Photos by Carly Kocurek. If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.......

Taylor Mills Lullagoodbye (Aquapulse) There’s a new safe word being grunted out of S&M dungeons everywhere, and it is Lullagoodbye. It means slow down, ease up and take fewer risks. Although the album mostly lies within the boundaries of uninspired adult contemporary, at times her voice is filled with smooth, sometimes-sultry melody and a graceful piano whispers like a bedtime story. Then, there’s the added bonus of looking at her staggeringly attractive mug on every......

The following is a column by staff writer Carly Kocurek, compiled with the help of Elizabeth S., Sam Armstrong, and Shannon Roberts -- Ed Note So, you've waited until the last minute to address the whole "Valentine's Day" situation. Trust me, I've been there. In fact, I'm there right now -- my grandmother will be getting a card from us sometime next week. (I'll put extra stickers on the envelope to make up for......

We missed that whole “Black Friday” thing (post-traumatic stress symptoms related to a former life working retail), and the holidays are creeping up faster than a cheer-stealing Grinch in a dogsled. We’re sure that some of you, dear readers, find yourselves in a similar boat. But, before you start snapping up pre-packaged bath sets at Target, check out Austinist’s very special recommendations. We’ve sorted through some of the sparkliest surprises available locally and on the......

Walk in any sex shop in Austin, and you’ll be confronted by a bevy of “educational aids,” “adult novelties,” and “personal massage devices.” Call an in-home sales rep and you’ll be offered a plethora of “marital aids.” Sex toys still circulate; they just go by different names. ...

This past weekend, while I was visiting my family, my mother busted out an inherited cocktail ring. You have to understand, my upbringing was more 10k gold than platinum, and if we’re being perfectly honest, more cubic zirconia than diamond. We just didn’t do jewelry. We just didn’t do luxury. In part because we couldn’t, and in part because, as my parents continue to assert, “We aren’t those kinds of people.” But, now there’s this ring. This ring was inherited from my great aunt, who was a bit more drinks-with-dinner than the rest of us, which might justify the need for such a ring....

[The following is an editorial column by contributor Carly Kocurek and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Austinist staff. --The Editors] Plan B, also known as the morning-after pill, has gotten the FDA’s stamp of approval for over-the-counter sales sales to women and 18 and older – younger women will have to get a doctor’s note to obtain the contraceptive. The decision came after three years of debate about whether or not......

Sometime this year, you’ll be able to buy a phone that will breathalyze you. Disappointingly, the phone only breathalyzes you to let you know whether or not you’re good to drive — features that let you block your ability to drunkenly dial your ex or make ill-advised booty calls after a few rounds are available as add-ons....

[The following is an editorial column by contributor Carly Kocurek and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Austinist staff. --The Editors] The first time I saw The Graduate, I just cracked up when Benjamin took Elaine to the strip club. Because it was a joke, right? But, then, I watched Taxi Driver, and while I realize that Travis Bickle is batshit crazy, the fact that he leads Betsy into a grindhouse bothers......

[The following is an editorial column by contributor Carly Kocurek (who is currently out in the sticks using an internet connection made of tin cans and string, which leaves her incapable of posting this herself) and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Austinist staff. --The Editors] I refuse to believe in karma. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a lovely idea. I would love it if the guy who ditched me......

[The following is an editorial column by contributor Carly Kocurek and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Austinist staff. --The Editors] I don’t think I’m going overboard when I say most pornography is terrible. Even when the people on the production end of things manage to make something in a way that doesn’t exploit the people working for them, the aesthetics tend to be all wrong – bad lighting, bad acting, terrible......

[The following is an editorial column by Carly Kocurek and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Austinist staff. --The Editors] We all have our buttons, just waiting to be pushed. Buttons are different from dealbreakers. Tipping poorly, for example, is a dealbreaker, as I refuse to date someone who tips poorly, period. Buttons are smaller, less universally acknowledged. Buttons can be shameful little things — One friend of mine cringes when he......

Beginning this week, Austinist will be introducing several new columns written by various contributors. These columns will run the gamut from thoughts on television (which you have already come to love) to dipsomaniac observations and the like. These posts will be spoken in the first person singular by the individual contributors and do not represent the thoughts/opinions of Austinist as a whole. Today, we introduce "Candy and Flowers," from contributor Carly Kocurek. In "Candy......