Archive for June, 2010

Take a Walk

Simply walking outside and holding hands with your partner can help to lower stress and bring you closer to each other. Larry and I love to take walks together. It gives us a chance to connect. Walking and enjoying the fresh air, whether it is in town, your local park, ocean, lake or around the block will help lower stress, eases digestions and can reset hormone levels so you both can sleep better. Also, remember walking is free!

Enjoy Food Together

Enjoy something sinfully delicious together by splitting it. Did you know you can raise the serotonin levels which can put both of you in a good mood when you allow yourself to have that scrumptious food you have been craving? We do this a lot. When we go out to eat we will split our salad, main course and desert. We get to enjoy something we normally wouldn’t order because it is too high in fat and calories. We don’t always order decadent food but when we have a craving for something decadent at least are not eating the whole thing. When we go for coffee sometimes we will split a cookie and enjoy every last bite.

Surround Each Other With Friends and Family

When a couple is people-oriented with strong family ties and support system they are happier and healthier. I know you hear me talk about the importance of making alone time with your sweetheart but it is important to take time out for family and friends together and separately. You have a well rounded relationship then. You are more interesting to each other and you don’t have to depend on doing everything together.

Live In the Now

Savor your time together whether it is a conversation or just sitting and having a cup of coffee. Give your sweetheart your full attention. Don’t think about your to-do list. When you focus on each other instead of worrying about what will happen tomorrow you will feel more relaxed together.

Surround Your Home with Beauty

Surround each other with beautiful things. Have a clean home that smells good and has fresh cut flowers. It doesn’t have to be decorator perfect. Have your home clutter free and simple so it is easy for everyone in the family to help keep it clean. You will have a stress free environment for everyone to come home to.

Following these 5 simple steps will give you a happier, healthier and stress free relationship.

Don’t forget to gather the items I told you about last Friday if you want a romantic 4th of July.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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Last week, June 22, I mentioned there are wineries in all 50 States and you didn’t have to go to Napa, CA to visit a winery. See “Wine and Romance.” Well yesterday on the Today Show Matt Lauer and Natalie Morales had a segment with winemaker and restaurateur Joe Bastianich.

Joe Bastianich talked about wines from seven different states that maybe you wouldn’t even think existed there. Here is the list of the states and the links to the wineries Joe recommended:

 You can view “The Best Wines in America” video.

The wines were all reasonably priced, all under $15. If you live near a winery make it a point to have a romantic afternoon date with your sweetheart. Bring a picnic and enjoy some local wine. If you are planning on traveling, find out if there is a local winery near your destination. As Joe said eat and drink what the local area has to offer. It will make it more memorable.

Don’t forget to gather the items I told you about last Friday if you want a romantic 4th of July.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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If you save $5 a week you and your sweetheart will have fireworks bursting  in your head when you travel to your romantic getaway.

Don’t forget to gather the items I told you about last Friday if you want a romantic 4th of July.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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4th of July is coming up and of course I want you to have a little romance along with watching those fireworks! Here are the items you will need to have for a very romantic evening.

  • Box of Sparkler
  • 2 glasses of sparkly (Champagne, Sparking Cider or Wine Spritzer)
  • Blank Card or a post-it note
  • Candles
  • Something sexy to wear

Gather all the items and you will have a very romantic 4th of July! Next Friday, July 2nd, I will tell you what you to do.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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As of this week I will be blogging once a week about our 50 states and highlight a special city in that state. We will find out what there is to do there and where to stay. So this week I will be telling you about Montgomery, Alabama!

Montgomery, Al is known as the birthplace of the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement. For those who are history buffs there are many museums and historical sites. If you are into baseball they have the Riverwalk Biscuits Stadium where you can watch a baseball game. There is the Riverwalk Amphitheater for concerts. You can take the 19th century Harriott II Riverboat where you can enjoy a relaxing cruise along the Alabama River. Old Town Alabama gives you an idea of what life was like in 19th century Montgomery. The house of F Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald has been turned into a museum and houses the complete collection of first editions, of his works.  For those who want to walk on the wild side they can go to the Montgomery Zoo. Of course there is shopping, golfing and restaurants along with an active night life and much more.

Red Bluff Cottages is considered one of the top bed and breakfasts in Montgomery, AL. There didn’t seem to be very much in luxury hotels. The Hampton Inn and Suites and the Wingate by Wyndham seem to be the top two rated places to stay. For restaurants check out the website Uptake.com.

As always I would recommend before you book any trip to do your research and as you know my favorite site to check things out is TripAdvisor.com or read about Montgomery, Alabama: Guide to an American City.

If you saved your $5 a week and you live near Montgomery, Alabama there could be lots of romance and history that awaits you both on your anniversary.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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Have you ever thought about surprising you sweetheart with a last minute trip? You want to stay at a top hotel but figured the rates would be outrages. So you don’t go anywhere. You stay home and do the same old thing you do every weekend.

There is a website that can help you with making those last minute reservations at a luxury hotel and it is at a bargain price! Go to Jetsetter.com and sign up for their emails and see if there is a deal you will not be able to resist. The special offers last anywhere from five to seven days and is on a first come first serve basis. It appears sometimes you can book the specials up to about two to three months in advance.

There is nothing more fun than to be able to walk in the door and tell your partner pack your bags we are going out of town! For those who have children make sure you have made the arrangements to have someone watch them before you make the reservations.

Larry has surprised me with hotel reservations already made through the years. When I walk in the door he is telling me to throw something in the suite case because he has reservations for us in Los Angeles. We try to remember to bring everything we need but occasionally one of us will forget something and when we get to our destination we are running to pickup what ever it is we forgot. It is part of the fun. Once I forgot my nightgown. He was very happy about that mishap.

Sign up for Jetsetter’s newsletter and see if there is a deal you can’t resist. Keep the surprise in your marriage and neither of you will be saying your marriage is boring!

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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Larry and I are lucky enough to live in an area were there are hundreds of wineries nearby but did you know there are wineries in all 50 states? So you thought you had to come to Napa or the Central Coast to visit wineries. Well think again. Find out where a winery is near you today.

When we first moved to the Central Coast there weren’t that many wineries but as the years progressed more and more started to crop up. We had not visited a winery in our area for years but recently we have been trying to visit one once a month. It is our Saturday date.

We are not huge drinkers so we usually will share a wine tasting glass and let the server know what we are interested in tasting or we will ask what wines have won awards or the ones people seem to like the most and why. We will sip two or three different varieties of wines and then choose a bottle to bring home. Lately I have been buying one wine coaster too. It is fun to have a coaster from wineries in our area.

Finding out there are wineries in all 50 states made me start to think. Why not find out if there is a winery near where you live or if there is one not too far from you to visit when you go away on your anniversary. How romantic would that be! After tasting their wines you could bring home a bottle or a case to share with friends when you have them over. If they sell coasters why not bring one or two home as an inexpensive souvenir of your romantic visit to the area.

There is a website call WinesAndTimes.com and they will help you find all the wineries in your state. You and your partner could plan your trip together in the area you want to visit. On this website they will give you the name of the winery and their website (if they have one). You can find out what type of events are going on in the area and when.  FYI, I found out this particular site does better on the Firefox browser than the Internet Explorer browser.

Why not visit a winery in your state and plan your next romantic trip during one of their events. I know the next out of state trip we plan on taking we will be checking to see if there is a winery near by and will probably make it a point to visit and bring something back from there.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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Laugh uncontrollably together…..it clears the mind and connects you with each other in a very special warm way. Keep saving $5 a week.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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Last Friday I asked you to get ready for Father’s Day. Did you go out and buy the items I told you to get yet? If you haven’t purchase anything yet or didn’t get a chance to read last Friday’s blog here are the items you will need:

Let’s celebrate Father’s Day along with the children and then later give him a gift he won’t forget from you.

  • Blank note card
  • Massage oil – Sandalwood Is a good male scent
  • Candles – In the same scent
  • 2 Small balls
  • Something sexy to wear

Instructions:

Put the massage oil in a gift bag. Add a small post-it note on the balls and write “I’d like to play with your balls tonight.” Wrap the two small balls along with the post-it note in tissue paper and put in the same bag. Write on the blank note card “Happy Father’s Day Sweetheart! Meet me in the bedroom after the kids are in bed and I will have something sexy on, the candles lit and give you a message all over your body.” Add the card to the bag along with more tissue paper. Give it to him alone in the morning so you both can anticipate the romantic evening you both will have. As you know I am all about anticipation!

Your husband will feel like the luckiest father and husband in the world. You are giving him the gift of love in a world that is so starved for love. These inexpensive silly little love notes that bring a element of surprise and joy like you used to do when you were dating but now your are truly having a wonderful long term love affair with the one you love.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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A friend recently emailed me to tell me about the wonderful time she and her long time sweetheart had in Mexico. It sounded like they had a great time and she gave me the OK to share it with you. They had been planning this trip months in advance and had put enough money aside so they could enjoy themselves.

Michelle and Javier spent two romantic weeks in Quintana Roo, Mexico. It is a state of Mexico on the eastern part of the Yucatán Peninsula. Michelle said their trip was so relaxing! They rented a small palapa (a rustic tropical palm thatch structure) right on the Soliman Bay, kayaked to the reef, snorkeled and enjoyed the warm Caribbean sun. Lucky for her Javier speaks fluent Spanish.

Michelle is an accomplished artist so she brought her brushes and paints along with her and during her two weeks in Mexico she found time to paint the picturesque scenery. You should check out her paintings they are absolutely beautiful! If you are ever near Monrovia, CA there is an art gallery called Segil Fine Art. Stop by and see Claudia Michelle Betty’s paintings. Or you can go on line and view her work, segilfineart.com. Click on meet the artists; then click on Claudia Michelle Betty’s name where you can click on Look at Her Work.

Michelle said while she painted the views of the magnificent blue ocean Javier read to her “The Last Juror” by John Grisham. I absolutely love how they found time to spend together each doing the things they love.

Since Javier likes to cook he prepared dinner for them most of the time. Michelle said one of the most memorable dinners he made was with shrimp. They were kind enough to share the recipe. It sounds delicious and easy to do!

Mayan Shrimp

3 Tbs Olive Oil
3-4 Cloves of Garlic, chopped
1 small sweet white onion, chopped
8 extra large Shrimp, de-veined, (thawed & in the shell)
½ yellow Mango sliced
½ cup Mexican Papaya, sliced
¼ cup Tequila
¼ cup Orange Liqueur (Controy or Grand Marnier)
Box of Fried Rice (Rice a Roni)

Cook rice in a separate skillet according to package directions. While rice is cooking prepare the other ingredients.

In a large skillet, sauté garlic and onion in olive oil until lightly brown. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp looses its pink color. While cooking add tequila and orange liqueur, add papayas and mangos and stir slightly until it bubbles. Remove from heat and serve immediately with the fried rice.

Michelle said they both got along so well together, she was sad to see their dream vacation end. She had an interpreter, a cook, a fabulous lover and a great travel companion all wrapped in one! They will both treasure this trip always!

Michelle and Javier are both very busy with their lives just like everyone else but they saved and planned for their trip and made it happen. They found ways to enjoy things together and separately and isn’t that what a relationship is all about? For two weeks they got to romance each other in ways you don’t do when you are home with everyday life. They traveled to a distance place and experience things they wouldn’t do when they are home. They prepared and ate with the freshest ingredients the area had to offer.

Plan your next trip together by saving and paying ahead of time as much as you can and you will have romance, travel and food without the credit cards. Who knows you may have enough money to go to Mexico like they did. Michelle also gave me her favorite website for places to stay, locogringo.com.

Don’t forget to get the items I told you to get last Friday “Let’s Get Ready for Father’s Day.” I will be telling you what to do with it tomorrow.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

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