Quick hit for the day: Even if you're not going to cheat on your man, why don't you set up a "private" rendezvous with him and make like you are? Check out these five-star spots courtesy of concierge.com, perfect for discreet check-ins and dirty little secrets.
I just had a much-needed "girl" weekend with my good friend Blane at my parents' lake house in Savannah. We drank way too much wine, cooked good food, went skinny dipping late at night and stopped just short of giving each other mud masks during the Bachelorette (not because it was too cliche, just because we had too much to drink and forgot). At one point she said to me, "You know this is the last weekend we're going to have like this in a long time." With me getting married and possibly moving and she and her live-in boyfriend building a house together, we realized that life is about to get pretty hectic and it will be tough to plan "just girl" weekends together. That kind of sucks.
This weekend, Frank and I were invited to spend the fourth at friend’s family’s house in Vermont. We’d gone for the holiday last year, too, and knew that it was going to be awesome—the property is huge and beautiful and wooded, the house is old and charming, there’s tons of stuff to do and games to play and the couple who host always procure plenty of delicious food and booze. So in short, we knew going in that we were going to have a good time. Last year, the group that went up was fairly small and made up of disparate parts: us, the hosts, a couple of friends from Neal (the male host)’s law school and a couple of ladies from Caroline (the female host)’s business school. Yes, by the way, all my friends are accomplished except for me.
Your first time traveling as a couple can be somewhat of a litmus test for your relationship. Women and men tend to travel differently, for instance: while he waxes poetic about the deeper meaning of travel, he's thinking of hotel sex. Lots of it. When I took my first trip with Lorri, we settled on Eastern Europe: Romania to Hungary to Austria and finally the Czech Republic. We planned to fly in and out and do the rest by rail or bus or whatever—we'd figure it out when we got there. Along the way I came to see how differently I—as a man—traveled compared to Lorri, when it comes to planning, packing, eating, and keeping calm.
Vacations, in my world, are a time when rules do not apply, when you can have two scoops of ice cream for dessert every night – heck, when you can have dessert with breakfast. So in my world, I treat my brain to a vacation, too. I want ice cream for my brain. I want happy endings, laughter, sparkling plots, memorable characters, and blissfully good writing. Behold my "Guaranteed Brain Vacation Reading List" and give your brain a vacation summer with these can't miss, classic selections– books in various categories that have stood the test of time in their perfection for beachside, mountainside, poolside, or even commuting-and-wishing-for-vacation-side reading. Looking for a summer read in the category of: queen-of-good-vacation reading, eccentric-and-hilarious-family dramas, hot-blooded-men-and-warrior-women-seek-adventure-and-action novels, past-perfect-historical-romantic fiction, or better-ab-workouts-through-laughing books? Read on...!
Most couples agree that sex on vacation beats their time between the sheets at home. But, as Newsweek reports this week, partners generally define "better" in different ways. For men, it's about quantity. For women, it's about quality. This seems logical. Vacation, provided couples aren't sharing hotel rooms with kids, offers a happy medium: there's more sex and it's more satisfying.
Why should newlyweds have all the fun? Every couple can use a good excuse to travel—just jet off into the sunset on a long weekend together. Trips aren't just for honeymooners, anymore! Enter the mini 'moon: With modern-day weddings rivaling Cirque du Soleil in scale and complexity, sometimes you need a quick escape before you walk down the aisle. And, once the (real) honeymoon's over, there's no need to stay home. Couples intent on baby-making can opt for conception 'moons: for relaxation—and procreation—and the baby 'moon: when you're pregnant and in need of one last escape before mini-me arrives! Check out these great get-away suggestions.
If you happen to be in Boston this weekend, take a breather (back away from the wedding-planning binder!) and remember why you’re getting hitched in the first place with the opening of Peabody Essex Museum’s Wedded Bliss, the Marriage of Art and Ceremony. The exhibit spans four continents and three centuries, bringing matrimony to life, from paintings (Picasso! Chagall!) and ceremonial objects to couture gowns (fashion!) and rare jewelry.
A website dedicated to travel and travel insurance has ranked, via survey, Paris as the number one place that couples go on vacation and argue. We're surprised that it's not Detroit or Los Angeles but maybe the French are quarrelsome.
Poll: What's Your Ideal Romantic Couples Getaway?: A tropical island—crashing waves and powdery beaches make for romantic relaxation. A safari—to explore nature's beauty and get a little bit wild. Europe—the perfect mix of cobblestones, cathedrals and cosmopolitanism. Camping—the fresh scent and privacy of the forest get me every time.
Got a different idea than he does about what constitutes a relaxing getaway? YourTango's got the solution. Here are eight amazing vacation spots where you and your love can indulge in a universal definition of fun. Whether its rolling on beaches or sightseeing, there are a few venues where you can get the best of both.
