Cosmopolitan.com

Sweet Dreams

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:00 +0200

It’s almost time for the sweetest day of the year! Yip, Valentine’s Day is upon us. And while traditionally it’s the guys spoiling us on the 14th of February, we thought they deserve a little bit of a treat to sweeten Valentine’s Day even more. Here are two easy-to-make desserts for you and your man to enjoy tomorrow. You can choose between Valentine’s Day cupcakes, or a little something to take to bed with you if you’d like to end the day with some extra sugar and spice.

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM CUPCAKES

Ingredients:
1 cup of unsalted butter
1 cup of castor sugar
2 cups of self-raising flour
4 eggs
Vanilla essence
1 cup of cream
4 table spoons of icing sugar
1 punnet of strawberries
4 tablespoons of strawberry jelly powder
Water

Method:
Preheat your over to 180° Celsius and place 18 cupcake cases in a muffin pan. Combine the butter, castor sugar, flour, eggs, and about two teaspoons of vanilla extract in a bowl and beat until the mixture is smooth. Spoon the batter into the cups (about two thirds full) and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and leave the cupcakes to cool. Whisk the cream, icing sugar, and another two teaspoons of vanilla essence until soft peaks start to form. Spoon this onto the cupcakes and top with strawberry slices. In a pan, heat the jelly powder with about two tablespoons of water until melted. Drizzle the mixture over the strawberries.

AND...
If you don’t feel like baking on Valentine’s Day, keep it simple and take dessert to bed. Skip the cupcakes and get just a bowl of whipped cream ready. Take the whipped cream and a bowl of strawberries to your bedroom, light some romantic scented candles and spend the time you would have spent in the kitchen, having delicious fun with your man. You can feed each other strawberries, or cover each other in whipped cream and have fun getting it off. Mix it up with grapes and fresh cherries as well, which are ideal to feed to one another. If you’re a chocoholic, add some chocolate body paint, too! And when you’ve had enough fun with dessert, there’s always the part that comes next: showering together to get all that stickiness off your bodies.

Why Singledom Rocks

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:00 +0200

If there's ever a day that's going to make you feel like a sorry loser, it's the 14th of February. But being in a relationship is not always all it's cut out to be. Here's a reminder of what you don't have to deal with when you're blissfully unencumbered.

His Annoying Friends	All guys have that friend - the one who wears a T-shirt saying 'Nice New Girlfriend - What Breed is She?', shows up uninvited while you're chilling on the weekend, and tries to persuade you that taking your boy to Vegas for a week will be cool because he'll act as the 'moral compass.' But, they've been besties since Grade 0, so what are you going to do about it? When you're single, on the other hand, you can choose to hang out with exactly who you want to at all times. You don't have to listen to stupid jokes, pretend you didn't smell that fart or vie for his attention when he and his boys are playing Final Fantasy IX. For the sixth hour running.
Watching Dumb DVDs
Mothers-In-Law
Holidays From Hell
Necrophiliac Sex

If you feel the need to find a new man, try COSMO Dating!

What's The V-Day Venue?

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:00 +0200

The place a new guy chooses to whisk you off to on that all-important first date can reveal a lot about him.

A Party With His Friends	Yes, he's tight with his boys, and despite the fact that they rip each other off, he knows he'll feel more relaxed with them around. Basically, he likes you and doesn't want to blow it. Plus, he probably wants to show off his hot date (you!).
A Movie
To a Bar
Dinner For Two

Cute V-day Ideas

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00 +0200

It's Valentine's Day and you're broke? That's no reason not to celebrate the day of love.

1. Make Heart-Shaped Toast For Breakfast: Get up 10 minutes earlier than usual and, using pre-sliced bread and a cookie cutter, make heart shapes and pop them in the toaster. Slather with butter and strawberry jam and serve with coffee or tea for two.

2. Give Him a Foot Massage Voucher: Make it yourself with a drawing of little feet surrounded by hearts. Write: This voucher entitles (name) to a half-hour foot massage while he lies on the couch watching (favourite TV show). Put it in an envelope signed S.W.A.K., just like you did when you were fourteen.

3. Kiss: A lot of couples, especially when they've been together for a while, forget the importance of kissing. It's a supremely intimate act, and laden with romance. Instead of rushing to the finish line, encourage him to keep kissing you. And, when hands do start wandering, keep those lips locked.

4. Bake Him a Batch Of Cupcakes: If the thought of baking scares you, get an Ina Paarman ready-made box - he'll never know the difference. Cover them in pink icing and make hearts using silver balls. He'll be totally chuffed that you went to so much effort just for him.

5. Make Him a Personalised CD: Gather a selection of songs he likes combined with tracks that have meaning for you as a couple. Put a picture of the two of you on the cover, and write a short explanation next to each song title (e.g. Rihanna – 'Love The Way You Lie' - from when we kissed for the first time on the dance floor at Trinity).

6. Construct a Simple Card: Fold a thick piece of white paper or cardboard in half. Write 'I Love You' across in black fine-liner, put on a brightly coloured lipstick and plant a big kiss underneath the words. Then, write him a simple, but meaningful (and not overly sentimental) love note telling him just what he means to you.

7. Invite Him On a 'Guy Picnic': Buy a rotisserie chicken, some Portuguese rolls and a six-pack. Make your own spicy Portuguese mayo by mixing a few tablespoons of regular mayo with a few dollops of Tabasco sauce. Seriously yum, and just what a hungry boy likes to eat. Tell him dessert is you, and watch his smile widen.

8. SMS Him Every Hour On The Hour: Work out a list of reasons why your guy is amazing. Start all the SMS's with 'I love you because...' (you run a bath for me when I've had a bad day/you take out the garbage without me having to ask/you have the best bum in the universe). Even if it's corny, he'll love all the attention and praise, and you'll totally make his day.

If you still need a date for Valentine's Day, give COSMO Dating a try!

ADVERTORIAL: Sealed With a Kiss

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:00 +0200

Whether you're looking for a delectable treat for the one you love, or a special something to surprise dear friends or close family members, this Valentine's Day you'll find it all at your favourite Woolies.

Show your Valentine how much you appreciate them; we have just what you need - from the traditional favourites - heart-shaped chocolate lollies (R7.95) to our fresh and modern fragrances (from R150).

You'll also find adorable key rings (from R11.95) in cute froggy or bling charm designs - the perfect gift for someone who holds the key to your heart. And if your beloved has a sweet tooth, you can spoil them with our delicious milk chocolate slabs, hazelnut pralines or chocolate-coated fortune cookies. There are even treats for those who don't 'heart' chocolate - like salted caramel nibbles (R24.95), candy-coated jellybean hearts (R19.95), and candy lollies (R4.95). Of course there's also pretty and playful lingerie (from R59.95) with frills, thrills, ruffles and bows in abundance.

Planning a romantic dinner for you and your Valentine? Then decorate the table with our gorgeous dinnerware (from R39.95) strewn with hearts. You can end the night by letting the heavenly scents of our indulgent soaps help you get into a romantic mood (R19.95).

You'll find all these gifts and more at most Woolworths stores countrywide from mid-January 2012.

Dress For Love

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:00 +0200

So you managed to get a date for Valentine's Day - now what? Whether you're going on a daytime picnic or out for a romantic dinner, here's what to wear.

BY DAY

• Shoes: Opt for cute ballet flats - you don't want to be tripping every five seconds walking around a park towards your picnic spot.
• Dress: Go for a fun, summery sundress in soft pastel such as lilac, or vibrant summer colours like tangerine or lemon yellow. Don't go too short, as you want to be able to sit and lie down without worrying about exposing yourself. Opt for soft textures such as cotton and lace.
• Heart shapes: Valentine's Day just wouldn't be the same without something heart-shaped. But instead of cheap chocolates wrapped in red cellophane, you can incorporate stylish heart shapes into your outfit. Try understated heart-shaped studs, which will add a touch of sparkle to your outfit without being kitsch or overwhelming. Alternatively, heart-shaped cutouts look great on the backs of casual tees or sundresses.
• Red: No Valentine's Day outfit is complete without a splash of red. For daytime, go for a subtle 'pop' of this hot hue. Paint your toenails red if you're wearing sandals, or take a red cardigan along for when nighttime sets in, and you and your date are still gazing into each other's eyes... You can also incorporate red using the colour-blocking trend, which is still red-hot this season.
• Fragrance: You want a scent that is light and fresh. Think: floral, sea-breeze, vanilla, citrus or lemongrass.
• Skin and makeup: Keep your makeup to a minimum. Get glowing summer skin by exfoliating the night before, and applying a tinted moisturiser and bronzer to your collarbones and cheeks. Add some coral blush, a dash of pink lip-gloss and a bit of mascara, and you're good to go.
• Hair: A no-fuss do like a ponytail or loose waves will round off your outfit perfectly, for a sexy, laid-back look.
• Extra props: Take a warm blanket with you. Chances are your guy will have forgotten, and what could be more romantic than cuddling up to make out?

BY NIGHT

Make the most of the gorgeous weather and grab every opportunity to eat outside with these colourful accessories.