BEST PLACE TO ENHANCE YOUR SEXUAL CHEMISTRY 2003 | Unique on Central Gay & Lesbian Boutique | Shopping & Services | Phoenix
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It's not called "animal attraction" for nothing. Creatures great and small (humans included) secrete pheromones, chemical substances that oh-so-subtly stimulate whoever happens to catch a whiff -- it was only a matter of time 'til somebody bottled it. At Unique on Central, N10Z -- "Undetectable . . . undeniable . . . the world's first gay pheromone product" -- can be had, two ounces for a mere $39.95. What makes it gay? Apparently, scientists at California's Human Pheromone Science Institute have discovered the chemical makeup of pheromones that cause attraction between men. And as long as we're "enhancing," why stop with scent? Up the, uh, ante with the California Muscle thong swimsuit ("Look larger than life while at the beach or catching the sun"). Prefer to do your enhancing in private? The shop's online store is open 24/7.

Okay, so we don't actually get to stomp the grapes here, but this is the closest experience we can imagine (and frankly, we're not averse to lying to our friends by saying we did). Because at Sorelli's, we can make our own wine, complete with our own label. It's true! This mini-winery provides kits with all the ingredients we need to fashion our favorite beverage -- juices, concentrates, and the helpful knowledge to guide us through the complexities of perfectly balanced pH, acid and tannin levels, and recommended aging. More than 100 different recipes are available in reds and whites, from dry to sweet. Each kit yields 28 to 30 bottles, and Sorelli's lets us create a custom label for our batch (a terrific wedding memento, we think). The staff even helps us select the perfect wine for our purposes -- perhaps a lively Chilean Chardonnay, a bright berry Spanish rioja, or a charming ice wine for dessert. Now that's something worth toasting!

Domestic Bliss is just that for any aficionado of the rusty, flea-market, faded floral look coveted by the shabby chic crowd. The store even carries the hard-to-find fabric marketed through Rachel Ashwell, the woman who popularized the decorating trend in the 1990s. Alongside the poppy and rose-strewn linens, you'll find picture frames, flower pots, furniture -- even jewelry and body products, all in the shabby chic spirit.

The youngest among us can get in on the trend. At the back of the store is Baby Bliss, featuring baby linens, as well as a large selection of Baby Lulu clothing (the choice of any self-respecting shabby chic mom) and quaint toys and iron cribs that look like they came from a yard sale, but without the lead paint.

Who would have thought that inside a small storefront in drab downtown Mesa, of all places, we could find such style? Maybe someone should hire Domestic Bliss to decorate the town! Mesa could use a little chic to go with the shabby.

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