Dimple Date

Relationships take work.  So does cross-country skiing.  If you’re athletic and up for the challenge, power your way through snow on cross-country skis.  You’ll have plenty of time for cool conversations (literally) while getting an intense workout.  Warning: This is NOT for everyone.  Know your athletic ability and tolerance level for both cold weather and trails that MAY be difficult to follow.

Leave a Comment February 21, 2013

Love Tip:

Be Pavlov.  On the most beautiful days, spend time outdoors with the one you love (or the person you are interested in).  Eventually that person will associate every gorgeous day with you.  What better compliment than to be remembered with the  beauty of the world!

Leave a Comment February 20, 2013

• A friend asked a question about long distance relationships, and that has prompted me to write on this issue.

  I’ve only done the long distance thing once.  Well, twice, if you count a summer “love” from when I was 14.  We met at a dance in Stone Harbor, NJ.  We left the dance and walked on the beach.  We shared a very innocent kiss on the lips.  We became pen pals for several months until it dwindled.  I have no romantic regrets, but I wish I had kept in contact with him.  You can never have too many friends.

  The time I really had a long distance relationship was when I was 24 years old.  I had already dated my boyfriend at the time for two years, and I spent part of one summer studying abroad for grad school.  It was a short period of time, but he paid to have international service and called me a few mornings a week before my class, which was crazy late for him and crazy early for me.  The amount of time I had been away did not affect us too much.  If we had just entered into the relationship, I think it would have been more problematic.  So perhaps I’m not the best person to discuss this topic, but bear with me.

  People CAN and DO have healthy long distance relationships.  People in the military may have spouses at home for years on end. It doesn’t mean their relationship is any weaker. If someone moves out of state for whatever reason, there is always Skype, e-mail, texts, calls, snail mail, Facebook, Twitter, etc. You can keep in touch regularly and make your in-person meetings that much more meaningful.  The positive aspects are clear.  Everyday aggravations are at a minimum.  When you talk, you have less time to nag each other about cooking and cleaning or the way one of you looked at that waiter or waitress last night and more time to talk about the important aspects of your day. Plus, your significant other might actually LISTEN to you when you say what that awful coworker or boss said to you; however, the negatives can be twofold. 1. The second you are both living in the same town again (presuming that at some point, maybe even a decade later, you will live nearby or together), the annoyances could be difficult to adjust to. When you see someone often, you know what bugs you about the other person and you are reminded that you can take those aspects with the good ones. Without seeing the person often, you forget the annoyances and might end up thinking the other person changed for the worse when you do finally see them constantly. (I never remember him biting his fingers!  I don’t recall her cursing during every sporting event on the TV!  Did s/he really put the toilet paper roll on facing THAT way?  Why does he need to fall asleep to TALK RADIO?)

  The other negative aspect is that any attention CAN BE  good attention. This means that it can be healthy to be annoyed at each other.  Perhaps that will help if you are able to be reunited on a regular basis.  It can sometimes be detrimental if you are not reunited though.  Being able to suffer through the perils of a relationship reminds us that we are human. When your friends are complaining about their partners’ snoring, you might not have anything to complain about.  It may remind you that you’re not with the one you love and you might start wanting someone who can fulfill a connection in person and in real time.  It might make you pay closer attention to the people around you who ARE giving you attention.  Be cautious.  It’s good to have friends, but don’t give yourself or your partner the opportunity to become closer with to someone else.  I know several long distance relationships that have broken up this way.

  Like any relationship, if you want it to work, make sure you really, truly work at it.  Nothing will ever work unless you let the other person into your life.  Don’t give up on each other by saying, s/he won’t understand because s/he’s not here.  One of my best friends lives far away from me, and I have always felt like I’ve known every person in her life from her next door neighbors to her mail carrier.  Good communication goes a long way.  Talk about the little, the big, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the utterly ridiculous.  Long distance relationships can work as well as any other relationship if you both love each other and try enough.

  Love is a conversation that continues even after you’ve said good night.

Leave a Comment February 19, 2013

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is there to hear it, it probably DID make a sound.   However, if I were a tree falling down after 500 years of offering shade and shelter for animals, I would HOPE that EVERYONE  would hear me go.  If I were in a relationship with a great guy after years of being single, I’d want to tell everyone!  I’d want to wear my heart on my sleeve, face, and, well, Facebook!

Making a relationship Facebook Official can be a dilemma.  While some may be willing to share their relationship status with over 900 of their “closest” friends from pre-K through last night, others may want to keep the relationship privy to the people they confide in the most.  Being a fan of the first scenario, it is hard for me to rectify the difference between being a dirty little secret and being in a special romance that doesn’t need online Likes.  I don’t necessarily need the attention, but I want to feel that my relationship is WORTHY of others knowing about it.

Billy Joel says, “It’s a matter of trust.”  You can trust that someone who is in a relationship with you will be faithful and honest, but you can also trust that your friends would tell you if they were in relationships.  If you’re hiding that special relationship, what else might you be hiding?  Why aren’t you willing to share your status with your Facebook friends?  Is it because you don’t want that cute ex of yours to suddenly realize you’re not available?  Is it because you’re ashamed of the person you’re dating?

These are all legitimate questions.  People may debate me and say they don’t want their family members to start asking questions or have to deal with people seeing that they are suddenly IN a relationship and suddenly OUT of it if it doesn’t work.  To those on the other side, I question your feelings.  Just how interested are you if you aren’t willing to deal with outside opinions.  Perhaps if it is not worth the risk of sharing it publicly, it might not be worth acting on it privately.

And that, my friends, is my Facebook Official opinion.

Leave a Comment July 24, 2012

Blue Cross RiverRink is a great place to spend date night!  Hold hands and skate under the stars and beside the picturesque Delaware River while listening to music! riverrink.com

Leave a Comment December 1, 2011

Skiing is a great date for the adventurous!  Whether you’re whisking down a bunny hill or rising in midair on the terrain park, if all goes well, the adrenaline rush won’t be just because you did your first double diamond.   Ski lifts were made so you could get a little closer to your partner. (Otherwise, they would have used trains.)  Snow glistens like clean and clear crystals as you glide gently above the wintry paradise, snuggling with your date, cold noses bumping as you sensually snog.  If you get to the bottom of the hill and you can’t get enough lip action, just grab the closest chairs to the fireplace in the lodge or go back to the cabin.

The Poconos has a variety of ski places.

Check out: Bear Creek http://bcmountainresort.com/winter/winter_terrainpark.aspx

Blue Mountain   http://www.skibluemt.com/

and Jack Frost & Big Boulder  http://www.jfbb.com/

Jack Frost and Big Boulder have some excellent lodging facilities perfect for your date or group outing.

Leave a Comment November 1, 2011

I’m madly in love with Robert Langdon, but you don’t have to be. In fact, I don’t want the competition.  Here’s a date that will appeal to author Dan Brown fans, history buffs, and architecture addicts alike. The Grand Lodge of the Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania is located in Philadelphia.  They don’t call this gorgeous structure grand without reason, but don’t take my word.  Take the tour.  Check out pagrandlodge.org.

1 Comment May 30, 2011

Put your stereotypes about bowling alleys into the gutter.  Lucky Strike is not your typical bowling alley.  You’d be more likely to see the characters from Across the Universe knocking down pins than the characters from King of the Hill.   Complete with lanes, billiards, bars, bottle service, and a menu, Lucky Strike is more of an upscale lounge where there’s more to do than just sit.  So get lucky…     bowlluckystrike.com

Leave a Comment May 7, 2011

You only have one chance to make a first impression.  The Renault Winery in Egg Harbor City, NJ offers an amazing dishes from brunch to dinner.  Be sure to tour the winery and learn how they make some of the best local flavors including their specialty, Blueberry Wine.  Remember to drink responsibly.  Spending a couple nights at the hotel on the premises is an excellent way to extend your romantic time, but try to make reservations in advance.

renaultwinery.com

2 Comments May 4, 2011

Shower your date with kisses while learning all about how candy is made inside Hershey’s Chocolate World.  Be sure to stop in the shop and pick up some favorites to take home or take back to the hotel.

Hershey’s Chocolate World is open year-round, as well as Hershey’s lodging facilities, which offer even more chocolate-infused fun!

Check out hersheys.com/chocolateworld/index.shtml and thehotelhershey.com/accommodations/index.php and hersheylodge.com.

Leave a Comment May 3, 2011