S. Nicole Lane

I was surprised when my parents gave me $5,000 for my wedding, bringing our budget to $10,000.
On a tight budget, I got creative with the planning, but then I was laid off.
Although I don't know what the future holds, I'm still getting married on an even tighter budget.
I wasn't born into money. I live paycheck to paycheck on a $70,000 salary while paying off credit cards and college loans from 16 years ago. But still, I'm planning my dream wedding.
I was incredibly surprised when my parents ...

Sex is supposed to be messy. Bedsheets and bodies are usually doused in liquids, spit, sweat, and lube, but at the end of the day, sex should still be hygienic, especially when it comes to sex toys. After all, we’re exposing our vulnerable parts to some sticky situations.
In this article, we’ll explore the differences between cleaning waterproof, splashproof, and non-waterproof sex toys. We’ll also discuss how to store toys properly and common mistakes to avoid.
So, while we can enjoy the cha...

We might be familiar with whips, chains, and handcuffs, but bondage, discipline, sadism, and masochism — also known as BDSM — is an erotic practice that goes well beyond what we might have read in Fifty Shades of Grey.
First and foremost, safe BDSM involves a much more dynamic conversation around consent since power dynamics, restraint, and intense sensations make up the core foundations of BDSM scenes. Therefore, BDSM consent is essential.
For folks interested in BDSM, it’s imperative to kno...

Proper sex toy hygiene matters when it comes to cleaning sex toys. This means being knowledgeable about materials, irritants, and basic sanitation. Regular cleaning can prevent infections, maintain integrity, and extend the product’s lifespan.
The consequences of sex toy cleaning mistakes—AKA incorrect cleaning—can lead to bacterial buildup, skin irritation, and toy degradation. Damage to your products can compromise your safety.
Our sex toy cleaning guide will include a breakdown of common c...

Just because it’s your time of the month doesn’t mean using your sex toys is taboo. In fact, masturbation can ease period cramps and improve sleep and stress, so by all means, use your toys for relief. Many people, on their periods, see an increase in libido and desire due to hormonal fluctuations.
While we are here to tell you that masturbation and menstruation are totally healthy and normal, cleaning your sex toys is a necessary part of this activity. Disinfecting your toys is the best way ...

Sydney Currier, the Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator from the Invasive Species Centre (ISC) in Canada, says much of their work involves teaching the public about sea lamprey prevention. She says they have “leathery, scaleless skin in shades of grey or brown,” with sharp teeth and a “raspy tongue.”
Sea lampreys are native to the Atlantic Ocean, and historically, Niagara Falls—which separates Lake Ontario and Lake Erie—had prevented sea lampreys from traveling any further into the freshwate...

Whether it's walking barefoot on the sand, rollerblading along the waterfront path or indulging in a late-night rooftop drink, Miami is for lovers.
According to new research conducted by swimwear experts at Pour Moi, Miami is among the six most romantic U.S. cities in the world.
To come up with their ranking, researchers analyzed data across 553 towns, giving each one a "romantic score" out of 100 by examining the number of attractions deemed "romantic" on TripAdvisor, the amount of couple-fr...

There's nothing better than being able to throw on your sneakers and walk next door to grab a coffee. Or, better yet, head to a bookstore on foot, take a stroll in a park after a long, hard winter. Who needs a car when you have two feet?
Living in a place where you can walk around is good for you. Science even says so. What's more, researchers have found that living in a walkable neighborhood reduces stress and depres...

The 10-seat counter Itamae AO has been elevating the local Nikkei cuisine scene—a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian foods—ever since it first opened last year. Their efforts have been officially rewarded: the restaurant just earned its first-ever Michelin star, joining a roster of 15 other standout local eateries that have retained their one star st...

After a two-year hiatus, the Jackson Park cherry blossoms are adorning the historic area on the South Side once again. Located near the Japanese Garden, the cherry trees represent renewal of life, impermanence and are a springtime celebration that just about anyone in town enjoys. Plus, they are beautiful to look at.
Given the erratic weather patterns of the past few years and this month’s cooler temperatures, we weren’t sure if those iconic pink and white blooms would return—but here they ar...

Temperatures are climbing into the 80s this weekend, and summer is already on everyone's mind. Fortunately for thrill-seekers, the timing couldn't be better: Six Flags Great America in suburban Gurnee reopens today for the 2025 season. What better way to kick off the season?
Here are some park updates to keep in mind when visiting: the destination's 16th roller coaster, the 180-foot Wrath of Rakshasha, has arrived. With a 96-degree beyond-vertical drop and gravity-defying inversions, the ride...

I'm getting married in six months, but I'm unsure if I want to change my last name.
I feel no connection to my last name and my partner feels none to his.
We both don't want to take each other's, so we wonder if we should create a new one.
My great-grandfather, whose surname was Olynyk, came to the US via Ukraine sometime in his '20s. He was a man who could tell a story with fantastical exaggeration, so much so that he claimed that he changed our family surname from "Olynyk" to "Lane" due to ...

From The Bear to The Blues Brothers, Chicago is an entertainment industry town that generates an annual $700 million in economic impact across 50 wards and sustains approximately 20,000 jobs. But along with the success of jobs, money, and production comes a heaping amount of environmental waste.
For people not fine-tuned to the entertainment world, it may not seem like an obvious culprit. But the film industry in Los Angeles, for example, has a greater impact on pollution in the city than aer...

In skijoring, competitors ski or snowboard while being pulled by horses at full gallop. It’s dizzying and dangerous – but for these athletes, it’s not their first rodeo
At first, the crowd seems incompatible. It’s as if someone took a wrong turn. Cowboy hats and helmets, saddles and ski boots, belt buckles and snowsuits – those two types of gear aren’t usually cut from the same cloth. But this weekend in the midwest, at this year’s Extreme Skijoring event, they go together like “Minnesota” an...

Some may argue that the entire 18-mile-long paved lakefront trail is the prime rollerblading spot. And sure, they may be right. However, everyone has to admit that the lakefront gets busy—and rightfully so—with hordes of tourists, bikers, or beachgoers blocking the path for smooth riding.
But there’s an area along the lakefront that doesn’t require too much swerving, dodging, or craning to see past blocked views. You can cruise the path for the entire track of Jamila Woods’s “LSD” without hit...