Longer days and shorter nights mean that baecation season is among us ladies and gentlemen, and thanks to Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade, I have the perfect destination for your summer-loving escapades. After retiring from a 16-year basketball career, NBA legend Dwyane Wade and his black queen are taking a trip around the world that will make you jealous AF. The couple recently kicked off their #WadeWorldTour and served us real-life travel goals via the 'gram.
The first stop on their worldwide adventure was Greece, where Gabrielle rocked an itty bitty bikini and Dwyane let it all hang out. The island-hopping couple has kept us posted on all of their baecation loving via Gabrielle's Instagram stories, and if you're like me, you were ready to buy a flight to the land of sunshine and gyros like... yesterday.
Known for its ancient ruins and beautiful beaches, this is the perfect place for romance. Not to mention, you still have a few weeks before summer starts... so what are you waiting on, sis? Get your favorite budget airline search engine revved up and get to booking!
If you're considering following in Gabrielle and Dwyane's footsteps and jet-setting to Greece but I haven't quite convinced you that Aristotle's hometown is the ideal place to get it on with your special someone, these spots might just get your inspiration flowing:
Disconnect on Hydra Island
Imagine a place with no pollution from noisy cars and motorcycles, surrounded by white sand beaches and amazing sunsets. Now open your eyes. Boom, you're on Hydra Island.
On this quaint body of land in Greece, no cars are allowed and you have to take a water taxi to get from one side of the island to the other. If you and your boo are in need some quiet time and dope scenery, Hydra Island is the perfect destination.
Drink Wine In Santorini
Known for having some of the best sunsets and wines in Greece, Santorini is the touristy romance destination of your dreams. Along with red sand beaches, hot springs, and mineral mud baths, you and bae can take a tour of the Santorini volcano at sunset to really get the flames going.
Go Nude In Mykonos
Whether you and your man are looking for a turn-up or a wind-down, Mykonos is the way to go. From private beaches where you and your partner can go all natural (and yes, it's legal) to summer disco parties that are known to be lit AF, this city has a little bit of something for everybody. This bohemian Mecca has some of the world's best beaches and native Greek seafood galore.
Eat Your Way To His Heart In Thessaloniki
We all need a therapeutic dip in salt and mineral-filled waters every now and then, and one of the best places to do that is in Thessaloniki. As the second largest city in Greece, the metropolis is Greece's food capital and is known as the "city of love". Relish in the modern art of the city and make some beautiful music with your boo later while watching the sunset at the Macedonia, or one their many other luxurious hotels.
Featured image by Instagram/@gabunion.
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While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Je-Caryous Johnson Entertainment
Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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What Is a Praise Kink?
The concept of praise kinks isn't new, but thanks to TikTok, a lot of people are now realizing they might identify as praise kinksters. Currently, the hashtag #praisek1nk is trending with 568.9 million views, with tons of creators posting about their love for compliments and words of affirmation during sex. I, too, love a good compliment during sex. I once had a lover sing my praises about how good I was at a certain bedroom activity. His affirmations gave me WAP, but does that categorize me as having a praise kink?
How To Know if You Have a Praise Kink
Just because you love receiving praise doesn’t mean you have a praise kink. Someone with a praise kink experiences an intense level of sexual excitement from being praised or verbally affirmed by their partner during sex. You might have a praise kink if hearing your partner tell you how pretty you are makes you cum or if the thing that makes sex go from good to great is hearing your partner's thoughts about how good you are at giving head. And if, during solo play, the thing that gets you all hot and bothered is recalling the times your partner called you a good girl, it’s probably a praise kink.
Generally, a kink is a sexual activity that is needed for someone to enjoy sex. When it comes specifically to praise kinks, if you need reassurance from your partner that you're sexy, or good in bed in order to orgasm, you have a praise kink.
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Examples of Praise Kink Phrases To Try With Your Partner
If you’re new to the term and looking to explore, you probably have questions about what phrases to use. It may take a lot of communication and some trial and error to figure out what phrases work best for you and your partner. Ultimately, the best phrases to use vary from person to person and are based on what sex acts you and your partner enjoy, or what parts of their body they like complimented.
To get you started, here are some generic praise kink examples to try out with your partner:
Praise Kink Examples:
- You're such a good girl/boy.
- You're so good at [insert skill].
- You look so hot when you [insert activity].
- Your [insert body part] is irresistible.
- You taste so good. I can't get enough of you.
- You just have the perfect [body part].
- Just like that… you’re doing so good.
- Who taught you how to be so good at [something?]
While many examples of praise kink involve specific verbal affirmations, praise can also come in the form of brief words or phrases like “yes,” “keep going,” or simply a moan. No matter what type you prefer, praise kink is all about finding what feels good and exciting, and turns you and your partner on the most.
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Originally published on November 4, 2022