3 Vegetables That Are Easy To Grow — We Promise
Dreaming of harvesting your own vegetables this summer, but have a poor track record when it comes to keeping plants alive? Don’t despair. Gardening is easier than you think. Building a garden is also a great joint project to do with your partner. And with spring just around the corner, the time to get started is now! To help encourage a budding green thumb (pun very much intended), we’ve made a quick list of three vegetables that are easy to grow. Check them out and then get yourselves out to the garden center!
3 Herbs and Vegetables You Won’t Kill This Spring
Mint
Mint is so easy to grow that it can overrun your garden if you’re not careful. You can weed it—or not. Put it in the sun, or don’t. It also won’t hold a grudge if you forget to water it for a few days. Easy-going mint will just keep growing.
Plant it in a container so it doesn’t take over your whole yard. Then enjoy mojitos and fresh tabbouleh all season, and beyond. Mint is a perennial, so it will return year after year.
Lettuce
If you love salad, you’re in luck. From nutritious spinach to trendy kale, spicy arugula or fresh young lettuce, greens are some of the easiest things to grow. They are also ready to harvest more quickly than the other things on this list, making them a great crop for quick gratification.
Lettuce needs partial sunlight, which means that you can grow it even if you don’t have a garden plot that’s in full sunlight. It also does very well in containers, so you can grow it on a balcony or even in a sunny apartment window.
Carrots
Carrots take a little longer than lettuce, but they are really fun to pull out of the ground. And homegrown carrots are much more delicious than their grocery store counterparts. Once you’ve tried them, you’ll never want to resort to bags of uniform baby carrots again.
They come in a rainbow of colors and varieties. Try purple carrots or white carrots for a fun twist on the classic.
Growing your own vegetables is an addictive hobby that will give your weekends purpose and impress your friends. So get out there and start planting these vegetables that are easy to grow!
Traveling as a Couple: 5 Communication Musts
We know it feels like you’ll never get to travel again, but the truth is, the world is slowly starting to open back up. If you’re like most of us, this pandemic probably made you swear that from now on you are definitely making traveling as a couple a priority.
Hence, you probably already have your 2021-2022 vacations up on your vision board, complete with visuals of the exact outfits you’ll be wearing along with a jam-packed itinerary.
For that we say… (#same) and, Fabulous! When done right, there is truly something so magical about traveling with friends. You strengthen your bond, you feel safer in a distant land, and oftentimes, there are group traveling discounts involved. I mean…it’s an all-around win. Or is it?
The short answer to that is: it can be- but it takes some planning ahead. When traveling with friends, the most important thing to remember is to…
Communicate
It’s normal to get excited about hanging with people we totally vibe with, but we also need to remember that they probably live their lives completely differently than ours. Before even setting up the vacation, always get the technicalities out of the way by communicating:
- Budgets- You don’t want to set up at a Five Star hotel while your friends can only afford a hostel. Make sure to plan for activities that can be enjoyed by all couples involved.
- Travel Styles- Are you a schedule everything ahead of time in the itinerary traveler? While your friends are the “let’s wait until we meet the locals to find out what’s good” type of people? Talk about it beforehand and be communicative about things that are important for you to experience.
- Boundaries- Does someone have health issues that impedes long walks. Are they afraid of trains? Do you hate trying new food? Always make boundaries super clear.
- Time- Are you expecting to do all activities together? Or will you and your partner be doing your own thing at some point?
- Don’t over plan – We’re looking at you with the itinerary. Remember to remain flexible. Something always happens on vacation, someone drinks a bit too much wine, plans run late, someone loses something…etc. You have to plan for the unplanned.
These are very real scenarios that when left “up in the air” have been known to cause rifts in friendships. But when tackled head-on, can almost guarantee the best trip ever! These communication musts are bound to optimize your experience!
Need a Break? Getting Away as the Pandemic Drags On
Do you need a break?
That’s probably a silly question. We all need a break. Whether you’ve spent much of the last 12 months holding your breath, or you think you’re fine, the reality is that you could probably do with a getaway.
So we’ve got a few suggestions for spring and summer getaways. No matter your current comfort level with being out and about, you’re sure to find an idea that suits you.
1. Go camping
This is probably the most pandemic-friendly getaway option—and the most budget-friendly. As spring spreads through the country, what better way to recharge than to pitch a tent in the great outdoors and cook your dinner over a fire? Leave the electronic devices at home (or in your glove box) and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of nature.
And as a bonus, this type of getaway is scientifically proven to lower your stress levels. Here’s a list of the best campgrounds in the country, organized by state.
2. Rent an RV
If you’re concerned about staying in hotels, renting an RV might be the way to go. Recent CDC guidance suggests that you’re not likely to get COVID from touching the same surface that an infected person touched, so there’s really no risk of traveling via RV.
So grab your favorite people and hit the road. This country is beautiful and there are so many places worth exploring. From the western national parks to the eastern shores and all the landscape in between, the destination possibilities are almost endless. Here’s a list to get you started.
3. Rent an Airbnb
Given that aforementioned CDC guidance, staying at a private vacation home is low-risk as well. And there are so many amazing private homes for rent.
Check out this list of the most incredible Airbnb’s in the United States for ideas. From a Hobbit-themed Oregon abode to South Carolina houseboat, there are so many whimsical options.
It’s time you had a break. So what are you waiting for? Get planning!
Tropical Tiki Bars: Chicago's Most Popular
Does the chilly Chicago weather have you wishing that you were somewhere a bit more tropical? While a faraway vacation may not be possible immediately, you can always find some refuge in one of the many tropical tiki bars within Chicago! Tiki bars are retro-Polynesian-inspired themed drinking locations that often focus on rum-heavy drinks. Luckily, Chicago has a collection of very high quality tiki bars for you to visit on chilly nights! Here are two of them:
Lost Lake
Lost Lake is a self-described “tropical oasis-meets flotsam strewn island hut” that you can find in the Logan Square neighborhood. This establishment has won a plethora of accolades, including Time Out Chicago’s Bar of the Year, one of Esquire’s Best Bars in America, and Imbibe’s Cocktail Bar of the Year. Additionally, it has been a three-time James Beard Foundation Outstanding Bar Program semifinalist among other awards.
If that impressive list isn’t enough to convince you, maybe their impressive cocktail menu will. It includes rum and fruit juice heavy cocktails but has other options for the more tequila and whiskey inclined. Their menu also contains non-alcoholic craft drinks, as well as large tiki drinks for sharing in a group. Their food menu is impressive, including a fun array including a tofu banh mi and a general ‘tso boy. They also have the availability to host private events in their special stranger in paradise bar, where they often explore more non-traditional cocktails.
Three Dots and a Dash
Three Dots and a Dash is a clever name that references one of the classic tiki drinks from the 1940s. …_ is the morse code for V, a symbol for victory during World War 2. This bar is located in River North and received one of the World’s 50 Best Bars awards by Drinks International. The cocktails at this bar consist of classic and modern tiki cocktails. The menu also includes some extravagant group cocktails, as well as a list of reserve cocktails made with top-shelf liquor. Their food includes Hawaiian-inspired baby back ribs and tuna poke. The Bamboo Room is a unique experience only open during events, pop-ups, and private reservations. There they host exclusive guided experiences that sometimes include guest bartenders and interactive rum tastings.
Chicago’s Adler After Dark: Geek Out Together!
The Astronomy in Culture Exhibit
The Adler Planetarium hosts a popular 21+ event once a month that transforms the museum into a prime adult entertainment hotspot: Adler After Dark. You can peruse the museum itself in the company of other couples rather than the children usually occupying the space. If you have never been to the planetarium, they have a large variety of exhibits that are all expertly designed. The Astronomy in Culture exhibit takes you through the history of astronomy. It also teaches you about old tools like the astrolabe and how people used them before navigational technology existed.
Chicago’s Night Sky
Another popular exhibit is Chicago’s Night Sky. It focuses on the problem of light pollution and how we can change our design philosophies to lessen the problem. This area includes the Historic Atwood Sphere which lets you see what the night sky would have looked like in 1913 without any light pollution. The Atwood Sphere is also the oldest planetarium on exhibit and recently got refurbished. Other popular attractions at the Adler Planetarium include the Clark Family Welcome Gallery, the Community Design Labs, and the Doane Observatory. You also have access to unlimited sky shows in one of their state-of-the-art theaters.
Live Events
The Adler Planetarium hosts live entertainment, lectures, and special guests depending on the theme of the month. They also provide themed alcoholic beverages, as well as food from their cafe. The food isn’t your usual basic fare. They often have an impressive menu including a hotbar stew, soup, and daily specials that range from turkey and goat cheese wraps to astro burgers. The price of these tickets are $25.00 per adult, but if you happen to be a member they are only $12.50.
You can check out more live events in the Chicago area here.
Chicago food tours: Take your pals on an acclaimed food tour
Chicago is well known for its extensive range of cuisine. While there are many well known stops, a lot of the best eateries are hidden away and hard to find without guidance. Taking one of the many famous food tours around the Chicago area can help you discover new favorites that you will keep coming back to! Who doesn’t love sharing the experience of good food?!
Chicago Food Planet Tours
Chicago Food Planet Tours are critically acclaimed by sources like USA Today, Chicago Sun-Times, and Bon Appetit. They have a range of different tours for you to choose from that include everything from tours of the West Loop to a Chinatown tour. These tours range anywhere from $50 per adult to $75 per adult, and take anywhere from about 2-3 hours. These are pretty extensive tours, with some of them taking you to 5 different locations!
Bobby’s Bike Hike
Are you and your double date looking for a bit more activity in your day? Bobby’s Bike Hike provides food tours both in a walking format and a biking format. One of their better known options is the Bikes, Bites & Brews tours that they provide, which are 4 hour 12-13 mile trips! Thier walking tours are often within the 1-1.5 mile range, which makes them accessible to any level of physical fitness. The prices of these tours vary from $48.75 per adult to $69.75 per adult. They also offer private tours, if that is more your style.
Rebecca Wheeler’s Tours
If you and your double date are looking for something led by a specialist, Rebecca Wheeler’s tours are exquisite. Rebecca Wheeler is a traveler and a cooking instructor. She can lead you through Chicago’s neighborhoods and share her deep knowledge into the culture and history of the food and locations that you visit. All of these tours are private, which makes them much more intimate than a large group tour. Currently Rebecca offers tours of Argyle (Southeast Asian cuisine), Chinatown (Chinese cuisine), and Devon (Indian and Pakistani cuisine). For 4 adults, the price per adult would be $93.75, but this price lowers for every adult you bring with you!
Merging Finances: Three Questions to Consider
Whether you’re moving in together or getting married, there aren’t many aspects of coupling up that can be as contentious as the merging—or not merging—of finances. There’s no right way to navigate these waters, but it can be tricky to figure out the right balance for your relationship. And while we can’t tell you exactly how to strike that balance, we can offer a list of things to think about while you’re working on it. Here are three key considerations to make when merging finances with your partner.
Ownership.
This can mean ownership of physical items, like real estate and cars, but it can also mean ownership of debt or bills, like college loans or monthly utilities. You might choose to combine all assets into joint bank accounts or keep separate accounts and divvy up the bills. No matter what you decide, it’s important to discuss it all up front so there are no unwelcome surprises, like an avoidable past-due payment.
Spending versus saving.
While you might like to save every extra penny for a rainy day, your partner may prefer to spend those pennies on travel or dining out. If you have opposite approaches to spending, you’ll need to learn to meet in the middle. It can take some time to get used to someone else’s financial habits. Give yourself—and your partner—grace during the adjustment period.
Financial goals.
While it’s important to set expectations and boundaries for day-to-day finances, don’t forget the big picture. Where do you see yourself financially in 10 years? Forty years? Financial planning isn’t just about retirement. Whether you would like to buy a property, remodel an existing one, start your own business, or just have more financial freedom, you’ll get farther in your goals if your partner is on the same page. Don’t be afraid to dream a little, as long as you are dreaming together.
There are no right answers when it comes to merging finances, but communication is key. Start your financial life together on the right foot by having the important conversations early. Your relationship will be better off for it.
How to Negotiate Your Social Life with Your Partner
Finding “the one” was hard enough. But finding him or her doesn’t mean that it’s all smooth sailing from here on out. Once you’ve decided to officially start a life together—things change. Maybe you were accustomed to going out with friends on the weekend and your SO is more of a homebody. That might end up being the perfect yin-yang situation. But more often, partners find that merging their social lives and social styles is a little more complicated, and takes a little more finesse. So how do you negotiate your social life to come up with the perfect marriage—pun intended—of social interaction that works for both of you?
We’ve got a few tips, so keep reading.
You don’t.
OK, that sounds harsh. But it’s true. Relationships take work and compromise, and this isn’t just limited to the hard stuff, like finances and family planning and communication. It applies to every aspect of your partnership.
What this means for your social life is that you have to be open to making sacrifices for your partner. Maybe you don’t spend every single weekend clubbing with your girlfriends. Or if you’re the homebody, maybe you make a commitment to regularly venture out of your comfort zone and do something that your extrovert partner enjoys.
You don’t have to do something you hate all the time. But being receptive to the experiences your partner enjoys is a great way to keep a positive attitude and an open mind.
Be respectful of your partner’s friends and family.
Even if you don’t now, you and your significant other had separate lives at one time. Make sure to maintain space in the relationship to continue those connections. While you are the center of one another’s lives now, that doesn’t mean that there’s no room for anyone else. Give each other freedom to regularly connect with friends and family, even without the other, when warranted. Absence does make the heart grow fonder, after all.
Make new friends, together.
Making couple friends can be tough, but it’s completely doable. Find activities that you can both enjoy, like joining a hiking club, volunteering for a neighborhood association, or playing in a recreational sports league. These are all great places to meet other couples that are in the same phase of life as you. And if you’re into app-based networking, check out Couplr, the app that brings like-minded couples together to socialize.
Couples Surviving the Pandemic: A COVID-19 Story
It’s been more than a year since coronavirus became a household word. The pandemic has laid bare the strength (or lack thereof) of many an institution. From public schools to your corner deli, there’s a fine line between the organizations that have survived and those that have crumpled.
This is true also of relationships. A new study by a relationship coaching company surveyed more 1,700 people in long-term relationships. And some 68% of respondents who had separated from their partners this year reported that it was due to the pandemic. But while the study found that the pandemic has been a big stressor for couples, it also drew some interesting conclusions about the habits of couples surviving the pandemic.
“Our results tell the story of two different types of couples—those who are struggling and growing further apart, and those who are adapting and growing closer together,” the study reads.
What worked?
When asked “What has been helpful for your relationship during the COVID-19 pandemic?” the people who considered themselves the happiest in their relationships answered with one of these five options:
- Quality time together
- Planning for the future
- Focusing on goals
- Taking up new hobbies
- Exercise
These are already all positive-sounding things, but now that we know they are associated with relationships that have survived the pandemic, they’re looking like really great ways to spend time together.
What didn’t?
Wondering about the other side of the coin? Those who identified themselves as being unhappy in their relationships answered with these options:
- Nothing
- Focusing on the kids
- Couples therapy
- Time by myself
- Connecting with old friends
There is nothing wrong with any of these things on their own. However, looking at this list, most of the items are not conducive to quality time together. It’s great to connect with old friends and have some quality time alone, but make sure you’re tending to your relationship, too. As the study showed, that effort can pay off.
“Overall,” the study concludes, “we can see that—for some couples—this year has helped them to develop resilience and grow in a way they may not have predicted. In the words of one of our survey respondents—‘you can’t make diamonds without a little pressure.’” Resilience seems to be a winning skill for couples surviving the pandemic.
Talking About Exes: Three Things to Consider
It’s a subject that has been covered in many a sitcom episode: A lovelorn gal (or guy), trying to move on, spends an entire first date talking about an old flame. The message is clear. Talking about exes is a total no-no.
And most Americans agree. A 2017 study found that, across most demographic lines, only roughly one-third of Americans believe it’s ok to discuss past relationships on a first date. But while it’s true that talking about your ex too much can put a damper on a new relationship, that doesn’t mean that you should never talk about your past.
Your previous relationships are part of what make you who you are, and it’s natural for your partner to be curious about them. These conversations can also bring you closer, if done right.
There are a few simple rules that will help you avoid the minefields while opening up to your SO. Read on for our list of three things you should consider when talking about past relationships with your partner.
Never compare
This should go without saying, but it’s best never to compare your ex to your present, in any way, shape or form. That way madness lies. Past relationships are in the past—and if yours isn’t, you’re probably not ready for your present one.
Consider your intentions
It’s all in the delivery, and your intentions matter. So think about why you are sharing. Is it to give your significant other important context about you and your past? In that case, go ahead. But if you’re venting about your ex because you’re still angry, step back and think about it first. That relationship is over; let it go and focus all your energy on your current romance. Best of all? There’s no downside to this approach
Put this relationship first
Talking about your ex should never make your SO feel worse about themselves. And some things don’t need to be shared. So keep the intimate details to yourself. Yes, even if your partner asks. You don’t want to open that box.
It’s surprisingly easy to overshare when talking about your exes. But these rules will help you navigate those treacherous waters and come out dry on the other side.