Blog Posts by TresSugar

TresSugarSource: 29 Play Dates to Spice Up Your Relationship

A new study on play and relationships has found that playfulness may be key to attracting a significant other. Among the survey participants (ages 18-26), three traits stood out as topping their lists of traits they sought in a mate: "sense of humor," "fun-loving," and "playful." And you don't need a study to tell you that it's good for your relationship when you and your man are laughing while enjoying a game night in or getting physical while playing an outdoor sport together. If you're stuck in a humdrum dating rut, we've got 29 playful date ideas to get those friendly competition juices flowing and bring that spark back into your love life.

• Go to a Carnival
• Have a Scrabble Night in
• Play a Game of Croquet
• Go Paintball Shooting Together
• Team Up For Trivia Night
• Go Bowling
• Play Shuffleboard
• Get Twisted Up With Twister
• Play Minigolf
• Go to a Bingo Night

TresSugarSource: 9 Books by Female Inspiring Olympians on Age, Body Image, and More

With the London Games well under way, we're celebrating the 2012 Olympics with must reads by some of our favorite female athletes. Inside stories, inspirational tips - these books offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the lives of some of the most popular Olympians. Jennifer Sey writes about controversial issues in gymnastics, swimmer Dara Torres offers tips for getting ahead, and Serena Williams touches on her childhood influences. Read all that and more with these nine inspiring books by female Olympians.

• Go For the Goal: A Champion's Guide to Winning in Soccer and Life: Arguably the best female soccer player of all time, Mia Hamm shares the inside story of her athletic success in Go For the Goal: A Champion's Guide to Winning in Soccer and Life. Along with personal anecdotes, she also breaks down tips and tricks of the sport for fellow players.
• Chalked Up: In Chalked Up: Inside Elite Gymnastics'

TresSugarSource: Witchy Wisdom From Harry Potter Heroines and Villainesses

Happy birthday, J.K. Rowling! Even though the British author has concluded her Harry Potter book and film series, she still has a lot to celebrate on her 47th birthday. J.K. Rowling participated in the Olympics opening ceremony, and her infamous villain Voldemort had a starring role in the production. We're also eagerly awaiting her novel for adults The Casual Vacancy, which is out in September.

With her real-life story of rags to riches, J.K is truly an inspiring role model for girls and women aspiring for greatness. But it's also the characters she's created who have made an impact over the years. J.K. has created strong, smart, and complex ladies for the Harry Potter franchise who have some of the best one-liners. In honor of her birthday - which she shares with her boy wizard character, Harry Potter - let's look back at the other life advice uttered from the good, the bad, and the psycho witches of the Harry Potter

Source: Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall, Who's the Hottest Swimmer of Them All?

Get your swim caps on, it's the battle of the bare-chested babes at the London Summer Olympics! The crop of swimmers from Team USA this year are sizzling, and we've been having some heated discussions over here at Sugar HQ on whom we would give the gold to for most good-looking. While many of us swoon for this year's golden boy Ryan Lochte, some are put off by his "jeahs" and American-flag grill (we don't mind it). Tall, dark, and handsome "Bok Choy" aka Nathan Adrian is also winning hearts, and cuties Matt Grevers and Ricky Berens have won us over with their romances with fellow swimmers. And we can't forget about the ripped and talented Michael Phelps. So which of the US Olympic swimmers gets your high score? Vote here!


Related Content:
Golden Boys: The Hottest Olympians Competing in London
America, the Beautiful: Sexy Olympic Swimmers to Root For
Superhot Superhero Eye Candy


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TresSugarSource: August Must Reads

Summer's heating up! And I don't just mean the Olympic eye candy. As we enjoy the final lazy days of the season, we're raiding the digital bookshelves for page-turners to dive into. No matter what type of book you're into - be it memoir, romance, or mystery - we've rounded up the most promising reads coming out this month. Check them out now, and don't forget to share your #TresReads on Instagram!

Related Content:

Summer Reading Recs From Some of Our Favorite Women

Emily Giffin on Where We Belong, Marrying Her Characters, and Bieber Fever

9 Books by Female Inspiring Olympians on Age, Body Image, and More

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Source: 6 Things to Know About the Birth Control Mandate That Begins Today

Happy free birth control day! President Obama's free birth control mandate begins today, but before you get your hopes up there are some important things to know about what it means for you. A part of Obama's healthcare reform stipulates that private insurance companies must be required to provide contraception without copays beginning today, Aug. 1, so here's what you need to know about taking advantage of this new policy:

• It's more than birth control: Under Obama's Affordable Care Act (ACA), new insurance plans must cover a variety of services for women at no out-of-pocket costs. These include domestic violence counseling, cervical cancer screenings, FDA-approved contraception, STI screenings, breastfeeding supplies, and a "well woman" visit with her healthcare provider.
• You have to be insured: You must already have a private insurance plan to qualify, either through your work or school, or

Source: The Queen of Versailles Director on Beauty, Wealth, and Trophy Wives

The Queen of Versailles began as a documentary about billionaire David Siegel, owner of Westgate Resorts, building the biggest and most expensive single-family home in America. But the film's concept took an intriguing turn in 2008 when the financial crisis hit and the camera crews were there to capture how David; his wife, Jackie; their seven children; and their help fared in the midst of an economic meltdown that jeopardized David's company and their dream house, "Versailles."

Photographer and filmmaker Lauren Greenfield - who won the best director award for the documentary at Sundance - was initially interested in the project because she'd been working on a photography book about wealth, consumerism, and the American dream. But it's the "queen" of the household, Jackie, who really takes center stage in the documentary. I chatted with Lauren about the film, and about its heroine, who is a former

TresSugarSource: 8 Lessons Learned From Anne Hathaway's Characters

Today, Anne Hathaway is gracing the silver screen as the sexy and cunning thief Catwoman alongside Christian Bale's Batman in The Dark Knight Rises. Seeing Anne don the iconic catsuit got us reminiscing about her other films and the variety of characters she's portrayed. In honor of the alluring actress and her blockbuster role, check out a few of our favorite Anne Hathaway characters and the lessons she's taught us through her films.

• The Princess Diaries: In her breakout role, Anne played lanky and awkward Mia, a San Francisco high school student who is told by her estranged grandmother that she is the only living heir to the royal throne of Genovia.
  Lesson Learned: Regardless of what has transpired in the past, family comes first. Always.
• The Devil Wears Prada: Anne Hathaway plays Andy Sachs, a college grad fresh out of Northwestern University who moves to NYC and lands the magazine job "a million girls