TresSugar

10 Valentine's Day Experience Gifts You'll Both Enjoy

TresSugar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:21:15 PST

Rather than buying your guy a new watch or wallet for Valentine's Day, try something different and give him an experience that you can enjoy together. Skip the standard candlelit dinner routine and spice things up with a fun adventure. He'll love the thoughtful surprise, and you'll have a shared memory that can last forever. Here are 10 great experiences for you to gift your guy tomorrow!

Sweaty and So in Love: Celebrity Couples Who Work Out Together

Leta Shy — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:13:14 PST

The couple that plays together, stays together, and the same seems to be true for these celebrity duos who work out together. Keeping fit is a high priority in Hollywood, and these celebrities definitely know how to go from significant other to workout buddy. Take a look at these couples that love to sweat as a pair, whether it's at the gym, on the hills, or on the road!

Sources: INFDaily.com and Bauer-Griffin Online

Get the Conversation Started With Sugar Cookies

Lauren Hendrickson — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:51:31 PST

Sweetheart candies are an essential on Valentine's Day, and recently Williams-Sonoma took the same idea to cookies with Message in a Cookie, a kit that comes with three different cookie-cutter shapes: a heart, a star, and a scalloped square. Each cookie cutter features slots for text, where you can use the accompanying letter stamps to make your own talking sugar cookies.
I whipped up a quick batch of Alton Brown's delicious sugar cookie dough and stamped sweet sayings into my heart-shaped cookies. I can't wait to use the scalloped square to create edible place settings at my next dinner party. Of course, you can achieve a similar idea by using a traditional cookie cutter and carefully etching out your text with a paring knife, but these handy cookie cutters just make it easier. Stop by your local Williams-Sonoma to pick up your own conversation cookie cutters, and keep reading for the sugar cookie recipe.

Whitney's Chris D'Elia Has Funny Answers For Your V-Day Questions

Annie Scudder — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:37:26 PST

You asked, and Whitney's Chris D'Elia answered your Valentine's Day and relationship questions. The standup comedian, who says he's seeing a special someone ("she's super"), took our reader questions on the topic of love and dating in time for Feb. 14. So if you're looking for a guy's perspective before Valentine's Day, take some advice from Chris, who plays Whitney Cummings's hot boyfriend on the NBC Wednesday-night comedy.

What can I get my boyfriend for Valentine's Day that he will actually like?

Chris: I mean, I don't know many guys who like the romantic stuff. So I honestly think Valentine's Day is mostly for girls. I don't expect anything if I have a girlfriend, but I think a nice card with something sweet in it usually makes me feel good and important.

If you're in a new relationship on Valentine's Day, what can you suggest that won't freak out the guy?

Chris: I think if it's a new relationship, you have to let the dude handle it. Even if you're like, "Oh my God I didn't get you anything because I didn't want to freak you out," then that's so cute. It's like she respects you to not want to blow it, but she also wants you to be the man.

What is the most romantic breakfast item you can think of?

Chris: I don't even know what's romantic about any breakfast item? When I think about eggs, like that's so unromantic. I think there's just no romantic breakfast items. I guess if it's in bed, that's romantic. I used to do breakfast in bed for a girl on Valentine's Day, and she liked that. She ate it up. Literally.

I'm single and I hate Valentine's Day. Any advice for getting through it as a single girl?

Chris: Yeah, you don't hate Valentine's Day. I think you're not being honest with yourself. There's no way you don't like Valentine's Day. There's no way! You secretly like it. You just have to realize that. You need to come to terms with it.

In light of it being Valentine's Day, if a girl likes a guy and he hasn't picked up on her hints, can she ask him out?

Chris: For me, I have to be the aggressor. I don't like it when girls ask me out. But I know that there are guys who are very shy who would like that. I think that it's a case-by-case basis. But I would say, normally if the guy's not asking you out or hovering around you, he's not interested. Like if a guy's talking to you, he's interested. If he's looking at you and you're not even talking to him, that's a huge thing.

Can girls and guys be friends? Keep reading for Chris's answer!

Corsets: Lots of Controversy Squeezed Into One Undergarment

Tara Sharp — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:40:11 PST

Nowadays, women who want a trimmer waist in a pinch typically turn to Spanx or some other body-slimming underwear. But when it's less about practicality and more about looking sexy in nothing but your skivvies (like for your Valentine's Day date night, for instance), you may choose to don a corset. While modern women are free to wear these fitted underpinnings whenever we want to spice things up in the bedroom, corsets and the idealized tiny waists they create have a long and controversial history that doesn't seem to be going away any time soon.

Just last September, Vogue Italia controversially featured Ethel Granger and her 13-inch waist, which she achieved by wearing a corset 24-7. Ethel, who holds the record for the smallest waist in recorded history, went through the painful process for her husband. Her motivation brings up one of the main issues with corsets: are they for the men or the women? And Romanian-born model Ioana Spangenberg, "the human hourglass," is being criticized for setting a bad example with her 20-inch waist, even though she claims she can't help her shape and didn't use corsets to achieve it.

To find out more about what made corsets so controversial back in their heyday (including info from Valerie Steele's book The Corset: A Cultural History), let's look back at some of the vintage ads and photos of these constrictive undergarments and the nonhuman-like shapes they created on women.

The Green Salad That Put a Ring on It

Camilla Salem — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:30:52 PST

If you're not into engagement chicken, or if you're looking to double your chances this Valentine's Day, don't miss out on this simple green salad recipe. True story: when my now-husband proposed to me, he managed to sneak in a line about how excited he was that I'd make this salad for him every day for the rest of his life. I've since shared the recipe with friends, whose significant others also go crazy for it, so maybe I'm on to something with this salad.

Regardless, this salad is so easy and satisfying, you could easily enjoy it alongside any meal every night of the week. It goes particularly well with rich, meaty dishes that beg for something crisp and acidic to balance them out. The red leaf lettuce holds the vinaigrette really well, while the avocado adds a bit of creaminess to the dish.

There are a couple of secrets to this recipe. When you wash your lettuce, don't dry it completely. A bit of moisture on the leaves helps water down the dressing a bit, making it incredibly succulent. Secondly, the combination of oils used in this recipe helps make sure the salad is not overpowered by the flavor of olive oil.

For more plus a recipe, keep reading.

The 10 TV Characters We'd Like to Get Valentines From

BuzzSugar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:28:23 PST

Valentine's Day is coming up, and it doesn't matter if you have your own squeeze or not, because TV has plenty of lovable leading men to go around. Everyone has their small screen crushes, and we have a particular affinity for a few too, whether it's because the character is so sweet, charming, funny, or all of the above. Check out our list to see which TV guys we'd love to spend V-Day with, and why.

Create a Romantic Valentine's Day Look With Pastels

BellaSugar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:24:37 PST

Stereotypical Valentine's Day makeup is all about bombshell sex appeal, always with the same combinations of red and black. This year, try something fresh with romantic pastels instead. Celebrity makeup artist Desirae Cherman shows us how to use soft, shimmery pastels for date-night eyes, flushed cheeks, and glossy lips. It's a look sweeter than conversation hearts and pretty enough for any Valentine's celebration.

Quick! DIY Your Sweetie a Valentine's Day Card Tonight

CasaSugar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:16:04 PST

Instead of scanning the aisles for a last-minute Valentine's Day card, why not infuse a bit of creativity into your delivery by crafting your own? Regardless of what's in the card, you'll score serious points for extra effort. Whether it's clever origami folding, light scissor cutting, or easy printing, these Valentine's Day cards are sure to win hearts!

Take Our Fun-Filled Valentine's Day Fragrance Survey!

Jaime Richards — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:11:45 PST

Valentine's Day and perfume go hand in hand, but one person's prized potion collection is another person's splitting headache. Since perfume is so subjective, we'd like to hear what you have to say about it. Take our Valentine's Day-inspired survey now, and tell us all about what your nose knows.