Jessica Reynolds –

When couples have different tastes in television programs, experts recommend negotiating times that each can reserve for a favorite show. It also helps if the other partner remains close by -- without criticizing the program or talking during it.

How to deal when you hate each other’s tastes in TV

June 16, 2018 at 8:45 a.m.

It's almost 8 p.m. on a Sunday as you pour a glass of wine and settle into the couch to watch "The Good Wife." It's your weekly ritual. Your significant...

How to say ‘I’m sorry’ — and mean it

June 15, 2018 at 7:07 a.m.

You messed up. Maybe you made your spouse cry, forgot about your kid's basketball game, got caught in a lie — or worse. An apology is in order. What should...

Digital ‘friends’ no replacement for the personal touch

May 25, 2019 at 1:50 p.m.

Technology may make us feel more connected than ever — most people are just a call, text or tweet away. But does this actually make us closer? "Even as the...

A moderate amount of narcissism can be good for you. "People high in healthy narcissism aren't especially modest, but they don't brag and they wouldn't hurt people in order to stand out," says Dr. Craig Malkin, author of "Rethinking Narcissism."

Rethinking narcissism: Feeling extra-special may not be so bad after all

June 15, 2018 at 11:26 a.m.

Many people think of narcissism as a poor personality trait and narcissists as people we should try to avoid. Sure, there's some truth to this, but moderate doses of narcissism...

An elopement can help a couple focus on their commitment to each other, provided they're making the decision for the right reasons.

Elope: Pros and cons of skipping the wedding

June 15, 2018 at 11:11 a.m.

Somewhere amid the chaos of wedding planning, a couple may find themselves imagining how much easier it would be to drop everything and head down to the courthouse to say...

Deal breakers and dating: It's important to know yourself, and what you can or can't accept for a relationship to continue. However, experts say, it's worth remembering that some so-called deal breakers often change with the passage of time.

When a ‘deal breaker’ really isn’t. Knowing what’s important in a relationship

August 19, 2019 at 3:07 a.m.

Imagine your ideal mate. What would he or she look like? Do for a living? Be passionate about? Now imagine who that person wouldn't be. What characteristics would immediately shoot...

Chef Sarah Stegner prepares a salad in the kitchen of Prairie Grass Cafe. She is co-chef and co-owner of the Northbrook restaurant.

Sarah Stegner: Prairie Grass chef dishes on her busy, fulfilling life

June 16, 2018 at 4:50 p.m.

Stop by Green City Market on a typical Wednesday or Saturday, and you're likely to spot Sarah Stegner, co-owner and co-chef at Northbrook's Prairie Grass Cafe, perusing the vendor stands....

The Washington Island cocktail at The Drinkingbird bar comes garnished with a pansy.

Floral cocktails offer a taste of spring

June 15, 2018 at 6:18 p.m.

As green slowly creeps back into Chicago's landscape and colorful blooms start to emerge, our tastes tend to undergo a transformation of their own. Whiskey-based and spiced cocktails are passed...

Relationships evolve over time, and the goal is for a couple to be comfortable with each other, experts say. Still, it's also important to respect each other's tolerance as it pertains to personal hygiene and habits.

Love and the comfort zone: How gross can you get with each other?

June 15, 2018 at 7:33 p.m.

At the start of every relationship, both people put forth every effort to present the best version of themselves. Hair is clean and coiffed, manners are accounted for and each...

Bicyclists pedal north on Dearborn Street at Kinzie Street in Chicago.

Why is bicycling so divisive?

May 9, 2019 at 8:03 p.m.

Conventional wisdom tells us not to bring up politics or religion in polite discussion. And if you live in a city, specifically Chicago, go ahead and add bicycles to that...

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