12 Feb 2011
by adminin Holidays Tags: gift, romantic valentine, valentine s day
Valentine’s Day will soon be here. Have you thought of romantic Valentine’s Day decoration ideas for this year? You don’t have to use the same decorations from the past; you can create one-of-a-kind decorations which will show your partner what you think of them.
Begin at the dinner table. Spread a white or pink tablecloth over the table. Use red cloth napkins or dishes. You can also use gold or silver chargers to make the table more stunning. Don’t feel that you have to use only colors traditional to Valentine’s Day. If your loved one doesn’t like colors associated with Valentine’s Day, try to use their favorite colors instead.
Roses are normally given during Valentine’s Day but you may not want to purchase a dozen roses. Even if you don’t buy an entire bouquet, that doesn’t mean you can’t use flowers to decorate. Pull the petals from the flowers and spread them on the dinner table or make a path of petals leading to your special area.
Even though roses are the traditional flower of Valentine’s, you can also place bouquets of any type of flowers around to decorate. Don’t feel like you’re limited to one type of flower. In fact, if you choose non-traditional flowers you’ll spend less money but still have the beauty that flowers avail.
Get in the mood with candles. Dim the lights and place candles around the room to help create a romantic glow. Gather candles of different heights and put them on a large mirror. The candles will be reflected to create even more light. Add rose petals or red, pink and white marbles around the mirror to add contrast to the candles.
Create decorative heart-shaped garlands out of fabric scraps. Find large red, white and pink wooden beads and string them with heart-shaped pieces of fabric. Or you can make hearts with pieces of wire and scrunch fabric over the wire. String them together and hang them from the mantel.
Think outside of the box. Instead of serving beverages in champagne glasses, pour candy conversation hearts or cinnamon red hot candies in them. Of course, you’ll also want to have something to drink but you can use a different type of glass for beverages. Spell out “I love you” with red hot candies on the tablecloth. Try to think of unusual ways to decorate with items associated with Valentine’s.
You may be able to come up with other romantic Valentine’s Day decoration ideas. If you think about what your partner enjoys most and incorporate those ideas into the decorations, they’ll be more than impressed. Then be sure to let your sweetheart know how you feel as you spend quality time together on Valentine’s Day.
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12 Feb 2011
by adminin Holidays Tags: bed and breakfast, relationship, romance, valentine s day
Valentine’s Day is the holiday for people all over the world to let their partners know how they feel about them. Perhaps you’ve been together for a long time. Or you may be a newer couple so you’re not sure how to show your partner you love him/her. You may want to try some of the following ideas.
Plan a weekend away just the two of you. You don’t have to go far to have a special time together. If you can find a local bed and breakfast that might be the perfect spot for a weekend for you and your partner.
Don’t be afraid to show your affection by hugging and kissing them often. Kiss them when they leave in the morning and when you see them after your time apart. You don’t have to have a particular reason.
Write secret love notes to your partner and put them in places they’ll find them. Place a note in the medicine cabinet so they’ll see it when they go to brush their teeth. Slip a note in their jacket pocket so they’ll find it when they get their keys. You can even write a note on the bathroom mirror when you take your shower. When they take theirs and the steam covers the mirror again they should be able to read the note you left.
Flirt with them often. Do you remember how much you flirted with your partner when you were first dating? There’s no reason why you can’t flirt with them now that you’re a pair. In fact, flirting can be a great way to keep the romance alive in your relationship.
Start a journal that the two of you can write in together. You can start it and leave a note about something you appreciate about them. Leave the journal open with a pen so they can add a note back to you. There’s no limit to what you can share with your partner in your journal.
It’s been said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Recent reports claim the way to a woman’s heart is through housework. Men can help their partners with the chores and they’ll be a hero in their partner’s eyes.
Change your partner’s screensaver. You can create a screensaver using text. “I love you” or “I’m so glad you’re in my life” are sayings which will let your partner know how much you care.
February may not be the time of year you would expect to go on a picnic, but you can! Plan a romantic picnic lunch or dinner. Instead of having the picnic outside, set it up in your living room. Not only will you avoid freezing if you have a picnic lunch indoors, you’ll also avoid the problem of picnic pests you normally experience in the warmer months.
Knowing how to show your partner you love him/her doesn’t come easily to everyone. Use a few of these ideas to let them know or come up with some ideas of your own. However you choose to show them, as long as it comes from your heart you can’t go wrong.
12 Feb 2011
by adminin General Tags: favorite dish, recipe, romantic meal, romantic valentine, valentine s day
Valentine’s Day is for lovers. Instead of taking your partner out to eat, why not make a special meal for them at home? Here’s what to do if you don’t know how to cook up a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner.
You may have heard the saying “The way to man’s heart is through his stomach.” The same can also be true for women. Great tasting food doesn’t have to be prepared at a restaurant. Your sweetie will appreciate the effort you take to make a romantic meal for them.
The menu doesn’t have to be elaborate for your Valentine to enjoy it. A simple, easy-to-prepare meal will be greatly appreciated. Preparing something simple will also help you to relax while you’re working in the kitchen. A serene Valentine with uncomplicated food is much better than a stressed Valentine and gourmet food on the table.
Start with a tasty salad. Salad isn’t much more than vegetables, fruit, nuts and cheese on a bed of greens. Of course, there are a variety of greens to choose from. Top your salad off with basic vinaigrette (three parts oil to one part vinegar) or make a salad dressing your sweetheart enjoys. Be careful not to overdress the salad or you may not be able to taste the great taste of the ingredients.
If you know your mate’s favorite dish, be sure to fix that. A big juicy steak will be appreciated by some. For those who haven’t been together very long, you’ll want to find out if they have allergies or dietary restrictions (such as being a vegetarian) before settling on a menu.
Be sure to purchase everything you need for the entire meal before you begin cooking. It would also be helpful to prepare as much as possible a day or so before your dinner so you won’t be as stressed on the day.
Ask your date to help you cook the meal. Most people enjoy having company in the kitchen while they cook. Simple meals planned out and cooked together can help a couple connect romantically as well. Cooking together can also demonstrate how compatible you are.
Dessert is a great opportunity to show your Valentine how special they are to you. Chocolate-covered strawberries with after-dinner champagne is very romantic. You’ll want to take their tastes into consideration when deciding on the dessert course.
Preparing a meal for your loved one doesn’t have to be difficult. You can create a menu of your date’s favorite things – appetizer, main dish, salad, vegetable and dessert – but don’t forget to surprise them with a Valentine’s Day gift. When you decide how to cook up a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner and follow through with it, your paramour will appreciate your effort and feel your love.
12 Feb 2011
by adminin General Tags: chicken dish, recipe, valentine
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, skinned and boned
1 ½ tbsp butter
3 fluid oz heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a frying pan, melt the butter and quickly fry the chicken on both sides until brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and place in a casserole dish. In a small bowl, mix the mint and parsley with the cream. Pour over the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Turn the chicken a few times during baking.
Enjoy with green vegetables and crusty white bread.
12 Feb 2011
by adminin Holidays Tags: famous poems, love messages, romantic poems, valentine s day
“Roses are red, violets are blue . . .” You’ve heard the common poem that has almost as many endings as there are people in the world. When you’re trying to come up with romantic Valentine’s Day love messages and poems, you could start with that. However, there are so many examples of romantic poetry available; why not come up with something more original?
Romantic poetry is something women love to receive and most men struggle to give. While your girlfriend or wife might like to receive an original love message or poem from you, you can find book after book of poetry at the local library or bookstore. Include some of these sayings, messages or poetry in your cards, letters or emails whenever you want to let your loved one know how you feel about them.
Do you need help getting your creative juices flowing? Use the following as a jumping off point if you decide to try to personalize your cards, letters or email messages to the one you love.
According to Elizabeth Browning, “Love doesn’t make the world go round; love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” You could write something along the lines of “People say that life is a journey and maybe that’s true. Through the hills and vales and I’m to be traveling with you.”
Leo Buscaglia stated “Love is always bestowed as a gift – freely, willingly, and without expectation . . . We don’t love to be loved; we love to love.” To complete the card you could write “I am blessed to be loved and be loved by you.”
The ancient philosopher Aristotle aptly said, “Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” Those trying to write their own love messages could add a comment about how your heart beats in rhythm with their loves.
Robert Burns, the famous Scottish poet, had many romantic poems. Perhaps you can look through his poems and find one that will suit your needs. “My love is like a red, red rose” is one of his most famous poems. Add this or any of his other poems to the bottom of a card. Your Valentine will appreciate the sentiments even if they aren’t original.
Thomas Hood wrote the following poem which is simple and yet conveys so much:
I LOVE YOU
I love thee, I love thee,
‘Tis all that I can say
It is my vision in the night,
My dreaming in the day.
If you’d like to try your hand at writing a love poem for your sweetie, you can use these guidelines:
* Read different types of poetry. You can’t write something if you don’t understand it. Try several genres to see what inspiration you can find.
* Write down a list of things you love about your partner. These can often be written together in poetry form. “I love your eyes, your lips and face. And I love your warm embrace . . .” You get the idea.
* Use a thesaurus or the internet to find rhymes for words you want to use. Brainstorming can also help you come up with words which rhyme.
It’s not always easy to let your loved ones know how you feel, but that shouldn’t dissuade you from trying to write romantic Valentine’s Day love messages and poems. As long as what you write is sincere, your special Valentine will love it.