“According to the Kinsey Report
Ev’ry average man you know
Much prefers to play his favorite sport
When the temperature is low,
But when the thermometer goes way up
And the weather is sizzling hot,
Mister Adam…for his madam…is not…
’Cause it’s too, too, too darn hot.”
—“Too Darn Hot” by Cole Porter
In summertime, the living may be easy, but rising temperatures and staggering humidity can sometimes lead to flagging libidos and the general will to chill, rather than follow passionate pursuits, even for the most devoted companions. On warm lazy days and nights, the tendency to languish can be hard to overcome. That’s why being hot for your partner when it’s too warm outside often requires ingenuity that goes beyond the mere evening at an air-conditioned movie date night. Thankfully, in addition to cool summer-themed dating ideas, there are some made-for-the-season delights that can help cool you off and at the same time, put the heat back in your love life–where it belongs!
Made in the Shade
Shade gardens feature plants that thrive with only a modicum of sunlight, and form a natural cocoon of comforting, cooler air that can make for a quiet and romantic spot to commune with both nature and the one you love. For an amorous outing that offers a break from the heat of the day, what could be more lovely than parking yourselves under the cooling canopy of verdant leaves, and enjoying an alfresco tea-for-two-themed late afternoon tryst?
H2Ohhh!
Kids love to beat the heat with the help of an outdoor wading pool, but being a grownup doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in a refreshing outdoor dip in a less than Olympic-sized pool, while basking in the company of someone you adore. The pleasure of bathing outdoors a deux can be heightened by infusing your bathwater with summer flowers and botanicals such as calendula, chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, lemon verbena, rosemary, sage, and thyme. You may either fashion bouquets and bind them with twine to be hung under the running water, or simply let the aromatic additions float freely in the tub as you soak.
Adults Only Ice-Pops
Sweltering days call for frosty treats, and while frozen ice-pops may inspire nostalgic notions of sugary, purple-tongued pleasures, for fans endowed with more sophisticated palates, there are a raft of temptingly mature recipes that pack the kind of slightly potent punch that makes relaxing and enjoying one another’s company that much more convivial. Whether your taste runs to sangria, cucumber martinis, rum punch, margaritas…or sex on the beach, many of your favorite cocktails have ice-pop equivalents that will sweeten your mood and stimulate your appetite for amour.
Underneath the Rind
One of the many seasonal foods most emblematic of summertime is watermelon. But did you know that apart from its fantastically flavorful and refreshing qualities, watermelon may also boost your libido for several reasons, and has been considered an aphrodisiac since the days of ancient Egypt?
Ripe watermelon is, by nature, a sensuous fruit. Liquid and gushy, its texture is simultaneously firm and yielding, which affords it what those in culinary circles call a wonderful “mouth feel.” And since oral stimulation is often the precursor to many a romantic gesture, this trait alone makes watermelon a favored item in Cupid’s go-to pantheon of food.
In addition to the sensory pleasures eating it affords, watermelon also contains large amounts of the plant nutrient citrulline, which has been shown to have a favorable effect on the cardiovascular and immune systems. This naturally occurring chemical relaxes blood vessels and improves circulation in a similar fashion to the active ingredient in a certain little blue pill.
Have the rising temperatures got you in a romantic funk? Let a KEEN love advisor offer cool help to get you a love life that’s made in the shade.
