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The Scents of Romance

If you’re planning something romantic for Valentine’s Day (or any date night with your spouse), you can use aromatherapy to help set the mood. The right scent can help your loved one relax and enjoy the evening. Spicy and herbal, woodsy scents can mimic human scents — the pheromones that help make us attractive to others. Here are some scents you can try for your romantic evening! Anise — you may recognize it better as the smell of licorice — is appealing to both men and women, according to studies from the Chicago Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Institute. … Continue reading →

Rose

The rose has a long, romantic history. But while this flower is mostly known in the arena of love, it also has some notable entries in the book of medicine. History suggests that Greek colonists first introduced the rose to southern Italy. The Romans crowned newlyweds with crowns of the fragrant flowers. Rose water — bruised petals boiled in water — was used as early as the tenth century. Rose attar (also known as otto) appeared in the sixteenth century. Native Americans used rose petals (mixed with grease or dried and powdered) to treat sores and blisters. Petals soaked in … Continue reading →

A Look at Pheromones

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You may have heard of pheromones when people talk about attracting a mate. But that isn’t the only thing pheromones do. What are pheromones? They are chemical signals given off by the body. Pheromones can exert a subtle influence on the people around you! Pheromones are perhaps best known for attracting mates. It isn’t hard to find perfumes and colognes that claim to help you attract the opposite sex with the power of pheromones! Research has shown that pheromones may help prevent inbreeding — we have an involuntary preference for mates who do not smell like family members. Studies have … Continue reading →

Frugal Fire Starters

During the week, I try to pick up lots of twigs around the yard to use as kindling for our fireplace. While we mostly use the fireplace as amusement, some day, we may want to fit it to be used as an alternative source of heat for our home. That said, starting the fire in the fireplace can sometimes be a daunting task. it helps to have a good stack of fire starters ready to go. You can buy fire starters of course, those little things that light fast and burn slowly enough to help your logs catch on fire. … Continue reading →

A Chocoholic’s Dream Destination

You know you’re in a special place when your tour guide warns you not to lick the walls… That warning may be hard to heed when visiting the new Godiva Chocolate room located inside of Manhattan’s Bryant Park Hotel. The pre-Valentine’s Day creation will not be available for guests until May, but some lucky visitors got a sneak peek of the sweet suite last week. If you are watching your waistline don’t bother to tempt yourself with a stay—-this room is made for serious chocoholics who have no qualms about indulging in the tasty treat. How can you resist when … Continue reading →

Romancing Candlemas: Light Your Fire with Old Traditions

Before Valentine’s Day comes Candlemas. (Which is also known as Groundhog’s Day in some circles. However, for our purposes –which is to bring romance into our lives on February 2– I’m sticking with the day’s more poetic name.) What is Candlemas? It all started back in ancient times with Imbolc, a pagan ceremony that celebrated the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Gaelic and Irish cultures (pre-Christianity) dedicated the day to Brigid, goddess of poetry, healing, and smithcraft. Christian’s later continued the tradition by honoring it as St. Brigid’s Day. The day’s main purpose was to … Continue reading →

Favorite Valentines Gifts for the Home

Forget the candy and perfume. This year, for Valentine’s Day, why not ask for or give a gift that you can enjoy in your home. Chances are the gift will last longer than a card or chocolates, and will be remembered for years to come. Here are some of my favorite ideas. A down comforter: You’ll be able to snuggle and sleep in with your honey when you are warm under a fluffy down comforter. Look for new features in comforters, such as EcoDown, which is hyper allergenic, and different levels of warmth. you can check out this article for … Continue reading →