Fresh, fun, and sexy date ideas

It's easy to fall into the old dinner-and-a-movie routine, either out of habit or because you can't think of anything better to do. "Once the courting phase ends and people shift into a more comfortable zone, there's less incentive to come up with fresh ideas," says Courtney Cooke, author of Create a Date. "But if you don't mix things up, the relationship can get stale." Luckily, all you need is a little creative inspiration and a sense of adventure.

 

These suggestions should get you started

1. Have a DIY dinner. Set up a taco bar with all the fixings or make homemade pizza. "Creating something together is interactive, so it brings you closer," says relationship therapist Sandra Anne Taylor.
2. Plan a Sideways-style excursion and hit a vineyard for a wine tasting.
3. Spend the weekend day with your man, sipping cocktails and people-watching at a bar.
4. In the afternoon, visit open houses and fantasize about buying your dream home. "It'll help you look forward to what your relationship can be down the road," says Taylor.
5. Go on an edu-date. Taking classes on anything from Italian to film bonds you and introduces you to new things.
6. Hit a playground or an amusement park. Use the swing set, go on rides, win a teddy bear — you know, have fun like you did when you were a kid.
7. Play around-the-world cocktails. Sample one specialty drink from a wine bar, one from a pub, and another from a Russian vodka room. Take a taxi
8. Take him to a NASCAR-style event. Any guy obsessed with wheels (aren't they all?) will love a trip to the races.
9. Throw on your sexiest preppy duds and hit the indoor-golf driving range.
10. Pamper yourselves with a couples massage at a day spa. "It's a relaxing, sensual experience that can put you in an amorous mood as well," says Janice Levine, PhD, a clinical psychologist in Lexington, Massachusetts.
11. Book a room at a local hotel for only one night. To add an element of mystery, don't tell him where you're going.
12. Want to know if you have a future with your guy? Visit a psychic. You don't have to buy into her predictions, but at least you'll have a good laugh.
13. Instead of eating dinner in front of the TV, grab a blanket, a baguette, and Brie and have a picnic under the stars. Or nibble on finger foods in bed.
14. Test your luck at a nearby casino or horse race. Bring only a set amount of cash that you can afford to lose.
15. Go to a WWE event instead of a comedy club to bust a gut.

How To Boost Your Sex Life The Natural Way!

A look at some natural aphrodisiacs.

There are many well-known ways to boost a sagging libido, from oysters to zinc to Viagra. But what about some holistic alternatives?

First of all, with age our libidos go south -- estrogen, progesterone and especially testosterone in men and women," Cass said.

To combat a low sex drive, Cass first recommends eating right and getting enough fatty acids in your diet. "Fish oil particularly or flax oil because that's a precursor to the sex hormones."

There are a lot of herbs that actually enhance sexuality, Cass said.

Here are a few :  Sex-Boosting Herbs

•  Chrysanthemum
•  Cistanches
•  Cordyceps
•  Epimedium (a mushroom)
•  Jujube

You can get these herbs throught the shops on Everything Health and Beauty.

So is there any concern that you can take too much or that these herbs can have side effects?

"It's always good to talk to your doctor when you're on medication and taking an herb," Cass said.

Some herbs, Cass noted, actually act on the hormones themselves while others work on the circulatory system. The good news is that instead of side-effects, some of the herbs have side-benefits.

"A lot of these actually lower your blood pressure," she said. "So if you tend to have hypertension this will actually bring your blood pressure down in a much more natural way."

As for fragrance and aromatherapies, each individual has his or her own individual chemistry and things that they will prefer. But the following standards, Cass said, traditionally affect the emotional system, going "right into our emotional body and into our sensuality...and turn us on."

Stimulating Scents :

•  Ylang-Ylang
•  Rose
•  Patchouli
•  Sandalwood
•  Jasmine
•  Vanilla
•  Musk
•  Cinnamon
•  Coriander

As far as food goes, chocolate, particularly for women, is a sensuality enhancer, Cass said. Dark chocolate is probably better because you get more of the actual chocolate and less of the sugar, fat and other things.

Berries, bananas, peaches and other fruits are more about how you eat them rather then their composition, she said.

"Think of feeding each other berries, feeding each other a ripe peach or apricot," she said. "There's something very sensual about that. It's part of the foreplay."