Valentine's Day is an interesting holiday to me in the sense that it tends to come with such polarizing reactions—either folks totally adore it or they loathe it with every fiber of their being. When it comes to those who choose to stand behind Door #2, oftentimes, it's not because they are alone for the big day either. It's usually because there is unexpected pressure to go over-the-top or they are bored with the same 'ole roses, teddy bears and Hallmark cards approach.
This year, I thought it might be a good idea to come up with some ways to observe this calendar day of love that is a little atypical. Nothing too outside of the box but definitely some inspiration to step somewhat outside of the box and create a way to get excited about Valentine's Day…again.
1. Watch the Sunrise Together
The older I get, the easier it is for me to go to bed around 10pm and wake up at the crack of dawn. It's reminded me of the fact that there really is something that is pretty beautiful about sunrises. The sky is beautiful and the birds are chirping, even though the world is still pretty, well, still. If someone is in the bed with you, it's also an ideal time to engage in a little bit of pillow talk or even morning sex with your partner. Thankfully, this Valentine's Day falls on a Sunday but if you happen to work on the weekends or you've got kids, setting your clock to get up a little earlier this year can give you and yours some time alone so that you can start the day—and holiday—off right.
2. Enjoy a Libido-Boosting Breakfast
Breakfast in bed is always pretty romantic. How about making one that is loaded with aphrodisiac foods such as an avocado omelet (the Vitamin E in the avocado will increase your sex drive); some banana pancakes (bananas' potassium will support your sex hormones); some chocolate muffins (chocolate is packed with antioxidants); a couple of strawberry smoothies (strawberries are packed with Vitamin C which can increase blood flow, including to your genitalia) and/or some ginger tea with honey (its gingerol will relax you as the boron in honey will regulate your estrogen and testosterone levels). It's a delicious way to get some of your juices flowing.
3. Customize Your Candles and Wine
As far as Valentine's Day purchases go, I recently saw some candles that cracked me up. If you click on this link here, Etsy has an entire section of ones that say something along the lines of "Light this whenever you want a blow job" (there is one about our clitoris too. You can find it here). It's the kind of gift that is fun and still pretty sexy. On the romantic tip, I don't know too many people who aren't down for a bottle of wine, especially on special occasions. If you'd like to customize the bottle or the packaging, Personal Wine is one site that will let you do just that. And since wine is also considered to be an aphrodisiac, why not? Shoot, my recommendation is that you get both—the candle and the wine. Why not?
4. Take a Walk Down Memory Lane with Childhood Candies
Back when we were in elementary school, many of us went to the grocery store to pick up those Valentine's Day cards that resembled postcards so that we could give them to our friends. As an added bonus, sometimes, we would tape candies to them. I don't know about you, but I actually had some pretty fond memories of this time in my life.
Anyway, another cute idea is to ask your partner what their favorite childhood candies were and then go to a site like Old Time Candy to pick them up. Spending a part of the night sharing childhood stories is a great way to get to know your partner better and understand some of what has made them the person they are today. Real talk.
5. Give Each Other a “Healing” Present
Whenever I think of a favorite India.Arie song, one that immediately comes to my mind is "The Truth". What I've heard other women say that they adore is "He Heals Me". I get it because, could there be a higher praise than telling someone that they play a huge role in bringing you to a state of wholeness? If there is some way that you can say, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that your partner has played a direct role in improving you, restoring you, reviving you, settling you or soothing you, why not get them something that symbolizes that? Maybe a personalized gratitude journal. A chakra bracelet. A massage gift certificate. Some reflexology gloves. A piece of jewelry in their favorite gemstone. One of these, along with a handwritten thank you note can definitely make your partner feel seen and appreciated. And who doesn't want/need that?
6. Make “Why I Love You” Notecards
Speaking of songs, one that continues to totally be my jam, even after all of these years, is Monica's "Why I Love You So Much". Even if you don't have a ton of time or money to do much, something that can be a very sweet gesture is to create some flashcards with different reasons why you love your partner. Break the categories down into physical, emotional, relational, sexual, mental and spiritual. Put each category on the front of the card, color code them and then write your reasons on the back. No matter what your partner's love language may be, this is something that will truly move them. Affirmations always do.
7. Get Creative with Chocolate
This year, instead of just getting your boo a box of chocolates, why not get more creative than that? Make some chocolate body paint (that's self-explanatory, right?). Soak together in a chocolate bubble bath. Soothe each other's muscles with some homemade mint chocolate massage oil. Enjoy a rom-com with some popcorn that is drizzled in chocolate. Kiss your partner all over with some DIY chocolate-flavored lip gloss. Try some chocolate fondue and fruit. If Valentine's Day has a signature flavor, chocolate would have to be it, but no one said that you had to go the traditional route so…don't.
8. Do a Little Bit of Sploshing
A fetish that you may or may not have ever heard of before is sploshing. If you haven't, it's basically all about incorporating food into sex. Only, it's about rubbing food on your partner and/or having them rub it on you and you both eating it off. It's wet. It's messy. But when it's with your favorite partner and you incorporate your favorite kind of food, it can also be kinda hot.
Opt for something like a lemon meringue pie, some jello or anything that has a bit of a "smooshy" texture. Then go into the kitchen (since it's easier to clean that space up) and enjoy smearing the food all over each other and licking it off. It's definitely one of those "you've gotta try it" types of things, but some of my clients (yes, Black ones, 'cause I know how some of y'all can be with the stereotypes—LOL) enjoy every minute of it.
9. Take a Virtual Mixology Class
I've written a few articles on here about how alcohol can boost your libido (check out "8 Summer-Themed Alcoholic Drinks That Can Boost Your Libido" and "Warm Drinks That Will...Warm You & Your Partner Up (Wink)"). If you and yours can always go for a nice drink but you want to expand beyond a glass of wine or shot of tequila, why not sign up for a virtual mixology class this year? Many of them are super affordable. One to consider is on the MasterClass site. You can check it out here.
10. “Mimic” Your Favorite Hotel Room
Whether it's because money is super tight right through here or the pandemic has you on the "Yeah, I'll pass" tip, perhaps spending Valentine's Day in a hotel room isn't on the top of your list this year. A cool workaround is to find a hotel room that you really like and then duplicate the layout as much as possible. Just go to your favorite search engine, put "sexiest hotels" in the search field and links will come up with all sorts of pics of rooms and suites. I used to decorate couples' bedrooms all of the time. You'd be amazed what you can easily find at a Walmart or Target that can totally transform the space for between 30-50 bucks.
11. Take a Shower Together (with Surround Sound)
If there's one place in the house where a lot of couples say that sex is not all that it's cracked up to be, the shower would probably be the one I've heard the most. While it can be a little crammed up in there, who said that you've always gotta actually copulate? Sometimes, it can be a great act of foreplay to just stand underneath the warm water while touching erogenous zones, kissing or even doing a little bit of a slow drag. One way to make any of these options even more appealing is to cop yourself a shower speaker. Some of the best Bluetooth ones are located here.
12. Have Your Own “Ceremony”
If you're married, your wedding day was the "big ceremonious occasion". No one said that had to be your only one, though. Ceremonies are also kind gestures and formal acts. Something else that you can do on Valentine's Day is come up with some new promises to make to one another or create a ceremony (of sorts) that celebrates the love that the two of you share. It can require the two of you dressing up. It can be super casual. It can be a sexual ceremony. The approach and purpose are totally up to you yet it's another way to make Valentine's Day extra special.
13. Enjoy Foreplay by Flipping a Coin
Some couples want to get better at dirty talk but they're not exactly sure how to go about it. If that's you, pull out a nickel or quarter and do what I call "flipping for foreplay". Take turns tossing the coin into the air and calling out heads or tails. If your side wins, tell your partner something that you'd like for them to do for you. If your side loses, they get to make a request. If you do this right, you shouldn't get past five flips or so. At least, that's what I'm thinking. #wink
14. Download a Sex Game App
Have you ever heard of the Desire game app before? If you haven't, you and yours should download it and give it a try. It's basically an app where the both of you can create sexy dares, ranging from light to off-the-charts. Whoever obliges the most wins. Now all you've gotta do is figure out what the prize will be (whew-whee!). If you're game, you can download it here. Another one that's somewhat similar is called Hot & Dirty Dares. You can check it out right here.
15. “Upgrade” Your First Time Together
Whether your first time with your boo was everything you ever imagined it could be or it was honestly kind of a bust, use this Valentine's Day as a bit of either a recreation—or do-over. Set the scene the way you would like. Wear what you want to create the perfect mood. Reminisce about what made both of you decide to take the "leap" when you did. Discuss each other's first time fantasies. Sometimes, I counsel couples who have regrets. You know what I tell them? We can't change the past, but we can always recreate certain memories. Let this Valentine's Day inspire you to do that. You might look up and discover that it has quickly become your favorite holiday of all, if you do.
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It's kinda wild that, in 2025, my byline will have appeared on this platform for (what?!) seven years. And yeah, when I'm not waxing poetic on here about sex, relationships and then...more sex and relationships, I am working as a certified marriage life coach, helping to birth babies (as a doula) or penning for other places (oftentimes under pen names).
As some of you know, something that I've been "threatening" to do for a few years now is write another book. Welp, October 2024 was the month that I "gave birth" to my third one: 'Inside of Me 2.0: My Story. With a 20-Year Lens'. It's fitting considering I hit a milestone during the same year.
Beyond that, Pumas and lip gloss are still my faves along with sweatshirts and tees that have a pro-Black message on them. I've also started really getting into big ass unique handbags and I'm always gonna have a signature scent that ain't nobody's business but my own.
As far as where to find me, I continue to be MIA on the social media front and I honestly don't know if that will ever change. Still, if you need to hit me up about something *that has nothing to do with pitching on the site (I'm gonna start ignoring those emails because...boundaries)*, hit me up at missnosipho@gmail.com. I'll do what I can. ;)
Eva Marcille On Starring In 'Jason’s Lyric Live' & Being An Audacious Black Woman
Eva Marcille has taken her talents to the stage. The model-turned-actress is starring in her first play, Jason’s Lyric Live alongside Allen Payne, K. Michelle, Treach, and others.
The play, produced by Je’Caryous Johnson, is an adaptation of the film, which starred Allen Payne as Jason and Jada Pinkett Smith as Lyric. Allen reprised his role as Jason for the play and Eva plays Lyric.
While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Je-Caryous Johnson Entertainment
Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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'Leave Quicker': Keri Hilson Opens Up About Learning When To Walk Away In Love
What you might call Black love goals, Keri Hilson is kindly saying, “Nah.”
In a recent appearance on Cam Newton’s Funky Friday podcast, the We Need to Talk: Love singer opened up about a past relationship that once had the public rooting for her and former NBA star Serge Ibaka. According to Cam, the pair looked “immaculate” together. Keri agreed, admitting, “We looked good.” But her demeanor made it clear that everything that looks good isn't always a good look for you.
That was all but confirmed when Cam asked what the relationship taught her. Keri sighed deeply before replying, “Whew. Leave quicker.”
It was the kind of answer that doesn’t need to be packaged to be received, just raw truth from someone who’s done the work. “Ten months in, I should have [left],” she continued. “But I was believing. I was wanting to not believe [the signs].”
Keri revealed to Cam that despite their efforts to repair the relationship at the time, including couples counseling, individual therapy, and even sitting with Serge’s pastor, it just wasn’t meant to be. A large part of that, she said, was the seven-year age gap. “He was [in his] mid-twenties,” she said, attributing a lot of their misalignment to his youth and the temptations that came with fame, money, and status.
“There were happenings,” she shared, choosing her words carefully. “He deserved to live that… I want what you want. I don’t want anything different. So if I would’ve told him how to love me better, it would’ve denied him the experience of being ‘the man’ in the world.”
But she also made it clear that just because you understand someone’s path doesn’t mean you have to ride it out with them. Instead, you can practice compassionate detachment like our girl Keri. “You can have what you want, but you may not have me and that.”
When Cam jokingly questioned what if there was a reality where a man wanted to have both “you and a dab of that,” Keri didn’t hesitate with her stance: “No,” adding, “I can remove myself and [then you] have it. Enjoy it.” Sis said what she said.
Still, she shared that they dated for a couple of years and remain cool to this day. For Keri, being on good terms with an ex isn’t a sign of weakness; it's a reflection of where she is in her healing. In a time when blocking an ex is often seen as the ultimate sign of growth, Keri offers an alternate route: one where healing looks like resolution, not resentment. “I think because I have such a disgust for ugliness in my life. Like, I don't do well without peace between me and everyone in my life. Like, I really try to resolve issues,” she explained to Cam.
Adding, “I think that's what makes things difficult when you're like sweeping things under the rug or harboring ill feelings towards someone. When you're healed, when you've done your work, you can speak to anybody when you've healed from things. I think maybe that's the bottom line.”
Watch Keri's appearance on Funky Friday in full here.
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