Todays How To: Reconnecting With Your Lover

Relationships take work. Its true for every single pair of people on the planet from platonic friendships to passionate lovers - it ALL takes work. The first few months of any relationship are typically filled with random marks of chivalry and assertions of interest. You might send flowers. You might write long, hand written love notes... You might show up with a case of chocolates or you might even book a trip to a lovely bed and breakfast...

But what happens around year two? What happens when the makeup has rubbed off, the perfume is replaced with morning breath and the way she used to select your ties for you now seems more like mothering than partnering? What do you do when you want to opt out?

Well, like most successful, handsome, dapper gentlemen whose bravado is only rivaled by TV Actors and the ever-present narcissist you might want to run. You might want to cheat. You might want to start pulling away so she decides to leave you. And while we're certain that to many of you the options above seem reductive and contrived, you'd be astonished to know how many of our own personal femme fetales have suffered under the weight of those very actions.

And if you are one of the many men who suffers from any of the aforementioned relationship-outs, we'd like to suggest a new trick to try... after all, what's the harm in at least trying? As we once warned, there is NOTHING more pathetic than a man coming back after months of being in a "selfish phase," just to run off again, soon after his weak return.

The Power of Board Games.

To some people this might seem trivial or even childish. You might spend so much time wound up in a business suit that you can't even remember how light and fun games can actually be. You might not want to be seen buying a board game - especially a sexy one at that. And lastly, you might not be sure that your lover wants to play! Perhaps he or she is a tightly bound cynical vixen who thinks trivial fun is for children. But we dare you to try... After all, once you enter this world you are CERTAIN to find something to sooth your problem area.

How To...

1. Identify the issue in your relationship
Relationships have particular issues such as communication, power-play, etc. and it would serve you well to consider the problem and choose a game that would help to explore the issue in fun way.

2. Stay In
Making this a "stay at home" evening will ensure that you are both at your most comfortable by "Game Time." You might want to refer to one of our first "How-To's" entitled "Oysters on the Half Shell," and create a chic night of delicious aphrodisiacs...

But even if you create your own meal, showing that you put thought into the entire evening will leave your partner feeling appreciated and more open to communication. Trust us.

3. Tentative Plan
A - When your date arrives make sure you have at least started the meal. This seemingly small detail will show that you were not only eager to begin the night but you can now invite her to join you and preparing dinner can be a brilliantly natural bonding moment. Not to mention, by working in a team you start to establish a team mentality and that's key in any relationship. Remember Sirs, tiny details lead to large rewards...

B - Give her a task right away. Its sexy when a man has a plan. Period.

C - Have the table pre-set. That way you don't have to retreat from the sensual mindset that cooking together creates and slide into the mechanics of flatware. Tip: Unless your date is a set designer, she probably doesn't want to set the table for you. Ever.

D - Eat Up!
(Note: You might want to consider including a dessert. And as quiet as its kept, strawberry shortcake is an easy choice and you CERTAINLY CAN make it all your own. See recipe at end of article.)

E- Board Game!
This is the time to present the idea of the board game (if you haven't already spoken to her about it. Either way is fine. It all depends on your comfort level). Trick to Try: If you are uncertain about how to introduce the game, try blind folding her and letting her know you have a surprise for her. You might even lead her to a softer area like the living room. The brief walk alone will cause a few giggles and lighten the mood.

F - Explain the purpose of the game. Tell your partner the issue you've identified and why you chose a board game to explore it. The key to establishing good communication is showing that you care, and indicating that you've thought long and hard about them will inevitably earn you points.

G - HAVE FUN!

The rest is yours, sirs. But please browse around the web and give "communication" a new life. It doesn't have to be a long winded, annoying conversation - it CAN be fun.

Cheers,
The Swills

Where to find games online:

http://www.candlelightmessages.com
http://www.simply4lovers.com

Strawberry Shortcake!

Strawberry Shortcake is a nostalgic, delicious, fresh dessert
that will undoubtedly make you look like a thoughtful
partner who knows a bit about grandma's
favorite recipes...

1. Go to the local grocery and grab some Bisquick, eggs and various other ingredients for the biscuit recipe. Don't forget the large strawberries too! (And if you really love your partner, you will want to include a signature mark on this otherwise simple dessert and a good idea would be to whip the cream yourself... It takes 5 minutes and who knows what fun you could dream up with a fresh bowl of whipped cream. Click here to see the VERY few steps to making your own whipped cream.)

2. Strawberries first! Cut the strawberries in half and sprinkle lots of sugar over them. Tuck them in the refrigerator for a few hours and go jump in the shower and get well groomed.

3. Biscuits Last! You can mix the biscuit ingredients before dinner and pop them in the refrigerator too, but don't cook them before dinner. They smell amazing as they bake and take about 15 minutes. You can tuck them in the oven as you notice your date finishing their meal.

4. Whipped Cream! When the biscuits are done, take them out of the oven to cool. Since whipping your own cream only takes about 5 minutes you can do this while the biscuits cool. Invite her into the kitchen while you whip up dessert. Its very sexy to watch a man navigate his way through a meal.

5. Presentation! You might notice that we put a photo of a somewhat imperfect example at the top of this post, but we want to encourage you to NOT focus on the appearance of the dessert. It truly is the thought that counts.