People who have never read a romance book tend to roll their eyes at the genre.

But this thriving book industry is full of authors who are smart and incredibly accomplished. The video below is the trailer for a new documentary about romance writers. Get a preview of “Love Between the Covers” below.

Love Between the Covers – Official Trailer from Laurie Kahn on Vimeo.

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31 of the best inspirational quotes for romantics to lift the spirits.

1. Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. -Marcel Proust

2. Love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking together in the same direction. –Antoine de Saint-Exupery

3. We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. -Thornton Wilder

4. Anyone who falls in love is searching for the missing pieces of themselves. So anyone who’s in love gets sad when they think of their lover. It’s like stepping back inside a room you have fond memories of, one you haven’t seen in a long time. -Haruki Murakami

5. So, I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you. -Paulo Coelho

6. With my last breath, I’ll exhale my love for you. I hope it’s a cold day, so you can see what you meant to me. –Jarod Kintz

7. Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,

And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind. -William Shakespeare

8. We looked into each other’s eyes. I saw myself, she saw herself. -Stanislaw J. Lee

9. Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being “in love” which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. -Louis de Bernieres

10. Each time you happen to me all over again. -Edith Wharton

11. I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only love. -Mother Teresa

12. In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, for in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed. -Kahlil Gibran

13. Anyone can be passionate, it takes real lovers to be silly. –Rose Franken

14. Love is but the discovery of ourselves in others, and the delight in the recognition. -Alexander Smith

15. And in her smile I see something more beautiful than the stars. -Beth Revis

16. The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along. -Rumi

17. He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same. -Emily Brontë

18. Love is everything it’s cracked up to be. That’s why people are so cynical about it…It really is worth fighting for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don’t risk everything, you risk even more. -Erica Jong

19. Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same. -Flavia Weedn

20. Life is a flower of which love is the honey. -Victor Hugo

21. Only from the heart can you touch the sky. -Rumi

22. Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile. -Franklin P. Jones

23. I fell in love with her courage, her sincerity, and her flaming self respect. And it’s these things I’d believe in, even if the whole world indulged in wild suspicions that she wasn’t all she should be. I love her and it is the beginning of everything. -F. Scott Fitzgerald

24. Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night. -William Shakespeare

25. When you are gone all the colors fade. -Amos Lee

26. At the first kiss I felt something melt inside me that hurt in an exquisite way. All my longings, all my dreams and sweet anguish, All the secrets that slept deep within me came awake, Everything was transformed and enchanted, everything made sense. -Hermann Hesse

27. If I had the stars from the darkest night

And the diamonds from the deepest ocean,

I’d forsake them all for your sweet kiss,

For that’s all I’m wishin’ to be ownin’. -Bob Dylan

28. You don’t love someone for their looks, or their clothes or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear. -Oscar Wilde

29. If you press me to say why I loved him, I can say no more than because he was he, and I was I.  -Michael D. Montaigne

30. Have a heart that never hardens, a temper that never tires, a touch that never hurts. -Charles Dickens

31. To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides. -David Viscott

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image: Pink Sherbet Photography

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“Don’t let toxic people rent space in your head. Raise the rent and get them out of there.” – Marc Chernoff

Life is full of ups and downs. Friends, family and co-workers may hit highs and lows and with them comes the associated mood swings. That’s not what we’re talking about here. The roller coaster of life comes and goes taking people for a ride, but toxic people are here to stay, constantly bringing you down. Toxic relationships can stifle our creativity and keep us from reaching our goals, all the while self denial tells us that we need this person. Not so my friend, not so.

Some people in your life are hyper critical, judgmental and often unhappy with your success. Toxic relationships come in all shapes and sizes like complainers that constantly dump their life frustrations on you or needy friends where the conversation always revolves around them. Toxic friends may love to shame you in front of others or talk about you behind your back.

You can identify toxic relationships because you often feel less like yourself in front of these people. You may feel the relationship is one-sided or that the relationship doesn’t allow you room to grow and change.

Now that you’ve identified a toxic relationship, can you release it? Here are some tips to set you in the right direction:

1. Face the truth.

Toxic relationships involve a lot of self denial. Often times, we don’t want to admit what these people do to our inner gods and goddesses. We let them rule our being for worse, not better. Using the criteria above, get real about your toxic relationships and get rid of those who drain you dry.

2. Seek help.

Sometimes you may need help getting out of a relationship (especially a toxic romantic relationship). In this case, the brave unknown may be too much to bear. Or you’re just scared of their reaction to your impending exit. Don’t be afraid to seek help from a counselor, life coach or a good friend.

3. Feel the pain.

In my life, I’ve had one relationship that took its toll. I knew it was toxic but couldn’t deal with the pain of leaving it behind. The pain was real, and once I allowed myself to feel the pain and admit I had fallen apart, it finally started to lift. Once in a while I look back to those times with a sense of pride. I fell apart but I was more resilient for it, and in the process, I learned a whole lot about myself.

4. In the end, honor you.

By being honest, letting go and facing the pain you’re honoring yourself.

Related on EcoSalon

7 Relationship Tips to Spice Up Your Love Life

5 Tips For Healthy Relationships

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Image: woodleywonderworks

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What women want and what’s good for us are often two different things. Too often, men with these destructive habits make the cut when they should be out on the curb.

My friends and I used to chat endlessly about what women want and how infuriating it is that guys don’t have a clue. Looking back, I realized it was us without the clue. I was in this on-again off-again relationship with a guy I knew was also seeing someone else, my BFF was with this total slacker who was still living with his mom, and my other friend was clearly with her boyfriend because of his fancy car, ginormous house and his talent for picking up her (expensive) bar tab.

Does any of the above also describes yourself and your friends? There are times when what women want in a guy ends up vastly contradicted by who we’re ultimately attracted to, and I can’t figure it out. If guys came complete with a list of destructive habits on their lapel, we’d probably steer clear. But often what initially attracts us to a man will be the undoing of a relationship.

“I like a man to be a man, and I guess a lot of those qualities could (and do) fall under ‘destructive,'”says Forbes writer Larissa Faw. “There definitely has to be some edge.” It’s hard to know when to draw the line – you know, especially since we keep moving it. What women want and what we sometimes settle for are two totally different things. Not to pull a Bradshaw, but I can’t help but wonder: How much edge should one woman take?

Below are 9 of the most common destructive habits known to man (literally). How many have you fallen for?

The Playboy
He’s good-looking, flirty, charming – and he’s dated all of your friends. “He seems attractive to you because he’s ‘unavailable’ and always keeps you guessing,” says psychotherapist and relationship expert Kimberly Moffit, who warns his destructive habits will catch up with him eventually. “He won’t enjoy the satisfaction that a long-term relationship can give.”

The Workaholic
Employment is hot and so is he. He’s successful, popular, and those suits – sigh. “Yet, he won’t really have time for relationships or families in the way you’re probably hoping,” says relationship expert April Masini. In other words, work is his wife, and you’re kind of… well, the mistress.

The Big Spender
When it comes to what women want, financial security can be a red herring. Big spenders seem great on the outside, but are usually a lot less wealthy than they appear. I mean seriously, what are they trying to prove (or hide) with all that stuff? If your big spender’s not a big earner, just think: When you get married, you’ll inherit half his debt. Isn’t that adorable?

The Egomaniac
He’s gorgeous, but the problem is he knows it. Between fluffing his hair and checking his angles in every mirror he passes, it’s amazing he even knows what you look like. He’s even less likely to compliment you on it.

The Energizer Bunny
He’s the fast-driving, cliff-diving, plane-jumping risk-taker who has an annoying amount of energy. While this is attractive at first, as he gets older, his need for speed won’t ease up. “At the age of 50, this guy will still be trying to find his fun ‘fix,’” says Moffit. Not only will you never find a sense of stability with him, you’ll end up napping more than your cat.

The Control Freak
“He might seem manly and in charge, but if he’s checking your e-mails, voicemails and making you change your clothes because you didn’t wear what he picked out for you, buckle up,” says Masini, “This isn’t going to get better for you.”

The Jerk
You justify his douchey behavior because he’s been through a lot and doesn’t know any better. Plus, when he turns back into Dr. Jekyll he’s so sweet and you have the most amazing time together. Barf. “Rather than him being gushy with or rude to you all the time, the random positive attention keeps you interested in the relationship,” says Elizabeth Lombardo, Ph.D., author of A Happy You: Your Ultimate Prescription for Happiness.

The Commitment-Phobe
Paging Chandler Bing: “This guy’s perfectly fine with being in a ‘sorta’ relationship with you, but when it comes to doing anything suggesting a long-term commitment, he flies the coop,” says Moffit. The is one of the destructive habits women always like to think they’ll be able to change–though it’s rarely true. This guy always finds a way to bail on occasions like Valentine’s Day and family get-togethers – even Christmas. (So why is it you’re not the one running again?)

The Slacker
Once known as the high school pot head, he’ll one day be living in a van down by the river – until then, he’s living at home with his parents and working temp jobs to pay for the latest video games. “You like him because he’s laisse-faire and easy-going,” says Moffit, “But as a result has nothing to bring to a relationship, and chances are he never will.” Oy.

What women want: Are we looking for too much yet not asking for enough? Tell us in the comments.

Related on EcoSalon:
5 Mistakes Men Make in the Bedroom (Someone Had to Say It)
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25 Dating Dealbreakers and How to Spot Them

Image: Pedro Ribeiro Simões

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There are countless articles telling women how to turn up the heat in the bedroom, but rarely will you find a resource that gives men the same helpful advice. Sure, men are manly and should know how to make their studly way around the bedroom, but believe it or not, there are some who lack this valuable knowledge. Don’t believe me? Here are five mistakes men make in the bedroom.

1.  Coming to Bed Smelling Like Ass

Or sweat, or feet, or anything else that no one wants to smell. Of all the mistakes men make, this may be the most offensive to the senses. In fact, feel free to take a shower before jumping in between the sheets. We won’t mind. We’ll wait. And, even if sex doesn’t happen, you’ll be able to experience the awesomeness of being all clean and pretty while you sleep. We work, go to the gym, and we hustle just the same as you, but we aren’t trying to transfer all of the residue of the day onto you when we go to bed. Unless you want us to. Maybe.

2.  Wearing “Period” Underwear

Some mistakes men make can be chalked up to ignorance. And then there’s just willful ignorance. Although most men don’t menstruate, many of you do keep the ratty SpongeBob boxers and briefs your now post-college body wore in college. Women call those period panties and we don’t wear them unless we are on our periods. We also don’t dare wear them when we go out on dates if we are expecting anything to happen. We know, beat down underclothes aren’t sexy. This goes for the high water Grinch pajama pants you’ve been wearing for 15 years as well.

3.  Jumping on Us Like A Hyena

Foreplay goes a long way. Unless there’s some kind of legitimate reason you have to jump on us and pin yourselves to our chests like a Purple Heart, this is not the way to broach the subject of sex. We know it’s late and we’re probably tired too. But just as you wouldn’t appreciate us yelling, “can you hurry up – I want to watch Breaking Bad” we don’t want to feel like a pit stop on the way to sleepy time.

4.  Acting Butt-Hurt When We Make a Request

While men love to throw out sexual requests and appreciate women who are open to them, they react a bit differently when we make our own requests. If you can’t handle constructive criticism in the bedroom, then by all means, feel free to keep your own ideas (and hands) to yourself. And then we can both live boringly ever after because no one is comfortable saying anything.

5.  Not Noticing the Fancy $200 Bra

Hey, we took your advice, okay? We wore the fancy bra to bed. What is the point though, if you don’t notice the difference between this one and the nursing bras we’ve been wearing the whole week? We noticed you took a shower and put on clean underwear – the least you could do is acknowledge that we have indeed, been reading those How to Keep Your Man Happy articles and take them seriously.

There you go…please feel free to add these helpful tips about mistakes men make to the pile of articles on the four billion mistakes women make in the bedroom, how to keep your sex life alive, and how to make your man happy. And, by all means – share with the man you love. Because it’s all about balance, you know.

Related on EcoSalon:

Couples Therapy: Doing What You Love Builds Healthy Relationships

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Image:  Mr. Thomas

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“A life without love is like a year without summer.”  -Swedish Proverb

It’s hard to say precisely how, but summer—with its sunshine, extended days, and slower pace—changes us in some small way. Whether we’re traveling the world or exploring the backyard, the carefree days of summer seem to foment some of the most memorable romances.

Splendid as it is, summer love often ends as quickly as it begins—if it ever manages to get off the ground in the first place—but no matter what, it’s impossible to forget. From surf dens and summer camps, to pools in Thailand and boardwalks in New Jersey, here are ten accounts of that sometimes tragic, sometimes sweet phenomenon: summer love.

I Like You More Than Friends, The Awl

My Platonic Sweetheart, Harpers

In Which We Endure Days in the Summer, This Recording

The Night that Sex Saved Our Lives, Matador Network

What I Didn’t Do on my Summer Vacation, This American Life

I Flipped For a Surfer, LA Times Magazine

Navigating in a Long Distance Affair, New York Times

Tourist Snapshots, Design Observer

A Love For the Ages, but Which One? New York Times

Suddenly That Summer, Vanity Fair

Image: Tumblr

The post 10 Reads of Sweet Summer Love appeared first on EcoSalon.

The realities of conscious dating. 

We know it can sometimes feel as though there’s little love for vegetarians – see Anthony Bourdain’s vegan villains or that family down the street from you with the “Save a Cow, Eat a Vegetarian” bumper sticker – but now it’s getting personal!

According to a Today.com survey of 4,000 Match.com users ages 18-75, while an overwhelming 96% of self-described vegetarians agreed that they would consider dating an omnivore, 30% of omnivores stated that they would refuse to date a vegetarian or vegan. Further demographic breakdown was unavailable.

And vegetarians are supposed to be the sanctimonious ones! At least those hoping to avoid the hummus-or-haggis question in their search for love can frequent a handful of available veg-only online dating sites.

What do you think? Are you now or have you been in an inter-meat relationship? Do you prefer that your partner’s consumption match your own ethics? Would you change your eating habits to please a partner – or expect the reverse?

Via Vegetarian Star

By Jaime Warburton

Ecorazzi covers news and gossip on celebrities and notables in support of the environment and humanitarian causes.

Image: Ed Yourdon

The post Would You Date a Vegetarian? 30 Percent of Omnivores Wouldn’t appeared first on EcoSalon.

Lessons in being limber. 

We all know yoga can spice up our sex lives right? But did you ever think of exactly how?

1. You will look hot in yoga pants, and your boyfriend will like that.

If you look hot, you feel sexier, and then it is just easier to feel good about getting naked. There are so many awesome yoga brands out there these days, you you don’t even have to do yoga to be wearing the pants. But it absolutely does help you look good in them.

2. Muscle control. Down under.

We yogis call this “mula bandha” or root lock. It makes all the difference to…ahm….control and sensation. Also, keeping the muscles of your pelvic floor working properly will mean you never have to worry about light bladder leakage.

3. You really might be able to put your legs behind your head.

I don’t think this needs much more explaining.

4. You will be able to be fully present and in the moment.

I’ve lost track of the times people have told me they can’t concentrate on sex because they are thinking (or worrying) about other things. Yoga teaches you to be present. Your lover will adore you for that. You will adore you for that.

5. You will develop a better relationship with your body.

Like any physical activity (running, say) yoga develops your proprioception – your felt sense of your body. Because of all the cues you get in yoga class to breathe and feel your body, you tend to develop a really deep, and generally far more accepting, connection with your body, regardless of what shape or size you are. And self-acceptance is super-sexy.

6. You will feel more relaxed.

I’m a big believer in the healing power of yoga. I’ve seen over and over how it helps people (starting with myself) deal with anxiety and depression, PTSD, and stress. Those things are major libido-killers.

7. You will end up eating better.

As you get more in touch your body, you will probably find that you want to eat things that make you feel well. A mixed bean salad and kale-ginger smoothies might start to appeal more than greasy takeaways. The healthier you eat, the healthier you will be, and the better you will look. The better you look, the sexier you will feel. See how this is an awesome feedback loop?

8. You will care so much less what people think.

Trust me, after you’ve done Lion Pose once or twice in public, you aren’t going to care about your orgasm-face anymore.

9. You will be a nicer person.

Yes you will. On account of all that relaxing, feeling good about your body and eating well. Which means the non-sex parts of your relationship will be better. Which means the sex will be better, because your partner will actually want to get it on with you. And, if you are not in a relationship, you will look hot in yoga pants. You know what I’m saying, right?

10. You will know when to say no. And when to say yes.

All this yogic getting-in-touch with yourself will help you develop better boundaries. So you will be able to figure out when you really don’t want sex, and honor that. But you will also be able to work out when you are tired which just might train you to have sex when you are tired, which is always good to learn…for you and your partner.

Nadine Fawell loves yoga, sex, coffee and cats. Not all at the same time. That would just be wrong. She managed to refrain from swearing on her DVD but sometimes gets inappropriate on her blog. You can find her at yogawithnadine.com.

Image: All is Coming

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VideoThe simplest declarations of love can be the most meaningful.

Forget the church and the ring bearer and the rehearsal dinner, real love can be celebrated anywhere, especially on two wheels.

GREG & MEL from tony benna on Vimeo.

The post Video: A Bike Wedding appeared first on EcoSalon.

An infographical look at the ties that bind.

Love can be a difficult thing to describe in words. But images? That’s a whole different story. These ten infographics attempt to break down the complexity that is love, sex, and relationships through tables, flowcharts, and color coding. As for turning that knowledge into action? That’s up to you.

Can We Date?: This hilarious flow chart sure beats eenie-meenie-miney-mo.

How Facebook Affects You and Your Relationships: We’re probably all familiar with Facebook’s meddling effect on relationships, but this infographic breaks down exactly how.

The History of Love: How times have changed, especially for the marriage contract.

The Ultimate Guide to Safer Sex: Great tips from Greatist on staying safe while doing the dirty.

Look Who’s Coming To Dinner: Interracial marriage continues to become more and more prevalent. We dig it.

Breakups: The long road from hook-ups and first dates to the slow, painful death of a breakup (youch).

The 2011 Playboy Sex Survey: A round-up of fascinating facts gleaned from Playboy’s annual poll, care of The Smoking Jacket.

Community: A Map of All The Dates, Sex, Hookups, Sexual Harassment, And Other Intimate Relationships: Confused by all of the sex and relationship shenanigans in the NBC comedy Community? HuffPostTV breaks it down.

The Evolution of the Long Distance Relationship: From the homing pigeon to the postal service to the webcam, a brief history of farflung love. Remember AIM?

How To Be The Perfect Pick-Up Artist: No words… but oh man.

ALSO CHECK OUT:

10 Earth Day Infographics

10 Food Infographics That Have Us Consciously Consuming

10 Fashion Infographics to Give Us a New Style Sense

10 Political Infographics on Election 2012

Image: Luca Vanzella

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