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Lighthearted Valentine's Day Date Ideas

Annie Scudder — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:55:00 PST

Did you or your man make dinner reservations for Feb. 14, yet? If not, don't worry! Valentine's Day can be a day of great expectations and mild disappointment. Instead of buying into the hype with an overpriced date night, opt for a low-key outing that will bring you and your lover closer together. Here are seven lighthearted Valentine's Day ideas.

11 Types of Women Men Find Desirable in 2012

Annie Scudder — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:30:29 PST

If you want to know what famous women men find desirable, just ask them! That's what Ask Men does each year for its annual Top 99 Most Desirable Women story. This year, Sofia Vergara topped the list, besting her No. 3 spot from last year. We took a look at the results, and now present you 11 different types of women millions of men find desirable this year.

3 Books Every Single Girl Should Read

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 02:00:00 PST

With all the relationship and self-help books out there it can be overwhelming to navigate the bookshelves or Amazon for the perfect set of words that will help you heal from a messy breakup, discover a new dating method, or learn to date smarter. Beyond online ratings or recommended reading lists, books that your friends can vouch for are the ones you're likely to pick up and actually read. So for all you single gals out there, here are three quick, intriguing reads that are sure to change your emotional - and maybe even your relationship - status for the better.

5 Entertaining and Romantic Movie Dates

Anna Monette Roberts — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:50:00 PST

In honor of this year's Sundance Film Festival that just began yesterday, it's time to explore different movie date night options for you and your honey to warm up to this Winter. Beyond your average movie complex, there is a whole world of independent theaters and festivals to explore and attend to have a romantic and memorable date experience. Here are a few ideas to reinvigorate the ol' movie night standard.

Technicolor features: Films in technicolor have intensely vivid and dreamy hues. Usually independent and historical theaters will screen special technicolor features, and it's a unique and rare opportunity to see such amazing colors and classic films like Gone With the Wind on the big screen. Even if the film you see isn't a classic, it's still nice to curl up close and enjoy the romantic, sleepy quality of technicolor.
Historical theaters: Check to see if your town has at least one historical theater with a classic, blinking marquee and intricate interior architecture. Research the history behind the building before you go so you and your date can appreciate the theater's story and architectural details upon your visit.
Cult midnight movies: There is an entire culture that follows midnight screenings of B-rated films like The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The especially diehard will dress up, act out scenes, and sing along. Attending a midnight movie like Rocky can be a ridiculous yet fun way to bond and break any inhibitions.
Film festivals: Independent, horror, documentary, shorts, underground, and international are just a few of the dozens of film festivals that take place in North America. It's cold and dark during the Winter, so you might as well use the time to expand your film repertoire and have a dozen new stories and concepts to discuss with your date afterward.
Drive-ins: If you live in an area with a milder climate, you could drive out of town to go to a drive-in theater. The tickets are cheaper, you're in the comfort of your car, and you can bring your own food. Most importantly, depending on your parking spot, you might have enough privacy to engage in some high-school-esque backseat action.

Group Therapy: What's the Best Way to Turn Down a Date?

Tres Community — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:05:43 PST

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

Today after work I stopped to put gas in my car. While I was waiting the guy next to me said I was beautiful, asked if I was in a relationship and asked for my number. I was put off by his approach and the fact that he didn't even ask my name. Whenever I am asked out it is usually by a classmate or someone I have hung out with before or met at work, so I was caught off guard. I turned him down by saying "sorry, but you are too old for me." I know, horrible thing to say. But, it was true (I'm 21 he was 30). When he left I felt really bad and now I am wondering what is the best way to turn down a complete stranger who asks for your number?

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

Group Therapy: My Boyfriend Is Always Lying to Me

Tres Community — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:05:00 PST

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

I've been seeing this guy for over a couple of years and I have begun to catch him in a lot of lies. I found out he lied about his age, he said he was 31 when he is really 37. He said his mother lives in PA but come to find out she lives in the same building as he does. He said he doesn't talk to his ex but I found a secret facebook page while using his laptop and he has continued to keep in touch with her, there are also a lot of messages from various women on his page. When I confront him, he acts as if I am crazy and makes up stories as to why he lied about things.

The lies have progressively gotten worse, he tells me he will be out of town for business and yet I see "going to the movies with xx xx" but xx xx live in town so I'm not sure how that is possible. What's worse is that he tells me he is too busy to hang out but then we hang out in his house I find movie stubs laying blatantly on his dresser on the day that he said he was busy. I have also found women things (bobby pins and hair scrunchies on his bedroom floor) and I haven't used bobby pins in years.

He said I'm acting dramatic and a friend of his tells me that he considers us as not seeing each other anymore. When I asked him if it was true he was said yes. I don't know what else to believe but I do know that if he was interested in me he would be honest. He now says he doesn't know what he wants and for me to give him time to think about us and where he sees us. I told him I deserve honesty and I don't feel safe with him lying to me. We haven't spoken since. Was this his way of ending things with me??

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

Where Are All The Sensitive Men Hiding? These 10 Cities!

YourTango — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:11:27 PST

We're happy to present this excerpt from one of our favorite sites, YourTango.

Do you keep meeting disappointing men? The ones who seem so promising at first, but then end up never calling you, or worse - promising you the world and then breaking your heart? Perhaps you're attracting the wrong guys because you're not asking for what you want. Or maybe you have a thing for "bad boys" - you think you can tame 'em (hint: This almost never works). Could it be a stroke of bad luck? Well, a recent Chemistry.com poll says you may just be living in the wrong city.

Just in time for today's launch of their new blog - which will feature monthly posts from YourTango - Chemistry.com reveals the nation's Top Ten Cities to Find a Sensitive Man. Using their data based on the personality types of American singles, they pinpointed the cities with the highest concentrations of softies - uh, we mean, gallant gentlemen. We weren't sure what to do with these findings, as they seemed a bit random. Staten Island? Living in New York, we beg to differ on this one (sorry, Situation). Here's what Chemistry.com's chief scientific advisor, Dr. Helen Fisher had to say about these findings:

"Men do have a sensitive side. They want to please. But different men do it differently; and these 10 cities are packed with a certain kind of man, what I call BUILDERS - men who express a constellation of personality traits linked with the serotonin system in the brain. Sensitive men, known as builders, are traditional. They deeply value loyalty, duty, respectability and proper moral conduct. They want to do the 'right' thing. So builders go way out of their way to keep their social relationships running smoothly. So they watch, listen, and gauge what they need to do to help others and they do it naturally. It's these chivalrous qualities that make a sensitive man."

Here is the list of Top 10 Cities to Find a Sensitive Man:

Pompano Beach, Florida
Roanoke, Virginia
West Hollywood, California
Nashville, Tennessee
Buffalo, New York
Sarasota, Florida
Greenville, South Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Indianapolis, Indiana

Written by Natalie Gontcharova for YourTango.

6 Winter Date Ideas That Won't Break the Bank

SavvySugar — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:23:46 PST

Winter weather offers a great opportunity for cozy, creative dates, so we've come up with fun, inexpensive options to keep your social life humming no matter how low the temperature dips. Take a break from the classic dinner-and-a-movie routine with one of these original ideas.

How to Trick Your Boyfriend Into Watching The Bachelor

Tara Sharp — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:50:36 PST

For us, the best part about Mondays is our girls' night viewing party for The Bachelor. But sometimes we find ourselves at home for the show, competing with our significant other for the TV (hello, Monday night football). So instead of fighting your man for tube time, here's how to get him hooked on the show!

Bribe him with food: If you're enjoying yummy homemade snacks and an alcoholic beverage while watching the reality dating show, he's sure to join you on the couch for at least a little bit. And once he gets a taste of the guilty pleasure, he won't be able to turn back!
Tease the girl-on-girl action: Show him the clip from Ben F's Bachelor premiere last week of two of the contestants cuddling, and he may be curious enough to start watching! Not to mention, you're basically asking him to ogle a ton of hot girls.
Give him a distraction: The only way I kept my SO seated beside me during the show was by getting him a handheld gaming device. Your man may be entertained by video games, his iPhone, or his laptop, but he'll be secretly watching the show - trust me!
Entice with the hilarious parts: With all the horrible pickup lines, delusional contestants, and dating faux parts, The Bachelor is full of the humorous parts of single life that he may miss now that's dating you. Show him some of the best, worst moments to get him laughing along with you on Mondays.

Avoid this Guy! 14 Reasons To Dump Him

YourTango — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:00:21 PST

We're happy to present this excerpt from one of our favorite sites, YourTango.

A guy who's not relationship material always lets you know; you just have to know what to look for.

When I look back at all the relationships that didn’t work out (that I so wanted to at the time), I realize that in every case, there were early warning signs that each guy gave me that could have given me some idea of the heartbreak I was about to experience if I had only been aware of what to look for. To spare you from what happened to me, to give you the inside scoop on what you can be on the lookout for, here’s my list of the warning signs that clearly let you know that this is a guy to avoid if it's a real relationship you're looking for.

He doesn’t call you when he says he’s going to.
Granted, I know that sometimes life can get it the way, and if he’s working late on that big project with the looming deadline it’s possible that time might get away from him once in a while. But if this happens more than once or twice, it’s a sure sign that you’re just not a priority for him right now. If a guy is really interested in starting (or continuing) a real relationship with you, you will be on his mind, and he won’t forget to call.
He’s often late and doesn’t call to let you know.
I know there are lots of reasons people can run late that are beyond their control (traffic jam, car problems, being stuck at the office), but a quick call from his cell phone will put your mind at ease, and let you know that you have a few more minutes to try on that one other outfit you were still considering. The point here is about being respectful of your time – we can forgive lateness, even chronic lateness (some people just aren’t good at judging how much time something will take), but not calling to let you know he’ll be a little late? That’s inexcusable and a sure sign that he’s not too concerned about you.
He doesn’t show up at all (and doesn’t call) when you have plans to see him.
OK ladies, unless he was (verifiably) unconscious in a hospital somewhere, getting stood up is a “one strike and you’re out” offense. There is absolutely no good reason for this (except the one above), and if you stay with him after a maneuver like that, you’ll be in for a very bumpy emotional ride that’s almost guaranteed to end badly. Cell phone reception is excellent these days (unless he’s a lumberjack working in the great North Woods), so this one is unforgivable.
He has rules about how often he can see you.
It’s one thing to have the boys’ “Wednesday Poker Night”, or something along those lines, but if he’s only willing to get together say, every other weekend (with the exception being a child custody situation), then that’s a sure sign he’s keeping his options open and still scouring the market for something better (at least in his mind – he just doesn’t realize that you’re the best thing going!).

Read the 10 additional reason on YourTango: Foreplay, Sexual and Otherwise

Written by Jane Garapick for YourTango.