Valentine’s Day, some hate it, some love it.  Today we have a special online edition of “Ask Arden”, our new advice column where Arden Leigh, today’s freshest voice on women’s dating and relationship strategies, answers your questions.  Bringing together her experience in neuro-linguistic programming, brand marketing, psychology, pick-up artistry, and the fetish industry, she coaches women on developing a proactive approach to achieving their romantic goals.

Q : I hate Valentine’s Day. There’s so much pressure! What can I do to make sure that we both have a good time without unrealistic expectations?

A : I would say that if you pay attention to the clues your partner unwittingly gives you, you should know what kind of things will make them happy on Valentine’s Day, but the truth is that if you pay attention to those clues you should know what kind of things will make them happy every day. People are fairly easy to read once you learn to pick up on the signals they drop. Figuring out what to do for Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be all that different from figuring out what to do on any other day of the year. The only difference is you have an excuse to live it up a little more.

There’s no reason to hold yourselves to the standard of Valentine’s Day set forth by the greeting card companies, chocolatiers, and pricey restaurants offering prix-fixe dinners with champagne toasts (i.e., all those who stand to make a profit from it), but that doesn’t mean you should miss out on a day set aside to celebrate couple-hood. Being part of a couple is fun and if it weren’t you wouldn’t choose to do it. So why not celebrate a little?

Tailor your Valentine’s Day experience to the kinds of things you and your partner enjoy. Perhaps instead of a dinner with roses on the table, it’s a sporting event, or a movie you both want to see. If you choose to buy a gift, it doesn’t have to conform to the standard V-Day. I bought one of my first boyfriends a CD alarm clock for Valentine’s Day so we didn’t have to wake up to a staticky radio station (though he did then insist on waking up every morning to Alice Cooper’s “Poison”,  a great song but not one I necessarily want to hear before noon).

Whatever you do, make sure it’s personalized to the things you know you will both enjoy, and you’ll be guaranteed to have a good time.

Read the new column in the February/March 2011 Issue.

Submit your questions to askarden@auxiliarymagazine.com.

The Dec/Jan 2010/2011 Issue saw the final installment of My Life as a Goth Girl, an article that has been in the magazine since the first issue two years ago. Mlaagg, by Vanity Kills, is the fictional stories and dramas of Kimmy, the subculture-elitist, fetish-fashionista, yet sweetly endearing queen of the goth scene that everyone loves to hate. In honor of its end we will be posting all the illustrations done for the reoccurring article over the years. Read the final chapter of Kimmy’s story in the December/January 2010/2011 Issue out now!

October/November 2010 Issue

illustration : Maki Naro

December/January 2010/2011 Issue

illustration : Harley Sparx

Read the articles in the October/November 2010 Issue and the December/January 2010/2011 Issue!

The Dec/Jan 2010/2011 Issue saw the final installment of My Life as a Goth Girl, an article that has been in the magazine since the first issue two years ago. Mlaagg, by Vanity Kills, is the fictional stories and dramas of Kimmy, the subculture-elitist, fetish-fashionista, yet sweetly endearing queen of the goth scene that everyone loves to hate. In honor of its end we will be posting all the illustrations done for the reoccurring article over the years. Read the final chapter of Kimmy’s story in the December/January 2010/2011 Issue out now!

April/May 2010 Issue

illustration : Jinx in the Sky

August/September 2010 Issue

illustration : Harley Sparx

Read the articles in the April/May 2010 Issue and the August/September 2010 Issue!

The Dec/Jan 2010/2011 Issue saw the final installment of My Life as a Goth Girl, an article that has been in the magazine since the first issue two years ago. Mlaagg, by Vanity Kills, is the fictional stories and dramas of Kimmy, the subculture-elitist, fetish-fashionista, yet sweetly endearing queen of the goth scene that everyone loves to hate. In honor of its end we will be posting all the illustrations done for the reoccurring article over the years. Read the final chapter of Kimmy’s story in the December/January 2010/2011 Issue out now!

December/January 2009/2010 Issue

illustration : Alec Lewellyn

February/March 2010 Issue

illustration : Maki Naro

Read the articles in the December/January 2009/2010 Issue and the February/March 2010 Issue!

The December/January 2010/2011 Issue of Auxiliary Magazine features the beautiful Kelleth Cuthbert as our PinUp.  We had the opportunity to travel up to Working Proof Studios in Toronto, Ontario to work with talented designer Emily Rishea of Artifice Clothing, Irina Lavrega who did an amazing job on hair, and Heather Orr of Dream Clean Makeup.

The uniquely moldable Kelleth Cuthbert of Next Models Toronto is a model whose work ethic and dedication to the industry is one that is not to be taken lightly.  As an icon who seamlessly blurs the lines of commercial and alternative modeling, Kelleth’s commitment to professionalism has brought her much success in just a few short years.

Enjoy a few extra shots not published in the issue and check out the full feature in the December/January 2010/2011 Issue!

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Starting in February, just in time for Valentine’s Day, Arden Leigh (who you may have seen in Auxiliary already as the April/May 2010 Issue PinUp and as an editorial contributor to the Oct/Nov 2010 Issue) will be penning an advice column for Auxiliary! To have Arden answer your most burning questions and pressing issues, please send your queries to askarden@auxiliarymagazine.com. Questions should be about seduction, dating, relationships, style, personal growth, or just generally being awesome. All queries will remain anonymous when printed in Auxiliary.

photo by Ron Douglas

Arden Leigh is today’s freshest voice on women’s dating and relationship strategies. Bringing together her experience in neuro-linguistic programming, brand marketing, psychology, pick-up artistry, and the fetish industry, she coaches women on developing a proactive approach to achieving their romantic goals. She is a co-founder of the Sirens Seduction Forum for Women and the author of the seduction handbook Whipped. When she isn’t writing or coaching, she enjoys being a part of the New York nightlife scene as a personality and performer. She maintains her seduction blog at www.ardenleigh.typepad.com and will now be writing a regular advice column for Auxiliary Magazine!

Please send your questions to askarden@auxiliarymagazine.com and look out for her first advice column in the upcoming February/March 2011 Issue!

The Dec/Jan 2010/2011 Issue saw the final installment of My Life as a Goth Girl, an article that has been in the magazine since the first issue two years ago. Mlaagg, by Vanity Kills, is the fictional stories and dramas of Kimmy, the subculture-elitist, fetish-fashionista, yet sweetly endearing queen of the goth scene that everyone loves to hate. In honor of its end we will be posting all the illustrations done for the reoccurring article over the years. Read the final chapter of Kimmy’s story in the December/January 2010/2011 Issue out now!

October/November 2009 Issue

illustration : Maki Naro

Kimmy and Eli go clubbing at Sanctum.

… I have been secretly counting down days, hours, and minutes until tonight’s fabulous excursion to Sanctum.  Well, as fabulous as an outing to a dive bar in the midst of the ghetto can be.  Normally, I don’t get THIS psyched to attend our weekly drama and watered-down, booze filled goth night; but as you have probably guessed, the fact that Eli will accompany me has SOMETHING to do with the enthusiasm. …

Read the full article in the October/November 2009 Issue!

The Dec/Jan 2010/2011 Issue saw the final installment of My Life as a Goth Girl, an article that has been in the magazine since the first issue two years ago. Mlaagg, by Vanity Kills, is the fictional stories and dramas of Kimmy, the subculture-elitist, fetish-fashionista, yet sweetly endearing queen of the goth scene that everyone loves to hate. In honor of its end we will be posting all the illustrations done for the reoccurring article over the years. Read the final chapter of Kimmy’s story in the December/January 2010/2011 Issue out now!

August/September 2009 Issue

illustration : Michael Maglio

Kimmy’s “date” with Eli at Lord of the Wings.

… To my surprise the formerly argumentative and eternally defiant Eli agreed to do as I said without as much as a single peep of protest. I smiled at my reflection in the mirror, beaming with pride over the fact that I finally grew a pair. I kissed my glass-encased counterpart and headed out the door to meet whatever destiny had in store for me. …

The Dec/Jan 2010/2011 Issue saw the final installment of My Life as a Goth Girl, an article that has been in the magazine since the first issue two years ago. Mlaagg, by Vanity Kills, is the fictional stories and dramas of Kimmy, the subculture-elitist, fetish-fashionista, yet sweetly endearing queen of the goth scene that everyone loves to hate. In honor of its end we will be posting all the illustrations done for the reoccurring article over the years. Read the final chapter of Kimmy’s story in the December/January 2010/2011 Issue out now!

June/July 2009 Issue

illustration : Nadir Balan

Kimmy debates going on a “date” with her drop dead gorgeous former arch-nemesis.

… It would seem that over the course of the past 15 seconds I developed a strangely obsessive interest in numismatics. As I awaited the outcome of Cassy’s quarter toss with bated breath, I began asking myself if I reached a new level of indifference in my relationship with Shayne. After all, I did allow a nickel-plated image of George Washington to dictate the outcome of tonight. Letting 25 cents decide my fate; what has my life become? …

Bombshell Bridget Blonde strikes up a racy, inked up likeness to the iconic and unforgettable Marilyn Monroe. An advocate for the tattooed beauty, Bridget Blonde was recently named in a top list of “tattooed beauties” by G4’s Attack of the Show. With no sign of letting up, we’re excited to bring you Bridget Blonde.

photographer : Ama Lea
makeup artist : Kassandra Kiremit
model : Bridget Blonde

view the full feature in the October/November 2010 Issue