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Ranked #29,219 in Culture & Society, #572,045 overall

A Romantic Paris Weekend in Your Own Home!

Or a weekend jaunt to Paris with a few of your favorite friends!

"It's surprisingly easy to reproduce the cosmopolitan romance of Paris in your own home...

Create a French cafe by setting up a little round table surrounded by spindly-legged cafe chairs. Add a crisp white tablecloth, drinking glasses and a couple of bottles of Evian or Perrier.

Hang inexpensive posters by French artists. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City sells prints at www.metmuseum.org/store.

Buy French newspapers and magazines at a newsstand that sells international publications.

Enjoy Paris from the air with Robert Cameron's and Pierre Salinger's breathtaking Above Paris a marvelous book of aerial photographs.

See Paris via video. Recommended films: The Red Balloon(1956)... Les Enfants du Paradis (1945, English subtitles)...The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964, English subtitles)...An American in Paris (1951).

Set the mood with music. Edith Piaf: Her Greatest Recordings 1935-1943 ... Josephine Baker: J'ai Deux Amours and Paris My Love, a compilation of traditional Parisian love songs.

And the food... Breakfast: Croissants and steaming cafe au lait. Lunch: A picnic with baguettes, Camembert, apples, oranges, pears, a bottle of Evian and/or a good Burgundy. Dinner: Select a menu from The Food Lover's Guide to France, The Food Lover's Guide to Paris (both of which are out of print) or Bistro Cooking, all by award-winning restaurant critic Patricia Wells."

(from BottomLineSecrets.com: Source: Weekend Away (Without Leaving Home) (Conari).)

 

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PASSION IGNITED

The Healing Power of Sex
Sex involves more than procreation -- or recreation. As countless studies have shown, an intimate, sexually satisfying relationship reduces the risk of heart disease... depression... migraine... premenstrual syndrome... and arthritis. It also boosts the immune system.

But sex is genuinely healing only if it transcends the mechanical, self-pleasure variety promoted by sex experts.

Indeed, the central goal of sexual healing should not be orgasm -- but connection with your partner.

BUY the books from this article below!
Daily Love Fortunes by Sugar Paper
daily love fortunes
just in time for valentine's day, this matchbook of daily fortunes is the perfect love predictor. there are 24 original fortunes all foil stamped in gold on pink paper and the entire book can fit easily inside a card or present. so give one away to that special someone or keep it for yourself and see what words of wisdom come your way.
Aphrodisiacs from the Cooking Couple
Aphrodisiac: A drug or food that stimulates sexual desire. Food and sex have been linked for centuries. Almost any food can ignite passion if it's prepared and eaten with love in mind. (See the movie Like Water for Chocolate) Here's a list from across the globe of foods that have a reputation to ignite love and lust.
The Color of Love (and the meaning of Roses)
A man once gave me a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses, with one lone red rose. At the time, I didn't know that the different colors meant anything. A missed chance at romance? sigh.
Desserts for Two
Easy to do, Sweets for two.
Cooking for Two
Cooking for two, including a menu entitled "Romantic Table".

AMAZON BOOKS: LIGHTING THE FIRE!!

The Pleasure Prescription
Educational psychologist Pearsall has written a book based on the 2000-year-old Polynesian concept of Aloha, embracing the five principles of patience, unity, agreement, humility, and kindness.

Booty Food
Doesn't this sound amazingly lovely? "A Date By Date, Nibble by Nibble, Course by Course Guide to Cultivating Love and Passion Through Food

Food as Foreplay
Recipes for Romance, Love and Lust contains over 100 quick, easy, fun recipes and dozens of tips that will get you out of the kitchen and into the bedroom. The authors are happily married authors practicing what they preach.

PILLOW TALK AND SWEET NOTHINGS

28 Ways to Make a Girl Smile
Men, need help in making us smile? Read this!
How to say "I Love You"
Here's how to say "I Love You" in 100 languages!
I Love Quotes
Over 3,000 Quotes on this Website that talk only of LOVE... a favorite "Description" of LOVE is from the movie - Captain Corelli's Mandolin:

"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are.

Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two."
- Captain Corelli's Mandolin

Shower the world with loving thoughts ... Valentine's is right around the corner!

Sending Love Across the Lines
Free E-cards to send your love to those you love!
Valentine Notes
Order darling Valentine Notes from philoSophie's Online Store. Selected as of the "Best Entrepreneurs Under 25", check out the delightful collection of stationery, notecards, announcements and more! Send a free philoSophie's Ecard to anyone with an email address. New custom design available each month!

LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE

Older woman, younger man relationships
Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher. Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins. These pioneering couples are just the most visible December-May hookups of older women dating younger men.

Books in the article (see Books to BUY below!):
"The Unofficial Guide to Dating Again"
"Older Women, Younger Men: New Options for Love and Romance"
Ask Your Questions About Love
Brenda Shoshanna, Ph.D., is the official iVillage.com "Relationship Saver" where she provides free advice. Visit here and ask her for tips, ideas and expert advice about your relationship and mental health questions.
ARTICLES: Relationship Advise and Inspirational Stories
Links to many articles on relationships, including such articles as:

CREATE A SPIRITUAL LOVE NEST
Can't sleep? No sex drive? No partner? The problem may be rooted in your bedroom. Feng Shui expert Nancy SanPietro offers tips and makes over a Beliefnet member's bedroom.

WHY DATING IS GOOD FOR YOUR SOUL
Dating is usually seen as a road to marriage--but we shouldn't overlook the spiritual value of dating for its own sake.By Donna Freitas

MANIFESTING TRUE LOVE
If you don't believe love is possible for you, it will never happen. But if you do believe...
By Daphne Rose Kingma

WOULD YOU USE MAGIC TO GET YOUR MAN?
Wiccan priestess Phyllis Curott shares her love spell.
Compatibility ToolKit
Are you looking for your soul mate? Are you in a relationship and wondering if your partner is "the one?" If you answered yes to either one of these questions, this toolkit can help you along in your journey.
BUY THE BOOK!!! "The Love Compatibility Book: The Twelve Personality Traits that Can Lead You to Your Soulmate."
Drawing on the latest research on human personality and the seminal work of Abraham Maslow, Hoffman and Weiner highlight twelve key traits that underlie romantic compatibility.

AMAZON: MOVIES TO LOVE BY

Chocolat
"With movies like Chocolat, it's always best to relax your intellectual faculties and absorb the abundant sensual pleasures, be it the heart-stopping smile of chocolatier Juliette Binoche as she greets a new customer, an intoxicating cup of spiced hot cocoa, or the soothing guitar of an Irish gypsy played by Johnny Depp." (sigh!)

Like Water For Chocolate
"Expect to be very hungry (and perhaps amorous) after watching this contemporary classic..."

Amelie
"Perhaps the most charming movie of all time, Amelie is certainly one of the top 10. The title character (the bashful and impish Audrey Tautou) is a single waitress who decides to help other lonely people fix their lives."

Don Juan DeMarco
"Walking a fine line between precious comedy, wistful drama, and delicate fantasy, the movie gets a big dose of charm from its esteemed cast, with Depp delivering dialogue that would have sounded ludicrous from a lesser actor. This may not be a great movie, but it is guaranteed to put you in an amorous mood."

SWEETS FOR MY SWEET

Compartes Chocolates
As seen in LA Times, Saveur, Zagat Survey ... If you don't live in Los Angeles and can't make it to their famous Valentine Chocolate Decadence Dinners, then buy their candy online. "A well kept secret among lovers of fine candies ..." Bon Appetit.
Velatis Italian Caramels
This is the BEST ... I repeat, THE BEST candy in the world. My favorite is the vanilla sugary caramel, which is NOT like regular chewy caramels. WARNING: I have a major sweet tooth,so I love that these are sugary and melt in your mouth. I understand that some folks (thanks Aunt Kay) find them too sweet.
Intemperantia - European Chocolates
The chocolate is rightly called "European Designer Chocolate" since chocolate specialties from the different regions of Europe are imported fresh. The chocolate is made in Switzerland, and the recipes come from all over Europe. These recipes are exclusive to Intemperantia.
Peanut Brittle Bruttles
"Passed down from generations, Bruttles has become a confectionary phenomenon in Spokane, WA. Once people try it, they love it. With a recipe for soft peanut butter brittle from our Aunt Sophia, we started by offering turndown treats at the Davenport Hotel.

Now we offer a variety of candy from hard peanut brittle, caramels, turtles, soft peanut butter brittle, and even some fantastic chocolate dipped candies."

Valentine's Dinners in LA (even if you're single!) (sorry, LA only)

Velentine Dinner for Singles and Couples
Chocolatier Jonathan Grahm will be hosting a succession of sinful dinners starting the evening of Friday, February 10th (singles night) and continuing through the big day. Each evening, chocolate-themed multi-course meals will be served on the whimsical outdoor patio where indulgent homemade menu offerings will include handcrafted chocolate pasta, chocolate tinged organic salad, heart-shaped molten lava cakes, truffles, gigantic chocolate dipped strawberries, chocolate gelato, and a selection of chocolate tea with rosebuds and European style hot cocoa. Seating is limited, so make your reservations now; chocolate is supposed to be an aphrodisiac after all...
Compartes
912 S. Barrington Ave.
Brentwood, California
P: 310.826.3380
Aphrodisiac for Dinner
Bedroom-inspired bistro aims to seduce diners with sophisticated American fare and an arousing take on room service.

AMAZON BOOKS: I CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE IN LOVE WITH YOU (OR, NOT!)

The Unofficial Guide to Dating Again
For many varied reasons, a vast numbers of adults may find themselves single.
Zen and the Art of Falling in Love
From Publishers Weekly. To find love, take off your shoes, sit on a cushion and do nothing, advises the author of Zen Miracles. These and 10 other Zen-based practices, Shoshanna says, will help prepare you to receive love, and, eventually, to build lasting, meaningful relationships.
Too Good to Leave, Too Bad to Stay
For those struggling to decide if a relationship is worth trying to save, Kirshenbaum (clinical director, Chestnut Hill Inst.) knows the issues and explains them clearly, presenting 36 well-phrased and well-ordered diagnostic questions, giving examples, and then succinctly offering guidelines to follow. Those who give certain answers to the diagnostic questions will be faced not only with a realization of how deep the problems may be but also with Kirshenbaum's repeated admonitions that "most people who answered the question the way you did were happy they left and unhappy they stayed."
Older Women, Younger Men : New Options for Love and Romance
ForeWord Magazine, September 2000
"The book handles a timely, yet touchy, subject in a tasteful manner."

THE HISTORY OF VALENTINE'S DAY

History Lesson
Scholars have two main theories to explain how February 14 became synonymous with romance, according to University of Notre Dame Professor Lawrence Cunningham.

The Roman Feast of Lupercalia is an ancient pagan fertility celebration, which honored Juno, queen of the Roman gods and goddesses and goddess of women and marriage. It was held on February 14, the day before the feast began. During festival time, women would write love letters, also known as billets, and leave them in a large urn. The men of Rome would then draw a note from the urn and ardently pursue the woman who wrote the message they had chosen.

Apparently, the custom of lottery drawings to select valentines continued into the 18th century, coming to an end when people decided they'd rather choose - sight seen - their valentines.

In the Middle Ages, people began to send love letters on Valentine's Day. Medieval Europeans believed that birds began to mate on February 14.

There is also some controversy regarding St. Valentine, for whom the famous day is named.

Archaeologists, who unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to St. Valentine, are not sure if there was one Valentine or more. Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred on February 14 - at least two of those in Italy during the 3rd century.

The most popular candidate for St. Valentine was a 3rd century Roman priest who practiced Christianity and performed secret marriages against direct orders from Emperor Claudius II, who believed single soldiers were more likely to join his army. Legend has it that Valentine sent a friend - the jailer's daughter - a note signed "From Your Valentine" before he was executed on February 14 in 270 A.D.

That phrase is still used prominently on today's Valentine's Day cards.

Early Christians were happier with the idea of a holiday honoring the saint of romantic causes than with one recognizing a pagan festival. In 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius named February 14 in honor of St. Valentine as the patron saint of lovers. In 1969, Pope Paul VI dropped it from the calendar. However, the blend of Roman festival and Christian martyrdom had caught on.

Valentine's Day was here to stay.

SINGLE? IS LOVE ELUSIVE? MAYBE YOU'RE A QUIRKY ALONE!!

Quirky Alone
Welcome to the quirkyalone movement, a community of independent thought on singledom, life, and love! "Who are the quirkyalones? There are many definitions, but we'll start with this one. Quirkyalones are people who resist the tyranny of coupledom. Oddly enough, we quirkyalones also tend to be romantics. We resist the tyranny of coupledom because we would prefer to be open to the possibilities that life has to offer than be in an unsatisfying relationship. That is, to date for the sake of dating, or be in a relationship for the sake of being part of a couple."
BUY THE BOOK! QuirkyAlone: A Manifesto for Uncompromising Romantics
"Quirkyalones are not anti-love and certainly not anti-sex -merely 'anti-dull relationships'. They would rather spend time hanging out with friends, people with whom they have a real rapport, than endure a bad date. It's certainly a great antidote to Rachel Greenwald's terrifying new book, The Program, which has stormed America and 'revolutionised the dating game'. Greenwald,who is to romance what Attila the Hun was to peace studies, believes lone women should market themselves like a brand, wear Wonderbras at all times and tell everyone in their address book that they are seeking a husband."-London Observer

THE LOOK OF LOVE

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