LIFESTYLE 2006

Men want to be pampered, too

Eye gels, anti-wrinkle creams, hot shaves are in big demand

It's not just style-conscious A-types who are spending time grooming themselves these days. The guy next door is buying accessories, treating himself to good food and drink and paying attention to how he looks and feels. So businesses are courting today's responsive man. We found two places devoted to male grooming and -- surprise! -- they carry products a woman would love, too.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SKIN

Neither Graham Bingham nor co-owner Robert Graham had retail experience when they opened Momentum a year ago, which, says Bingham, "was probably the key to our success." Going by instinct as much as anything, they created a gender-neutral environment, avoided manly cliches such as animal skins, and then stocked the 1,200-square-foot Burrard Street shop with products they would buy themselves. Momentum focuses on three areas: shaving, aging and complexion problems. The best-selling item in the shop is Sharps Kid Glove Shave Gel, "which woman like as much as men," says Graham. Rounding out the top three sellers are an anti-wrinkle cream and an eye treatment. "Dynamic Lift is like Botox in a bottle, it takes out the lines in the forehead -- common to men -- and relaxes crow's feet while Rejuvenating Under Eye Gel takes out puffiness, dark circles and brightens the eye area," says Graham. Just for male models and show-business types? No, says Bingham. "The majority of our customers are professional men in the public eye. They have to look sharp but they also put in long hours, which takes its toll." Momentum's client base extends to New York as well as across Canada, because "so many clients travel for business. When in town they come in and stock up," says Bingham. Any surprises? "We expected to start with gay clients, then build to a wider market,' says Graham. "It has proven the opposite." Surprise really went out the window, he adds, when "longshoremen came in for face protection, construction guys for hand products, and Gen-Xers bought badger shaving brushes."

A CORNER OF THEIR OWN

When Doria & Co. Salon and Spa in Surrey opened its barbering corner two years ago, the goal was to "create an environment of creature comforts, including TV, good magazines, shaving memorabilia and antique barber chairs," says Mike Jones, a salon co-owner along with Doria sisters Adriana and Sandra. "There's even an autographed Bobby Orr hockey jersey," "I wanted a section within the salon where my dad would be comfortable coming for a haircut," he adds. " Yet, it was also important to attract boomers who like personal service and young guys into retro style like our hot shave with a straight razor." Male clients are still in a big room with "a bunch of women," says Jones "but attention to them is discreet, so they zone out and read a paper or watch TV sports. Little things like having a glass of beer or wine also puts them at ease." Skin, scalp and neck massages are part of the hot-shave experience, which includes the application of Dermalogica for cleansing and Mont Source shave and after-shave products. This pampering often leads men to try other spa services they may not have considered before. Jones explains that when "a man gets comfortable with this level of consideration, he finds it easier to try deep-tissue massage and other spa treatments." The biggest surprise? "That the older client who has spent his life getting $6 to $12 hair cuts is now spending money on himself." By Kenny Moore.

GETTING MARRIED? COUNT TO FIVE!

5 year mark key in marriages

Couples who make it to their fifth year of marriage are less likely to break up, figures from Statistics Canada indicate. "Before the first anniversary of marriage, there was less than one divorce for every 1,000 marriages in 2002,'' the agency said Tuesday. After the first anniversary, the divorce rate was 4.3 per 1,000 marriages. That went up to 18 per 1,000 after the second anniversary, 25 after the third and peaked at 25.7 after the fourth. After that, the risk of divorce decreased slowly for each additional year of marriage. Statistics Canada also said that fewer couples untied the knot in 2002, and they did it at a later age. "Since 1986, the average age at divorce has increased by 4.1 years for men and by 4.2 years for women. In 2002, the average age at divorce was 43.1 for men and 40.5 for women.'' On the other hand, couples have been waiting longer to get married, the agency noted. And in 2001, the number of couples who got married declined sharply. After three consecutive years of growth, the number of divorces dropped in 2002 and 2001. "In 2002, a total of 70,155 couples had a divorce finalized, down 1.3 per cent from 2001 and 1.4 per cent from 2000. Both men and women waited longer before divorce.

NMOS4_-003J "On average, men who divorced in 2002 were married at the age of 28.9, while women had married at the age of 26.3. "Between 1986 and 2002, the average age of marriage for individuals who divorced rose by 2.9 years for both men and women.'' The number of divorces in 2002 was 11.2 per cent below the most recent high of about 79,000 in 1992 and 27.1 per cent below the all-time peak of about 96,000 divorces in 1987, the agency said. Couples in Newfoundland and Labrador were least likely to divorce, with 2002 figures showing 21.8 per cent of marriages expected to end within 30 years of marriage. In contrast, 47.6 per cent of couples in Quebec were expected to divorce within this time. In Alberta, 41.9 per cent; British Columbia, 41 per cent; Yukon, 43.4 per cent also experienced divorce rates higher than the national average of 37.6 per cent. For couples divorcing in 2002, the average marriage lasted 14.2 years, up 0.2 years from 2000 and 1.4 years from 1993. "The number of divorces fell in nine of the provinces and territories between 2000 and 2002, particularly in New Brunswick, where the decline was 14.9 per cent, and in Saskatchewan, where it was 10.7 per cent. Divorces were up in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Yukon.'

Creativity, some scientists say, may play an important role in healthy aging.

The singers' average age is 80; the youngest is 65 and the oldest 96.

It's an odd medical meeting that features Rogers & Hammerstein and brilliantly coloured paintings rather than, say, X-rays. What does belting out Oklahoma or putting oil to canvas have to do with brain health? Perhaps a lot, when the singers are active 70- and 80-year-olds and the painters are in the throes of dementia. Creativity, some scientists say, may play an important role in healthy aging; conversely, the ill can shed extraordinary light on just how the brain perceives art. "Even though our brains age, it doesn't diminish our ability to create," says Dr. Bruce Miller, a behavioural neurologist at the University of California, San Francisco. The big question, as arts projects become more common in retirement and nursing homes, is whether tapping elders' creativity truly brings them physical health benefits as well as joy. And if so, what works best? The National Institute on Aging and Society for the Arts in Healthcare brought scientists and artists together last month to galvanize interest in research on creativity to find out. Mental decline once was thought inevitable with aging. Scientists now know that's not true, and the brain continually rewires and adapts itself even in old age. Even dementia "doesn't wipe out all aspects of creativity," says Miller. Indeed, some forms release astounding abilities to draw by people who never did so before, providing important clues to where the brain houses creative abilities.

HOME. LIVING

Idea sprung from a leak

A home built for spectacular ocean views was the inspiration for a high-tech system of detecting water damage

"By the time you see the damage on the outside, the problem has been brewing inside for years,"

Leaky homes do not a career launchpad make, unless the owner of that home happens to be a fibre-optics engineer with a flare for invention. Dave Vokey, with his wife Patricia Vokey, built a waterfront retreat along the shores of Satellite Channel in 1991. The house was the culmination of a years-long search for an island refuge. "We came to the Island over and over again looking for the right property," says Patricia. The property slopes toward an arbutus- and cedar-forested shore. Offshore, boat sails shine crisp white against indigo waters, with Saltspring Island's rugged silhouette as a backdrop. The couple had a three-level home built, but during the planning stage, Dave had reservations about certain design elements. He let his concerns go when he was assured that his worries were for naught. That turned out to be a mistake. Within a few years, water problems spouted in the house. Dave attacked the problems with numerous structural solutions, all the while contemplating how large-scale repairs could have been avoided." By the time you see the damage on the outside, the problem has been brewing inside for years," says Dave. "I wondered if (fibre-optic) technology could be applied to this problem." If necessity is the mother of invention, disaster is its midwife. Dave fused his fibre-optics knowledge with the house's moisture woes and came up with a structural moisture monitoring system that he christened "Detec." The system applies remote sensing detectors inside the walls that feed into a computer that monitors the moisture content in the wood, a system that is taking hold in multi-family units and larger buildings up and down the coast.

"If you catch these things early enough, you can solve your problem,"

A bedroom, full of natural light and for cooler evenings, a fireplace.

"If you catch these things early enough, you can solve your moisture problem with a caulking gun, instead of a contractor," says Dave. Although the Vokeys repaired the home to resolve the water issues, they didn't install a Detec system. "It's too expensive to install on a single home, especially after construction," says Dave. "It's suited to multi-family units that share a system." Locally, the system has been installed at the new Aberdeen Hospital, a 45-unit seniors housing complex. The Vokeys called in interior decorator Sheri Peterson to design a home that reflects their down-home friendliness and sociable lifestyle. The result is an energized home environment with more entertainment zones than it has bedrooms. "Pat loves colour and shock -- tasteful shock," says Peterson of the house's rich colour combinations in cobalt, royal purple, sandy gold and shaded green. A double-door entry opens to a foyer flanked in mirrors that are etched in a frothing surf pattern, introducing the home's ocean theme. It's an ironic design choice for a couple who are making their mark by fighting water problems. A hallway floored in black granite leads to a sunlit living room of vaulted ceilings, clerestory windows and a funky fusion of sandy gold walls patterned with neo-industrial touches against deep rich purple accents. A wall of cabinets glazed in what Peterson dubs "broken bus stop glass" stands behind a granite-clad bar. The granite runs down the bar sleeve in the same foaming wave pattern of the etched mirrors and repeats in the granite backsplash. The silhouette of the broken-edged granite is not by happenstance. "It mimics the shape of Saltspring Island in the mirror," says Peterson. Rich purple armchairs that Pat refers to as her "Jetson chairs," for their futuristic outerspace curves, pair off with a more traditionally cut, sand-hued upholstered sofa.

The sun room are perfect places to sit, sip coffee and plan your day.

The elegant touches are lightened with whimsical folk-art canine sculptures, a hint at the couple's involvement with animal humane societies. "We have three rescued dogs," says Pat. Her husband laughs. "They were all 'foster' animals," says Dave. "Years later, they're still here." Bevelled-glass french doors open to a formal dining room, its purple walls striated in sheen and matte finishes. More french doors open to a glorious sunroom, decorated in jungle prints and wickers. "It's the smallest room in the house, but it's the one we spend the most time in," says Dave. Beyond the dining room, french doors open to the kitchen where designer Peterson married ultra-industrial corrugated steel cabinetry with subtle pear woods and granites and citrus walls. The floors are covered in blonded oak hardwood. The wave theme continues in the artwork and in draperies that are cut along undulating lines. The water pattern surfaces again at the ground level where slate floors meet white-sand coloured berber carpets in an curling wave. The custom-designed curved couch's back is cut to replicate ocean swells and even the barstools along the granite bar flow in the same surging pattern. The wall behind the bar features a large glass plate etched with martini glasses and whitecapped waves. The couple loved working with their designer, but the glass-wall feature was one spot where they put the brakes on one of her ideas. "Sheri wanted to have a water feature running down the wall and I said, 'No!'" says Dave, laughing. "All I could see was more leaks." By JoAnne Hathery

GOING HAIRLESS TO ATTRACT WOMEN? YAH RIGHT

Michael MacKay could be the poster boy for the age of Adonis. With his shaved and bronzed skin, finely sculpted pecs and abs, his brilliantly white teeth and spiked blond hair, MacKay typifies a new generation of young men for whom the look is everything. They are turning up everywhere -- in classrooms, gymnasiums, on the beach and in the office. But they are most readily found in the pages of magazines such as Esquire, Vanity Fair and GQ where their washboard abs, silky skin and sultry looks illustrate ads for everything from underwear to cologne. MacKay, a 24-year-old financial planner in Fredericton, works out with weights five or six times a week, guzzles protein drinks and tans year round. "I was skinny in high school and I wanted to be bigger ... it's all about looking good for the ladies," he explains. But it is the effort to maintain a totally hairless body that has presented one of the biggest challenges in MacKay's pursuit of perfection. "I don't have hair on my body at all -- anywhere," he says proudly. "I've waxed and I've done some electrolysis. But I find shaving better because if I shave every two days, I can stay smooth. The problem with waxing is you have to let the hair grow for four weeks to rewax. So in between, your arms and legs are hairy. MacKay is preparing to shell out at least $1,000 for laser treatments to remove body hair once and for all.

This is a major change in body image for men. For those who can still remember the lush, hairy chests of stars like Sean Connery and Burt Reynolds -- thick pelts a gal could curl up against -- these new developments are somewhat chilling. Psychologists have their concerns as well. New studies suggest that media-driven images of what the new man should look like are having potentially harmful side effects on some people. Eating disorders, body obsessions and low physical self-esteem are becoming almost as common in men as they are in women -- the gender most affected by advertising portrayals of body perfection.

"Some weigh 280 pounds of pure muscle and they still can't take their shirts off at the beach because they don't feel like they're big enough for the girls."

Jamie Farquhar, a fourth-year psychology student at Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B., has recently completed the first stage of a research project looking at the role of the media in male attitudes towards their bodies. Farquhar, who will be presenting his findings in January at a psychology symposium in California, looked at 30 years of advertising in magazines such as Sports Illustrated and discovered a marked change in how the male body is presented. He says today's male advertising images are more nude, more posed and with more emphasis on body parts and the presentation of the male physique as an object. "If the media is teaching us to look at the body as an object, then it's no surprise we're being more critical and less satisfied with our bodies," Farquhar says. MacKay has seen people go too far with the Adonis complex, including friends who use steroids -- something he has always avoided. "I have a lot of friends who do steroids," he says. "Some weigh 280 pounds of pure muscle and they still can't take their shirts off at the beach because they don't feel like they're big enough for the girls." Clinical psychologist Roberto Olivardia of Harvard's McLean Hospital in Massachusetts and co-author of the groundbreaking book, The Adonis Complex, says he has treated boys as young as 12 for steroid abuse.

"A lot of people hinge their self esteem on the way they look,"

"I think young boys, just like young girls, know what the cultural scripts are as to what is the ideal," Olivardia says. Olivardia believes that increased access to steroids has helped fuel the change in male body image. He says the drugs, which pump up muscle mass, used to be the exclusive reserve of body builders. Now kids in junior high are getting hold of them. He says some men are using the drugs to help stake out their territory in the war of the sexes. "As gender roles start to blur, men are almost on a socio-cultural level striving to assert their masculinity through their bodies by looking big and muscular," he says. Olivardia says it's a doomed effort, since the ravages of time and age eventually will erode any body, no matter how pumped up. "A lot of people hinge their self esteem on the way they look," he says. "That can become problematic because trends can change and certainly our appearance will change. We'll all get old, wrinkled and grey ... and if you have rested your self esteem on looking good, at some point you're going to be in trouble." But for his part, MacKay is already girding his streamlined loins for the battle against time, as are many other young Adonises. According to the latest figures from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the number of men seeking minimally invasive procedures such as Botox injections and laser hair removal grew by 43 per cent from 2000 to 2004, compared with a 35 per cent increase for women. "This is an area that's evolving," says MacKay, adding that he already uses moisturizers and skin care products. "I know that down the road I'll be looking at something like Botox." By Chris Norries

FAT BURNING

Two women swimming

SWIMMING

The Greek philosopher Plato declared men who didn't know how to swim as uneducated. These days we're a little less dogmatic about swimming's merits, but there's little doubt it's a vital skill - for our health and safety. By Laura McLair.

FAT BURNING: Swimming isn't only a great form of general exercise, it can also be therapeutic for particular conditions and injuries. Even animals can benefit: for a dog, a five-minute swim is said to be the equivalent of a five-mile run. Swimming is a great way to tone up and trim down, because to swim you need to move your body against the resistance of the water. Just swimming a few lengths can involve most of the major muscle groups, giving your body a great work out. If you crank up the pace, you'll get a brilliant aerobic workout too. As the resistance in water is more than ten times that of air, you're also burning up more fat - American research suggests you use up 25 per cent more calories in water than you would if you were swimming through air. Because you can swim at your own pace, slowly if you wish, you can keep swimming for much longer than if you were going for the burn on a bike, for example. Maintaining your staying power is a vital goal in fat-burning exercise.

LOW IMPACT: The other big advantage of swimming is that water supports your weight and takes the stress off your joints, so you can put your body through a good workout without your knees, hips or spine paying the price. Research shows that exercising in waist-deep water reduces the pressure on joints by 50 per cent , while exercising in chest-deep water reduces it by as much as 75 per cent. However, although swimming is great if you have joint problems such as arthritis, it won't build up much protection against the brittle bone disease osteoporosis because it's not a weight-bearing exercise. Swimming is a wonderful exercise in pregnancy. The weight-supporting effect of water means it's especially good in the late stages when you're struggling to get about.

Start children young: Knowing how to swim greatly reduces the risk of drowning - one of the commonest causes of accidental death in young people. Start your child swimming at an early age; most people recommend lessons once they can walk, but you can get them in the pool as soon as they're immunized and there are even some courses for this age group. Get expert instruction at your local pool.

Specific health issues: Although swimming is generally great for your health, there are a few health problems that can occur:

Swimmer's shoulder. Three related injuries that can develop through overuse of the shoulder joint, causing inflammation and pain in the tendons and other tissues that form the capsule, or fibrous shell, of the shoulder joint. However, this is mostly a problem for serious or competitive swimmers.

Girl walking with dog

WALKING, By Flora Hayes

Most people walk somewhere sometime, but making walking a regular activity and focusing on the intensity or distance covered can greatly increase your fitness. Here we look at the general benefits of walking and the different types to try.

Types of walking

Rambling. Walking in the countryside, often in groups, over a set route. Such routes may use footpaths, bridleways, waymarked paths, national trails, common land and national parks.

Hill and fell walking. Walking up hills increases the work load and energy cost considerably; even walking down again uses more energy that walking on the flat. Walking downhill can also make you sore if you're unaccustomed to it, as it uses muscles as shock absorbers. If you're going on a hill-walking holiday, plan rest days to allow your muscles to recover. Before going hill walking, get expert advice on how to kit yourself out and training on mountain-craft skills and map reading.

Fitness and power walking. The idea is to walk at such a fast pace that it would actually be easier to break into a run. You actually burn more calories walking at this speed than you would running at the same pace.

Race walking. This can be highly competitive or sociable and friendly. At one end of the scale are highly tuned Olympic athletes; at the other are fun race walkers, often to be found holding their own in the middle of a field of fun runners. To learn the correct race-walking technique, contact your local athletics club.

Benefits

Walking improves the condition of heart and lungs (cardiovascular fitness), and works the muscles of the lower body. It's a weight-bearing activity, so it may improve bone density, yet it's also low impact, putting less stress on the joints than some other forms of exercise.

Is it for you?

Anyone can take up walking activities, provided they're healthy. If you have any doubts about your health, though, you should consult your doctor before attempting any exercise program.

If you do little activity at the moment, you should start walking at a suitable level and work up to the more demanding varieties such as hill or race walking. Consider an activity you already do on a regular basis and start your walking program just above this level.

Getting started

If you're a fitness beginner, the following tips can help kick-start your walking program.

Walk, don't drive, to the local shop. If you have a lot to carry, take a small rucksack.
If you have children, walk them to and from school as briskly as you all can manage.
Get off the bus or Tube a stop early. This will give you some extra exercise and may also reduce your fare.
Take a walk during your lunch hour. Half an hour's walk after a meal will cut the amount of fat you store by using it to fuel your exercise.
Once a week take a longer walk along a completely different route to keep things interesting.
Once you've got used to the idea of walking more, try this eight-week walking program. Week five is an easier week, to allow your body to adapt to the changes made in your physical activity patterns.
Each time you walk, start out gently with your shoulders relaxed and head up. As you begin to feel warmer, gradually increase your pace until you're walking at a comfortable steady pace. As you reach the end of your walk, gradually slow down until your breathing returns to normal.

Where to do it

You can walk wherever there is solid ground, of course, but some places are better - and more picturesque - than others. The British countryside, for example, is covered with a network of footpaths and bridleways, which not only provide stunning scenery but also different terrains.

When it's dark, cold, icy or foggy, a gym treadmill is a useful substitute. It can also be useful way of plotting your progress. Modern treadmills often have programmed routes, too, which will automatically vary the gradient for a more challenging walk.

Clothing and equipment

For most outdoor walks you need no specialist equipment aside from the standard and sensible: stout shoes and a windproof/waterproof anorak. However, if the ground is hilly or rough, proper walking boots or shoes with moulded grips are strongly recommended. Some people prefer boots for any walk over three or four hours long. Mountain or winter walking naturally requires greater care and consideration (warm clothing, extra provisions, etc).

It's also a good idea to carry a few items in a small rucksack: a drink, some food, an extra sweater, first aid equipment and a compass, for example. By Dr. R. Nicks.

	MONDAY	WEDNESDAY	FRIDAY	SUNDAY	Weekly Total
WEEK 1	10 mins	10 mins	10 mins		30
WEEK 2	10 mins	10 mins	15 mins		35
WEEK 3	15 mins	10 mins	15 mins		40
WEEK 4	15 mins	10 mins	10 mins	10 mins	45
WEEK 5	10 mins	10 mins	15 mins		35
WEEK 6	15 mins	10 mins	10 mins	10 mins	45
WEEK 7	10 mins	10 mins	15 mins	15 mins	50
WEEK 8	10 mins	20 mins	10 mins	15 mins	55

70 romantic ways to have fun

In our busy lives, time can often seem in short supply so it's important that couples make the most of their time together. Here are some suggestions.

On rainy days

1. Clear out the garage, attic, cupboards or wardrobes* - it really doesn't matter as long as you do it together.

2. Go charity shopping. While away the hours browsing for books, CDs, games, retro clothing, bric-a-brac. You could try a carboot sale or trawl round some antique shops.

3. Get some exercise. Go swimming or ice skating, or enjoy a walk in the rain.

4. Enjoy a movie marathon.* Visit the video shop, stack up on snacks and spend the day being film critics. And if you're stuck for inspiration, take a look at films reviews and related events

5. Visit an art gallery. Find an exhibition in your area.

6. Step back in time and visit a museum. Many of the buildings themselves deserve a look and you never know you might learn something at the same time!

7. Improve your memory and then spend the day testing each other's powers of recall.

8. Discover yourself. Bookshops and the internet offer a wealth of personal profiling tools which can help you find out your personality type, your IQ or your relationship style.

9. Create something, such as a coffee table, some shelves, a bird table, pottery dishes, vases, face sculpture, candles or soap. Craft shops are full of ideas.

10. Go to the football or a sport game. Even if you're not into the sport, you'll find the atmosphere electric. Especially if your team is playing their arch rivals!

11. Have an evening of pick'n'mix. Take a look at the TV listings and create a night of entertainment.

On sunny days

12. Go for a stroll anywhere you like.

13. Take a hike. Find a nice big hill and see who can fall into an exhausted heap at the top first.

14. Go for a bike ride. Like walking, cycling can be energetic or gentle - it's up to you. But either way it's sure to give your health a boost!

15. Hire a boat. Choose from an energetic canoe ride, a romantic row down the river or a leisurely cruise on a motor boat.

16. Visit the park. Spend the day on the swings or play a game of tennis. If you're really adventurous, you could even try out your skateboarding skills on the half-pipe.

17. Take to horseback. Look in your local directory for places that offer riding lessons (you may need to book in advance). Or better still, along a beautiful beach!

18. Be risky. Try some extreme sports - skydiving, rock climbing, potholing, ballooning, motor racing .. the list is endless. (You'll definitely need to book ahead, though.)

19. Visit a stately home.* You might even get some inspiration for your own love nest!

20. Obey your animal instincts by visiting a zoo or farm.* Relax as you wander round the park. And if you don't like spiders you can always go and talk to the monkeys!

21. Remember the picnic.* To make all the above even more enjoyable, don't forget to pack some beautiful food and wine. Let BBC Food help you choose the perfect tipple!

At the weekend

22. Walk this way - the Pennine Way, the South Downs Way, the Milky Way...

23. Go youth hostelling. There are many youth hostels catering for individuals, couples and families - and they're cheap.

24. Take a city break. Look at UK options as well as those in Europe and the United States.

25. Book a themed weekend break. There are plenty of options, from murder mystery tours to salsa dancing to Yoga.

26. Go camping,* either in your own back garden or at one of the hundreds of specialized sites around the country. Staying put will give your children the chance to learn more about their surroundings...

27. Visit friends or relatives.* Take the chance to spend time with people in another part of the country. If they can't put you up for the night, book into a B&B.

28. Indulge and pamper yourself at a health farm.

29. Pick any room in your house and give it a complete makeover.

30. Spring clean the house or give your garden a serious sort out. Make sure you take regular breaks and treat yourself to a delicious takeaway or meal out in the evening.

When the children are in bed

31. Play games, whether they're board games, computer games or naughty games...

32. Work your mind with brain-teasers, jigsaw puzzles, crosswords or quiz books. See how your IQ rates against the rest of the nation!

33. Pamper each other. Give your partner a massage, manicure and pedicure. We all need a little pampering sometimes!

34. Rent a film to suit your mood, be it a comedy, weepy, romance or horror movie.

35. Star gaze. Lie in the garden and see if you can name the constellations.

36. Have a blind food tasting.

37. Enjoy a romantic dinner for two: light those candles, put on some soft music and get out the posh crockery. As if you needed an excuse to indulge!

38. Have a picnic in the garden.

39. Put on a themed evening. Try a little Eastern promise or a sushi night.

40. Drag out the duvet, make two cups of hot chocolate and snuggle up on the sofa or in front of the fire.

41. Read the same book and compare notes. If you're stuck for inspiration, why not see what everyone else is reading?

42. Dig out the photos and enjoy a night of nostalgia. Or if you want to get more involved, why not take some of your own portraits? You could be the next icon!

43. Try a new recipe together. Have a go at Thai, Indian, Greek - whatever tickles your taste buds.

44. Learn a language.

45. Go internet shopping. Why not treat each other to a surprise? Buy online and then wait for it to arrive!

46. Compose something: a poem, a story or - if you're feeling musical - a song.

For an evening out

47. Go to the theatre. It could be the Palladium or, if the budget's tight, your local am-dram group. Find out what's near you or pack your overnight bag and make a weekend of it!

48. Get some exercise. Go swimming or to the gym, or play a game of badminton or squash.

49. Have an evening of ten-pin bowling.* Or join your local bowling club. Many are opening their doors to a wider range of participants.

50. Attend a concert. Try something different, such as jazz, classical or rock.

51. Go to the dogs - but agree before you go how much you're willing to lose in bets.

52. Enjoy a few drinks at your local pub, and keep a look out for quiz nights and local bands. They say music is the food of love!

53. Join an evening class. There's a huge range available, from poetry and dancing, to local history, cooking and wine tasting.

54. Have a leisurely dinner. Whether it's cheap and cheerful or top-class nosh, enjoy the chance for uninterrupted conversation.

55. Go to the cinema. Slip into the back row and enjoy the latest blockbuster. Find out what's on in your area.

When you've only got an hour to spare

56. Have a fight - with balloons or pillows rather than words. Or if you're worried to be more loving, why not indulge in some sensual touching.

57. Have a bath with oodles of bubbles.

58. Eat in bed, whether it's breakfast time or not. Make it all the more special by preparing an aphrodisiac meal!

59. Use your limited time to plan what you'll do when you have a whole evening to yourselves.

60. Start researching your family tree, then add to it every time you have an hour to spare.

61. Bake a cake or anything you'll enjoy eating together.

62. Do a fitness video together, whether it's aerobics, Pilates or Yoga.

63. Do an online quiz.

Romantic gestures

64. Say "I love you"

65. Give each other a hug

66. Leave a love note, in a briefcase or on the TV screen. Or request your favorite love song on the radio.

67. Blow a kiss - or just start flirting outrageously! Why not?

68. Give flowers.

69. Keep in touch. When you're apart, send a text or email, or pick up the phone.

70. Write "I love you" in lipstick on the mirror or in glow-in-the-dark chalk on the front wall.

DIVA SECRETS AND TIPS

Diva On A Dime brings fashion makeovers to a whole new level when hosts Julia Grieve and Adrian Mainella set out on their weekly mission to help someone solve a fashion crisis. Their goal is to find the perfect designer look at a drastically slashed price and they do it all by shopping at discount and consignment clothing shops. Got that big wedding to go to with nothing to wear and almost as little to spend? No problem. Got a new executive job but your work clothes look like they belong in the mailroom? Relax. For as little money as possible Julia and Adrian are going to have you looking like you just got back from the ritziest shops in Paris. In short - you are about to become a Diva On A Dime!

DIVA TIPS

Make an instant hand/foot/leg scrub by mixing some granular sugar with your regular body lotion.

Shoe shopping is best done at the end of the day when your feet are swollen. Otherwise, you may buy shoes that are too small!

Instead of buying an expensive facial spritzer, did you know you can make one at home with a mini-spray gun purchased at the dollar store?

To keep your perfume lasting longer, always store it in a cool, dark place. Tip: Stowing a perfume bottle in your lingerie drawer will lightly scent your undergarments.

Lip gloss does double duty! When moisturizing lips, apply any leftover balm on your fingertips to your cuticles.
Make an instant hand/foot/leg scrub by mixing some granular sugar with your regular body lotion.

Shoe shopping is best done at the end of the day when your feet are swollen. Otherwise, you may buy shoes that are too small!

Instead of buying an expensive facial spritzer, did you know you can make one at home with a mini-spray gun purchased at the dollar store?

To keep your perfume lasting longer, always store it in a cool, dark place. Tip: Stowing a perfume bottle in your lingerie drawer will lightly scent your undergarments.

Lip gloss does double duty! When moisturizing lips, apply any leftover balm on your fingertips to your cuticles.

Instead of a girls’ night out, why not try a girls’ night in? Have everyone bring their unwanted clothes, then have fun swapping each other’s giveaways. Score some new digs while passing on items you don’t want anymore.

Although shampoo bottles often suggest lathering up twice, once is usually enough.

Don’t wash your hair every day. Natural oils help condition hair.

An inexpensive piece of ribbon or a long thin scarf is an inexpensive way to update an outfit.

Make your own charm necklace by stringing beads onto a sheer ribbon. Tie knots between each bead for a special effect.

Whiten you fingernails by giving them a soak in lemon juice.

Clean your hair and makeup brushes with baby shampoo.

Get in the habit of scrubbing your feet with a pumice stone every time you shower (a minute or two will do) and save on pricey salon pedicures.

Don’t throw out that old pair of panty hose. Dip them in a little bit of baby oil and use it to shine up your old leather shoes.

Clean an old mascara wand for a cheap alternative to a lash brush. Use after applying mascara to get rid of clumps.

When applying face cream at night, dabbing a little bit extra around the eyes eliminates the need for a separate eye cream.

A high, slicked back ponytail at the back of your head is like an instant facelift!

With a $10 aloe vera plant you can naturally sooth a sunburn, help heal a cut, and moisturize your skin.

Get to know the sales people at your favourite stores. They can let you know when their sales are and how to get on the mailing list for deals and promotions.

Warehouse sales aren’t often publicized, so ask a friend in the fashion business to keep you in the loop for upcoming sales.

Warehouse and sample sale shopping can get crazy so go early, and be sure to check discard racks.

Invest in classic, well-tailored pieces such as a great jacket and black pants, but save, while still looking fashionable, by buying inexpensive, of-the-moment accessories such as a necklace or colourful shoes.

A good tailor can help make inexpensive or ill-fitting garments fit your body properly, which will instantly upgrade your look.

Bring an old item to a tailor or dressmaker to give it new life – shorten the leg on pants, change a hem on a skirt, switch buttons or re-line a jacket in a bright print.

A great shoe or bag can instantly update an old outfit.

Save on dry-cleaning bills by spraying garments with a deodorizing spray and airing out between wears. Dry-clean only every couple months or when soiled.

Hang clothes out to dry, you’ll save money and electricity, and your clothes will smell wonderful.

Always keep your eyes out for great fashion finds. Yard sales, flea markets and second-hand stores have great scores, you just have to be patient and weed through the junk.