The Blog for Lovers

Ambiance Named "Best Training Systems" at World Class Customer Service Awards

2010-06-29T09:37:00.001-04:00

For the fourth time, Smart Business honored Ambiance, the Store for Lovers for its customer service, and for the second year in a row, awarded Ambiance one of the eleven top honors in customer service excellence. Ambiance is one of only four companies, and the only retailer, to be honored all four years the awards have been handed out. This year, Smart Business named Ambiance “Best Training Systems.”

Smart Business held its annual World Class Customer Service Awards on Tuesday, June 8th. The magazine recognizes businesses that excel at raising the bar for customer service at this prestigious event, held at Executive Caterers at Landerhaven. Award winners for 2010 included Cox Communications, Huntington National Bank, Inc., and Ambiance, the Store for Lovers.

“The key to world-class customer service is the ability of a company to train its employees to provide consistent, client-focused service,” stated Dustin Klein, editor of Smart Business. “Without strong training systems in place, it’s impossible to ensure top-notch service every time.”

“Ambiance takes training very seriously, and its systems for training are the real key to its success,” Klein continued. “The concept of world-class customer service is introduced to new associates immediately upon hire and after a rigorous training process, they are expected to deliver the company’s 13 mandatory service standards and embrace its “Think Like a Customer” mantra.”

“We are so thrilled to be recognized for our exceptional customer service training systems,” beamed Ambiance President Jennifer Downey. “We believe that every couple is entitled to a fulfilling love life, and we develop our training programs to ensure the most attentive, compassionate service to every customer who walks in our door,” she stated. “As the president of this company, I want to tell you how proud I am of our staff at the stores and Support Center. They are the reason that Ambiance continues to be recognized for its World Class Customer Service.”

"Sex and the City 2" Release Parties!

2010-05-06T14:29:00.005-04:00

Ladies, grab your best girlfriends and get ready for 2 hot nights out on the town!

Ambiance is proud to partner once again with Cleveland Cinemas as a sponsor for two wonderful charity parties surrounding the release of SEX AND THE CITY 2 at Shaker Square Cinemas and The Capitol Theatre.

LADIES NIGHT benefit for Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital Circle of Friends will be Thursday, May 27th starting at 5:30 at Shaker Square Cinemas. Your $40 admission includes:

Admission to the 7:00 showing of "Sex and the City 2"
2 complimentary drinks (wine or soda)
Light Appetizers (courtesy of Fire, Sergio's Sarava, and SASA)
Complimentary mini spa and salon treatments courtesy of John Roberts Spa
Free popcorn
Singing Sensation Nick Costa & Everybody's Favorite Entertainer Bill Pirie
A generous Ambiance gift bag full of toys, lubes and more!

Break out your Manolo Blahniks, come as Carrie or surprise your friends by unleashing your inner Samantha! A prize package worth over $100 will be awarded to each woman who best embodies one of the four main characters.

GIRLS NIGHT OUT benefit for MetroHealth's BREAST Program is Friday, May 28th starting at 6:50 at the Capitol Theatre. Your $40 admission includes:

Admission to the 6:50 showing of "Sex and the City 2"
2 complimentary drinks (wine, cosmopolitan or soda)
Light appetizers (courtesy of LUXE, La Boca, and Latitude 41N)
80's themed after party with live music by Cleveland's Breakfast Club & karaoke hosted by Sandi Castle
Free popcorn
Complimentary valet parking
A generous Ambiance gift bag full of toys, lubes and more!

The after party has a rockin 80's theme so come in your best 80's outfit and you could win a Gordon Square Arts District prize package worth over $150.

Tickets for both parties are available online in the Cleveland Cinemas store in the events section or at the theater box offices. All tickets will be held at Will Call.

This Mother's Day, give her an Ambiance Night

2010-04-30T14:20:00.000-04:00

If the woman in your life is also a mom, Mother's Day usually means helping the kids buy gifts or cards, or taking the family out to eat in her honor. But to you, she's more than just the mother of your children, she's your partner, your confidant, your lover. At Ambiance, we believe that on Mother's Day, she should be reminded that she's more than a mom!

So after the kids are in bed (or have gone home), light some candles, turn on her favorite music and make the evening all about her. Begin with a massage that is as tasty as it is sexy...

With three different massage products inside, the Kama Sutra Sweet Heart Box is a deliciously sensual gift that both pampers and seduces. Indulge her senses with white chocolate body paint (with brush), Strawberry Creme Body Souffle and Strawberry Dreams Honey Dust (with feather duster).

What is Sweetest Day, Anyway?

2009-10-13T16:28:00.002-04:00

Started in Cleveland in the 1920s as a way to show gratitude towards loved ones with candy and chocolates, Sweetest Day has evolved throughout the years to be a smaller, fall version of Valentine's Day. Celebrated primarily in the Great Lakes region of the US, Sweetest Day is always the third Saturday in October.

Many people write off the day as another concocted "Greeting Card Holiday," and in all truth, Cleveland-based American Greetings did try to expand the popularity of Sweetest Day with specialized cards for the occasion.

All of this said, however, Ambiance has a different take on Sweetest Day: Don't we all need a good excuse once in awhile to indulge in a passionate night with our lovers? Really, why not use Sweetest Day as an opportunity to call a babysitter (if needed), turn off the phone and TV and turn on each other?

Life can too often be a hectic combination of stress and responsibilities, and more often than not, couples sacrifice intimacy to the more pressing issues of daily living. So we're not suggesting that you simply remember to have sex on Sweetest Day, we're insisting that you use Sweetest Day as an excuse to have REALLY GREAT SEX. Make sex your #1 priority on Sweetest Day, and make the third Saturday in October an annual opportunity to give into your deepest deisires. Your partner, and your love life, deserve it!

Need some inspiration? (We thought you might!) Browse our Sweetest Day Boutique at Ambiance.com and decide on the "heat" level you're shooting for Saturday night: Sweet and a Little Spicy, A Little Hotter, or Burning with Deisre!

Bring your Halloween (and bedroom) fantasies to life!

2009-09-18T14:25:00.002-04:00

The evenings have a nip in the air, leaves are starting to fall... and next Tuesday is the first official day of autumn. If you love Halloween as much as we do, these are sure signs that the sexiest holiday of the year is nearly upon us!

At Ambiance, dressing sexy for Halloween is an extension of our year-round philosophy on role play: if you look the part and feel your sexiest, you can become any fantasy role you choose. Since many women traditionally use Halloween as an excuse to step out of everyday boundaries and transform themselves into sexy sirens on October 31st, we at Ambiance want to help you make this night (and any other) an enticing role play adventure.

Who's your fantasy alter ego? The ever-sexy, subservient French Maid? The in-control, take-all-prisoners FBI Agent? The "I'm not that innocent" naughty schoolgirl? You'll find these and many more in our Sexy Halloween Costume Boutique. It's not too soon to start thinking about your costume, and all the sexy things you can fantasize doing while wearing it!

So, who will you be this Halloween? Who will you be in your next role play fantasy?

Marriage Health Month: Sex & The Church

2009-09-15T10:15:00.002-04:00

"There is lots of secular advice on sex, but very little spiritual advice. Sex does not come up in church.” -Dr. Stacy L. Spencer

Bit it should, says this charismatic pastor of New Direction Christian Church in Memphis, TN. In recent years, a growing number of churches and ministries around the United States have brought sex out into the open in their parishes. Sex seminars, counseling and open discussions about sex - and how couples can get the most of it - are becoming more and more commonplace. (One minister even advocates sex marathons!)

The reason? "Sex is like super glue [in a marriage]," says Rev. Ed Young, pastor of the Fellowship Church of Dallas, Texas. He also sees sex as a great way for couples to forget other troubles in their marriage, such as work or financial stressors.

Even more, these ministers believe that God wants married couples to get the most out of their sex lives and have passionate intimacy. Dr. Spencer even believes that Song of Solomon 2:3 is an allegory for oral sex.

Are the days of religious guilt blocking married couples from sexual pleasure over? Most likely, not, but it is promising to see more and more Christian leaders discussing sex openly and positively. (At Ambiance, we have donated thousands of dollars of gift certificates to churches over the years and have several Cleveland-based pastors as proud members of our Great Lovers Club.)

What is the attitude about sex at your church? Have you ever harbored any religious-based guilt about your own sexuality?

September is Marriage Health Month

2009-09-01T10:14:00.006-04:00

It's time to take a look at your relationship and check the vital signs: Is your temperature hot enough? How about your reflexes; are you reacting to your partner the way you should? Are you keeping check on your blood pressure? What about exercise? Are you "working out" enough?

Today marks the beginning of Marriage Health month, which gives all of us the chance to look at our relationships and take stock of their vitality. At Ambiance, we want to help you make sure that one of the most important aspects of your marriage is in optimal health: your sex life.

Sex is an integral part of a healthy marriage. It strengthens both the physical and the emotional bond you share, plus it provides many intrinsic, individual benefits.

Sex...
Relieves stress.
Boosts immunity.
Burns calories.
Improves cardiovascular health.
Boosts self esteem.
Reduces pain.
Increases intimacy.
Reduces prostate cancer risk in men.
Strengthens pelvic floor muscles in women.
Helps you sleep better.

With all of these health benefits, you'd think sex would be part of every marriage's daily routine. Unfortunately, daily life can get in the way of intimacy in the form of fatigue and distractions.

This month, we'll be offering some tips and ideas on how best to revive your sex life. Whether your libidos are on life support or just need a routine check up, we encourage you to check in with us every Tuesday for your prescription for a healthier sex life. We promise... this won't hurt a bit.

Today's diagnostic: The Stress Test

It may seem hard to believe when your heart is pounding with anxiety and your head is swirling with things that need to be done, but having sex is one of the best ways to get rid of unhealthy stress.

Sex and stress are linked in several ways. Most of us instinctively know this already, and feel it unmistakably when a particularly stressful week or two zaps us of our sex drive. But while stress can have a hand in low libido, it can also be a great stress reliever, which is why jokes about uptight bosses needing a good roll in the hay are always good for at least one knowing chuckle. -Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com's Stress Management Expert

In her essay, The Links Between Sex and Stress, Ms. Scott discusses the cycle of how stress affects sex lives: sex can relieve stress you are currently feeling, and the less stress you feel, the more sex you have. It just takes one or two instances of pushing through the feeling of "I don't want to be touched, I'm too stressed," before the cycle begins to take hold. Letting yourself go, and giving in to a partner's seduction is the first step to greater overall stress relief.

Additionally, achieving orgasm helps your blood pressure and releases endorphins throughout the body. These actual biological changes, coupled with the emotional intimacy and attachment you're sharing with your partner, will put you well on the way to better marital (sexual) health.

Not convinced? Your prescription: Read How to Get in the Mood When You're Too Stressed for Sex. No more excuses.

Pass the Pino Noir, Baby!

2009-08-04T11:38:00.003-04:00

Most of us have used an alcoholic beverage to loosen up before sex: having a drink (or two) can lower inhibitions and relax the body and mind. But there's great news out of Italy that calls out one particular libation in particular: red wine.

Turns out, in a scientific study, women who drank red wine displayed higher levels of sexual desire. I knew a glass of Pino Noir sounded good right now!

Read the study for yourself here, then tell us: Do you believe this? What drink do you grab when you want to get in the mood?

Jennifer Downey.... CENSORED!

2009-07-30T14:47:00.002-04:00

Can anyone tell us the name of the product censored in this ad?

A Better Sex Life, Courtesy of... Harry Potter?

2009-07-20T14:38:00.007-04:00

You would have to be living under a rock to be unaware of the Harry Potter mania that is sweeping the world these days. At the Ambiance Corporate Headquarters, at least 50% of our staff is under the spell of Hogwarts' star pupils.

For this reason, the following story from Yahoo caught our attention. If you had all of Harry's magical tools at your fingertips, what would you want to use to improve your love life? If you're not into Harry... what other literary or cinematic story (James Bond, anyone?) would you like to borrow from to create steamy fantasy sex? Image of Harry and Ginny courtesy of Warner Brothers.

8 Harry Potter Tools We Want For Our Relationships

It's time for a PLAYcation!

2009-07-17T16:05:00.013-04:00

Vacations can be expensive. “Stay”cations? Kinda boring. But a PLAYcation? PLAYcations are passionate, exciting and absolutely memorable. Don't you think it’s time for you and your lover to take a PLAYcation? First stop, Ambiance the Store for Lovers!

You don’t have to go far, or spend too much. All you need is to remove distractions & responsibilities, find a private setting, and have the desire to focus on your fantasy sex play.

How to take PLAYcation:

Make Reservations.
Plan to have your PLAYcation where you’ll be free from distractions – you don’t want a phone call from your mother-in-law or your kids screaming to take you out of the moment. Get a hotel room if you can’t arrange for privacy at home.

During a playcation, you are not an employee, a homeowner or a parent. You are a lover; nothing less, nothing more.

Pack appropriately.
Consider the “destination” of your PLAYcation. Do you need to pack light bondage gear for an adventurous journey, or will just a stash of sex toys do the trick? Plan ahead, and don’t forget the lubricant to make sex even sexier, and aphrodisiacs to give you that extra libido lift.

Important: Do not pack your inhibitions and boundaries! Tuck those away, out of sight and out of mind. On a PLAYcation, you have permission to stretch your boundaries to the very edge of sexual pleasure. You have complete freedom from your usual inhibitions.

Great ideas for PLAYcation destinations:

The Bedroom Amusement Park Playcation.

Where to play:
Your own bedroom, or at a hotel

What to Pack:
Restraints
Blindfold
Sex Furniture
Riding crop, whip or paddle
Lubricant

Suggested Activites:
Outfit the bed with restraints and have a blindfold, riding crop, sex furniture and lubricant at the ready. Please and punish your partner as he or she deserves, and give into the pleasure of control with reckless abandon. If you’re the one being dominated, relinquish your power with joy. With each crack of the crop or pull of the restraints, lose yourselves in the passion of the moment.

Treat your bodies as they’d be handled on the most intense rollercoaster – shock, euphoria, pain, pleasure. By the time you “return to the station,” you both should be breathless and spent… until you decide on a second ride!

The Wet-and-Wild Adventure Playcation

Where to play:
A hot tub, shower, bathtub or swimming pool

What to Pack:
Silicone lubricant (stays slick in water!)
Waterproof sex toys
Topical stimulants

Suggested Activities:
Take it slowly at first. Let go in the serenity of the water, the pop of the bubbles, the intimacy with your lover. Begin with gentle massages and soothing touch… let the sensations build as your libido awakens. When you’re ready to turn up the heat, topical stimulants like G Gel will intensify your sensations. (And feel completely different in water!) Apply plenty of silicone lubricant and have a cache of waterproof toys handy to really make a sexual splash.

Slip and slide over, under and into each other’s bodies with as much freedom and joy as you approached the water slide as a child.

The Thrill Seeking Playcation

Where to play:
Any room of your home, in your car, or a hotel

What to Pack:
Vibrating Sex Toys
Non-Vibrating Sex Toys
Remote-controlled Sex Toys
Lubricant, toy cleaner and extra batteries
Have you packed any Sex Toys?

Suggested Activities:
It’s not bungee-jumping or skydiving that gets you off… no, it’s the most intense sexual stimulation and gratification that you can find. Battery-and electric-powered devices to tease, torture and tantalize are what you’re looking for.

When was the last time you “parked” in your car? (If only in the garage?) Take backseat sex to the next level with a finger vibrator or a vibrating erection ring. If you’re home with your entire sex arsenal at hand, include an electro stimulating device or an extra-kinky anal toy that you’ve never tried before, to make it a new and adventurous journey. At a hotel? No problem. There's a wide variety of travel-size toys to keep your pulse racing. No matter your location, just feed your passionate, thrill-seeking desire with the best romantic technology.

Good Sex Helps Job Performance

2009-07-10T12:21:00.005-04:00

At Ambiance, we are always looking for great reasons to have more sex. This new study out of Sweden offers a perfect new excuse to hit the sheets more often - it will also improve your job!

By MIKE BRODY
(MYFOX NATIONAL) - A new Swedish study found that having a healthy emotional and sexual relationship at home can significantly reduce stress at work, according to Swedish paper The Local . The study looked at the effects of partner relations on work stress over a five-year period.
Those relationships either help alleviate stress at work or push people over the edge, the study concluded."Either you come home to something that gives you a possibility to rewind and recover or you have a relationship that makes you more troubled," Ann-Christine Andersson Arnten, a psychology doctoral student from the University of Gothenburg, told The Local.
The study asked 900 men and women to rate whether their relationship had a positive or negative effect on their work life. The findings for the women in the survey were predictable -- women in good relationships had less stress at work, and ones in bad relationships had more work stress.
The men were a different story though. "When we talked to the men, they said that when it's in-between, you have to put more effort into it," Andersson Arnten said. "You keep doing that until the relationship either becomes better or hopeless."She added that the survey results also dismiss the myth that men completely separate work life and private life.

Why would better sex help you through the (normally) non-sexy work day? Sex releases endorphins, the body's natural opiate. These neurotransmitters found in the brain have pain-relieving properties similar to morphine. Endorphins coursing through the body create a feeling of wellness and health that can last for hours after having sex.

In addition to endorphins, achieving orgasm releases sex hormones throughout the body. In women, sex hormones include oxytocin, a peptide that promotes feelings of affection and bonding. In men, sex increases the flow of testosterone which helps strengthen bones and muscles. Testosterone also transports the hormone DHEA which helps boost the immune system. These hormones in both women and men work to help cleanse the body of toxins, making both sexes feel better overall, not just in the bedroom.

Whew! All this talk of endorphins, health benefits and stress relief kind of makes you want to run home on your lunch break for a quickie, does't it?

Share this study with your partner, and set aside a week or two to conduct your own short-term experiement. Make the effort to please each other more often in bed and see how this satisfaction translates into other aspects of your life.