God made men a little coarser than women. Usually we don’t like to admit when we’re wrong, late or lost. Sometimes though ladies, you have to let the guy win!

Women tend to take advice from their girlfriends about men, just as guys get advice from their buddies. Usually what ends up happening is the guy gets slapped in the face for being inappropriate and the girl gets stupid advice like “let him make the first move.” (I’m willing to bet the entire male race prefers women to be the pursuer, just as women prefer to be pursued.) Rarely are people given advice from members of the opposite sex that they can actually take home with them. (Pun intended) Ladies, I feel it is my due diligence to break the male code and actually tell you what we men are thinking. Here is a sure-fire list to finding and keeping the stud of your dreams.

Every guy loves a woman with Smarts. Not a bossy kinda brain but someone who can hold a conversation, especially in social situations. We’re not asking for a know-it-all, but if you can impress my sports buddies with trivia about the White Sox, then you’ve got an instant win. If a guy does nothing but talk about himself, he’s not the right guy. A real man should be interested in everything you have to say. But don’t hog the conversation either. Let a man impress you with his knowledge of fine wines and where to get great 1am deep dish. And girls, you gotta be smart enough to figure out our needs without us having to ask. I know it sucks, and we complain when you do it to us, but you should be able to figure out what we’re thinking. (i.e. sex, food, boredom and last but not least when to let him have his time with the boys).

At least attempt to enjoy the things your mate enjoys...he would do the same for you!

Be involved in Interesting activities. You don’t want your relationship to become monotonous. It will bore your man if you do the same weekend ritual over and over again. It’s therefore helpful if you involve yourself in special activities once in a while. For example, if you go out to see a movie with your man every Friday night, give your relationship something new by changing it up with a twist. Check out a double feature at the Brew and View, go see a play at Steppenwolf, or invite other couples over to your joint for a game night. Game nights work great for getting to know more about each other - besides, being competitive with other couples is kind of a turn-on. Choose activities where you can have plenty of opportunities to let him teach you something new. Never played darts before? No problem, since he’s a pro. You only bowled at birthday parties in middle school? That’s ok, because he cut class to go bowling in high school.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Cooking is truly a way to a man’s heart. This shows him you’re creative and you care enough to cook for him. And trust me, we will definitely appreciate this. You don’t have to be Martha Stewart, just show effort. If you don’t know how to cook here are a couple easy recipes. Also, if you’re not that handy in front of a stove, there are plenty of places around town where the two of you can take cooking classes together. And don’t forget, there’s nothing sexier than dessert.

You may be surprised, but please Listen to us. What we have to say may not be the most interesting thing you have ever heard, but so what. Find out about our hobbies; learn about our friends, our job and in my case “da neighborhood”. I love to talk about what I do and I promise I can always tell if a woman is listening, so pay attention. If your man is a writer, brush up on your grammar and literature. If he is a swimmer, work on your back stroke. It all boils down to teamwork. Do you think we really like to go shopping with you? Nope, but we do it anyway. Because we hope one day you’ll come to one of our softball games, or let us watch the Family Guy Marathon for 6 straight hours.

Last but not least there is Time. Countless men, who are in serious relationships with women, are guilt-tripped into feeling that they must continually “check in.” There are guys that can’t go for more than a few hours without having to call their girlfriends and give them reports on their activities. As my cousin Joey “The biker” would say, “I want to date a girl, not a prison warden.” Give him his guy time and space. Hanging out with our friends is no reason to make you paranoid. We want you to hang out with your friends, now it’s our turn to hang with ours. Trust me, I know I can get annoying, and I would rather not hang with my girl if she’s had a pissy day. Sometimes we need to man up and just spend some time by ourselves even.

Men like me are over grown children who want to be loved but not smooched at the playground in front of his friends. We are a lot of work and like old dogs at times. We like to get our heads rubbed and get constantly told how good we are at everything (you know what I’m talking about ladies). My current girlfriend does everything on the list and tons more and I am a very happy man. In return that makes me try harder: I cook for her (which I love to do, because I’m friggin awesome), get her flowers for the hell of it and call her just to say hi. My heart skips a beat when she walks in the door and that makes every moment that I spend with her worthwhile.

Love is an amazing experience……

Have a question you want to ask Cousin Vinnie? Need a handsome guys point of view? Send him an email toVinnie@Chicago.com. When Vinnie is not scoping the streets for new threads and great deals or giving advice, Hhe is a business developer for Chicago.com. Also to read more from Vinnie check him out at www.chicago.com/blog.

Some of us look forward to Valentine’s Day more than others, but at PLRG we are all psyched for the highly-anticipated, star-laden, soon to be our favorite movie ever, “Valentine’s Day.” But, we are even more psyched to be giving away passes (for you and a friend) to the advanced screening of the film, Monday, February 8!

Since all this talk of “Valentine’s Day” has us feeling a little sentimental, we want you to send us the story of your best/favorite/most romantic valentine’s surprise. The tickets are limited, so only those with the most heart warming stories will make it into this exclusive screening.

Here’s a preview to get you motivated:

Advanced Screening of “Valentine’s Day”
AMC River North
Monday, February 8 @ 7pm

Originally published on February 2, 2010

I am fascinated by the way men and women relate, and if that doesn’t make me an expert, it may make me a kind of student teacher. Hopefully this column will help share a little of what I’ve learned, and maybe shed some light on the way men think, from one man’s perspective. -JM

Over the summer I started dating this guy while we were both living abroad in Italy. After we spent a wonderful three months together, we returned to the States, but he is currently in school in Texas. We talk on the phone regularly and he has on multiple occasions promised to come visit me. I have taken vacation from work in anticipation, but then he bails last second. He says that he cannot afford the trip, but then spends his weekends snowboarding in Colorado. I want to know whether he will ever come out to visit and whether this relationship will continue.

-Waiting in Westchester, 23

You know the answer, stop wasting your time, effort and vacation. Stop messing with Texas.

In your honest opinion, in the first month of dating what expectations do guys have when a girl spends the night? Are guys 100% assuming spending the night means sex? Or do they only assume it’s a 60% chance? Or less?

-Stats not love

Kind of gives a new meaning to “taking a poll.” I’m not sure “assume” is the right word, I’d say hope is better. Either way I’d worry less about that and more about what you’re comfortable with.

Why do guys at bars talk to girls all night* long and then ask for your number and then never call. Why bother asking for the number if you are never going to call?

-Drunk Dialed, Minus the Dialed

*All night = 4 hours x 2 drinks per hour = 8 Drinks = Drunk Chick/Dude

Let’s be honest, the real question is, why didn’t he text? We all know anyone you meet in a bar wasn’t really going call you anyway. He’ll last minute text you, “you out?” at 11:30 on a Saturday night. Or maybe you’ve gotten this one: “up?” at 1:45AM. That means he’s horny, and dreaming of the drunk girl he talked to all night at some bar.

If you really feel like you’re connecting, get his number and take matters into your own hands.



This is the sixth official installment of Jerrod Melman’s column, “Advice from a Jerrk.” If you have relationship or guy-related questions for Jerrod, just send an email to AskJerrod@PoorlittleRichGirls.com.  When he’s not working on his advice column, Jerrod is a managing partner of Hub 51, River North’s hottest dining, nightlife and social establishment created by him and his brother, R.J.

Originally published January 25, 2010

I am fascinated by the way men and women relate, and if that doesn’t make me an expert, it may make me a kind of student teacher. Hopefully this column will help share a little of what I’ve learned, and maybe shed some light on the way men think, from one man’s perspective. -JM

Why does the word “curvy” have a negative connotation?   I am an attractive girl, who works out regularly, with a very feminine physique.   I am considering online dating and all of my friends tell me I can’t say I’m curvy [when describing myself online].   How else can I express the fact that I was blessed with a woman’s body without using this word?

-Blessed with boobs, 28

Obviously you’re friends are concerned that most men reading your profile will interpret “curvy” as “fat.”   You seem very confident in your body type, so I say go with curvy and let your looks speak for themselves.    Do you really want to date a guy who’s afraid of that word anyway?

I was recently with a man who I thought was an urban legend.  He loves to go down on women.   He went down on me for 45 minutes and gave me 3 orgasms in a row.   All women know that men love blowjobs, but I don’t know if guys realize how much women enjoy oral sex as well.  How can I find another man like this?  Is there a way to tell if a guy is really good before you jump in the sack?

-Looking for a talented tongue

As I have never been with a man before, I’m afraid I don’t know of any ways to tell if a guy is, “really good before jumping in the sack.”   In my experience with women, sexual compatibility starts with kissing.   If the kissing is good everything else usually falls into place.   If it turns out the guy doesn’t like going down on you, there might be a chance you’ve found someone who enjoys men himself and can help you with tips on how to spot a man with talent in the sack.

I recently got out of a long-term relationship.  I am still a physical person who needs affection, and have had “relations” with two different men.  No sex, but a bit more than make-outs. However, both guys have done what I would consider rather weird things.   One guy sucked my toes and the other bit my butt so hard he left a mark. Is being a freak the new “in” thing?   Have I been out of the game that long? Whatever happened to just a simple make out session?

-Don’t suck my toes

I think that hook-ups have a lot to do with luck of the draw.   For every toe sucker and ass biter, there’s a man who will go down on you for 45 minutes and give you three orgasms.  Don’t give up.

It’s me again (of “Don’t suck my toes” fame).   The other night I was at a friend’s apartment that she recently moved into with her guy friend that she’s known since high school.   I think he is very attractive.   One night the three of us were sitting around drinking beers and she brought up the reason she believes it was so hard for me to get out of my previous relationship.    She explained that it is my love of sex that kept me with my ex for so long.   Since then, her studly roomie has been coming onto me hardcore.   Do you think he is attracted to me as a person, or just attracted to me because I love sex?

-Don’t suck my toes…But have sex with me

Don’t forget, the fact that you like sex is part of who you are as a person. Why would it be a bad thing if he likes your sexuality? It’s impossible to know what he’s after without getting to know him. You’ve got nothing to lose.

This is the fifth official installment of Jerrod Melman’s column, “Advice from a Jerrk.” If you have relationship or guy-related questions for Jerrod, just send an email to AskJerrod@PoorlittleRichGirls.com. When he’s not working on his advice column, Jerrod is a managing partner of Hub 51, River North’s hottest dining, nightlife and social establishment created by him and his brother, R.J.

Originally published January 11, 2010

I am fascinated by the way men and women relate, and if that doesn’t make me an expert, it may make me a kind of student teacher. Hopefully this column will help share a little of what I’ve learned, and maybe shed some light on the way men think, from one man’s perspective. - JM

Dear Jerrk,

I have a huge problem. I am only attracted to jerks, and I figured with a name like Jerrk you know a lot about them. All of my relationships are filled with drama and mistrust. For example, my current boyfriend constantly breaks into my email and looks at my texts. If he finds anything he doesn’t like he calls me names and starts a fight. My last boyfriend keyed my car after an argument. For some reason, I have never had a stable romantic relationship, despite the fact that my parents have been married for 30 years and are still madly in love!! What am I doing wrong?!

-Addicted to Drama, 27

The relationship that needs the most work right now is the relationship you have with yourself.  If you’re not in therapy, start immediately. You’re parents being happily married for 30 years is great, but it doesn’t give you a free pass to a good relationship.

I went out with this guy I’ve sort of been seeing last night and he was wearing a pair of Heely’s… (I’m NOT kidding… if you don’t know what they are: http://www.zappos.com/heelys). This is definitely not okay for a grown man, correct? He was also wearing a suit if that helps you with the visual any more…He otherwise is great - successful, ambitious, really fun to be around…what should I do? It was a total turn-off for me.

-What’s the Heely-O?

I went back and forth on this one. Most people I talked to called it a deal breaker, but I kind of like his confidence if that is in fact what we’re dealing with. I figure there’s going to be something you dislike about anyone you date; at least with this guy it’s something funny. I think the sensible thing to do is play this one with baseball rules, three strikes and he’s out. It’s up to you to decide how many strikes he gets for his Heely’s.

I met a guy from an online dating website. I have been honest from the beginning that I am looking for a relationship. We have been dating for almost two months and the holidays are rapidly approaching. We have established that we are only dating each other, but he hasn’t mentioned anything about New Years plans. Should I assume that we are doing something? I don’t want to come off needy, but also don’t want to spend New Year’s alone!

-New Year’s Ball Dropped

Assuming you’re going to be together on New Year’s without having made plans will only leave you disappointed. I don’t think there’s anything needy about asking him what his plans are, just be prepared that they might not include you.

This is the fourth official installment of Jerrod Melman’s column, “Advice from a Jerrk.” If you have relationship or guy-related questions for Jerrod, just send an email to AskJerrod@PoorlittleRichGirls.com. When he’s not working on his advice column, Jerrod is a managing partner of Hub 51, River North’s hottest dining, nightlife and social establishment created by him and his brother, R.J.

I am fascinated by the way men and women relate, and if that doesn’t make me an expert, it may make me a kind of student teacher. Hopefully this column will help share a little of what I’ve learned, and maybe shed some light on the way men think, from one man’s perspective. - JM

So…I met a guy three and a half months ago that lives in San Francisco. We hit it off and got along swimmingly! We stayed in touch, from time to time, mostly via text. When we’d text, it would be fun and flirty… but all very light-hearted. I saw him a second time about a month ago. We hung out and it felt like we had known each other for a while. It was great! Since then, however, I’ve only heard from him ONCE - via text - over the course of that entire month. It was fully unprompted: he texted me. (Side note: I took his number out of my phone so as to avoid any unnecessary drunk dialing/texting.) While I wanted to prove a point and not respond at all, the majority of my girlfriends urged me to text back. So, I waited over a day to respond and ended up writing something cute but also very neutral. And he hasn’t responded! Why would a guy text me, out of the blue, and then not respond?

-Troubled Texter

Let’s clarify quickly - “it was great” means “we hooked up”. And that is great, but the important detail is this guy lives in San Francisco and you don’t. I’m not saying it’s impossible that a guy in a similar situation would want more in terms of a relationship, but in this given situation I don’t think he does. My guess would be it’s exciting for him to get to know you, and he enjoys the idea of having a random hookup every now and again when you or he visit each other’s city. You said it yourself; it’s been mostly “fun and flirty.” If that’s something you think you can enjoy then keep going. But if you’re looking for the time, attention and text response time of a boyfriend, I think you need to look elsewhere.

Am I portraying myself in a bad light if a guy asks me to dinner and I tell him I’d prefer drinks? It isn’t that I don’t want to spend time with the guy - but dinners can be long and slow, and sometimes (or most of the time!) I’d rather just get tipsy at a nice bar! Do you think if I want a guy to take me seriously I’d better put on a happy face and sit through dinner with him?

-Wine me but don’t dine me

If that’s honestly what you prefer, then any guy put off by that probably wasn’t for you in the first place. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with keeping your initial time commitment brief until you get to know a guy. Why not say something like, “I don’t have time for a full dinner, but I’d love to grab a drink.” If it’s going terribly you can always say you have to go do whatever it is you said you had to do. If it’s going well I’m sure you’ll figure it out from there.

What is the key to a successful marriage?

-Kristin, 26

Separate bathrooms.

This is the third official installment of Jerrod Melman’s column, “Advice from a Jerrk.” If you have relationship or guy-related questions for Jerrod, just send an email to AskJerrod@PoorlittleRichGirls.com. When he’s not working on his advice column, Jerrod is a managing partner of Hub 51, River North’s hottest dining, nightlife and social establishment created by him and his brother, R.J.

I am fascinated by the way men and women relate, and if that doesn’t make me an expert, it may make me a kind of student teacher. Hopefully this column will help share a little of what I’ve learned, and maybe shed some light on the way men think, from one man’s perspective. - JM

I have a best friend who is a guy and I think I am starting to develop feelings for him. From the start our conversations have been very flirty, but how can I know if he feels the same way? We have just recently become friends (we are working on a charity project together) so I don’t think we have moved into that “friend zone” just yet. Should I tell him how I feel, or just let it slip into the friend zone?

- Elisa, 24

I think the “friend” zone only applies to guys, so I wouldn’t worry about that. That being said, the “girls that rush into telling guys how they feel” zone is very real. I think you should relax and enjoy your time with this guy and give him a chance to make a move. Guys like a bit of a chase. I’m not saying play games, I’m saying continue to be flirty and show interest and see if he asks you out. If he’s worth dating, he’ll man up.

I’ve been dating my boyfriend for over a year. Consequently, I’ve become very good friends with his friends. He graduated already and some of his friends are younger (like me) and are still around on campus. But whenever I hang out with his friends he freaks out. I think he should be happy that I get along with his friends so well, but instead he just gets angry when we hang out. His friends have legitimately become my friends over the last year and I don’t understand why he can’t be happy about this. Being friends with his friends, good thing or bad thing?

- Confused co-ed, 21

This is a tricky question with a lot of variables. If I just started dating someone and she tried to make my friends her friends too quickly, I’m sure I would be annoyed. Most likely after a year of dating that would be less of an issue. The real question is not whether it’s good or bad that you’re friends with his friends. It’s why does he freak when you hang out with them? I think the best thing you can do is to ask him. Maybe he thinks one of his guy friends likes you and he is insecure about that. Maybe he had a bad experience in the past with a girlfriend cheating on him. Maybe he knows you won’t be together much longer and doesn’t like the idea of you having the same group of friends. Often times when guys are up to something behind your back they become less trusting of you, so it’s even a possibility that he’s doing something you wouldn’t like and doesn’t want his friends to spill the beans. Bottom line, you won’t know unless you ask (in a calm and sober manner that won’t put him on the defensive). Before you do, you might want to think how you would feel if the situation were reversed.

I’m wondering if you can finally put to rest the question of when to have sex with the guy you’re dating. Should women listen to the new-age-turned-old-school therapists who insist they should wait 3 months before sleeping with the man they’re dating? Do men really lose respect for women if they want to have sex “too early”?

Resexfully yours,
Jessica

The answer to this question, like most questions is: it depends. Great meals usually don’t start with dessert. That being said, sometimes you just want to indulge your sweet tooth. There’s nothing wrong with sleeping with a guy early on, you just have to understand it changes the meaning of sex in the relationship. Having sex right out of the gate inherently causes sex to lose some of its value. On the flip side, waiting too long or creating a rigid timeline can cause you to lose spontaneity. Rather than worrying about losing a guy’s respect, I think women would be better served evaluating how they feel and proceeding accordingly. I’m sure there will be some guys you just want to sleep with and others you will want to get to know, trust and develop a relationship with before having sex. Either way, the goal is not making sex about what you think a guy wants from you, but rather an indication of how you feel about him, keeping in mind the better you know someone and the more you trust and care about someone, the better the sex will be.

What’s your way of showing a girl you are interested or care about her?

This is the second official installment of Jerrod Melman’s column, “Advice from a Jerrk.” If you have relationship or guy-related questions for Jerrod, just send an email to AskJerrod@PoorlittleRichGirls.com. When he’s not working on his advice column, Jerrod is a managing partner of Hub 51, River North’s hottest dining, nightlife and social establishment created by him and his brother, R.J.

With the weather getting colder every minute, make your bedroom hot and pamper yourself or your partner with a LoveKit, exclusively from Booty Parlor! PLRG is giving away one LoveKit filled to the brim with items that will make you feel sexy, flirty and hot! It’s also a great gift idea, but we guarantee once you get the LoveKit home you’ll have a hard time parting with it.

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Next week we’ll be running the first official installment of Jerrod Melman’s column, “Advice from a Jerrk.” If you have relationship or guy-related questions for Jerrod, just send him an email at AskJerrod@PoorlittleRichGirls.com. When he’s not working on his advice column, Jerrod is a managing partner of Hub 51, River North’s hottest dining, nightlife and social establishment created by him and his brother, R.J. But, first, we’ll allow him to introduce himself…

I am not a relationship expert. At the rate I’m going, I will probably never be. I didn’t go to graduate school and get a PhD in this subject. Even if there was such a thing, I wasn’t that good at school. On paper I am in no way qualified for this job. I’ve been on great dates and terrible dates and everything in between. I’ve dumped girls and been dumped, I’ve blown girls off and been blown off, dented hearts and had mine dented. I’ve done and said things that made girls cry, then done and said things I didn’t necessarily mean to make them stop. I’m not always proud of these things, and I’m certainly not trying to brag, but in my few years as a dating adult, I think I’ve learned a lot.

C'mon, does this guy look like a jerk to you!?

I admit that I am fascinated by the way men and women relate, and if that doesn’t make me an expert, it may make me a kind of student teacher. Hopefully this column will help share a little of what I’ve learned, and maybe shed some light on the way men think, from one man’s perspective. The PLRGs and I wanted to call the column “Advice from a Jerrk”, hopefully not because I’m a jerk (I do have my moments,) but because my advice tends to be blunt and non-sugar coated. That being said, I’m here to try to help guide my readers through the dating maze. I confess I’m both nervous and excited, and I commit that I will do the best I can to call your situation like I see it. Ask me anything you want, just email me at AskJerrod@PoorLittleRichGirls.com. I’ll give you my best most honest answer, and hopefully it won’t make you cry.

(Jerrod Melman)