me very busy, academically, from September to November. I was also preoccupied as a volunteer with a local sex worker rights organization that also does street outreach with a Chicago-based pan-faith organization, Night Ministry, that helps out street population mostly consisting of teenage runaways, streetworkers, and the generally homeless folk. Since the economy is, please excuse the language, in the shitter, needless to say the street population is going to increase. It’s a fantastically horrible downward shift far too many Americans are experiencing. For me, December was the month of helping others and catching up on this “sleep” activity I heard so much about. Thirty-one days truly was not enough.

Now it is the end of January and I am finally ready to get back to my blog. I certainly did not want to post when my heart wasn’t dedicated. I have on queue posts addressing the importance of screening, my extreme disgust regarding the idea of reviews and of course more posts about me as a woman and as a Companion. I hope to have a professional site up and running by March but nonetheless if you have a desire to see me, I may be reached through this secured, encrypted Hushmail form. I will have an announcement very soon about my availability for Valentine’s Day, a special kiss from me to you.

Besos,

Ninon

I hope everyone had a fantastic celebration last night that will only be the beginning of a fabulous new year! I think we’re all well rid of 2009, don’t you agree? Here’s hoping 2010 will be a marked improvement.

Since I am in the process of returning to school for a brand new quarter, I will not be available for appointments until January 15th. In the meantime, I will be working on my new official site as well as the blog here. A new rate structure and availability will be posted within the next week. Apologies for the delay in this announcement, the start of a new quarter is always hectic.

Besos,

Ninon

What a lovely woman, though! A shame that there is no flesh-and-blood man for her to snuggle up to. I cannot decide if this is cute, cool or creepy. I’m leaning strongly toward creepy to an extent. I tend to shun technology or other inventions that continue the trend of distancing ourselves from another human’s touch. Personally I prefer sleeping alone rather than with a disembodied arm. But I can definitely understand how this may help women who are fresh out of a break up and they came to rely on a comforting arm.

I wonder if any of the advertisements for the Boyfriend/Husband Pillow will someday include men? After all, there is a market for it!

Kind, on the other hand, has no problem saying “no” when appropriate though it is not said with cruelty or malice; of course, there will be exceptions to that rule. Kind is giving and caring but does not suffer ingrates. The Kind woman can certainly choose to walk on broken glass to help another person, usually their child who they love regardless of said child’s behavior. More importantly, Kind understands that she is not Superwoman, nor should she be and that there are certain things she cannot or will not do.

When my friend posted her ponderings, it was the first time I had seen anyone draw such a well-defined difference between those synonyms. It made me stop and think how I describe myself. I have come to the conclusion that I am definitely kind, though I have been nice in the past. It was an aberration in personality, for which I paid dearly. The reason this is an important consideration for women is because we are socialized to be giving to others even when we should not. We learn at a very early age that in order to be considered a proper woman, “deserving” of all the consideration and praise our foremothers received, our lives will be one of self-sacrifice. If we say “no” then that automatically makes us a bad: girlfriend, wife, mother, daughter, sister, niece, and so on. To be Nice, always say “yes” with a smile! As a result, when the proper woman finally gathers the strength to say No, just once, it is usually screamed and loaded with frustration, anger, sadness and all sundry of negative feelings.

It is very stressful. Having been in that situation in the past, I resolved to change my approach.

Now when I extend myself, it is with genuine desire to do so and I do so enthusiastically…with my clients, for example. Hence the rigorous screening process. I rarely have to say “no” at all, since I carry myself in a way that precludes any thought that I may have “welcome” tattooed on my back. But when I do say, “no”, it is matter-of-fact and devoid of resentment or hostility…with a couple of personal exceptions. While I believe the average man may want the Nice Girl, the smart, exceptional man wants and appreciates the Kind Woman. Certainly, he will always know where he stands with a Kind Woman!

I have certainly missed posting and fielding emails from potential clients, though I do not regret placing my concentration on academics ahead of my concentration on Companionship. I had a new academic experience this past session that took up a great deal of my time and was very enjoyable; I will be sharing some details of that experience here. No, nothing sexy at all, unless you are a writing geek and are stimulated by conversation on writing and rhetoric discourse (and if you are, definitely contact me!). I will be available for appointments from now on as my academic schedule has returned to its normal pace.

I have several posts in the can that I never published so expect to see those in the next two weeks. I am also reworking this blog a bit and will hopefully transfer this into an official site next year.

If you have been waiting to contact me for an appointment, please do so via this secure link: Contact Ninon Baccara

Besos!