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FAMILY
Make this Valentine's Day a family affair
(NC)—Since Valentine's Day falls on a
Wednesday this year more people are looking for ways to involve the
whole family. Check out these tips from Hallmark for some family
fun:
• Plan a few fun activities around
food. Serve up some ice cream with Hallmark's heart-shaped ice cream
scoop and bowl set. Or get your meal ideas from a favourite family
film. Watch Lady and the Tramp and then whip up some spaghetti and
meatballs for dinner.
• Set up a Valentine's Day treasure
hunt. Write the first clue inside the kids' Valentine's Day cards,
then hide a series of clues in and around the house to lead them on
the chase. End the treasure hunt with one of Hallmark's cuddly
stuffed animals and some treats.
• Take time to reach out to
neighbours and family members. A Valentine's Day card will bring a
smile to a grandparent's face when they open their card from the
kids. Or drop a Valentine's Day card in the mailboxes of a few older
neighbours to brighten their day.
• Add a Valentine's theme to your
bedtime ritual. Check with your local library for a list of popular
valentine-themed books such as Arthur's Valentine.
You can find more Valentine's Day
ideas at www.hallmark.ca or by visiting a Gold Crown store near you.
Credit: www.newscanada.com
COOKING FOR VALENTINE'S DAY
Planning a Romantic Valentine's Day Meal
Even stale bread seems tasty enough when you are
have your beloved to share it. But you have got to admit that even
the best of traditional and modern lavish holiday dinners do not
seem at all romantic when compared to chocolate dipped
strawberries and oysters. Here are some tips that will help you
plan an irresistibly romantic fare for your Valentine:
1. Include
Aphrodisiac foods in your meals to add instant sex appeal. Use
chocolate and berries in your dessert and garlic in all dishes that
require saut?ing. Avocados and Artichoke hearts can be used to make
sides and dips. Here is a
List of Aphrodisiac foods which will come handy.
2. Try to make dishes with a smooth, creamy and
silken texture. For example a White Chocolate Mousse or a
Strawberry Souffl? Omelet.
3. Keep the dishes light to avoid feeling lethargic
after the meal.
4. Avoid any oily finger foods as you will find your
oily hands a hindrance when holding hands between the meal.
Read more tips for planning a Valentine's Day meal at
http://www.celebrating-valentinesday.com/recipes/planning-valentine-meal.shtml
Favorite Recipes for Valentine's Day:
Breakfast :
Cinnamon French Toast with Maple Syrup served with Berries
Blueberry Pancakes with Maple Syrup
Dinner Menus:
Oysters, Strawberries and Pears
Lobster dinner for two
Dessert:
White Chocolate Strawberry Pie
Warm Chocolate Silk Souffl?s
CELEBRATING VALENTINE'S DAY
A Romantic Movie Evening at Home on
Valentine’s Day
With Valentine’s Day nearly here, many
couples will no doubt find themselves picking up a movie for a cozy
evening in. So many choices, so many opportunities to make the wrong
selection and spoil the most romantic evening of the year.
To set the mood and enhance the likelihood of having a night to
remember, AOL Video turned to Nancy Slotnick, author of “Turn Your
Cablight On (Get Your Dream Man in Six Months or Less),” for tips on
selecting a movie and setting the scene for a romantic evening at
home this Valentine’s Day.
* Don’t Get Too Tragic. Movies with star-crossed lovers, like “Romeo
& Juliet,” may be romantic, but may not set the ideal mood on
Valentine’s Day.
* Chick Flicks are In. Since Valentine's Day is notoriously a
woman's holiday, men may want to go along with the girliest film
they can tolerate, all in the name of love of course. For those who
just can’t bear to rent a true “chick flick,” then a romantic-comedy
is the next best bet.
* Foreign Films are Tr?s Sexy. Europeans know romance. Take a lesson
from “Am?lie,” a movie billed as ”a love letter to romantics.” Not
to mention the accents, which are enough to set the evening’s
romantic tone on their own.
* Share the Couch. Regardless of what you watch, don't sit across
the room from your date. And ditch the popcorn. Wine, cheese and
chocolate will best complement any romantic movie.
* Short Movies are Best. You don’t want you or your sweetie to fall
asleep on the sofa before the end of the movie. So choose a short
film to help ensure time for romance once the movie is over.
To help get into a romantic state of mind, AOL Video compiled the
“Top Five Most Romantic Movie Moments” into a free highlights reel
available for viewing at
http://video.aol.com/valentine.
These moments include:
5) “Pretty Woman” - Edward “rescues” Vivian in the final scene.
4) “Sleepless in Seattle” - Sam describes his wife Maggie on the
radio call-in show.
3) “Ghost” -: Sam crosses over and can feel Molly’s touch.
2) “Titanic” - When Rose and Jack stand at the bow of the ship.
1) “Jerry Maguire” - Jerry tells Dorothy, “You . . . complete me.”
At AOL Video (http://video.aol.com), romantics can also purchase and
download full-length versions of the movies featuring these classic
moments. Or, check out dozens more free and pay-to-download videos
just right for Valentine’s Day, including “There’s Something About
Mary,” “Closer” and “Love Story.”
WOMEN'S ISSUES
Valentine's Day For Singles
Valentine’s Day tends to be a lonely time of year for singles,
but it doesn’t have to be. Instead of focusing on the romantic
aspects of love, focus on showing the love of friendship and
family. Here are a few ideas for having a great Valentine’s Day.
Call up some friends you haven’t seen in a long time and go out
for dinner as a group. It’s always fun to reminisce over old times.
Enjoy a nice relaxed dinner together and just have fun. Treat the
waitress or waiter with a good tip, as they probably didn’t want to
work on Valentine’s Day.
Do you know a couple with kids who never go out because they just
don’t feel they can afford a babysitter? Offer them a free night of
babysitting. Let them enjoy a kid-free night to be a couple again.
They would really appreciate a dinner with adult conversation. In
return, you get to spend the evening with some real sweethearts.
If you have a teenaged sibling, cousin, niece or nephew that
doesn’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend, take them out for a fun
night. Grab a bite to eat where you can talk and you might be
surprised what you could learn from each other. Then do something
active, something that you haven’t done in a long time, or maybe
something you’ve always wanted to try, but you’ve been reluctant to.
Take the time to visit a retirement home. Many of the residents
don’t have much family or friends anymore. They always love visitors
and are more than willing to share their stories with you. Contact
the activities director and see if they mind if you throw a little
party. Ask some other friends to join you, bring some cards, music
and have a great time.
Think of something you’ve always wanted to learn and see if you
can find a class and register. Learn to paint, or draw. Take dancing
lessons. Not only will you meet new people, you’ll learn a new skill
that may lead to a lifelong passion for a new hobby.
Don’t let being single stop you from enjoying life. Love yourself
first and enjoy doing things for yourself. Before you know it,
you’ll be one of those married with kids desperate for a baby
sitter.
Adriana Copaceanu provides people with creative gift ideas
that don't blow the bank. Here are some great
Valentine's Day Gift Ideas and some
Luxury Gifts for your sweetheart.
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A
writer by heart and by profession, Larnette Phillips has written and
published a number of titles starting with Faces - The Sacred
Journey. She wrote 'Sully and Me' in 2003 which went on to win the
First Place in the National Gary Awards Competition by Fiction Works
in the same year.
