I had just emerged from the subway at Grand Central terminal when my cell rang this afternoon. I grabbed it. It was Chris and he sounded giddy. My first thought: OMG, we got the place!! The Place is the killer loft in Brooklyn that we saw last weekend and fell in love with. I couldn’t believe I was going to hear the most exciting news I’ve heard in months while standing outside a subway entrance that smelled like sewer.

The call got dropped. I hustled toward a less, uh, aromatic spot on the street.

We’ve been on pins and needless all weekend. We made our offer Friday (when bids were due) and last night we were told that we had put in the highest offer–but the sellers were debating between our offer and another one that was close. They promised to let us know this morning. But morning came and went. Keep in mind we have a two-year-old so mornings start at 6 a.m. That’s hours before any normal person would be up and able to tell us WTF was going on.

Finally, around 10:30, our agent called…the sellers wanted to stay as long as possible; they’re renovating a townhouse and it’s not ready yet. We promised to give them until mid-October (when our lease is up), but we couldn’t go any later. We also agreed to charge them just enough rent to cover maintenance and a few other expenses– about half what they would pay if they were actually renting the place.

Hours went by and…nothing.  I had tried my best to kill time with a trip to the hair salon and a mani-pedi, but I couldn’t really concentrate. I showed up 30 minutes late to the salon; I was so distracted by all of this that I wrote down the wrong appointment time! And now it was 4 in the afternoon and I was dying (DYING!) to know what these people were going to decide.

Turns out, they decided to go with the other buyers.

Chris was just in shock, which is why he was giddy. (He’s good at many things but delivering bad news isn’t of them.) At this point I was standing on the corner of 42nd and Lexington, screaming into my phone, Are you fu*cking kidding me? Tourists stared. I didn’t care. I was so shocked–and, yes, absolutely pissed off–that I couldn’t even see straight. Chris was shocked. Our agent was shocked.

Seriously, how did we lose this place? Isn’t money everything in this damn town?

Apparently not with these buyers. To them, time was more valuable. The other buyers offered to let the current owners stay until December. That was it. We lost the apartment that we loved because of two lousy months. But since our lease is up in October and our current building doesn’t allow tenants to go month-to-month, we had no other choice.

I let myself grieve the loss while my toes were scrubbed and polished and then I let go of it. By the time the manicurist was rubbing lotion into my palms I was at peace with the whole thing. Eh, I’m over it, I texted a friend. This just means that there’s a place out there for us that’s even better. I hit send, and you know what? I realized that I actually believed what I was saying. I honestly do think that this is just a temporary setback and there’s an even better place waiting for us! This apartment was even better than the last one we made an offer on, so maybe the third time will be the charm?

Tonight we’re moving on with a chill date night at home: steaks, steamed broccoli, a kick a*s Armador Carmenere from Chile and a funny movie. How did you cope after losing out on your dream place?

More Must-Clicks:

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Just not in the mood for sex these days? So-called Viagra for women may soon come to market–but we’re pretty skeptical that the meds (dubbed Lybrido and Lybridos) will actually work. For starters, sexual desire is largely psychological for women, sexologist Logan Levkoff explained on TODAY–and pills like Viagra only address mechanical problems relating to sex (ie. a man’s inability to get an erection). “The lens through which we like to talk about sex is always biologically male,” Dr. Levkoff added. “But it doesn’t take into account the complexity of a woman’s sexuality.” In the spirit of what really makes women hot, we’re revisiting some of our reader’s strangest turn-ons. And consider this: no pill could possibly do what these sexy real hubbies do for their wives (even when they’re not trying to be sexy at all)!

“When he irons his boxers, tees and dress socks–it’s totally dorky, but it gets me every time.” — 10YearsTogether

“When she speaks in Spanish. She doesn’t always get the words quite right, but it’s incredibly sexy.” — Carl8S

“He does this strange brow-furrowing thing whenever he talks about something he’s really passionate about.” — DecemberWedding07

“I turn to mush when he loosens his tie and unbuttons the top button of his dress shirt after work.” — MGMooney

“When he gets a haircut! I still get excited about it even if it’s only been a few weeks since the last one.” — DorkLyne

What do you think? Is there something to this so-called female Viagra, or is it totally bogus?

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Those April showers brought some stunning May flowers, not only to our gardens, but also for our homes. Floral prints are a huge trend this season, with beautiful blooms blossoming on dishes, table linens, throw pillows, furniture,  and more. Get inspired with my top picks:

A fun throw pillow is the easiest way to add some floral print to your home or patio. I love mixing contrasting prints.

Outdoor Decorative Throw Pillow Set at Target, $30 for two

Outdoor Lumbar Pillow Set at Target, $20 for two

Spring Pillow Cover at Zara Home, $36

Cancun Floral Pillow Cover at West Elm, $34

Netted Floral Pillow at Anthropologie, $78

If you’re interested in more than pillows, why not take the trend to the bedroom?  Floral sheets, a duvet or some pretty pillowcases will look so dreamy.

Romantic Floral Scarf Duvet Cover at Urban Outfitters, $89 for full/quee

Sakura Pillowcases from Crate & Barrel, $35-40 for a set of two

Lulu Floral Oxford Pillowcase at John Lewis, $23

Eastern Accents Tracery Polyester Throw at Wayfair, $385

Bring a fresh twist to your summer entertaining with these napkins, plates, coasters–they’re so pretty you won’t even need a centerpiece.

Blooming Napkin Ring Set at Aniika, $21

Magnolia Floral Placemats and Napkins at World Market, $20 for a set of four, $16 for a set of four

Bernardaud Jardin Indien Salad Plate at Bloomingdale’s, $47

Cute Retro Pastel Pansy Floral Melamine Plate at Zazzle, $25

Peony Floral Coasters at Ruche, $12

Floral Pitcher at Pier1 Imports, $30

One of my favorite ways to embrace this trend is by adding some pretty floral towels to your guest bathroom–a pleasant surprise for visitors.

Indochine Floral Bath Towel at World Market, $17

Bloomfield Floral Organic Bath Towel at Pottery Barm, $22

Gardenia Floral Dish Towel at Zara Home, $17 for two

If you’re looking to go all-in with florals this year, an upholstered sofa or chair is the way to go.

Custom Floral Wing Back Patchwork Sofa at Name Design Studio, starting at $2,000

Fiore Floral Patterned Acrylic Accent Chair from Rugs USA, $216

Floral lighting can also make a beautiful statement. This chandelier would look absolutely amazing over a breakfast table.

Stray Dog Designs Terrell Swan Chandelier at Zinc Door, $1,069

Eire Ceramic Sky Bly Table Lamp from Lamps Plus, $263

These rugs command attention, so make sure to streamline the rest of your furnishings. And if you think a large rug is too much, why not try a floral doormat?

Revive Sapphire Rug at Rugs USA, $848

Missoni Home Oxley Round Multi Floral Rug at Wayfair, $1,845

Floral Stripe Printed Rug at Urban Outfitters, $39

Mad Mats Wildflowers Indoor/Outdoor Floor Mat at Sears, $128

Floral art is timeless. These modern prints would be a great addition to a gallery wall, or they’re beautiful enough to stand alone.

Flowers for Ella by Lulie Wallace, $200

Peony Bottle by Betty Hatchett at Minted, $28+

Floral Lion Poster at Urban Outfitters, $24

Flower Painting Watercolor Art Print by Lighthearted Dreamer, $16

Floral Salute by Assaf Frank at Art.com, $20+

Gracie Wall Art at Bed Bath & Beyond, $80

Simple accessories, like a notepad or candle, are a simple way to bring floral prints to your desk or bookcase without breaking the bank.

Rose Floral Tray at Furbish, $60

Marion Garden Pot at Anthropologie, $38-48

Rifle Paper Co. To Do Floral Notepad at Biscuit Home, $8

Illume Boho Desert Tulip Candle at Layla Grayce, $34

Square Crunch Can at The Container Store, $20

Handmade Fabric Letter by Forest Girl Design, $19

Spring Round Box at Zara Home, $17-20

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With Memorial Day only a few days away, people are rolling out their grills, decorating their patio and getting ready for their annual p-a-r-t-y! It’s a big day for grilling, which is why we’re sharing some fantastic tips from our community on how to have a successful BBQ:

When grilling meat: “Don’t poke the meat and remember to let it rest.” – Jim&Jaime

A tip for the multi-tasking griller: “… Don’t get too engrossed in something else while it’s cooking. We end up with charcoal sausages way too often” – Amt2109

Heads-up to the charcoal griller: “We have a charcoal grill, and the only tip I really have is to make sure that your grill/coals are hot enough before you start cooking.” – ohioloveyou

For the “try everything once” griller: “Make sure your [grill] heat isn’t too high. And don’t be intimidated by grilling a variety of things – have fun with it!” –Jenice32

How-to keep hot dogs warm: “A crockpot will be just fine. But I would discard if the hotdogs are in there for more than a few hours. That is when they tend to dry out.” – kjvogelsang

Advice on the science of grilling:  Grilling advice you should never forget: “You have to remember that meats coming off the grill still continue to cook after you’ve removed them…the temperature will come up by a good 5-10 degrees.  It’s called ‘carry-over’.” – PoliticsChick

For the griller who needs to set the lingo straight: “I use cook-out as a noun and grill out as a verb.” – Bailey1806

Advice on grilling corn: “I’ve soaked corn in the husk to keep the husk from burning before the corn is done.” – Renee&David

Tell us: What are your favorite recipes and BBQ’ing tips and tricks?

Want an excuse to show off what a cute couple you and your partner make? Email us your swoon-worthy love story and some kick-ass photos of the two of you at realcouples (at) thenest (dot) com – and we may feature you in the Real Couples column of our next digital magazine issue!

Get inspired by these Nesties who were previously featured in our Real Couples column, and email us today.

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I have a major thing for blue mason jars. I use them for everything – drinking glasses, vases, makeup brush storage – but one of my absolute favorite ways to incorporate them into my home décor is by transforming them into hanging lanterns and then filling them with votive candles or wildflowers and strewing them around my garden.

This DIY decor is so easy anyone can do it. To get started, watch this video to learn how to dye a mason jar blue quickly and easily. Of course, you can also make a lantern using a clear mason jar. Once you’ve dyed your mason jar (or if you decide to use a clear one), here’s how to make the lantern–with step-by-step photos!

Supplies:

Mason jar

Needle-nose pliers (I just used my fingers to bend the wire, but if you use pliers you’ll get a neater result)

Wire (I used 18 gauge because I like the look of thicker wire, but 22 gauge would be slightly easier to work with)

Wire cutters

Pencil

Instructions:

1. Start by pulling out a bit of wire – about 8-10″, and then leave the end hanging and loop the wire a few times around a pencil.

2. Remove the pencil and give the wire a twist to hold the loop in place.

3. Bring back your 8-10″ end to meet the wire on the opposite side of the jar (securing the wire under the lip), and twist the two pieces together.

4. If you have enough wire left on your 8-10″ piece to bring it back around to meet your loop, do that (I like the look of the doubled wire). If you don’t, cut it neatly and tuck in the end (for safety).

5. Hook your loose end into the loop, and neatly trim off any remnant with the wire cutters.

Note: You can always give the loops on either side another twist with needle-nose pliers to tighten things up. You can see that because I was using my fingers to do everything the wire isn’t particularly tight around the lip of the jar; if you do the same, just be certain that it’s at least tight enough that the jar won’t fall out.

6. Now go back to the other side, where you have the rest of your length of wire waiting for you. Pull out enough to make about a 4″ handle, and then pull out an inch or two more.

7. Hook the end of the wire through your loop and cut off any loose pieces. That’s it!

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Time to drink some wine! I’ve discovered two gorgeous reds this past week that you guys have just got to try:

Tablas Creek Vineyard
Patelin de Tablas 2011
Paso Robles, CA
$20
This blend of four red grapes is hands-down one of the best reds I’ve tried in months–it’s very elegant, with dark fruit and a hint of spice. It caught our attention because wine critic (and a former colleague of mine) Jim Laube picked it as one of his favorites. We picked up a bottle after an intense day of apartment-hunting in the pouring rain, followed by a two-hour bedtime standoff with our overtired two-year-old–and enjoyed every sip while we watched Mad Men. 

David Moreau Maranges 2009
Pinot Noir
Cote de Beaune, France
$20
I enjoyed this wine at a press event (I know, tough job!) at Hearth in New York City’s East Village last week. The company was terrific and the wine was just as delightful, with lots of dark fruit. I enjoyed it so much that I skipped dessert in favor of a second glass. I drank it with a tomato-based lamb dish, but it would also pair beautifully with grilled steak or even tuna.

What’s your favorite red?

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When I first moved in with my fiance, chores were a pretty fraught topic. Suddenly, an empty can of soda left on the nightstand had me wondering if I’d signed up for a lifetime of empty cans of soda all over the bedroom. And as we tried to do the chores while also making time for our careers, our hobbies, each other, and our friends, neither of us felt like we had time to do more. (And it was clear that both of us felt like we were the one doing more chores.) But after a few meltdowns over dirty dishes in the sink, we’ve finally gotten to a good place. Here are some tips for splitting up the chores and avoiding drama.

Figure out what chores need to be done and discuss your expectations for each. Everyone has different definitions of “clean,” so there may need to be some negotiating on this. Both of you will probably have to deal with a few things you’d rather not to make the other one happy.

Remember, chores aren’t just about cleaning. Things like paying bills, sitting on hold with the cable company, doing the meal planning, and buying birthday gifts for family members take time and effort, but they are easy to forget about. If you leave these things off the list, one person can easily get stuck doing the bulk of them on top of the other chores he or she has to do.

Come up with a fair way to divide the chores. Some couples prefer the chores together (which can actually be fun). If you decide to split the chores evenly, start by assigning chores based on which things you each enjoy (or just don’t hate) and which things are most important to each of you you. Then try to divide up the remaining tasks evenly. Just remember to note how much time each chore will take so no one is burdened with several extra hours of work each week.

Be wary of dividing things up based on who is better at a task. At first I fell into the mindset of “I’ll just do the dishes, the cooking, and the cleaning because I’m faster and the results will be better that way.” But how will anyone learn without being taught or getting a chance to practice? Both of us had to relinquish a little bit of control and give each other a chance to learn some new skills. And don’t criticize or redo things because you don’t like how they were done. As long as they meet the expectations you’ve already established, leave it alone.

Don’t get in the habit of doing each other’s chores or expect credit for chores that weren’t on the list. Things like picking up clutter (his shoes, her mail, etc.) or running errands are easy to just do yourself — and then get resentful about later. And while doing little things for your partner from time to time is always appreciated, don’t do them and then get upset if he or she doesn’t appreciate it or do extra chores for you in return. When one of us finds those little tasks are starting to add up, we talk about it and work them into our overall plan for chores.

Come up with a way to check in on each other. Make a schedule, set deadlines for chores (right after breakfast each day, clean the bathroom on Tuesdays, do all chores by the end of the week, etc.), and write it all down somewhere. Next, find a way to check in with each other without nagging. Getting a reminder from a to-do list app or a calendar on the fridge can be a lot more pleasant than hearing it from a partner. (And having to remind someone to do something can make it feel like you’re responsible for the chore too.) Then plan a time each week or month when you can check in together to see what was done and what was missed.

Add a little motivation with incentives. It can be so hard to get motivated to do chores, so give yourselves some incentives! Make a fun playlist for the times you’re cleaning together or follow up an afternoon of chores with a fun outing. And agree on the penalty for skipped chores in advance. Maybe whoever skips the most chores has to do the most thankless one-off task of the month, or each skipped chore means you have to add $10 to a joint rainy day fund. (Which you can use to hire a housecleaner to deep clean a few times a year!) And reward yourselves for chores well done at the end of the month with something special you’ve been wanting for your place. If there’s one thing we learned growing up it’s that it’s a lot easier to get your laundry done if you know there’s a shiny new toy in your future!

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Earlier this month Target launched its newest home décor and furniture line, Threshold, in a two-story life-size dollhouse in New York City’s Grand Central Station. And now bedding, dishes and towels are up for grabs in stores across the country.

Look for bold colors and pretty patterns: think modern ikat, watercolors in deep palettes like burgundy and purple and Moroccan-influenced lattice designs. There were a variety of cool vases, bright canisters and kitchen accents, all shopable in the dollhouse. Just a few of my favorite things:

1. Stoneware Canister with lid, $11.99
2. Brass Cage Hurricane, from $14.99
3. Outdoor round pouf footstool, $39.99

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Last week we found a beautiful apartment right across from the school we want Mason to go to –but  I was feeling a little hesitant about making an offer. We just recently lost out on a great place, and although I loved this place, I wasn’t sure it was totally right. We debated and debated and finally decided that we’d bid on the place if Mason could get into the school. We reached out to the director (it’s a co-op school so you have to apply to get your kid in) and we were told that he couldn’t be enrolled sooner than August ’14.

Deal breaker!

I was bummed…but then I started thinking that if I had to debate about whether it was a good decision to make an offer then my gut was telling me that it wasn’t right. It’s kind of like when you try something on and ask your friend Does this make my butt look big? If you have to ask then you know on some level that it does, so it’s not the right fit.

So today we ventured out in the pouring rain to see two apartments. The first was in Ft. Greene near my brother-in-law’s new place and the second was in Park Slope, our former Brooklyn ‘hood. I’d be happy living in either place, but the first place was an absolute dream. I didn’t want to leave! The natural light….the open, loft-like layout….the big rooms….the exposed brick….the view of the Statue of Liberty. I. Love. It.

Before we even left we both agreed that we’re bidding on the place. Chris made me swear that I wouldn’t show any pics or mention the address, so I’m going to hold off (for now!).

One funny thing happened while we were touring the place. Chris bummed into a painting on the wall and joked very sarcastically that it was probably priceless. To my horror, the agent spoke up that her assistant had painted it (the assistant who happened to be standing next to her!) and they hung it there while staging the place (a technique used to show a place in its best light and, the agent hopes, sell it for more money). Sure enough, the woman’s signature was in the lower right corner! OMG!! Luckily she had a great sense of humor…

Have you (or your partner) ever put your foot in your mouth at an open house? Dish here!

More Must-Clicks:

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