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Our instructor in the wine course that Drew and I are taking is great about recommending romantic bottles. Here’s the latest:
Baccarosa is a sparkling pink wine from Italy (only sparkling wines from the Champagne regions of France can be called Champagne). It is a lovely rose pink and smells like roses, too, as well as strawberries and raspberries. According to our teacher, it would go great with dark chocolate. One of my clients who writes romance novels would say that it would be great poured over naked skin, too.
Hey, just because we are in a recession does not mean that love has taken a back seat. Instead, singles need to get creative on finding lower cost alternatives to pricey dinners out and wild evenings at clubs. Remember that when you are in love it is even easy to forget to eat. And sex costs practically nothing, if you use your charms to get it rather than your wallet.
Amid slump, singles cut dating costs
Slump in economy is sparking creative ideas for a night out — or in
By Jasmin Aline Persch
Earlier this year, Elvert Howard wined and dined women at fine restaurants in Chicago. Now, he’s treating gals to happy hour appetizers and drinks at T.G.I. Friday’s.
Since Howard’s work slowed in March, the advertising account executive isn’t willing to shell out as much on dates. Rather than whisking women to the theater after dinner, he began opting for The Art Institute of Chicago when admission was free after happy hour. He says that by being creative, he can cut costs and still show dates a good time for an entire evening.
“If you approach them with a good personality and you get excited about the museum … [and] if a girl has the same interest in the museum, she won’t mind” that the museum is free, said Howard, 35. “I won’t mention the fact that it’s free.”
The economic downturn and tumbling stock market have forced many singles — especially men — to reconsider the gesture of a costly splurge on date night. While a few are taking a break from dating until their financial circumstances improve, more seem to be opting for less costly options.
“Everybody is anxious about the economy,” said Anna D’Agrosa, director of consumer insights with Zandl Group, a trend-spotting agency. “Even if you’re not personally affected, it’s not as fun to throw down a ton of money — but do something interesting.”
A recent survey by Zandl of 300 people in their 20s and 30s found that singles are less interested in spending money on a night out, with almost half saying they are partying more at home.
Singles are trading down from Whole Foods (nicknamed “Whole Paycheck” for its steep prices) to Trader Joe’s. More are passing up posh clubs for convenient bars, happy hours or house parties, D’Agrosa said. Romantically, singles are turning down swanky restaurants for casual rendezvous or even homemade dinners, she said.
Breaking away from the formal dinner date
Rachel Sarah, 36, returned to the dating scene as a single mom a few years back. She regularly met men at gourmet restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area until about a year ago.
Since then her dates have been more casual, if more original. She has bowled, roller skated and hiked with guys. Besides the chocolate, fruit and water she and her date split on their three-hour hike, the only other price she paid was getting poison oak.
Sarah sees benefits in removing money from the dating equation.
“It can be so much less awkward than sitting at a fancy restaurant and worrying about the bill and how you can split the bill,” she said.
One reason for her view is that Sarah is adamant about covering her chunk of the bill on dates. Finding herself grappling with layoffs in her regular jobs, the freelance writer has nixed upscale restaurants from her dating budget. Sarah is pitching more casual date ideas to avoid winding up at a pricey place she can’t afford. She would feel uncomfortable just letting a guy pay, she says.
Looking good comes at a price, too. To save money on dating outfits, Sarah and some of her gal pals came up with The First Date Skirt. Each woman buys a single, sexy skirt to be worn on her first dates. Recently, Sarah had to buy a new first-date outfit — a $40 blue, tight-fitted dress she picked up at a boutique — to replace the skirt.
“It got so frayed, I can’t wear it on a first date anymore,” she said.
Guys looking to cut back more than gals
While women may be trimming back their spending on apparel, men are particularly keen on cutting the cost of dating, likely because they often pay initially. A recent survey of 2,286 singles by online dating service True.com found that about half of men said they would curb their romantic expenses in a hard economy, compared with more than a third of women.
Jake Harrison, 27, sees reasons to cut back on his dating budget even though his work as a furniture designer is going well. His anxiety about the economy and rising prices have combined to make him more frugal. He’s taken to cooking dinner at his apartment — even on first dates.
“When you bring somebody into your home, there are a lot of things around that can initiate a conversation,” Harrison said. “The problem with the movies: You’re sitting speechless for two hours and then maybe afterwards you talk about it a bit.”
Harrison, who’s gay, also finds it a good test to ask guys out to a favorite hot dog joint in in Brooklyn — something that hasn’t appealed to everybody.
“It’s a good sign when somebody on a first date can have as much fun at a local hotdog stand as a four-star restaurant with expensive liquor,” he said.
The costly dinner date has been an American tradition at least since the 1920s. But Jamie Turndorf, a psychologist and creator of drlove.com, says money isn’t necessary to spark a connection. So what is?
“Spending the time and listening to each other — whatever enables you to do that, it doesn’t have to be at a fancy restaurant,” Turndorf said.
But traditions die hard. Howard misses taking gals to gourmet restaurants. He used to plan his formal dinner dates during off hours to avoid the prime-time hustle and bustle, allowing him to get better acquainted with his dates. Unfortunately, the racket at T.G.I. Friday’s can interrupt the flow of conversation, Howard says.
But he’s recently come up with new dating ideas that may stick after his freelance advertising work picks up. Howard and a date recently grabbed coffee, took a stroll through Lincoln Park and window-shopped.
“When my income returns to the normal level, I’ll do that but incorporate other activities like nicer restaurants and move, on the first date, to the theater to see ‘Rent,’ ‘Wicked’ or ‘Mamma Mia,’” he said.
Get out that strawberry flavored body butter and maple syrup. A poor economy means more singles than ever are looking for love.
Downturn? What downturn? Sales of Kama Sutra products and online dating memberships soar
BY CATEY HILL
Lauren Shore, age 31, a social worker in a local hospital, is looking for love on the web.
Downturn? What downturn? There sure isn’t one in our love lives. Americans are increasingly looking for love (or at least a little lovin’) in these troubled economic times.
Sales of Kama Sutra products have soared in the past year. Online dating sites like eHarmony.com and PerfectMatch.com are seeing a spike in memberships.
Sales of Kama Sutra products are up 12% this year. Top-selling products include Body Chocolate, an edible chocolate-flavored balm; the Strawberry Weekender Kit, which contains a variety of strawberry-flavored oils and lubricants and the Getaway Kit, a collection of oils, lubricants and a candle.
“With more and more people saving money by staying in, the increase in our sales is no surprise,” says Shawna Taklender, Web Service Manager for The Kama Sutra Company. “During times like these everyone needs to feel a little extra love and security and sometimes the connection between loving couples can be the best way to fulfill those desires.”
It’s not just couples that are searching for love. Singles seem to want a mate even more when money is tight. Paul Breton, the Senior Manager of Corporate Communications at eHarmony, confirmed this.
A recent study conducted by eHarmony found that people who were prompted to worry about the economy were more likely to click through to see their matches right away. Another eHarmony study found that current eHarmony members commit more time to finding a long-term relationship when economic news is very bad.
It’s not just eHarmony that’s seeing this trend. Recently released statistics from Perfectmatch.com show a spike in new members of 47% over the last quarter.
We may be in the midst of troubled economic times, but that doesn’t keep us from seeking out a little love.
Match.com matches a couple who were practically neighbors. No long-distance relationship here....
Internet matchup leads to marriage for University of Tennessee at Chattanooga teachers
By: Holly Leber-
As teachers at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chris Stuart and Susan Seaton worked in adjacent buildings, had mutual acquaintances and parked in the same lot.
They never met, though, until they ventured into the world of online dating.
Mr. Stuart, an English professor, and Ms. Seaton, an adjunct instructor in the art department, encountered each other on match.com. They e-mailed once, met two days later and were married six months after that. If not for the Web, they say, things would be very different.
“We were in buildings right next to each other,” said Mr. Stuart. “We knew (mutual) people but hadn’t met.”
“And probably wouldn’t have,” Ms. Seaton said.
“And probably wouldn’t have,” he echoed.
This is a typical exchange. The newlyweds — they married on June 24 of this year — have a tendency to finish each other’s sentences. If one gropes for a word, the other supplies it. Their courtship was whirlwind; it was obvious to both early on that they were headed somewhere big.
“We started talking about (marriage) way too soon,” he said.
“We just kind of knew,” Ms. Seaton said.
“We met on a Monday, right?” Mr. Stuart chattered. “She went home for Christmas on Thursday, and she told her family ‘I might have met the one’.”
They laugh as they recall their story.
Ms. Seaton and Mr. Stuart didn’t have a typical online courtship. She was the one to reach out first, sending a brief e-mail to invite him for coffee. He countered with a suggestion of dinner. There was no composing of witty e-mails, no coy instant-message flirtation. Both were divorced and ready to brave the waters once again; neither was interested in playing games.
“(I thought) let’s meet in person and let’s go or not,” Ms. Seaton said.
“When you’re 40, you’re less interested in playing the field than maybe when you’re 20,” Mr. Stuart added.
The concept of dating again was intimidating, they agree. The decision to seek out a possible partner online was partially motivated by lack of practice and social limits placed on them by geography.
“There comes a point after being in a long marriage that to start dating again is ...” Ms. Seaton trailed off, trying to formulate the right word.
“Daunting,” Mr. Stuart supplied after a beat.
“Yeah, it’s daunting,” she agreed. “I don’t know how to do it, where do I go ... Chattanooga’s not that big.”
Mr. Stuart was separated for three weeks before he went online. It took her a year. They met on her second attempt at match.com. In her prior experience, she said, she’d found that the more online preamble there was before meeting, the more disappointing the ultimate meeting was. The second time around, she said, she questioned whether she even wanted to take another shot at meeting someone online.
“I had reservations about (meeting Mr. Stuart) and about going back online in the first place,” she said.
He’s the one who brings up her prior bad dates — clingy men or pretty faces with little substance.
“I had people write me back and (say) ‘Well, I thought you were cute. What’s up?’ ” she said. “That’s not enough, and (it was) freaking me out.”
She brushes off his urging to go into detail about a particularly harrowing experience, summarizing the man with: “He was insulting, he’d been married before, I think he was a meth addict ...”
“I had (no bad dates),” Mr. Stuart said. She was the first woman he encountered online, though he had a few other offers, she teased him.
As the veteran online dater of the two, she was more aware of its pitfalls, including misrepresentation. Fortunately, their proximity afforded her the opportunity to offer a reference — a mutual acquaintance. He didn’t bother.
“I figured anyone who’s honest enough to say ‘you can go talk to this person’ is probably all right,” Mr. Stuart said.
So what if they hadn’t been so close? Would the match still have been made?
He thinks so. She doesn’t.
“I would have made the trip, probably,” Mr. Stuart said.
“Not me,” Ms. Seaton countered.
Ultimately, she said, while the proximity was good, it was the proverbial icing on the cake, not the draw and attraction. They had common interests and similar backgrounds.
“We were going to have things to talk about, even if we didn’t fall in love or whatever,” he said.
“I am an artist. I am liberal. There aren’t that many of us (in Chattanooga),” Ms. Seaton said. “It wasn’t about ‘we work at the same place.’”
“It was about the right kind of person,” Mr. Stuart said. “Which was the cool thing about (match.com) ... you can make the pool a lot smaller real fast instead of feeling like you’re looking out at this vast sea of not knowing.”
I picked up a copy of “The Economist” in February, probably the first time ever. And what should I see but my very own logo (a chocolate dipped strawberry) as the back drop of a fascinating graph. Not only did I just have to post it here, so y’all could know this trivia, but also, Sweetie Pie Drew used it in his Valentine’s Day lecture to his botany class.
Valentine’s Day Food of love
Feb 14th 2008
From Economist.com
ON VALENTINE’S DAY the relationship between chocolate and sex becomes, at least for gentlemen considering the ideal gift, less a matter of theoretical musing and one of stark practicality. Will a box of chocolates do the trick? In some parts of Europe sex and chocolate go hand in hand, though a causal link is unclear. Mediterranean lovers tend to have as much sex but less chocolate—perhaps hotter weather has a bearing on both. The Japanese have precious little of either.
Who says that all you meet on line is a bunch of clowns? Here’s a real clown and his bride who met on Jdate.com and whose wedding made the 4/13 New York Times “Vows” write up. Now the REALLY interesting part is that this is the second wedding in a month that the NYT has featured couples who met on the Net. Both have little videos accompanying write ups on the net. Here’s the one about Stephanie and Adam, and here’s the link to the video about Diane and Philip. I think that both couples met on Jdate, so if you are looking for a Jewish partner, clown or no clown, Jdate seems to be hopping.
April 13, 2008
Vows
Stephanie Schwab and Adam Gertsacov
By DOUGLAS MARTIN
MIDGE and Madge were not invited to the wedding in Yonkers on April 5. Stephanie Schwab, the bride, claimed to be jealous of those extraordinarily petite showgirls who had traveled the globe with her betrothed.
“He coos at them, and speaks to them in very, very soft tones,” she said.
So Adam Gertsacov, 43, agreed to leave his famous fleas at home, along with his velvet top hat and red-white-and-green shoes. His clown nose was allowed only for prewedding photos, but Ms. Schwab joyfully wore one, too. They succeeded admirably in maneuvering into an ardent kiss beneath the bright red snouts.
Marrying a clown is no run-of-the-mill thing. Mr. Gertsacov is the owner of the Acme Miniature Flea Circus. His stars, Midge and Madge, each dwarfed by the period at the end of this sentence, are said to perform feats like pulling chariots or walking a high wire.
Audiences pretty much have to take Mr. Gertsacov’s word for all this. He uses a magnifying glass to provide the play-by-play, and only the props are visible. So how did Ms. Schwab, 40, a brainy vice president of Converseon, a marketing agency in Manhattan, someone who holds an M.B.A. from the University of Illinois, end up marrying a graduate of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College who sometimes performs as a giant bumblebee?
Blame the Internet. In 2004, each was prowling a dating site. Mr. Gertsacov, of Rhode Island, traveled continuously and was open to meeting somebody nice from anywhere. Ms. Schwab, of New York, emphatically did not want another long-distance relationship.
And then there were the photos Mr. Gertsacov displayed of himself. One was a graphic blowup of an eye. She wondered if the possible artiness outweighed the obvious goofiness.
She consented to a phone call, and soon they were having “these wonderful conversations late into the night.” Over coffee in New York they “instantly connected,” she said. Soon, he was in New York almost every weekend.
He handled the inevitable career questions gradually. He first said he was a performing artist; then a creator of original comic shows; and, finally, someone who presented “popular theatrical traditions.” Only when she seemed “firmly on the hook,” he said, did he disclose the flea-bitten fabric of those heralded traditions.
She liked his intelligence and creativity, and his apparent ability to profit from his passions. “He wasn’t a lawyer, he wasn’t a consultant; it was refreshing,” she said.
Vaudeville, she thought, was exactly the kind of thing her parents would get a kick out of. And at the wedding, her father, Steven Schwab of Chicago, an owner of a business there that makes baking products for children, exuded, “There will be humor in their life forever.”
Mr. Gertsacov said: “I think she may have presented herself as more bohemian than she actually is. Which is O.K. I’m bohemian enough for both of us.”
Ms. Schwab, who had two previous marriages, once used $120,000 of her own money to start a company called Erotigo, to bring pornography to hand-held computers. It was featured in BusinessWeek, but after Sept. 11 she failed to attract the investors she needed. “It was a wild ride, really fun,” she said.
Mr. Gertsacov, who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and earned a master’s in theater and communications from Rhode Island College, claims he is the most educated clown in America — “barring certain elected officials.”
They bought a house in Yonkers two and a half years ago, became active in a synagogue and began to talk around the topic of marriage. Talk became plans five months ago, when Ms. Schwab became pregnant. Mr. Gertsacov’s mother, Karel, was unconscious and near death last December when he told her that he was engaged. “Her eyes fluttered,” he said, adding that her death soon afterward contributed to him wanting a sense of familial continuity.
The magic came together at the Roosevelt Ballroom in Yonkers, a classically inspired hall visited by both Presidents Roosevelt. The wedding invitation — in orange, a color with which Mr. Gertsacov is obsessed — announced the occasion as “A colossal combination that is sure to amaze & delight for generations to come.”
The bride was radiant in a gown that had been twice altered to meet the exigencies of pregnancy. The bridegroom only once upstaged their rabbi, Jason Nevarez. Mr. Gertsacov could not help himself from doing an elaborate pantomime with his prayer shawl. Wedding rings were extracted from a Cracker Jack box.
At the reception guests shared their talents, from juggling to rope tricks to what seemed deliberately lame humor. There was a life-size dog puppet who scratched the audience’s fancy with bon mots about fleas.
Then, as a klezmer combo shifted into high, the couple glided across the shimmering dance floor. A singer crooned the lovely, inevitable lyrics of Cole Porter:
“Birds do it, bees do it,
Even educated fleas do it.
Let’s do it, let’s fall in love.”
March 31, 2001, was the day that Drew and I got married. We met three years earlier, so our 10th anniversary of our first meeting on Match.com is coming up fast, in May. Here’s one of my favorite pictures from our wedding:
We’ve shared so much life together in 10 years that it seems like we have known each other much longer than that, but also, the time has passed quickly.
I get the nicest things in the mail—emails, of course, but this came in the old-fashioned post-office-box-type mail:
Now is this cool or what? My lovely daughter (who is getting married next month) found this card and dropped it in the mail to me. Since the motif is a chocolate dipped strawberry, my logo, I am surprised that I haven’t gotten dozens, but that may have to do with the company that makes them (Tender Thoughts Greetings—I couldn’t find a web site for them, but Tender Thoughts, if you read this, get in touch—I’d love to carry these cards here on my site!).
Even better: Here are the words inside: “You make love yummy. Happy Sweetest Day.” Doesn’t that sound like me? I even have buttons with my strawberry logo and “Yummy!” below. What could be more fitting?
Now this is the best: On the back of the card is the following: “Celebrated on the third Saturday in October, Sweetest Day started in 1922, when a candy company employee organized a group to help deliver candy and small gifts to orphans and others whose lives needed brightening. Today, lovers and romantics embrace the day as well, but it’s still a time to remember those who bring happiness to our lives.”
My sentiments exactly. How come I never heard of Sweetest Day before? A new holiday! (Stay tuned for “St. Catherine’s Day” which is coming up fast).
Thank you to my daughter Mishelle who has certainly brought her share of sweetness to my life!
I got this wonderful note in my email box the other day. What great news, and thanks for giving me some credit, Mary Jane!
I contacted you not to long ago; and, it was right after that I meant my soon to be Husband.
You have been a great inspiration; and, I want to thank you.
I will be getting married on May 18, 2007, to a wonderful man that I knew from high school; and, our paths have crossed many, many times.
We have been together for 8 months; and, when we get married we will be just 3 days from being together for a year. Thanks again.
Sincerely, Mary Jane Zeh
Congratulations!
From Your Romance Coach, Kathryn Lord
Yes, they are twenty-somethings, and yes, they are in Scotland, but it’s another sweet story about folks finding each other on the Internet.
And tucked in the article, this interesting tidbit:
Computer-based introductions are now even replacing traditional hotspots such as parties or holidays as the best way to meet a mate, according to a new survey by financial services firm Mint.
I knew it.
And here’s another one:
Chris and Jennifer Creary met online in 2004 when they both lived in St. Petersburg, Florida. They are now married and living in Pensacola.
From Your Romance Coach, Kathryn Lord
Well, it does make a difference what you think of politicians. Rep. Steve Rothman, U. S. Congressman from New Jersey, met his now-wife Jennifer Anne Beckenstein on Jdate.com. See their photo here. And it’s a nice story, so read it.
From Your Romance Coach, Kathryn Lord
P. S. Rothman is 53, Beckenstein 48.
Savannah is a romantic’s dream, by Myron Powell (52) went over the top with his Sweetheart Esther Watson (44) who he met on Match.com. Myron was able to convince the staff at the Jepson Center for the Arts to hang a love poem with his proposal to Esther up with the other works of art. You’ve got to read the whole story here. She said yes. Myron and Esther are planning to get married next spring.
From Your Romance Coach, Kathryn Lord
I get letters from visitors to my website and readers of my enewsletter all the time. When I think that the questions posed are of interest to more than the writer, I often alter the writer’s note to conceal identifying details, then publish the relevant content here or in my free *eMAIL to eMATE* enewsletter. (Not a subscriber? Sign up here!)
How does one keep the relationship fun, and interesting?
Now that’s a difficult question. Here are my best thoughts:
Don’t get lazy. Maintain a sense of responsibility to contribute to the fun and stimulation. Think of the relationship like a baby that needs to be fed and taken care of. What would you do to keep a baby happy and content? I don’t mean treating your partner like a baby, but I do mean that the relationship needs constant attention. Keep feeding it, and it will feed you back.
Best, Kathryn
Here’s one creative guy: Ben Jefferies surprised his cyber love with breakfast for two at her train station in Banbury, England. On Valentine’s Day, he’d emailed Phillippa O’Donnell to go to the post where a bouquet was waiting for here.
Not only is the fella romantic, he’s got a good palate. Here’s the menu: Oysters, fruit, Champagne, coffee, and croissants. Yum. On more than one level.
From Your Romance Coach, Kathryn Lord
Just a little over a year ago, my 81 year old mother (she’s now 82) got married for the second time. She and her new husband George (86) rented a cottage on the beach for their honeymoon, and had such a nice time that they made reservations for the following year to celebrate their first anniversary. They just got back from honeymoon #2, again had a wonderful time, and reserved the cabin for next year!
From Your Romance Coach, Kathryn Lord
While we have learned to both love and hate email, the best way to send a love letter is the old-fashioned way, on paper, hand-written, and in an envelop. Jill Brennan, a love letter expert, got in touch with me by email (well, she wasn’t sending ME a love letter, so that was okay) and offered up the following for my readers. If you have ever been at a loss for how to put your loving thoughts and feelings on paper, Jill has her way with words:
How to Write a Love Letter in 6 Easy Steps
by Jill Brennan
You want to tell your partner how you feel about them but you end up staring at a blank screen for so long you give up. Or you try a few lines only to delete them all and start over. Again. Why is it so hard to tell the loved one in our life exactly what they mean to us? Do you struggle to find the words to properly convey how you feel? Or is it that you just can’t explain it? Don’t let words get in the way of telling your loved one how much they mean to you.
Everyone wants to be loved. When you are busy living life, there never seems time to slow down and really savour that central relationship that makes it all worthwhile. Oftentimes we think that those closest to us know exactly how we feel about them and how important they are to us. But the sad reality is that often they don’t.
So how can you write a love letter that you will feel proud to give and one that your loved one will cherish for all time? Where do you start? Follow these easy tips below and you’ll be on your way in no time.
1. First write down 5 things that you love about your partner and be as specific as possible. Rather than writing that they are kind, instead be detailed about how they are kind. Perhaps they always smile at waiters in restaurants or they are great at making people feel included, especially at parties.
2. Write down 5 things that they have done that confirms how much you love them and again, give examples. Perhaps they enveloped you in a hug last night when you were feeling frustrated about your family. Or maybe they knew how disappointed you were when you missed out on that promotion and they cooked a special meal to cheer you up.
3. Pick the best three examples from each of the above categories and weave them into your letter. You could start by saying “I love how you...” and then include the three examples from the first point. Then you could say something like “I loved the way you...” and then mention the other examples. Make semphasizemphasise how their actions made you feel, how loved you felt and how grateful you are to have them in your life.
4. It is best to write up a draft first and then go over it to see if you can improve it. Sometimes it helps to write up what you want to say, edit it until it flows well and then leave it for a day or two before going back for a final edit and polish.
5. Buy some special paper and write out your letter. Don’t worry if your handwriting isn’t perfect—it’s distinctly yours and your loved one will appreciate the time and effort you put into the letter. If you feel your writing is so bad it will be difficult to read or if your illegible handwriting is something you’ve argued about before then pay to get it hand written by a professional. At a stretch you could use a more romantic font on your computer, say Garamond in italic, but you should really only do that as a last resort. The more personal you can make your letter the more your loved one will treasure it.
6. Think about how you plan on delivering this letter to them. Will you slip it in their briefcase? Mail it? Leave it under the pillow? Do you want to be there when they open it? If you want to see their reaction, then it is best to hand it to them. You could team the letter up with a small gift like flowers or chocolate but make sure the gift doesn’t diminish the letter as you want that to be the main focus.
If a birthday or anniversary or other special occasion is involved you’ll want to include mention of that too.
****
If you’re still not sure you’re up to writing your own love letter, don’t worry. Jill Brennan has written a range of great easy-to-use love templates that you can use as is or incorporate into your own unique letter. To find out more visit the love letter website.
From Your Romance Coach, Kathryn Lord
A week ago today, we got up before dawn to go to a lovely wedding on the beach in Massachusetts. Much as we and other guests grumbled at the early hour (a 4:15am wake-up call), it was delightful to be on the beach at that hour and to watch the sun come up behind the couple said their vows. And you’ll see by the photo of Craig and Jocelyn that the light was incredible.
I was also struck by the other couples present, that both the men and the women seemed to indulge the romantic swoon of the occasion. Weddings are wonderful places to reaffirm love and commitment and the traditions of the ages, and to re-experience falling in love and courtship, even if you are an old married couple.
Craig and Jocelyn were first noticed as a couple by the rest of the family at Craig’s sister Elizabeth’s Texas wedding in January 2004. They met on one of Craig’s visits to Elizabeth, and carried on a long-distance courtship (Massachusetts to Texas) until Craig moved south this summer. Long distance relationships can work out—Drew and I live 482 miles apart when we met on Match.com in 1998. Though usually it requires someone to do the moving.
Best wishes to Jocelyn and Craig, now in Scotland for their honeymoon!
From Your Romance Coach, Kathryn Lord
If you are single and female and have always wanted to live in Ireland, you ought to consider traveling to Lisdoonvarna. Men too may want to go, but it sounds like women have the numerical advantage. Where’s that and what do you do there? Well, golly, you look for a Sweetheart!
I’ve not heard of this before, but it looks like (pardon the expression!) a match made in heaven!All during September, particularly on the weekends, the little town of Lisdoonvarna, County Clare in Ireland, celebrates and enhances matchmaking. Singles from all over Ireland and beyond gather to look for love. Last year, 40,000 people attended, and 7,000 per weekend is not unusual. For a feel of the event, check out this article.
If you’d like to check out lots and lots of mate possibilities the old fashioned way—face to face—then this festival is for you.
From Your Romance Coach, Kathryn Lord
And of course, this is the traditional cake cutting ceremony. George did ask Mom when we were driving them to the church if she was going to push the cake into his face. Luckily, I have only seen the youngest folks turn what is so pretty into a hostile act. 
We’ve not had any wedding pictures in the past few days. How boring. Here’s a nice picture of the cake and couple before the cake got demolished in about 5 minutes flat.
Readers of my enewsletter *eMAIL to eMATE* know that I was pretty stepped back before Valentine’s Day. As natural as it would seem for a Romance Coach to capitalize on the holiday for lovers, I just didn’t feel like it. My readers knew that Valentine’s Day was coming, and they didn’t need me to bludgeon them with the news. So I didn’t try at all to get my media contacts stirred up to feature me in the flood of articles that came out all over the press.
However, Cori Bolger at the Clarion Ledger in Jackson, MS, did give me a call for some juicy quotes. Cori had interviewed me before, and knew that she could count on me for the article she was writing about last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts. Cori wrote a very clever article, and in the paper Monday, the article even had a picture of me. The online version left that out, but here’s the link so that you can read what she and I had to say: Click here!
I didn’t know what Cori was going to ask me, so I wasn’t really prepared, but frankly, I think I came up with some good ideas. The two best ones? On our first Valentine’s Day together, Drew gave me a framed copy of the first email I sent him, making the contact that eventually brought us together. It now hangs in our bedroom. The second idea was pure on-the-spot inspiration: Go to the grocery store and buy a box of strawberries and a can of chocolate Reddi Whip (that whipped cream that comes in an aerosol can).
Interestingly enough, I had never even had chocolate Reddi Whip. But I bought some, with the strawberries, and let me tell you, that is one hot combination! Chocolate Reddi Whip tastes like chocolate mousse. Yum, yum, yum.
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