There I was completely naked, face down, hands tied behind my back in a strange man’s bed, having some of the most amazing sex of my life.

Let’s be clear: I’m not just any woman on the prowl. I’m a mother of two, living in a conservative East Coast town. I have a successful career—and a husband with whom I’m deeply in love and in lust. I just happen to like sex with others as well.

And I’m not alone. In his seminal 2013 book What Do Women Want?, Daniel Bergner has my back. “Flagging sex drive is not just an inevitability for women—it is specifically the result of long-term monogamy [and] can be entirely overridden by the appearance of a new sexual partner.” He shatters the myth that men are hornier, citing a study in which women’s lady parts were measured for blood flow as they watched a broad range of porn. And they got off on all of it—even on the footage of apes having sex. … //READ MORE

We know her best as the flaky, irreverent, reckless Jessa on the HBO series Girls. But the 29-year-old British-American actress Jemima Kirke, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, insists she is an artist first, an actress second, an assertion that’s backed up by her second solo art show, “Platforms.”

Running through May 10 at Fouladi Projects in San Francisco, the show features a series of striking female portraits. These are “girls” that belong to Kirke alone—female subjects ranging from her little daughter to her personal trainer—and depicted in all their humble humanness. Deliberate brush strokes reveal them as contemplative, physically imperfect beings, often with dour expressions and lost gazes that Kirke has described as being “part of their individuality.” It’s clear that the artist sees them in terms of their unique relationship to her, and her admiration for each shows in her determination to scratch away … //READ MORE

I clearly remember the night I went into labor with my first child. It was around 6 p.m. on July 6, 1991—my 5th wedding anniversary. The pains started slowly at first, leaving time to celebrate with Thai food (that did not stay with me long) and for my husband to vacuum the house (last minute nesting?). Hours later I found out my doctor was on vacation and hours after that a nurse told me the umbilical cord might be wrapped around my baby’s neck hence the long labor. It was not an ideal birth.

Then at 11:18 a.m., after a suction marathon by a fill-in doc with very strong Popeye-like arms, I heard the infant cry and that fateful announcement, “It’s a girl!” … //READ MORE

Until you become a mother, you might not realize how much work and dedication are involved. From creating memorable holidays and birthdays, to caring for everyone (including herself) when they’re sick, moms are truly on it year round. So this May 11, don’t forget to honor all those incredible women in your life who happen to be moms—your mother, your mother-in-law, even your close friends who have kids. And if you’re a mother too, hopefully someone will go out of their way to show you how special you are.

Here are some cool Mother’s Day gifts to consider. We’ve selected thoughtful presents for different personality types so you can customize your gesture. Be sure to share this list with your kids and your partner—because even the most well-intentioned people could use a little hint now and then. Better yet, treat yourself to one of these goodies. … //READ MORE

This is a photo of my Aunt Dorothy in the early 1930s when she was a young woman. At the time, Aunt Dorothy and two of her friends loved to sing together and they formed the Silver Trio, which performed at evening clubs in the Moline, Illinois, area, so I think this may have been a professional photo. I can remember when we used to take the three-hour train ride from Moline to Chicago and our first stop would be Marshall Field’s, where we could find the latest hats, makeup, gloves and, of course, dresses. I think Aunt Dorothy’s favorite purchase was shoes, but she looked smashing in all the fashions of the day—from dresses with butterfly sleeves, nipped waists and midi-length skirts to peep-toe pumps.

Aunt Dorothy became a working woman during World War 2 and continued working throughout her life. In her retirement years she helped to organize another small group of women and they had a wonderful time entertaining at various retirement communities. This year, Dorothy turns 104! She now resides in Florida with her second … //READ MORE

Warhol and Lichenstein, eat your heart out. Art-inspired prints have made a dramatic entrance into women’s fashion, with designers using their spring shows as a canvas to show off their artsier sides. Abstract patterns, graffiti images and pop-art visuals are taking the term “wearable art” to a whole new level. … //READ MORE