What A Vacation Can Do For Your Relationship

Whether it’s to the white sandy beaches of St Lucia, the glistening mountains of Switzerland or to a romantic inn upstate, a jaunt away can be great for any relationship. If you are thinking that you are too busy to plan a trip and your relationship won’t suffer for it anyway, think again; here are some  reasons why you should make the time for that vacation you keep putting off:

Grnad Pitons, St Lucia

...A vacation can provide you with new perspective

When you are on vacation, it is a great time to cut off all distractions and take the time to reevaluate what is important as a couple. You can discuss any issues, goals and plans or simply enjoy the alone time that a holiday brings. Use this time to communicate and be honest.

...You have the time to reconnect with your significant other

When you are away with your honey, this is a great time to bond and create new and precious memories.  Spend time doing things you don’t usually do together at home,  like talking at your meals instead of reading the newspaper, going for walks together or experiencing something new that you have never done before. This will help revitalize the relationship.

...You can do some relationship maintenance

When you are on vacation, this is the perfect time to do some relationship maintenance. Take the time to focus on things that you take for granted at home like being romantic, showing spontaneous appreciation and being affectionate.

Honeymooning in Cabo

In today’s day and age, when two people are getting married, the honeymoon is just as important as the wedding itself. It’s important for the couple to choose a place where they can find romance, excitement, beauty and relaxation all wrapped into one. A great choice is Cabo San Lucas. Cabo is an easy getaway, with impeccable weather, beautiful blue crystal blue waters, top notch resorts, wonderful culinary experiences and loads of fun. Don’t hesitate to reach out to the Cabo San Lucas Tourism Board, an extremely helpful association for suggestions in planning the best honeymoon for you. 

All of the resort destinations in Cabo are located along the corridor, right on the Pacific Ocean. When choosing where to stay on your honeymoon, you need to select a place that fits your budget and provides you with the features that will make your honeymoon memorable forever and ever. If you are able to splurge and if you are a couple who wants the best of the best, hands down, the choice is the Capella Pedregal.

Pool area at the Capella Pedregal

This five star resort is located steps away from the town of Cabo San Lucas, but upon entering their dramatic dimly-lit private tunnel, you are immediately transported to romance and sophistication. The property is exquisite; each room has a fireplace, an ocean view and a plunge pool for those late nights when it is just the two of you. The room is tastefully decorated with no detail overlooked, from the high thread count premium Egyptian cotton signature beddings, to the luxurious bath products and the rainshower in the bathroom. 

Suite at Capella

And, each room comes with a personal assistant who can see to your every romantic whim. While you are there, don’t miss the couples cooking class where one of their top notch chefs will teach you how to make Mexican ceviche masterpieces. For dining, consider a romantic dinner at their clifftop restaurant, El Farallon, where you sit under the stars while listening to the waves crash below, or an intimate dinner for two in their wine cellar tucked away from the other guests. And remember to check out The Auriga Spa, which is very picturesque in and of itself. 

The spa experience starts off with a foot scrub, followed by a hot and cold plunge pool. Then, ask for the massage for two and end your visit in their luxurious outdoor hot tub.

Auriga Spa at the Capella

Student Lawyer Magazine - Secret Lawyer

A Matrimonial Lawyer, in the Truest Sense

Vol. 42 No. 7

ByLeslie A. Gordon

LESLIE A. GORDON is a secret lawyer who has been working as a freelance legal affairs journalist for more than 10 years.

Law, Samantha Daniels said, is “in my blood.” Her father was a prestigious lawyer and Philadelphia chancellor. Her two brothers are lawyers. “As a family, the law and legal education [were] considered fundamental,” she said. “At a young age, I was fascinated by the law. If I wanted to convince my father of something, I had to lawyer him. I grew up with it, I understand it.”

So it was natural for Daniels to become an attorney herself. After graduating from Temple University Beasley School of Law, she went into matrimonial law. She chose that field because she was “always a people person” and liked the family law classes in law school. She first worked for a judge in the matrimonial division of the New York Supreme Court and later joined a law firm’s matrimonial practice.

While working as an attorney, Daniels was always “throwing parties on the side for my single friends,” she recalled. “To be a good hostess, I would introduce people: ‘You’re both from Chicago and you both like to play tennis.’ Then I’d learn that they’d gotten engaged. I thought to myself, ‘It’s more rewarding to get people together than to break them apart.’” And her matches were solid because she’d learned in her law practice why relationships don’t work and was able to avoid those pitfalls.

Before long, Daniels left the law to form a matchmaking company, Samantha’s Table. She has since helped more than 300 people find spouses. Her database now has 50,000 clients across the country and she has offices in New York and Los Angeles. Her business caters to high-profile, successful people looking for love. “They’re all top, top in their professions,” Daniels said of her clients. “The have no trouble getting dates, they just haven’t found the right person.”

Chronicling her work, Daniels wrote Matchbook: The Diary of a Modern Day Matchmaker, which was made into a TV show called Miss Match created by Darren Star and starring Alicia Silverstone. Today, she regularly appears on TV for advice and celebrity segments and writes romance travel articles and relationship columns for several publications, including The Huffington Post.

Though far from the courtroom, Daniels said, “Honestly, I think I use my law degree every day. A JD is a better degree than even an undergrad degree because it teaches you skills you’ll use in the real life.

Ten Types of Women That Men Do Not Want to Marry

(Originally appeared on The Huffington Post on April 15, 2013.)

I recently wrote an article here on Huffington Post Women entitled 10 Types of Men Who Won't Marry You and in response to it, I have gotten over 1,000 comments as well as endless emails asking me why I hadn't written a similar list of types of women. As a result, I have created such a list here, using the opinions that I have heard from tens of thousands of men during my years working as a matchmaker. The fact is, if you are a woman and you want to get married, you need to be smart about your dating. This means avoiding certain male types, but it also means recognizing what you are doing wrong in your dating and whether the type of woman you are putting out there to the male population attracts or repels them. To figure this out, you can start by considering the list below and whether you, at times, are any of these quite unattractive female types:

1. Miss "Bossy Pants"

This woman usually can't help herself; she has bossy in her DNA. When a man first meets her, he might think this character trait is cute, for awhile. However, once he starts to feel like he is in grammar school being told what to do by his second grade teacher, he will give this woman her walking papers.

2. Miss "Playing Games With His Heart"

This woman thinks that being a game player will help her land a man. However, even though a man might be intrigued by a hard to get lady in the beginning, as soon as he decides that he is interested in her, all he wants is an honest straight shooter. If this woman doesn't remove Battleship from her repertoire quite quickly, she will be shown the door before she can even sink his vessel.

3. Miss "I Want To Change You"

This woman is lurking everywhere. She is the type of woman many men are the most leery of. (Of course, there are some men who love this woman because of their own insecurities.) She claims that she loves her guy just the way he is, but little by little, she chips away at just about everything about him. First, it's his wardrobe, then it's his taste in music. However, when she gets to his friends and his hobbies, she is usually kicked to the curb.

To continue reading this article, click here...

The Bachelorette: A Romantic Date, a Striptease, and Andi's First Kiss of the Season

Another Monday night, another anticipated episode of The Bachelorette. This week, Andi went on her first dates of the season, including two one-on-one dates and one very memorable group date.

     Three of the contestants performing on the group date

Contestant Eric Hill was the first suitor to receive a date with the bachelorette. The date included a beach, a helicopter, a snowboarding lesson, and ended with the two making s’mores in a cozy log cabin. It’s safe to say that the date was nothing short of spectacular.

But then came the group date, which was easily the best moment of the night. The fourteen men all stripped in front of a live audience at a Hollywood nightclub…for charity. It was the most entertaining fundraiser I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. Later in the evening, Craig had one too many drinks and ended up fully dressed in the pool. Disrobing, drinking, and diving. Oh my.

Chris, a 32-year-old farmer, was the other lucky contestant to go on a one-on-one date with Andi. It was off to the races for these two—horse races, that is. And the date wouldn’t be complete with a random band playing for the couple to dance to. The two ended up sharing a kiss—but their chemistry was almost as invisible as the band’s fan base.

In the end, Carl the firefighter, Nick S., and Craig the drunken mess were all sent home. With a two-night special next week, including an appearance by Boyz II Men, the drama and tears are sure continue full speed ahead.  

Dating tip 101: Having a drink on a date does have its benefits, but it should be kept to a minimum on the first date. Stick to a drink or two to ensure a great first impression.

The Premiere of The Bachelorette Season 10

Last night, 27-year-old Andi Dorfman began her journey to find love on the tenth season of The Bachelorette.  Some of the men were more impressive than others when it came to first impressions. My favorites? J.J. for his sense of humor and his bowtie. Marcus because he really was so hot. And Patrick who had that je ne sais quoi  at least until I saw his soccer ball  (No need to remind Andi of Juan Pablo—ever.)  

On another note, there were quite a few cringeworthy arrivals last night, like when Cody pushed his limo up the hill in an attempt to catch Andi’s attention. What? And Jason, the doctor used one of the worst pick-up lines “I think you have a fever because you look pretty hot.” Clever. Not.

Andi Dorfman and her twenty-five suitors

At the end of the night, six men went home, including Rudie the lawyer; Emil, pronounced Anal with an M in case you forgot; Josh B.; Mike, who likes to call himself Camps; Steven; and Jason the doctor—shocker.

Overall, it was definitely an entertaining first episode filled with plenty of dating faux pas. Andi’s dress was spectacular and the majority of the men were not. But as Juan Pablo would say, “eees OK.”

Dating tip 101: Avoid using a pick-up line or a stunt when you meet a woman for the first time; they rarely  make a good first impression.