Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

A charming Marilyn Monroe flick about two singers Lorelei Lee and Dorothy Shaw(Monroe and Jane Russell, respectively) who are on their way to France on a ship. Unbeknown to them, they are being followed by a private investigator, hired by the father of Lorelei's rich fiance. He is intent on catching Lorelei in a compromising position with another man. However, then he meets Dorothy and things get a lot more complicated. This is a really cute movie and it has the famous Monroe song "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend", which she sings in her iconic pink satin dress. Classic! Also, watch out for the sexy scene with Russell falling in the pool. In my opinion she's way hotter in this movie than Monroe!

Here are a few menu suggestions to accompany this classic romantic comedy:

Menu

Appetizer

Bibb Lettuce Salad

Main Course

Poached Salmon with Truffles and Shrimp in Cream Sauce

Vegetarian Main Course

Potato and Cheese Puree

Sides

Individual Zucchini, Lemon, and Ricotta Galettes

Butternut Squash Gratin with Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts

Dessert

Burfi (Diamond shaped milk cakes)

Preparing Her Bath

Romantic Bath, originally uploaded by atf300.

Bathing can be an incredibly relaxing - and sexy - activity for a woman. And you drawing her bath will greatly endear you to her.

What you'll need:

1. Candles. Lots of candles, ranging in size. Get some really big candles and lots of little tea lights
2. Don't forget the lighter or matches
3. Flowers
4. Bubble Bath
5. Bath Salts
6. Relaxing, Sexy Music (ex. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata)
7. Fluffy towels and silky robe for after
8. Lotion for after

First things first, clean the bathroom to within an inch of its life. Put away all the clutter, mop the floor, scour the tub, and disinfect the toilet. Having a clean atmosphere is a very important first step and will set the mood for the rest of the evening. Next, place the candles all over the bathroom. Scented candles are preferred. I like vanilla because it's an aphrodisiac for both men and women. Then draw a really hot bath and add the scented bubble bath and bath salts - again I would use vanilla, but there are lots of really nice scents to choose from, so pick what you know she will like. Toss a few flower petals on the top of the bubbles and place the rest of the flowers in a vase and put it somewhere she can see it from the tub. Queue up the music, light the candles, place the towels and her robe within easy reach, and then go fetch her. Then make yourself scarce while she enjoys herself. After she's finished offer to rub lotion on her freshly cleansed body. Do this and you will be her hero for sure!

White Moonrise

Romantic Moon out side the Cedar Creek Cabin, originally uploaded by Kodachromegal.

The white rising moon
is your bright beauty
binding me in spells
till my heart's devoured.

The light moon soars
resplendent like my lady,
binding me in light chains
till my heart's devoured.

Moon in white glory,
you are the beautiful one
who delicately wounds me
till my heart's devoured.

-Chinese Erotic Poems

Role-playing

Image courtesy of Love Amour Love.


As I have said many times in the past, a woman's imagination is her biggest erogenous zone. So stimulating her sexual fantasies is probably the best way to get her turned on. However a lot of men can be embarrassed when attempting any kind of fantasy play in the bedroom. Well, so can women. But if you can break through that embarrassment and give it a try, it can be so, so rewarding. The sex can be extremely hot.

If you're looking for a way to subtly break into role playing sexual fantasies, you might consider starting with cyber sex chatting or sexting. That tends to be easier to handle when starting out because you have the whole sense of anonymity. It's easy when you don't have to watch her face while you're portraying a scenario. After a while of cybering you will be chomping at the bit to get together and start some physical relations.

I find that RPG games are great ways to get into the spirit of sexual role playing. Computer games such as Diablo 2, World of Warcraft, or Neverwinter Nights are good ways to ease into the mindset. But those are very limiting in their sexual fantasies. Dungeons and Dragons, a game played with paper and pencil, is much more malleable to sexual fantasy.

And from there maybe the two of you will feel brave enough to tread into costume territory. My husband and I used to have a joke about a goth cheerleader, so one evening I dressed up like that for him. He was extremely pleased. So tell her what kinds of fantasies turn you on. Got a Librarian desire? Mention it and maybe she'll surprise you one evening!

Don't be afraid to talk to each other about what you like. And don't be afraid to tell each other when you're tired of the fantasy and you want to get back to reality for awhile. It should all be in good fun.

Casablanca

Believed by many to be the most romantic movie of all time. I'm not sure I disagree. The chemistry between Humphrey Bogart as Rick and Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa is electric. Which is impressive seeing as how they hardly knew each other, even after working together. Apparently they didn't socialize. But on screen they make an impressive coupling.

The movie is set in unoccupied Africa during the early days of World War II and focuses on Rick, an American expatriate who owns a bar, the moment Ilsa, his former lover, comes back into his life. ("Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine.") It's a very romantic, passionate, and moving film, and it is perfect for date night.

Here are a few Moroccan inspired menu suggestions for a Casablanca night in:

Menu

Appetizer

Falafel with Hummus

Main Course

Harissa Spiced Lamb Chops

Vegetarian Main Course

Moroccan Casablanca Couscous

Sides

Spiced Carrots
Sauteed Fennel with Almonds, Raisins, and Saffron

Dessert

Clementine Tarts

Reading Together

Keep it Real, originally uploaded by dphock.

Did you ever see that episode of Dawson's Creek where Joey and Pacey are on his sail boat, True Love, and they're lying in hammocks and Joey is reading The Little Mermaid aloud? That is one of the most romantic pieces of television I have ever witnessed. And I think it's one of the nicest activities a couple can partake in.

Books stimulate your imagination. And a lady's biggest erogenous zone is her imagination. You do the math.

If you're interested in reading to your girl, check out a few of these steamy novels:

-Lady Chatterley's Lover, a story about a woman who has an affair with her gamekeeper. Very shocking material for 1928 and was banned for a length in the States.

-Pride and Prejudice, a tale about a woman who falls in love with a man who is a jerk, but then he turns out to not be a jerk after all. Touching.

-One for the Money, a mystery style book about a woman who becomes a bounty hunter. Trust me, it's both hilarious and sexy.

-Beauty and the Beast, a tale as old as time. A pretty lady has to stay with a big monster and then she falls in love with him and he becomes a pretty man. Standard fairytale.

So go to the library or your local bookstore or where ever and grab a steamy novel to read while lying in bed together. I bet it makes for a delightful evening.

A Favor

I miss you, originally uploaded by doug88888.

"Fräulein Felice!

I am now going to ask you a favor which sounds quite crazy, and which I should regard as such, were I the one to receive the letter. It is also the very greatest test that even the kindest person could be put to. Well, this is it:

Write to me only once a week, so that your letter arrives on Sunday—for I cannot endure your daily letters, I am incapable of enduring them. For instance, I answer one of your letters, then lie in bed in apparent calm, but my heart beats through my entire body and is conscious only of you. I belong to you; there is really no other way of expressing it, and that is not strong enough. But for this very reason I don’t want to know what you are wearing; it confuses me so much that I cannot deal with life; and that’s why I don’t want to know that you are fond of me. If I did, how could I, fool that I am, go on sitting in my office, or here at home, instead of leaping onto a train with my eyes shut and opening them only when I am with you?..."

-excerpt of a letter from Franz Kafka to Felice Bauer

Foreplay

Foreplay Dice..., originally uploaded by americanadian_8.

Foreplay can be one of those intimidating activities that men hear women want, yet they have no idea what it constitutes or whether or not they're doing it right, etc. So if you're new to foreplay and you need a few insights on how to get started, here are my suggestions:

-Start out with some light touching. Stroke her back while you cuddle. If she gets into that, you can move down to her hips and across her sides. Go slowly and get an idea for what she likes. If she stiffens up when you touch her hips, back off and go back to stroking her back because she's probably not ready for you to go very far yet.

-Kiss her neck. It feels lovely and can do a lot to get her turned on. The neck is an incredibly sensitive location.

-Moving into Sensual Massage can be a great way to ease into foreplay. It starts slow and builds in intensity and passion.

-Cunnilingus is also a popular foreplay activity and can be a nice way to end a sensual massage.

-If you need aids, try getting a set of naughty dice or something fun like a body painting kit.

-Tying each other up, dressing in naughty lingerie, or role playing are other fun ways of kicking off a night of passion.

Of course foreplay is meant to increase desire and sexual activity. So anything you do that arouses up to the point of penetration is considered foreplay. If I didn't mention something here that you would like to try, work it in slowly and see how she responds. As always, the key to an explosive sex life lies in communication. Always ask her what she likes and then make a point to do that stuff. Keep it fun and keep it sexy.

10 Things I Hate About You

Without a doubt this is one of the best movies of all time. Starring a host of popular 90's actors including Julia Stiles and the dearly departed Heath Ledger, the story is based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and has some of the best one-liners of all time. You may think this is just another dumb teen movie, and well, it probably is, but the writing and the acting are perfect. It'll also take you on a nostalgia trip to see all the old 90's fashions and music. And the more often you watch the more little details you catch. It's even better if you read Shakespeare's play first. I can't recommend this movie enough. It's one of my favorites ever!

Menu

Appetizer

Crudites

Main Course

All-American Hamburgers

Vegetarian Main Course

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers

Sides

Perfect French Fries

The Lady's Coleslaw

Dessert

Strawberry-Chocolate Thick Shake With Kahlua and Baileys

Alternate Date Gifts

99 Red Balloons, originally uploaded by ai.dan.

There is a long standing tradition of bringing a lady flowers or candy when you go to pick her up for a first date. I say why get stuck in the confines of tradition when there are so many other more interesting things to take her? If you want to step out of the dating box, try a few of these suggestions:

-Take her a single red balloon. It's whimsical and silly. If you know her favorite color make a point of taking her that color instead. And of course it should be blown up with helium and attached to a ribbon. (Don't take her a deflated balloon, that's just weird.)

-A basket of berries from your local farmer's market. Strawberries are a great choice because they tend to be viewed as sexy and romantic.

-A windmill. One of those silly little plastic deals that children get and blow on. Get something in a pretty color.

-A super big sucker like they have at Cracker Barrel's store. Tie a ribbon into a bow around the stick. Very fun, pretty, and romantic.

-A bottle of bubbles. Bubbles are very whimsical.

The point is to keep it small and simple and don't go overboard. All of these items are a little silly and fairly whimsical, evocative of childhood. If that doesn't work for you, then come up with something that will compliment the date you're taking her off. For example, if you're going out to eat at a French restaurant, get her a copy of Adele & Simon or a small Eiffel Tower trinket. It shows you're thoughtful and have a good sense of humor and a nice imagination. Think about it!

42

A Little Book of Love, originally uploaded by Rashdi.

That thou hast her it is not all my grief,
And yet it may be said I loved her dearly,
That she hath thee is of my wailing chief,
A loss in love that touches me more nearly.
Loving offenders thus I will excuse ye,
Thou dost love her, because thou know'st I love her,
And for my sake even so doth she abuse me,
Suff'ring my friend for my sake to approve her.
If I lose thee, my loss is my love's gain,
And losing her, my friend hath found that loss,
Both find each other, and I lose both twain,
And both for my sake lay on me this cross,
But here's the joy, my friend and I are one,
Sweet flattery, then she loves but me alone.

- William Shakespeare

Trimming

Scissor Mouse, originally uploaded by morbidly_obese.

You may find this hard to believe, but choking on your pubic hair is not every lady's late night fantasy. If you want to partake in oral sex with her, you should think about doing a bit of grooming in your pubic area. Luckily in this day and age it is extremely easy to find guides to aid you in shaving and styling your nether regions.

It's not just about appearance or the chance she's going to choke on a hairball later. It's about cleanliness. The penis and scrotum are a hotbed for bacteria, sweat, and grime. If you shave you're going to stay cleaner, longer. And you will smell better. No one likes to smell sweaty balls. And no one likes to touch them either.

The benefits: cleanliness, no skanky smell, she might pay you more oral and hand-job attention

The cons: it might get itchy, you probably don't relish the thought of having a razor next to your penis

Do the benefits outweigh the cons to you?

The Proposal

Lovely romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, and the last Golden Girl standing Betty White (who really steals every scene she's in, as usual!) When Margaret Tate (Bullock) is in danger of being deported back to Canada, she immediately lies and says that her assistant, Andrew Paxton (Reynolds) is her fiance. In order to prove it she agrees to go home with him to Alaska for his grandmother's (White) 90th birthday to meet the family and establish their relationship. And of course because this is a romantic comedy she instead falls in love for real and everything is nicely tied up in a "Happily Ever After" bow at the end. It's your typical chick flick, but with the addition of White, it really becomes a great movie. Check it out!

Menu

Appetizer

King Crab Appetizers

Main Course

Cedar Planked Salmon

Vegetarian Main Course

Vegatarian Black Bean Chili

Sides

Arugula, Fennel, and Apricot Salad

Wild Rice with Butternut Squash, Leeks, and Corn

Dessert

Baked Alaska, what else?

Cooking Together

Boil water, originally uploaded by ilmungo.

If you have any culinary leanings a fun date night can be spent indoors, cooking together. You get to have fun doing an activity together, being creative, lots of opportunities for good conversation, and it gives you a nice chance to see how you can work together and get along. And if you don't mesh well from the start, don't panic! My husband and I were awful when we started cooking together. We each had our particular ways of doing things and didn't like the others habits. But over time we learned each others ways and where and when to compromise and now we love to cook together. He's usually in charge of meat (since I have a tendency to burn!) items while I do veggies or noodles or whatever else we're having. It works great with us.

If you're new to cooking start with something simple. Go to the store and get a box of spaghetti noodles, a jar of tomato sauce (Ragu Traditional is nice for starters), and a package of ground beef (lean!). Optional items are crusty Italian bread, Parmesan cheese, a nice aged cheddar cheese, and a bottle of semi-sweet red wine. When you're both ready to cook one of you can boil the water and be in charge of cooking the noodles (they're done when you throw one at the wall and it sticks) while the other browns the hamburger meat and then adds the jar of sauce. All the while you can be nibbling the aged cheddar and bread as appetizers and sipping your wine. (I love to do this while I cook spaghetti. It feels very decadent and sexy. If I'm not having wine, I'm having a Coke with lemon.) When the noodles are done, strain the water off, put on a plate and top with sauce and Parmesan cheese. Eat and enjoy! This is one of the easiest meals to prepare and was the first thing I learned to cook back when my Granny was first teaching me. I'd say I was about 9 or 10 when I mastered this recipe. Cook it enough and soon you'll be adding extra veggies to the sauce (fresh mushrooms and black olives! Delicious!) and then making your own sauce from scratch and then maybe even your own noodles if you get really brave.

Other great recipes that aren't too hard: Lasagna, Tacos (especially if you get one of those box meals), and stir fry!

My Darling Clemmie

Love¤Clementine, originally uploaded by Microcontroleur.

"My darling Clemmie,

… you wrote some words very dear to me, about my having enriched your life. I cannot tell you what pleasure this gave me, because I always feel so overwhelmingly in your debt, if there can be accounts in love... What it has been to me to live all these years in your heart and companionship no phrases can convey.

Time passes swiftly, but is it not joyous to see how great and growing is the treasure we have gathered together, amid the storms and stresses of so many eventful and, to millions, tragic and terrible years?…

With tender love from your devoted,

W."

-excerpt from a letter Winston Churchill sent his wife Clementine Churchill.

Anal Sex

"Bend Over", originally uploaded by dougmaguire.

Anal sex - what most guys want and lots of girls refuse to even consider. Why is that? I find that guys want to have anal sex because they view it as a fun new experience. The anus is incredibly tight, so it feels good. Also there's something of a stigma attached to having anal sex. A guy who manages it is regarded as a hero. So it's an exciting option that men love to spend time daydreaming about.

Girls, on the other hand, are not so thrilled. To most women it's dirty, it hurts a hell of a lot, and there is also a stigma attached for females. A girl who lets a guy go there is considered nasty. Lots of women can't even understand why a guy would want to do that in the first place.

Never has the double standard for the sexes been more readily apparent.

If your lady has given you permission to try anal sex on her, keep these tips in mind:

- Use a condom. There is a lot of bacteria in the anus and you definitely don't want that on your penis.

- Try it after she's had a shower. That way you know she's clean. Morning time might be best, before she eats something.

- Lots and lots of lube! Now this is important, so pay very close attention. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER PUT WARMING MASSAGE OIL ON HER ANUS!!! It will burn and she will whimper and smack you in the face.

- Test run with your fingers or a dildo first. It'll help you figure out where to go next. Also it'll help loosen her up a bit.

- Go slow. You may not want to and she may not want you to either, but trust me. GO SLOW! You do not want to rip things down there.

- Massage her a bit before, to relax her. Anal sex can be stressful and that can cause her to tense up. Trying anal sex while she is tense is a bad idea because it will be unpleasant for everyone involved.

- Let her call all the shots. If she says stop, you immediately back off with no complaining or whining.

It can be tricky to get the hang of, but after you get into it a bit it can be a nice experience. Not something you should do often, but definitely something to help spice things up in the bedroom. And remember - keep it to yourself. If word gets round to people that she let you go there, she may never let you go anywhere ever again!

Ever After

A Cinderella story starring Drew Barrymore and the sexy, luscious Dougray Scott. He is so hot. Anyway, Anjelica Houston plays the wicked step mother. And in a weird, yet utterly wonderful, twist Patrick Godfrey plays Leonardo da Vinci, who is sort of like the fairy godmother. The movie is set in France in the time of King Francis, so it has all that wonderful French glamor and scenery. It's a beautiful movie and the story is wonderful, with the typical Cinderella ending. Very romantic. I can almost guarantee your lady will love it!

Menu

Appetizer

Egg, onion, and Apple Croquettes

Main Course

Beef Braised in Red Wine

Vegetarian Main Course

Potato and Cheese Puree

Sides

Mesclun Salad
Braised Fingerling Potato Coins

Dessert

Grand Marnier Souffles