Archive for the ‘advice’ Category

Best Sexy Date Music Ever

Monday, June 21st, 2010

On your first date you went out for coffee, second date you had drinks.  Now it’s the third date and you’re having dinner at your place.  Everything’s ready – the meal, the décor, you even know what you’re going to wear.  Only one detail remains – figuring out what music to listen to during dinner and if things go well, once you’ve moved on over to the couch ;-) .

I’ve compiled a list here of my suggestions for best home dinner date music.  Since everyone has different taste and style, I’ve categorized the collection of albums into music genres I think work best for some cool and sophisticated sexy sounds.  Enjoy!

Jazz
Marvin Gaye:  What’s Going On
Miles Davis:  Kind of Blue
Nora Jones:  Come Away With Me
Amy Winehouse:  Back to Black
Stan Getz – The Bossa Nova Years (The Girl from Ipanema)
Vaya Con Dios: Vaya Con Dios

Rock & Reggae
James Blunt:  Back to Bedlam
Bob Marley: Legend
Sublime:  Santaria
Dave Matthew Band:  Crash Into Me
Nine Inch Nails:  Closer
Radiohead:  The Bends

R&B
Lauryn Hill:  The Miseducation of Laryn
Mary J. Blige:  My Life
D’Angelo:  Untitled (How Does It Feel?)
Monica:  The Boy is Mine 
Erykah Badu: Baduizm 
Janet Jackson:  Any Time, Any Place
Alicia Keyes:  As I Am

How to Pick up a Hottie at the Gym

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

The gym. The place where you sweat, smell, and avoid contact with all other human beings, shut away in your world of Kelly Clarkson and the Black- Eyed Peas.

Not anymore.

The gym is actually a great place to meet someone, and let’s face it, there are lots of hotties there. Hmmm…I wonder why….maybe because they work out?

But you ain’t making no heads turn wearing a stained old T-shirt and sweatpants. Yes, it may be the gym, but to meet anyone, you still have to look cute.

Introducing BodyRock sports bras, (http://www.bodyrocksport.com/), a new women’s fitness wear line by triathaloner Kelly Dooley.  Kelly’s line shows us that even when we are pouring out sweat and bright as tom-ah-tos, we still have the capacity to work it.

Kelly Dooley: founder of Body Rock, triathaloner, and all around hottie wearing one of her very own limited edition “Lock ‘Em Down” sports bras.

Oh, and did I mention that the stylin’ apparel is also functional? The sports bras, for example, like the one seen above, include an iPod pouch and a pocket in the back- so yea; you can take that IPOD out of your cleavage and store it in a place that actually works.

So next time there is a hot guy on the treadmill next to you, challenge him to a race and feel confident doing it. Because you look adorable- he’d be crazy to turn you down.

Daytime Dating: The Sunny way to Date

Monday, April 5th, 2010



At long last, it’s spring. The birds are chirping, people are laughing, and you can actually see what someone looks like walking down the street because they’re not all bundled up in a winter coat. The parks are finally becoming green again and joggers are showing up outside instead of in the gyms.

Beautiful weather and greenery give off a lovely vibe of leisure and peace.

So you meet a prospect and want to go on a date- and, you actually are looking to get to know the person, not just to sleep with them. In winter, it is natural to suggest a restaurant or indoor activity. But for spring and summer, make it an outdoor date- and make it during the day. Even better is to plan the date on a Saturday or Sunday, where neither of you have to be anywhere.

Great daytime dates typically start around 1 or 2:00 in the afternoon with lunch and conversation- if the weather is nice, make it a picnic. And it doesn’t have to be in Central Park- New York has parks all over the place, and although some might be nicer than others, just sitting in the sun near some trees has a pretty magical effect.

After lunch, walk around- no purpose necessary. However, it is always nice to walk towards a romantic destination- so that when your sandals start digging into your toes, there is actually a bench or some grass to sit down on, and an environment to set the mood.

The endorphins provided by the exercise of walking and the happiness engendered by the sun will put you both in a good mood- setting you up for a lovely time with one another. And resist the urge to make plans with a friend for later in the day or to provide yourself with an out. Just enjoy the weather and the company and let yourself get to know that person. A really awesome daytime date won’t end until after the sun sets:  as my lovely date yesterday said as we waited for homemade pasta at a little Italian bistro tucked away on Suffolk Street -”It’s like we’ve had three dates in one- (and three great dates, at that).” :)

Great ideas for beautiful daytime dates:

Picnics- Whole Foods and the City Bakery (18th bet 5th and 6th), are both places great to get picnic-esque food

Parks (Central, Madison, Gramercy (if you can sneak your way in- just be prepared to sneak out also!), Bryant, Riverside)

*The Reservoir and the Pond at Central Park are both gorgeous

The Water – There is a beautiful new esplanade between East Houston Street to 20th st., and then all the way from 59th st. up on the East Side, and the West Side has places to chill all the way up to Harlem)

Bike Riding- Most places let you rent bikes as cheap as 10 dollars for two hours

Roof Top restaurants, gardens, and bars- Most of these are hotel bars- Gramercy Park Hotel, the Soho Grand, the Hudson Hotel, The Standard Hotel

Canoeing- Central Park anyone?

Kayaking- Kayaking starts in the middle of May at spots up and down the Hudson  http://www.downtownboathouse.org/kayaking.html, and bonus, it’s free!!!

The Driving Range- Chelsea Piers, anyone?

Hiking- take the subway up to Inwood- and hello, hiking!

Ice Cream- my personal fave is Emack and Bolio’s

The Ferry- The Ferry to Staten Island is 100 percent free

The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island- intellectual, interesting, and ancestral oriented, ferry is awesome

The Power of Moving On

Thursday, April 1st, 2010
The Power of Moving On
Each client with whom I work has one major obstacle in his life that is preventing him from finding love with a compatible partner.
It is incredibly important to figure out what this thing is- whether it is a fear of commitment, fear of vulnerability, another sort of issue he is having with himself, or in the case of today’s client, a very common ailment: an attachment to an old flame or an ex.
The problem with being attached to an ex is that until you cleanse yourself of this attachment and the remaining feelings, you are never going to be able to move on and
a) find someone who you really want to invest in, because you are still secretly invested in that ex, and b) invest in anyone new at all.
Also, the attachment to the ex- and perhaps the hope that you will one day be together again- can cause you to self-sabotage, ruining your chances with people who are suitable potential mates- and probably more so suitable mates than your ex (there is a reason why you are not with them).
I remember my relationship my junior year of college. I had met a guy who was everything I wanted on paper- smart, handsome, charming- and on top of it all, we got each other, senses of sarcasm building on each other’s like bananas on peanut butter.
But as much as I gave, I was constantly frustrated by Nate, who was always saying self-sabotaging obnoxious things, talking to me in a general condescending and often grandiose way, and was hesitant to turn the relationship into something serious.
I didn’t know what was going on, but I did know that although I cared deeply about him- and was very attracted to him- I wasn’t happy. It was like we were going through the motions of being together, but it was all just an act, nothing real there at all.
After a little while of seeing each other, we were sprawled on the couch on a lazy Sunday watching football, when it finally came out: He was still in love with Ashley.
He barely saw her anymore, he said, she was doing some kind of community service in South America, but yet whatever they had had still haunted him, still tied him in knots, and most importantly, kept him from opening himself up to me and to the potential of us ever really being in love.
This is not to say that I didn’t have my own issues that also contributed to the failure  of our relationship-  I was terrified of monogamy- but I was also hesitant to deal with my issues and open myself up to the possibility of love and true involvement when I could tell that it wasn’t an option for him. His feelings, and his heart, were somewhere else.
And so my client today had a similar problem today to Nate- an attachment to his ex that was still very much alive, complete with the hope that they would someday get back together.
So here’s the bad news, which I unfortunately didn’t recognize with Nate- I just continued being unhappy. If someone wants to be with you, THEY WILL BE WITH YOU! Don’t make excuses for them- if they are still maintaining contact with you, particularly if they are with someone else, they are taking advantage of you, wanting the comfort and security that you provide, and maybe the love that you still profess, as a security mechanism and an ego booster, or maybe they are still keeping you around just in case they need a booty call. Either way, it’s bad news bears.
Nate was on the right track in a physical sense- he had almost completely cut himself off from contact with Ashley, but not in an emotional sense- having obviously not explored the feelings that were still there that prevented him from moving on.
And so this is the challenge- to figure out what still keeps you tied to that ex, and to recognize the things about them, or about the relationship that simply didn’t work or weren’t right for you. Not now, and not ever. Say Sayonara.

Each client with whom I work has one major obstacle in his life that is preventing him from finding love with a compatible partner.

It is incredibly important to figure out what this thing is- whether it is a fear of commitment, fear of vulnerability, another sort of issue he is having with himself, or in the case of today’s client, a very common ailment: an attachment to an old flame or an ex.

The problem with being attached to an ex is that until you cleanse yourself of this attachment and the remaining feelings, you are never going to be able to move on and

a) Find someone who you really want to invest in, because you are still secretly invested in that ex, and b) invest in anyone new at all.

Also, the attachment to the ex- and perhaps the hope that you will one day be together again- can cause you to self-sabotage, ruining your chances with people who are suitable potential mates- and probably more so suitable mates than your ex (there is a reason why you are not with them).

I remember my relationship my junior year of college. I had met a guy who was everything I wanted on paper- smart, handsome, charming- and on top of it all, we got each other, senses of sarcasm building on each other’s like bananas on peanut butter.

But as much as I gave, I was constantly frustrated by Nate, who was always saying self-sabotaging obnoxious things, talking to me in a general condescending and often grandiose way, and was hesitant to turn the relationship into something serious.

I didn’t know what was going on, but I did know that although I cared deeply about him- and was very attracted to him- I wasn’t happy. It was like we were going through the motions of being together, but it was all just an act, nothing real there at all.

After a little while of seeing each other, we were sprawled on the couch on a lazy Sunday watching football, when it finally came out: He was still in love with Ashley.

He barely saw her anymore, he said, she was doing some kind of community service in South America, but yet whatever they had had still haunted him, still tied him in knots, and most importantly, kept him from opening himself up to me and to the potential of us ever really being in love.

This is not to say that I didn’t have my own issues that also contributed to the failure  of our relationship-  I was terrified of monogamy- but I was also hesitant to deal with my issues and open myself up to the possibility of love and true involvement when I could tell that it wasn’t an option for him. His feelings, and his heart, were somewhere else.

And so my client today had a similar problem today to Nate- an attachment to his ex that was still very much alive, complete with the hope that they would someday get back together.

So here’s the bad news, which I unfortunately didn’t recognize with Nate- I just continued being unhappy. If someone wants to be with you, THEY WILL BE WITH YOU! Don’t make excuses for them- if they are still maintaining contact with you, particularly if they are with someone else, they are taking advantage of you, wanting the comfort and security that you provide, and maybe the love that you still profess, as a security mechanism and an ego booster, or maybe they are still keeping you around just in case they need a booty call. Either way, it’s bad news bears.

Nate was on the right track in a physical sense- he had almost completely cut himself off from contact with Ashley, but not in an emotional sense- having obviously not explored the feelings that were still there that prevented him from moving on.

And so this is the challenge- to figure out what still keeps you tied to that ex, and to recognize the things about them, or about the relationship that simply didn’t work or weren’t right for you. Not now, and not ever. Say Sayonara.

Dating Coaching: Demystifying the Process

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010
Dating Coaching: Demystifying the Process
I’m about to start working with a private client, a man in his twenties. To many, the idea of being coached at “dating” is straight out of Hitched- socially awkward guys needing help from suave Will Smith in order to pick up girls.
However, just as Mr. Smith finds out in the film when he actually falls for someone, dating coaching is no longer about just picking up hot girls- and is no longer reserved for the socially awkward. Several of my male friends- who were also acclaimed characters in the book The Game- all left the pick-up community, finding that although it was fun, it was ultimately unfulfilling- that they wanted love and a sustainable relationship, not just a one-night stand. So even those men, the suavest pick-up artists in the world, needed some coaching to find what they really wanted- a sustainable relationship with someone amazing.
Because sustainable relationships create sustainable happiness.  And everyone wants to be happy, not just for a night or two, but for life.
So what is dating coaching about now? For my clients, it’s about self-exploration and consequent discovery- it’s about finding out how their behavior, past experiences, and emotional issues are keeping them from finding a sustainable relationship and happiness.
Once they are clued in to self-discovery, we embark on a quest to change those behaviors, patterns of thinking, and we come to terms with the past in order to feel comfortable- and confident- going forward into the world of women.
Then comes image- how are they presenting themselves? We work on dress, haircut, posture, eye contact, demeanor- all of the things that illustrate to a woman confidence and comfort with oneself.
After all, in an evolutionary sense, women are looking for providers and protectors- so although they seek sensitivity and emotional awareness as well- they ultimately want to know that a man could- and would- keep her safe and secure in a world of chaos and fluctuation. That’s why “nice guys” often lose out- because although they might be able to be in tune with a woman’s wants and needs, her most primary need is security, and they are unable to show that they can provide that right off of the bat.
Then we go through exercises to determine what kind of woman would really make the man happy. This involves going through priorities- what matters the most to a man in his “ideal” woman- talking about if those terms are realistic, and prioritizing the things that matter to him the most in a mate.
Often, men will have a list of “must haves” that is simply impossible to fulfill- no one, and I mean no one, will have every single qualification you have dreamed up in your hand as your shining bride. That’s why we have to pick those qualities, and qualifications, that really matter the most to him.
Then we embark into the “dating scene.“ I introduce my clients to the mechanisms that exist nowadays  to help romance ignite, explaining the pros and cons of each- from online dating to speed dating, to other sorts of activities that would put the client in contact with women who match the profile he has created for her.
These can include anything from twenties and thirties geared non-profit groups, to activity clubs, to classes, to events, etc. Then we evaluate which of those might contain the woman he is looking for, and we choose the one he is most comfortable embarking on to begin.  As he goes through that experience, I talk him through the process of whatever it is that he has chosen- how to integrate what he has learned into that real environment.
Sometimes this means going on-site with the client and literally coaching him through an event, fixing nervous or egregious behavior that has arisen and helping him to comprehend the scattered clues that most woman throw out upon first meeting them, waiting for the guy who can best pick them up and assemble them in the way that she expects.
And of course, just for fun and a little extra boost, I sometimes break out the stellar wing woman in me- using elementary tools of jealousy to make the client appear more attractive and desirable to other women, and also my knowledge of female psychology, in order to help my client open the conversation with the woman he finds appealing.
It’s not an easy or clean process- the men who really want to find an incredible woman must engage in this kind of self-discovery and image building in order to find her- and more importantly to keep her and satisfy her.
But again, finding this kind of relationship is what will make him happy for the long-term, and just as Will Smith deviated from being a clueless and emotionally insensitive- yet charming- fresh prince picking up babes on ABC, even he has morphed into this crucial process of struggle, self-discovery, and accomplishment, or rather, the pursuit of happiness.
The Expert in Seduction is so 1990s...

The "Expert en Seduction" is so 1990's...Au revoir, my friend

I’m about to start working with a private client, a successful and adorable man in his twenties. To many, the idea of being coached at “dating” is straight out of Hitched- socially awkward guys needing help from a suave pick-up artist in order to get hot girls.

However, just as Mr. Smith finds out in the film when he actually falls for someone- and his pick-up tools fail to impress her-, dating coaching is no longer about picking up hot girls- and is no longer reserved for the socially awkward. Several of my male friends- who were also acclaimed characters in the book The Game- all left the pick-up community, finding out that although it was fun, it was ultimately unfulfilling- that they wanted love and a sustainable relationship, not just a one-night stand. So even those masters in pick-up needed a new form of coaching, and this time, from a woman!

Because sustainable relationships create sustainable happiness.  And everyone wants to be happy, not just for a night or two, but for life.

So what is dating coaching about now? For my clients, it’s about self-exploration and consequent discovery; it’s about finding out how their behavior, past experiences, and emotional issues are keeping them from finding a sustainable relationship and happiness.

Once they are clued in to self-discovery, we embark on a quest to change those behaviors, patterns of thinking, and we come to terms with the past in order to feel comfortable- and confident- going forward into the world of women.

Then comes image- how are they presenting themselves? We work on dress, haircut, posture, eye contact, demeanor- all of the things that illustrate to a woman confidence and comfort with oneself.

After all, in an evolutionary sense, women are looking for providers and protectors- so although they seek sensitivity and emotional awareness as well- image and first impressions matter to her. Women ultimately want to know that a man could- and would- keep her safe and secure in a world of chaos and fluctuation. That’s why “nice guys” often lose out to alpha males:  although nice guys might be able to be in tune with a woman’s wants and needs, her most primary need is security, and many “nice guys” lack the image that illustrates confidence and this primary ability to protect and provide, while alpha males give that impression off right off the bat.

Then we go through exercises to determine what kind of woman would really make the man happy. This involves going through priorities- what matters the most to a man in his “ideal” woman- talking about if those terms are realistic, and prioritizing the things that matter to him the most in a mate. That way, he can understand that even if he finds a woman with only his top five “qualifications,” he is still a lucky guy and he should focus on what she has that he likes, as opposed to what she doesn’t have, or qualities that he dislikes.

Often, men will have a list of “must haves” which is simply impossible to fulfill- no one, and I mean no one, will have every single qualification you have dreamed up  to be present in your shining bride. That’s why a man has to choose the qualities  that are the most important to him.

Then we embark into the “dating scene.“ I introduce my clients to the mechanisms that exist nowadays  to help romance ignite, explaining the pros and cons of each: from online dating, likeMeezoog, to speed dating, to other sorts of activities that would put the client in contact with women who match the profile he has created for her.

These can include anything from twenties and thirties geared non-profit groups, to activity clubs, to classes, to events, etc. Then we evaluate which of those might contain the woman he is looking for, and we choose the one he is most comfortable embarking on to begin.  As he goes through that experience, I talk him through the process of whatever it is that he has chosen- how to integrate what he has learned into a real environment.

Sometimes this means going on-site with the client and literally coaching him through an event, fixing nervous or egregious behavior that has arisen and helping him to comprehend the scattered clues that most woman throw out upon first meeting a man, waiting for the guy who can best pick them up and assemble them in the way that she wants and expects.

And of course, just for fun and a little extra boost, I sometimes break out the stellar wing woman in me, using elementary tools of jealousy to make the client appear more attractive and desirable to other women, as well as utilizing my knowledge of female psychology to help my client open a conversation with the woman he finds appealing.

It’s not an easy or clean process, however the men who really want to find an incredible woman must engage in this kind of self-discovery and image building in order to succeed, and more importantly to satisfy this woman and to keep her.

But again, finding this kind of relationship is what will make the man happy for the long-term.

And this is the shift that has happened since the 90’s in the dating sphere: America’s preference has deviated from the charming and clueless ‘Fresh Prince’ to the man who struggles and goes the extra mile in order to find happiness. Hello Oscar.

Try Meezoog now to find your soulmate.

Distance: A maker or a breaker?

Monday, March 15th, 2010

Doing anything long distance sucks. Long distance phone calls = expensive. Trying to negotiate a return on your mac from a guy in India= awful. Understanding Iraqi culture and mentality from American soil= catastrophic.

Long distance relationships fall right into that category. However, sometimes a little bit of distance is a good thing…

*****

Kelley came into the bar alone, wearing the requisite midtown suit and tie, glasses, and that weary look on his face that says: Give me a cold beer immediately.

As I am the bartender, I obliged him with a cold glass of Sam Adams and asked him where he was from. “Chicago,” he said, with a warm and trusting smile that was definitely more from the  MidWest than New York. “I’m here on work,” he continued.

I smiled back. I wondered if he had a wife back home in Chicago. I looked at his ring finger- Yup.

As I washed a pint glass to prepare for the next customer, I thought to myself, that must be hard, leaving your spouse all the time.

When the bar started to clear out and I had some time to talk to him further, I struck up a conversation with Kelley.

“So what’s it like?” I asked, as casually as possible. “Is traveling for work hard?”

Kelley explained that he only had to work two days out of the week in New York, the rest he spent at home in Chicago.

“Do you have kids?” I asked.

“Yes,” he responsed. “Three- thirteen, seventeen, and twenty. It was hard when my kids were little,” he said, as if reading my mind,” but now that they’re older it has gotten a lot better. And technology has made it so much easier!” he exclaimed.

“Like my thirteen year old daughter chats with me on Facebook- it makes it easier just to know that she’s there,” he said.

I thought back to when I was a little girl and my dad didn’t even have a cell phone- just a beeper. A doctor frequently on call, he would have to run to a pay phone everytime his beeper beeped with a new number and patient.

“But I have to say, there is a good part about being away,” he said. “It makes you appreciate your family so much more. Every moment I have with them I treasure.”

I thought back to my childhood again, of my dad running to the golf course to escape for a little while from the intensity of four girls plus my mother. I guess everyone needs a little time apart.

In the Orthodox Jewish faith, when a woman is in menstruation, the man and woman are required to sleep in separate beds for the duration of her period.

Just having become friendly with a married Orthodox couple who are  my age- and amazingly cool- I asked them if they do that.

“Yes,” Rivvie told me.

“Does it make you want each other more once it’s over?” I asked.

At this point, Rivvie and her husband Rob both nodded at me enthusiastically.

“Yes,” Rob responded. “Being apart for that week, though it’s hard, makes you want each other so much more.”

“It’s like being newlyweds all over again,” he said. I looked at them, together. They were so in love.

The rule of sleeping in separate beds made me think of all of those articles like “What to do when your sex life gets stale,” and “How to add some spice in the bedroom.” Well, this tradition seemed like a pretty basic way to do that me, without having to buy some fancy contraption or suffocate your spouse. There is nothing like a little time apart, and a little physical space, to make you and your body realize how much you want-and need- your significant other beside you.

But don’t go crazy. A large part of a successful relationship is physical intimacy, which can only be achieved when you are together. Emotionally intimacy- and truly getting to know one another, also pinpoints of a successful relationship,  are also difficult without someone’s physical presence.

I guess it’s like everything else in life: true success and happiness come with the right balance.

Getting over your Ex, Smoky Style

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
Please, if you sell this stuff, just dont do it in my neighborhood.

Please, if you sell this stuff, just don't do it in my neighborhood.

This article in the Times tells the anecdote of one woman’s experience with the “Death Bear,” a person who comes to your house disguised as a black bear to get rid of the traces of your ex.

This idea, although slightly ridiculous, also has some merit. As Ms. Berlin says, “Maybe it was bizarre to invite a complete stranger dressed as a psychedelic animal into your house to remove your most intimate possessions. Then again, maybe it wasn’t.”

There are some things in life that are inordinately difficult to do on our own- and one of these things is throwing out any sort of memorabilia, but particularly memorabilia that has to do with one’s ex.

I think that part of our hesitation to let go of the things that connect us to our exes is based on the unreasonable hope that things aren’t completely over with them- that and a desire to retain a connection to them through these tangible objects because it is just too hard to really let them go.

But you don’t have to call a random stranger with a bear fetish to help you get over your ex. As the song goes, “that’s what friends are for.”

When you know you are having trouble doing something or getting through something, ask a friend for help.  The act of giving and receiving help from someone creates a a strong emotional bond, which is the lattice in a good friendship. Self-sufficiency doesn’t mean that you have to do everything, and bear everything, yourself. If you reach out for help, those who care about you will come.

Even if they are not dressed as bears.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/fashion/07love.html?scp=4&sq=love%20&st=cse

Your How to Guide to Happiness on Valentine’s Day: Whether you are single, committed, or in that funny place in between

Sunday, February 14th, 2010

Valentine’s Day provokes a lot of strange emotional reactions: denial, sorrow, excitement, nervousness, guilt, anxiety, etc.

What I’m here to tell you is that everyone needs to chill-the-Valentine’s-Day-out.

This day is not holy, religious, or particularly crucial to the existence of mankind.

Just think about it like Halloween- some tradition picked up somewhere along the line that some people get really into and others don’t. And where we get to eat lots of candy without any guilt.

According to two men whom I accosted at Cafe Habana (thanx guys! you’re the best), men don’t even care about Valentine’s Day. They only pretend to care about it because most women do. To them, it is just another football Sunday.

They will go out of their way to do something sweet for their lady (if they have one) but only if she makes it clear that this is an important day to her.

So for the committed ladies: If you care, tell him. And don’t pretend not to care if you actually do care, because if he doesn’t do anything for you per your behavior towards the holiday, this will just end up resulting in unintentional, yet tangible resentment towards your significant other.

Yet don’t dictate plans for V- day either- if you have made it clear to him that you are down with V-day affection, let him use this as a chance to show you what you mean to him- and no, that doesn’t mean if the chocolate isn’t Godiva or the flowers aren’t roses that he doesn’t care about you- he went out of his way to engage in a sentimental holiday that he couldn’t care less about because he does care about you, no matter what the gift is that he gives.

Gift: Do or don’t? The best gift that a woman can give her boyfriend is a fun card and a viewing of lacy lingerie post-dinner. And if you are adventurous, get on the baking- everyone loves cookies and cupcakes.

For the committed men: Don’t be morons. If she has hinted to you about dinner reservations even once, that means she cares. And if you are reading this blog and still haven’t made one, your head is as thick as Skippy Peanut Butter. You do have alternatives to taking her out to dinner though- cooking dinner, for one, or- I thought this was adorable- as my friend at Cafe Habana did- getting her favorite takeout from all different restaurants- ie, chocolate cake from one place, mac n cheese from the mac and cheese place, pad thai from her favorite Thai restaurant, all capped off with a bottle of her favorite wine. Remember, you want to show her that you have made an effort.

You don’t have to go crazy finding the right gift- a bouquet of red roses (or if you want to change it up, pink or yellow) and a thoughtful or funny card will do plenty to sweep her off her feet. And if you really like her and have the cash, jewelry never hurts.

For the in-between men: If you are dating a girl, and you really like her and want things to go somewhere, a good idea is to take her out on Valentine’s Day. Your willingness to invite her out on a day traditionally reserved for couples will show her that you are serious about her. But hold off on the gift parade- a single red rose is just intimate enough to say, “I think you are beautiful and sexy,” but a card, flowers, and chocolate will probably send her running before your table is ready.

If you don’t want to get serious with the girl you are dating, do not take her out on Valentine’s Day- this will send her the wrong message and she will end up attached to you like half of America is to Family Guy.  You two can meet up another night.

For the in- between women: He invited you out to dinner. What do you do?

First, only say yes if you really like him, although let’s hope that you do since you are dating the guy.

Gift: do or don’t? Don’t. Just take extra care to look pretty, smell nice, be attentive and positive for the night,  and maybe, just maybe, wear cute undergarments :)

And make an extra effort to act like a lady- hold the spitting and burping for another night, please (although, for the love of G-d, I hope you never do this in front of men anyways other than your brother).

Single men: If there was ever a better day to find a single woman, I don’t know what that day would be. Everyone out on Valentine’s night is virtually guaranteed to be single. So you can walk up to women with an extra bit of confidence- because also, if she is out, she is not just single but S+L— single and looking.

Single ladies: Save the Ben and Jerry’s for a hot day in July. Use this day to think about the people you do love in your life, your family, your friends, whoever. This is an awesome day to chill with your other single friends, to A) realize how many women are also single and B) to live up your single life by perusing the bar at night for equally single men. How fun :)

Just remember, men are temporary, but friends, at least the good ones, are forever.

But above anything else, remember to enjoy your day, your lovers, your friends, whatever. Because A) It is a holiday and holidays= celebration, and B) You don’t have to work on Monday. I mean, really, what could be better?

For some good places to hunt and have a blast on the V-day, check out this blog: http://www.asylum.com/2010/02/11/celebrate-your-singledom-this-valentines-day/

and for couples looking for some romance, check out this one:
http://www.asylum.com/2010/02/11/new-york-city-valentines-day-guide-restaurants-events/

and of course, courtesy of the lovely Ms. Jacinto,  recession friendly Valentine’s tips:

http://www.minyanville.com/lifemoney/articles/valentines-day-plans-money-gifts-love/2/11/2010/id/26827?camp=syndication&medium=portals&from=yahoo

XOXO- The Dating Diva

The Meaning of Titles On and Off of Facebook

Monday, February 8th, 2010
Well, I am just about to be interviewed on this very topic. And found this a very enlightening blog.
Here’s what I think-
Women care more about “status” whether it’s in the real-world or on facebook.
Just like a girl will pester a guy about putting their relationship up on facebook, she will also pester him about the girlfriend label. I’ve done it.
There’s something about having the title “girlfriend” that makes us girls feel secure. We can breathe deeply, stop man-hunting, and relish the security of the words boyfriend and girlfriend. To us, when you are our boyfriend, it means there are certain responsibilities you have to fulfill- returning our calls, making us feel better when we are sad, making an effort to spend time with us, coming to family stuff, etc.
Even if you might do these things when you are not “official,” there is still not that security- the girl is always thinking, What if? What if the phone call he didn’t return means he doesn’t like me anymore? Or the text, or email, or bbm? What if when he didn’t call me on Friday night he was hooking up with another girl? What if
So my advice- if you are willing to acknowledge the girl as your girlfriend in real life, then that means you care about her, and caring about her means caring about the things that she cares about, which obviously includes your facebook status. So just do it.
Ian, your idea, while it initially had appeal to me, ultimately won’t pan out- Because girls care so much about what other people think, if her friend Suzy is on her facebook profile page in the cubicle next to her and she sees that on Suzy’s network, your profile just says “in a relationship” and not “In a relationship with so-and-so,” you are in trouble. Like, a lot of trouble.

I just read a facebook discussion board about facebook relationship statuses. After taking into consideration the guy’s view on things (read this to find out) here is the girl’s perspective. And ladies, as always, please correct me if I am wrong.

Women care more about “status” whether it’s in the real-world or on facebook. Historically, women have been defined by men. Although that’s not completely true anymore, it still is to a large degree. And we are also particularly concerned with what others think of us- especially women. And to be involved with someone but not have an official status (mistress doesn’t count), is looked upon by a lot of women as “classless, slutty,” etc., while men don’t have to go through such shaming because bachelorhood is accepted by society, whereas the life of a single woman, let’s call it bachelorettehood, or better yet, babehood, is not. 

Just like a girl will pester a guy about putting their relationship up on facebook, she will also pester him about getting the label girlfriend in real life. I’ve done it.


There’s something about having the title “girlfriend” that makes us girls feel secure. We can breathe deeply, stop man-hunting, and relish the security of the words boyfriend and girlfriend. To us, when you are our boyfriend, it means there are certain responsibilities you have to fulfill- returning our calls, making us feel better when we are sad, making an effort to spend time with us, coming to family stuff, fulfilling our sex drives, etc. And we can let our nurturing selves thrive without feeling like at any moment you might drop us like a piece of candy onto the sidewalk, unwrapped, sucked on, and right in the middle of things where we can get crushed by a car. Because this is what men do. 

Even if you might do stuff like meeting the family when you are not “official” there is still not that security- without the girlfriend title, the girl is always thinking, What if? What if the phone call he didn’t return means he doesn’t like me anymore? Or the text, or email, or bbm? What if when he didn’t call me on Friday night he was hooking up with another girl? What if when he told me he couldn’t hang out on Wednesday he actually could and was just making excuses? And the list goes on and on…


Yes, I know we girls are neurotic. But in order for us to do all the things that women are supposed to do-and typically like doing- for men, such as being nurturing, listening, cooking, giving advice, giving massages, engaging in intercourse, etc., there is one simple thing that we ask in return: Security. Which encompasses loyalty.

Security only comes not only when the title arrives but also when the introduction becomes, “Hi, this is my girlfriend _______.” 

And that includes on facebook.

Even if you legitimately are a “private person”, unfortunately the internet has made privacy virtually obsolete, and has made public announcements of things like relationships, the norm.


So when you won’t put “In a relationship” up on facebook, you are saying to the girl one of several things: I don’t actually care about you. I’m extremely stubborn, particularly about stupid things. Or: I’m hooking up with other girls when you are not around. Not “I’m just a private person.”

Because unfortunately for the “private” guys who are sweet and loyal to their girlfriends, the “private” guys who keep things private just so they can hook up with the world have ruined things for you- just like the obnoxious kids in school did Recess. It may not be your fault, but you have to endure the consequences. 

Which means changing your facebook, if that’s what she cares about.


So my advice- if you are willing to acknowledge the girl as your girlfriend in real life, then that means you care about her, and caring about her means caring about the things that she cares about, which obviously includes your facebook status. So just do it. 

Ian, your idea, while it initially had appeal to me, ultimately won’t pan out- Because girls care so much about what other people think, if her friend Suzy is on her facebook profile page in the cubicle next to her and she sees that on Suzy’s network, your profile just says “in a relationship” and not “In a relationship with so-and-so,”  as Michelle says on Full-House, “You’re in biiiiig trouble, mister.” 


When a blackberry becomes a crackberry

Monday, February 8th, 2010

Talk about a way to ruin the moment….

http://gawker.com/5417057/groom-tweets-changes-facebook-relationship-status-from-the-altar