María Cristina Lalonde: Writer & Editor

The Real Deal by RetailMeNot • 2nd April 2024

Top Destinations for Solo Female Travelers

The journey from Cusco, Peru, down to the Lake Tititcaca-side town of Puno takes about eight hours by bus. Travelers en route to Puno or the nearby Isla del Sol often take the overnight sleeper bus to arrive early the next day.

Nevertheless, I was one of only a handful of passengers riding the Puno-bound night bus on a chilly morning in 2011. It was me, a few families and a group of chatty 20-something guys from Brazil.

Chron • 7th December 2023

‘Cowboys literally exist!’ Scottish comedian Daniel Sloss on why he loves Texas crowds

Comedian Daniel Sloss hasn’t reached the level of celebrity at which he’s recognized on the streets of Houston — yet. But whether or not Texans can identify the 31-year-old Scotsman from his critically acclaimed standup specials “X,” “Dark” and “Jigsaw,” his double-digit appearances on Conan O’Brien’s talk show or his hundreds of performances around the U.S. and worldwide, they tend to be delighted to meet Sloss, anyway. Mostly because of his accent.

getmegiddy.com • 20th April 2023

Meet Emily Meade, the Actor Who Changed On-Screen Sex Forever

'The Deuce' star helps standardize the importance of having intimacy coordinators on set.

Giddy • 15th March 2022

The History of Disability Activism and the Fight for the Right to Have Sex

The denial of the sexuality of people with disabilities spans hundreds of years. In the last few decades, however, people with disabilities have begun to rally against the stigma surrounding disability and break down barriers to sexual expression.

Giddy • 25th August 2022

The Deep, Evolutionary History of Monogamy

While traveling through the highlands of Papua New Guinea, biological anthropologist Helen Fisher, Ph.D., met a man with three wives.

The three wives didn't faze Fisher. Polygamy—the practice of marrying multiple spouses—has been permitted in PNG's mountainous region for generations, provided a husband can cover the increasingly hefty going bride price of livestock, shells and cash.

Instead, what struck Fisher was the man's answer to her question, "How many wives would you like to have?"

getmegiddy.com • 20th December 2021

The Racist Origins of Penis-Size Stereotypes

Clichés concerning penile length are based on dubious research, but the impact remains real.

Giddy • 20th June 2022

The Long and Bumpy History of STI Treatments

Mere weeks before his reported death on April 23, 1616, 51-year-old William Shakespeare sat down to write his last will and testament. Though he began the document by proclaiming he was "in perfect health and memory, God be praised," his tremulous signature—and subsequent death a short time later—suggested otherwise.

Giddy • 28th July 2022

The (Often Tragic) History of Abortion Technology

For as long as we can remember, humans have wanted to get rid of unwanted pregnancies.

getmegiddy.com • 27th July 2023

What Is a Prostate Biopsy Like? One Man Shares His Experience

While the trend is to limit these surgeries, they are sometimes necessary. Know what to expect.

getmegiddy.com • 24th July 2023

Can Flowers Help Improve Your Sexual Health?

From the plucky hibiscus to the sultry squash blossom, flowers have been used as decorations, food and medicine for hundreds of years. The health benefits of flowers are not fully understood, but a growing number of nutritionists and researchers are trying to change that.

Sarah Stacey Interior Design • 4th April 2021

8 of Our Favorite BIPOC Artists and Makers

It would be remiss to write a blog highlighting the work of BIPOC artists without taking a moment to reflect on the events and conversations of the year.

Propelled by the momentum of protests following the horrific deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks, and Dominique “Rem’mie” Fell, the world is protesting, watching, listening, trying, speaking out, making mistakes, and — hopefully — changing.

getmegiddy.com • 16th January 2023

AI Can Accurately Diagnose Breast Cancer, Study Finds

Researchers hope an automated tool can remove barriers to diagnoses in developing countries.

getmegiddy.com • 19th January 2023

Snakes Have Clitorises…sss, Study Finds

The discovery of the long-overlooked genitalia could change our understanding of reptilian sex.

AskMen • 24th June 2016

You're Going To Want To Add These 9 Music Fests To Your Bucket List

There's something otherworldly about music festivals, where the air is forever filled with the boom of music and the sunburnt crowds sway beneath the cloudless sky. At festivals, strangers are transformed into friends and adult responsibilities are forgotten. Beer is chugged like water. Sausages are consumed with abandon. Shirts are torn off and trampled.

U.S. News & World Report • 19th December 2023

Vacation Destinations to Escape the Cold Weather

After the novelty of earmuffs fades and the taste of hot toddies sours, you can flee winter woes with a vacation to a warm-weather destination. You'll find hundreds of spots around the world where the sun is shining, and the weather is balmy, even as your hometown grows dark, and temperatures plunge.

Giddy • 14th June 2022

A Hairy History of Pubic Wigs

Despite getting a fair amount of press, the merkin—or pubic wig—actress Kate Winslet donned for her Oscar-winning performance in "The Reader" is hard to spot. Nine minutes and 37 seconds into the film, you catch the briefest glimpse of it: a crop of dark hair peeking out from under her dress as she's putting on stockings.

US News & World Report • 19th December 2023

10 Travel Destinations to Check Out During Shoulder Season

As tourism wanes, flight, cruise and hotel prices plummet. The combination of lower prices and lighter crowds makes shoulder season one of the best times to travel. If you're able to sneak away, you can score deals on flights and hotels to dream destinations. To help you plan your autumn getaway for less, we've included 10 of the more affordable shoulder season destinations below.

1. Hawaii. During the fall, Hawaiian hotel rates fall to their lowest prices of the year. After Labor Day, tourists

Mashed • 14th November 2018

Cheeses You Should Try At Least Once In Your Life

Just as there are movies to see (e.g. Casablanca), places to visit (Paris), and life goals (invent a time-traveling machine) to cross off your bucket list before you die, there are cheeses you should try at least once in your life.

The Real Deal • 23rd June 2022

The Coolest Hotels To Book During the Summer of 2022

For reasons we probably don’t need to explain, we did very little traveling over the last couple of years. But after so much time spent baking bread and re-watching “How I Met Your Mother” in our apartments, we’re itching to hit the open road.

Fortunately, there’s no shortage of worthy destinations in our very own backyard. From glittery metropolises to sunny island paradises to rolling national parks, the U.S. is a treasure trove of highly desirable travel destinations.

The Real Deal • 23rd June 2022

Channel Your Inner Betty Draper With This Midcentury Furniture

Cheekily dubbed by some critics as “The Pumpkin Spice Latte of Interior Design,” midcentury modern style is everywhere you look. It’s popping up on your Instagram feeds, it’s cushioning guests on TV talk shows, it’s peppering the pages of West Elm catalogs and — of course — it’s all over our homes.

The design trend was mentioned by The New York Times in 1998, and — more than two decades later — midcentury modern is arguably more popular than ever.

RetailMeNot • 13th May 2022

Dreamy and Dazzling Euphoria Inspired Looks To Recreate Tonight

Like many of its millions of adoring viewers, I was hooked on “Euphoria” — HBO Max’s exhilarating teen drama — by the first three minutes of the pilot episode. I voraciously consumed the first two seasons, enthralled by the hallucinatory images, stirring soundtrack and ridiculously good-looking cast. I didn’t know if I necessarily wanted to be friends with the troubled characters I saw on screen, but I did know one thing: I wanted their makeup.

From the imagination of head makeup artist Doniella Davy, “Euphoria’s” iconic makeup is bold, unconventional and enchanting. Characters wear tears of glitter, razor-sharp winged liner, daring eyeliner and artfully arranged gemstones.

RetailMeNot • 8th April 2022

Super Affordable Makeup Dupes for Cult Favorite Beauty Products

These days, scrolling through my Facebook and Instagram feeds means navigating a minefield of targeted ads for pricey, high-end beauty products. One ad for a Korean face mask claims to banish wrinkles and under eye circles. Another for a pair of magnetic eyelashes declares it will cut the time spent on my beauty routine in half, while still another ad for an at-home microdermabrasion wand promises to make me irresistible to hunky firemen.

Giddy • 14th February 2022

The Bewildering History of Valentine's Day

In the days leading up to February 14, grocery stores swarm with roving heart-shaped nylon balloons, mail carrier routes clog with orders of imported roses and lifesize teddy bears, and partners throughout the land scratch their head wondering what would be an astounding gift for their loved one.

And the internet floods with Valentine's Day origin stories. (But not as good as this one!)

Mashed.com • 9th June 2020

10 Famous Food Trucks from Around the Country

Though food carts in some form or another have been meandering the country for hundreds of years, the mobile dining revolution truly took hold of America during the last decade.