Although remarkably little ink in men's magazines is devoted to making over women or determining whether oft-cited flaws are terminal, guys have their own (mental) list of women's undateable traits. Men from around the country put these at the top.
You want a boyfriend. Or soul mate. Or husband. You want someone to open jars and squash bugs; get you hot in the evenings and keep you warm at night; listen to you bitch about your mom and your friends and your job, then give you a big hug and take your side. And who could blame you? But while your brain is clamoring for companionship, take a good look at your day-to-day life: Are you really ready?
There are thousands of love and relationship books on the market, each preaching their own brand of advice on how to meet, catch and keep your match. But with so many contradictory theories—from advocating subtle (and not so subtle) manipulation to encouraging total, unabashed honesty—it's tough to figure out which rule book to play by if you want to win the game of love. Having helped men and women find their soulmates in one of the toughest cities in the world, Elizabeth Webb, New York City's premier Love Coach, knows first-hand what it takes create a successful relationship, from meeting to marriage. Here, she dishes the dirt about the best books on relationships, letting you know which parts of each to take—and toss—when you're preparing to find the love of your life.
You're not in high school anymore: Sex education doesn't mean learning how to roll a condom onto a cucumber, and experimentation shouldn't be an apology-filled romp in your parents' basement. Hot, helpful instruction exists that can assist you with everything from tantric lovemaking to anal sex. Whether you want live Q&A or a private lesson with your DVD player, our sexperts have picks that will get you hot for teacher.
If moving in together is a conscious objection to having the government involved in your union, the thought of contracts and judges may be particularly irksome. But for better or worse, the institution of marriage has laws that govern things like property rights if the couple splits. No matter how committed your bodies, hearts and souls are, if you're living together as romantic partners, to the State, you might as well be roommates. In divorce proceedings, the court is apt to assume equal entitlement—or liability—for both partners, but if you separate having never signed a marriage certificate or a contract, it doesn't matter which assets you mixed or didn't, it's one person's word against another.
Dildos and rabbits and handcuffs... oh my. We're always happy to see more products that enhance sexual pleasure, but walking into a sex shop and facing a wall of candy-colored vibrators that seem to do everything but answer your email can be a bit overwhelming. Fortunately, you don't need to fly blind. The best sex experts in the country have picked out their favorite sex toys so can easily get the goods that get you off.
