Valentine’s Day is nearly here! What are the Best Valentine’s Day Gifts!? Dinner? Candy? Flowers? Perfume? Laundry done and the house vacuumed? El O being ..well, El O, I am always a bit conflicted. “What if he forgets?” battles with “what if he DOESN’T forget but gets me some Walmart pestilence and I have to pretend I like it?” . This has been going on for 12 years. And I’m sorry – I just can’t do a Wishlist for Valentine’s Day (isn’t that strange? I have no problem for Birthday, Christmas…it’s the Same Guy for all of those holidays – am I nuts?). Anyway, I finally resolved it by sending out a Very Strong Hint: I will get my own perfume/wine (he got me a bottle of Korbel one year. I nearly fainted).. he is off the hook if he comes up with a bag of Hershey’s Kisses (regular) and a card. Oh, hell – card is optional. And does one ‘me’ thing – this year it is finishing the stand for my beehives. Listen, you work with whatcha got. But! I am a self- indulgent beast, so that leaves me with the quandary: with what to indulge myself this Valentine’s Day? We’re still digging out of a funky first quarter so money is still tight. But what good is a wishlist if you can’t dream, right? So high to low, here’s my Usual Suspects Categories – these are the things that make my pointed little heart go pitty-pat. And there’s a Quirky Category, just for giggles. fwiw, this is either my stuff or stuff I wish I had (but nobody’s offered – esp the diamond!)
Beauty:
High: Amouage Lyric Body Cream. One of the most beautiful, romantic rose scents ever made. I love those glittery crystal jars, I do! I love what’s in them even more! Normally the price makes my stomach hurt but MiN New York is having a Valentine’s Day Sale – 15% off (Code:LOVEMIN) so I might just..
High: Carnal Flower Body Butter. The most perfect tuberose ever. I love this even more than I love the perfume.
Low: Tropical Traditions Organic Coconut Oil Moisturizing Cream. Oh, yes! I know…this doesn’t sound very romantic but smooth skin sure is. This stuff is wonderful!!! I have a lot of milia issues – this cream doesn’t aggravate that at all and it is just wonderful (In winter I even use it on my face). Wait for the free shipping codes, which come pretty regularly. I use the unscented, spoon a little into a bowl and add a drop or two of my favorite essential oil blend(s). If I want to use up a perfume sample I’ve been known to dump it into that little bowl and mix it into the cream. Yeah, like you’ve never done that!
Perfume:
High: I would shriek like a 3rd grade girl to find a bottle of MDCI Enlevement au Serail tucked next to my champagne glass. Or Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Cuir Fetche. Or (gasp!) a bottle of Chanel Cuir de Russie parfum. Alas……
Low: Fresh Lemon Sugar. And since we’re going there…I confess to loving, still, Coty’s Muguet des Bois. Yes. Even now. It costs, I dunno…$11? It smells so nice, sprayed on the inside of a cotton blouse.
Chocolate:
High: Recchiuti Fleur de Sel Caramels. They really aren’t expensive – if you live in SF. What terrifies is the shipping. But..oh! they are so wonderful. Unlike a lot of caramels that sprinkle the sea salt atop, Michael weaves a thin ribbon inside the chocolate ……..I would tell you more but my tastebuds are already leaping around like Baryshnikov.
Other High: Miette chocolate sables. Again with the SF thing. I might as well just move.
Ultra High: Pierre Herme chocolate sables. I’m sorry that one is just mean, isn’t it? – even I think it’s a bit..much..to fly to Paris for a cookie. But..day-am! they are exquisite.
Low: Trader Joe’s Tahitian Vanilla Caramels. Who knew the Key to Happiness lay inside a $1.99 purple bag? 
Low (and everywhere): Hershey’s Kisses. Yah. Don’t hate. Like you wouldn’t wrestle me for that bag.
Quirky:
High: Graff diamond ring. Hey, go big or go home. There is nothing I love more than a huge, flawless emerald-cut diamond ring; Graff does it best. I have worn both this ring and bracelet shown ANNND the matching necklace (my Graff SA is very indulgent) -the magpie in me loves the ring the best (I can’t spend all day in front of a mirror and the bracelet isn’t as shiny as I’d like ..so..sigh..if I must..the ring it is! 
Old Crow Woodcrafts
Low: Bat House. Yep. Big Ol’ Bat Lover Here. Nothing better than a bat. Between them and the dragonflies this property is pretty much mosquito-free . I have been waiting for TWO YEARS for this man to build that damn bat house. Birthday? No Bat House. Christmas? Ditto. If I don’t get it for Valentine’s Day I’mo go buy one from my Other Porn Place, Wild Birds Unlimited. This man could build the Taj Mahal. Build the damn bat house, already. Or I’ll make you buy me that ring.
But wait! you say! Is it all youYouYOU? What about US? You promised a giveaway! Well o-Tay! A giveaway it is! And it’s NOT a bat house! Instead, it’s a lovely gift from MiN New York – a 30ml bottle of Andy Tauer’s Une Rose Vermeille! It’s Valentine’s Day – what better way to celebrate than with a gorgeous rose perfume. I’m fussy about my roses – this one is a beauty! Here are the notes (courtesy MiN New York)
HEAD NOTES A citrus chord with lemon and bergamot with a whisper of lavender. HEART NOTES Sumptuous bouquets of roses and violets, kissed by luscious raspberries. BODY NOTES The richness of vanilla, sandalwood and tonka beans, touched by the elegance of ambergris.
MiN New York
TO WIN: drop a line here, letting me know your Valentine’s Day plans, real or fantasy. I’ll get one of the bats to pick a winner via random.org – you won’t get it before Valentine’s Day but I’ll announce the winner on Valentine’s Day !
Not a VD celebrator but not a hater either . . . so eating a yummy dinner for two at home but wearing RED pants. 🙂 Thanks for the chance to win some Tauer!
This old married couple is going out for drinks tonight and then calling in “sick” tomorrow morning. 🙂
Spending the evening with my roommates, eating food and watching movies.
so. i recently met a guy. we’ve been on two dates. haven’t dated a guy in a while so i’m excited to be going out later tonight.
fingers crossed. 🙂
We’re celebrating Valentine’s along with our two little girls… not very romantic, but it’s good for them to feel all the love around them 🙂
no shame re: the hersheys, i still prefer reese’s peanut butter cups to a lot of fancier chocolate – and i’ve tried quite a bit!
my fantasy valentine’s would involve finding out that i didn’t fail all the finals i just took over the past couple weeks – yes, still a student. unfortunately the person with whom i’m infatuated is with someone else, so maybe i’ll allow myself to mope about that a little.
I love Valentine’s day! That’s why my fantasy is: to wake up tomorrow and NOT to be sick (I hope I’m just tired and it’s not the beginning of flu 🙁 )
If everything’s goes as I want, it will be a romantic dinner at home with my very significant other <3
My Valentine’s Day plans are to lie low and stay as far away from bars and restaurants as humanly possible: Too many people on dates out there. Now, my FANTASY Val Day would be a date with George Clooney at his Lake Como villa. If you’re gonna dream, dream big! This Tauer sounds lovely, just lovely. It’s a line I’d like to explore further!
Thank you for the draw. I do not celebrate Valentine’s any longer. Just a quiet evening at home with my boys.
I usually bring in some cinnamon hearts or the like to work. It’s the office equivalent of grade school’s valentines-for-everyone…
I don’t have any plans for Valentine’s Day, so I’m going to make winning this draw my big hope for the day! 🙂
I don’t have a Valentine, but I will be spending the weekend at home with my family which will be nice. I have a date with my car driving back to my parents house tomorrow night!
I’m a little anti-valentine, so my plan is spend the whole day trying to make this day one more of the year, just go to class, laugh, wear perfume, etc…nothing too romantic, please!!
Thank you for the draw!
I absolutely adore fragrance and feel naked, if I don’t spritz some on a daily basis!
My fantasy Valentine’s Day would be enjoying the day on a lovely, deserted island with
my husband…Many thanks, Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com
I don’t have a date for Valentine’s day. However, it is my best friend’s birthday and we are going to go for a few cocktails and cheer each other up. Thanks for the draw!
Ok that’s it, I’m telling Mr. AbsintheDragonfly I want a bat house this year 😉
Other than that, I think he’s making us steak and something else for dinner! And I might have to make him drive me to Chocolaterie Stam for a truffle.
I’m getting my feminism on leading a local action in support of One Billion Rising, a global anti-violence movement. Then in the evening my darling man is taking me out for a meal at our favorite restaurant. My fantasy life is my real life. 🙂
Dunno if they’re available where you live, Musette, but here in New England you can buy already built bat boxes in all sizes. But then the problem might be to get El O to hang it up. 🙂
We don’t really celebrate Valentine’s Day, but I think dinner will involve cheese and pasta, and after dinner will involve at least a spritz or two of Coco.
Thank you for this giveaway!
Fantasy Plan: A gorgeous surgeon takes me out for dinner and wine and kisses me goodnight at my front door.
Real Plan: Another single mom and I are getting together with our kiddos for a red dinner, “safe” darts, and wine for the mommas…that fantasy plan sure looks a lot nicer……
My boyfriend is an entertainer, and he has 2 gigs on Valentines Day and Friday, so we are celebrating tonight at his house. He has sent me gorgeous roses at work and is making me a special dinner tonight. I got him a really nice bottle of red wine, dark chocolates he loves, and new Jazz CD’s he has been hinting at. I would love to win Une Rose Vermeille…I do not have a rose fragrance, just red roses to sniff and they smell wonderful. Thanks for the draw.
We are going out of town for some shopping today and a nice dinner tommorow. 🙂
Thank you for the draw.
I’m single this Valentine’s day and leaving for vacation on Saturday, so I’m working like a crazy person this week. One of the bars near us is throwing a singles “It’s not me, It’s you” event. That name cracks me up!! Shots for the singles! If I get more done than I expect over the next few days I may stop in, otherwise I’ll just treat myself to a coffee, and a rosebud, and hugs from my dog. I’d be thrilled to win a decant, let alone an entire bottle. What a giveaway!
I fully understand the bat house!! I grew up in the woods and when we were kids, I remember the truck chugging down the street spraying fogs of DDT. I think bats are the way to go over that!!
Musette- a bat house!!! You have given me a great idea for a birthday present for my husband!
Valentine’s Day will find him working a 12 hour shift and coming home exhausted. He is the cook in our family so maybe I will make him a nice late dinner, which really would surprise him! Candy for the teenagers is all the celebration there will be around here.
I will be spending Valentine’s Day with my husband and grown son who’s girlfriend is a doctor and will be working hard in the A&E (Accidents & Emergency) department of her hospital. We are having a selection of lovely foods from Marks& Spencer which is always reliable and tasty. As I am at work from 08:30 until 17:30, there is no time to make a homemade meal. We are having steak with peppercorn sauce with crispy French fries (Chips) and salted caramel parfaits for dessert. All shared between my two favourite men in the world – My husband Ian and my son Jonathan xxxx
i take relationships very seriously and only want to pursue a relationship once i have settled well job-wise so that i can enjoy the time with the ‘one’.. i have plans to travel the world and maybe i find my Cinderalla in some faraway land..one thing is for sure, intelligence attracts me more than looks!
Valentine’s Day? business as usual,… but it would certainly be enhanced by a bottle of Andy Tauer’s Une Rose Vermeille!!!
Great post, thanks…now I need some chocolate. I also need some AT Rose Vermeille. I am a rose hater who is in love with this rose scent. Turns out, I guess I just hate fake rose scents.
No massive Valentine’s day, just a nice brunch after my partners shift.
ERMAHGERD! This is the Tauer i most want to try!
I have no Valentine plans, being a single lady, but my wildest dreams might involve Colin Firth or some such dashing gentleman, majestic steeds, castles in Scotland, mist, fireplaces and ah, “snuggling.” Yeah, that’s it, snuggling. 😀
heck, being single means You Can Do What You Want! Champagne! Chocolate! Flowers, Perfume! I figure ‘love thyself’!!! xoxoA
My plan is to write him a letter to go along with a scarf (sorely needed this time of year), and we are going out to a nice-ish dinner (this was his idea, which is quite thoughtful). Mostly I wish I could leave work at 5 PM and go hang out with him doing utterly unromantic but fun stuff, like go to kickboxing class 🙂
My fantasy would be simply to have someone wonderful to spend the day with. Since that’s not possible this year, I’ll be buying myself a small decant of Hermes 24 Faugourg or Hermes L’Ambre Des Merveilles to cheer me up. Although winning this draw would be especially wonderful as well 🙂
My hubs is a decidedly unromantic man, much to my endless frustration, so I am expecting nothing more than perhaps an outing to one of our strip malls for a bit of browsing and perhaps a meal; I’ll spritz one squirt of Midnight Poison for the occasion, as it’s one of the few scents we both like. If I could have the VDay of my most recent dreams, I’d take both him and my parents to Mexico City for a visit with family, followed by a few days in Paris, Rome, Barcelona, and Madrid (where we’d meet up with some more relatives). Ah… there’s always next year if this VDay is a failure. 🙂
NP
heck, if he doesn’t want to go, I will! xoxo
My plan is to break out my bottle of original Gucci, orange blossoms, skank, and all. We are having a health problem with our beloved 18 year old cat right now, so odds are we’ll just sit around spending time with him, but I’ll smell lovely. I’ll also be filled with gratitude that my husband committed to my animals as well as to me, and has kept his promises.
I plan on giving flowers and taking my mother out to dinner, she deserves it for being a great mom. Also plan on eating alot of chocolate! LOL.
I have no partner at the moment. So to me, this will be the friendship week. I will be spending valentines day with all my bachelor friends, eating, drinking , having fun! 🙂
A bubble bath in rose peddals followed by a dinner on the beach under the moon light
No big fancy plans, but I’m going to meet my partner for lunch at a nearby Japanese restaurant (I love their tea). It’s going to be a hot day, so I have a good excuse to wear my new op-shop dress! 🙂
Money’s tight here, too. I ‘m planning on homemade ice cream sundaes with the kids. I think I’ve pretty much already bought my own Valentine gift by exceeding my perfume budget for the month, so hubs is off the hook!
I so want to try Une Rose Vermeille! Thank you for not giving us the bat house! 😉
No Valentine’s day plans this year. In my fantasy my hubby would cook me a fabulous meal AND do the dishes. Sadly unless I want to eat toast that will not be happening although he is able to do dishes.
I dunno what I would get. He’s best at those nasty burgers with the pink slime. So..toast it is!
xoxoA
My plans are dinner, gifts, the usual but the night before Vday. Fantasy plans would be with same with Colin Firth. Har, har.
well, heck yeah!
real story: both my husband and i have crazy amounts of work to do so we will meet for dinner here at home. i will cook something lovely and we will share a bottle of wine. we bought bianca (white chocolate drink) for dessert along with rose petit fours so i cannot complaint. now fantasy will probably take me far away from nyc and deep into some remote island.
Once a year, my valentine makes me my favorite brownies. I usually eat the entire pan. 😉
On Valentine’s I’ll spritz some Love Don’t Be Shy by Kilian, his favorite, put some Seal or Moody Blues on the speakers, don only my CFM boots and a big red bow and wait for the love of my life to come home….shhhhhhh….the rest is a secret….
😉
After I finish college, I plan to go and purchase a gift for my girl since I get paid this Thursday 🙂 Than, I will go at her place and relax watching a movie with her! During the weekend we will most likely go to a nice restaurant as well since it’s gonna be packed on Thursday! Happy Valentines day and thank you for the giveaway!
Believe it or not, after work, I am planning on going to meet a friend for drinks and stop by Recchiuti’s Chocolate Lab 🙂
And I intend to wear my nicest rose for the event (at least that’s how I feel about it this week)–Rose Nacree du Desert by Guerlain.
My OH will be working away – being a boffin, OH never notices significant dates and is often absent for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays (and is absent-minded when present!) – but that’s life with OH.
Wishing everyone a lovely St. Valentine’s Day nevertheless:-)
This Valentine’s Day I will be working all day, then taking two dance classes in the evening: Caribbean belly dance & Zumba. Since I’m single, I will spend the evening improving upon myself, dancing the night away to some fabulous tunes. These days I’m trying to celebrate LOVE every day! Happy Valentine’s Day to all.
My honey and I have been married 30 plus this year, and we adopted last year , so our plans include a comfort food family dinner and a kids movie : ). It’ll be a good quiet pleasant evening with most of my sweeties! ‘d love to be entered in your draw Muesette. I’m looking for a rose perfume and it sounds great! Sending happy thoughts for a lovely day your way!
It is my fiancées first Valentine’s Day so I decided on the classic chocolate and teddy bear and duck for a romantic dinner. I hope it will be unforgettable.
I enjoy skipping vday, probably watch some sports
This V-Day finds me single and not dating, so I’m treating myself. I ordered some Dawn Spencer Hurwitz samples, which should arrive in time to be a V-Day treat. And I’ll probably get myself some chocolate or something.
Jumping in here to say how much I am loving all your comments. And if I don’t respond, please don’t be offended – I’m way behind on my Day Job work right now – know that everyone who comments is in the draw, whether or not you get a response from me! Okay, carry on! xoxoxoA
Valentine’s Day should be spent with one’s true love, basking in each other’s glow. In reality, I will be running around to appointments and doing errands that day, but the sweetest thing will be the love in my daughter’s face, and hearing her say “I love you, Mommy” is the greatest gift. Andy Tauer’s Une Rose Vermeille is my ideal rose, a rose-colored dream that I must experience. And I love you, Posse, for this amazing draw!
I have no clue how I will spend this day:) Life is a bit messy now…everything is uncertain…
Life, by it’s very nature, is uncertain! So enjoy it, whatever the messy day brings! xoxoA
Ha! I’m going to buy my wife Carnal Flower, Because it’s my favorite Tubereuse ever. Too long without this one!!
A dream Valentine Day-starting the day with a huge slice of cake for breakfast, and then, staying home for the rest of the day, simply chatting with my beloved, watching movies and taking it easy. May sound unadventurous, I know. Thanks for the draw!
My fantasy: receiving a beautiful rose fragrance for a gift – something really special and maybe reading each other great love poems.
My love and I have been married 31 years so it will be a homecooked dinner, his favorite cookies.. snickerdoodles and a classic movie: perhaps “A Quiet Man”. It was a valentines day present from him many years ago. I also just put in an order for our favorite smell bent scents to enjoy. Thanks for a very enjoyable post and drawing.
31 Years! Wow! Congratulations and Best Wishes to you both! Sounds like a nice night is planned, too.
I will be working a nightshift at the hospital during Valentines Day this year. I guess that puts me in the front row to able to catch a whiff of “love in the air” at the stroke of midnight. Who knows what more it might bring? Happy Valentine everyone! 🙂
I am not a romantic so no new ideas here. Being recently married she will be getting flowers at work followed by an dinner in the city. To end the night we would probably end up on the couch watching one of those feel good comedy movies.
sounds like an excellent night! Congratulations and Best Wishes on your marriage!
xo
Still no idea, maybe I will have an interview for a new job on Feb 14th! (I am expecting for a call). I anyway already got my Valentine present in advance (I was too naughty and couldn’t wait for the Day to come;), a sweet-looking ans smelling Lempicka Amarena Whim, but won#t say no to any new perfumed present. Who would????
Our Valentine night will be Friday instead of Thursday. Going to our favorite Korean restaurant for dinner. Thursday i wiil have a late supper waiting, when the other half gets home from their 12 hr day at work.
I’m the lucky one because I don’t work on this Valentine’s Day so I will have enough time to prepare some simple but nice meal. Some old romantic movie will be a good choice.
What a lovely draw!! My husband of 12 years and I will probably go to the local pub that has a special night planned with romantic music and food. We celebrate our love as often as possible but this occasion is special!!
My Valentines will considered of a cliche trip to the movies, taken to dinner at my favourite Korean BBQ restaurant, and a relaxing night in with a couple bottles of wine dressed in a dab of Onda extrait – a simple sweet traditional night….
Ahhhh, the harsh reality is that the single me will be heading out to the clubs down Hurst St in Musc Maori, wasting my money on copious amounts of tequila and trudging home with a stranger – exfoliating my skin down to a single layer the following morning – YAY! 😀
*consist
My partner and I decided to take things easy this year and cook at home. However, my dear office mate and I have a new tradition of being one anothers work Valentines. I’m getting her her favorite chocolates and a very romantic card.
This Valentine’s we are going to celebrate in Vegas. Hope to get the perfume so it will be perfect!
Thanks and Happy Valentine’s to all perfume posse!
This is fantasy of course!
My ideal gift woul be a phone call telling me that a car is coming to pick me me up and tat I would be gone for a week! There is no need to pack at all because everything taken care of. I would get on a private plane where my love is waiting for me with champagne and strawberries. He tells me that we are on our way to South Africa for a week and this is my Valentines day present from him. A girl can dream right!! 🙂
My GF and I are having a long distance relationship. I don’t like valentine day but I love her so I’m planning on send her some gifts along with singing her a song.
“I don’t like valentine day but I love her’ – she is a very, very lucky gal! xoxoA
that’s really sweet 🙂
This is a Valentine’s story from the past–33 years ago, to be exact. I was living with my boyfriend at the time, but shall we say the magic was fading. Enter Irwin who fell in love with me and was doing his damndest to steal me away. He sent two dozen of the most perfect, fragrant roses I have ever seen to my office, where my boyfriend frequently did freelance work. Everyone complimented him on his extravagant gift. Whoops.
Reader, I married Irwin.
And a Very, VERY Wise Choice you made! xoxoxoA
The day after Valentines Day, heading up to Boston from NYC for a lovely weekend.
Just a quiet dinner with my honey.
True: my scientist husband wants to take me to a reading at a local book store by a Nobel prize winning physicist “Get the knowledge and tools you need to “do physics” with venerable physicist Leonard Susskind and his book The Theoretical Minimum.”
That sounds like something my grad school scientist husband would want to do! But alas, he is too busy with school for us to do anything fun on Valentine’s Day since it is a school night. I’ve told him he is off the hook as long as he makes me a card (he is very crafty and makes the best homemade cards). I got him a “heroes of science” love note from etsy – http://www.etsy.com/listing/67718165/heroes-of-science-love-notes
sounds like one of my exes’ idea of a good time, haha!
I used to loathe Valentine’s Day, because of my ex.
Now that my life has changed and I’m trying to move on, I don’t hate it anymore.
But I do not have any high expectations either…
Being with someone who treats me like his sweetheart everyday is what matters to me. *aw* 😉
I own a tiny sample of Carnal Flower body butter and I am crossing my fingers that my Kitty will surprise me with my very own full jar on V Day
My fantasy – a surprise trip to Paris with instructions to buy as much perfume as I want while we’re there. Reality? Dinner cooked together and a good movie on tv. And reality is pretty darn good these days…:-) Not that I wouldn’t love to win this prize, mind you. There’s no such thing as too much happiness!
Keep shining that light, doll! It all sounds delicious! xoxoA
I will cook a lovely dinner and clear the unfolded laundry from dining room table so we can eat in there like civilzed people do. Then we will drink wine and eat Moonstruck chocolates while we watch Project Runway.
That ring! OMG! Can you really walk into a Graf boutique and try something like that on? Beyond pretty. But I’d have no where to wear it and I’m not sure I can even afford the armed security detail to follow me around, let alone the ring itself. Still, it would be fun to put it on for like 5 minutes. Thanks for the heads up on the MiN code.
We’ll be going out to a newish Japanese restaurant the night before to avoid the crowds. Love me some good sake. And will probably cuddle up on the sofa and watch something on the DVR on V-Day, then go to sleep early. We’re getting older, what can I say?
No need to enter me into the draw. DH has asked that if I bring in a new bottle that I sell or eliminate one in my collection. If I’m going to eliminate a bottle it has to be for an iris/orris based perfume. Well, except for maybe a bottle of Lyric.
It’s a work day for both of us but, maybe we’ll venture out for dinner at our favorite Indian restaurant with our 3 year old in tow. I already bought my hubs’ card – it says: I’m still not sick of you… Happy Valentine’s Day! Couldn’t resist – any card that makes me snort while reading it in the store is coming home.Thanks for the draw! I’ve been wanting to try the Tauer line for a while now.
Great draw! Husband and I will wait until the weekend to celebrate with a nice dinner at a steakhouse we have been wanting to try. No fragrance desires right now as I’m feeling like I have too many I don’t wear.
PS – no need to apologize for loving Hershey!!!! :-0
My Valentine`s gift for self is out there somewhere – the 2012 Petite Cherie Medallion butterfly bottle from FiF/Germany is due at the doorstep any day 🙂 Trying to encourage my 82 year old folks – (think of tv characters Archie and Edith from `All in the Family`) to get a couple of Valentine cupcakes to have something to celebrate with!! LOL! NEED another sampler from Andy T; wishlist is a FB of each of the rose-themed beauties he crafts!! My chocolate muust be gluten/dairy free – so Pamela`s Dark Chocolate cookies are ALWAYS around! 🙂 Valentine HUGS to all!!!!!
Ha! Plans? Sitting at home like an old married couple. I’d much rather spend it on a tropical beach, because this weather blows. Lol.
I can agree with that. Where are you, Cat? I’ve been shoveling the streets of New Haven for three days. Shoveling snow, that is. Ready to shovel sand in and out of a blue plastic bucket instead.
I want a bat house, too. The CEO wants to give me one of those two-person swings with an awning, so we can sit out in the back yard between the rose bushes and enjoy the twilight, but I think they’re ugly and would rather just have a bench, so while we “discuss” it, there’s nothing to sit on. (Well, it’s February now, but we’ve been “discussing” it since early last spring.)
I. Hate. Valentine’s Day. I used to like it. Now I don’t. It’s his fault. Don’t ask.
I think I remember this…….this was ..UGLY…right?
speaking of ugly – don’t knock those covered swings. I agree, they are pretty buttugly but, Mals….I sat down in one of those cushioned doohickeys out in front of Menards, whilst waiting for El O…10 mins later my bp was down about 20 points!
Well after reading this blog, I want the salted caramels *and* a bat house!!! V-day is a complete nonevent in our house, but that’s ok because we love each other every day anyway. That Tauer sounds magnificent, if I don’t just outright win it I’ll have to sniff it somewhere soon.
Hmmm…I’m giving him chocolate, dark chocolate. And I would like to get a great meal. With money rather tight now, I would be very happy if he would cook said meal himself.
The Tauer sounds so beautiful.
Great wish list! My hubby is working a 14hr shift on 14/2 so here goes with my fantasy day.
1. I wake up painfree to a blue sky and sunshine.
2. My sons call me for a chat
3. Hubby leaves me a fragrant gift (I know what he’s got me)
4. As I’ll be painfree I’ll go shopping for something hubby will love, which will probably be another pair of engineered trousers
5. Dinner will be for one and I would indulge with a spicy king prawn stir fry and udon noodle soup
6. Clean high thread count bedding will appear on the bed as if by magic
7. I would wait up for my hubby to come home and give him a glass of his favourite single malt as he walks through the door.
So nothing too outrageous on my fantasy wish list but 1 and 2 alone would make me very happy indeed.
Brilliant giveaway again from PP and MIN NY
Praying healing 4 U – as in NOW!!! 🙂
My husband deals with daily, chronic pain, also, and I know how demanding and draining it can be. Wishing you ease, breath, peace, relief, release! Sending you a big HUG! ~Jenny
wishing you a painfree v-day too!
Well, I’ll be taking a Bikram yoga class. No plans beyond that. I don’t want to harsh anyone’s mellow, but I’m kind of over Valentine’s Day.
I think I am writing for my Live Action Roleplaying game on Valentines day with the rest of my writing team, all men, none of whom I am dating. Perhaps I’ll bring a bottle of champagne and douse myself in Ava Luxe’s Roses for the evening and tell the boys to get over it.
We celebrate Trifon Zarezan (wine) and St. Valentine’s (love) day. My husband gives me red roses, With our youngest daughter we are going to have a dinner at home (with a glass of red wine for him and me).
http://sofiaecho.com/2006/02/13/643178_trifon-zarezan-day
My husband and I will try to spend some quality time together. Probably just a semi-fancy dinner at home after our 3 year old goes to bed, and then an evening with no TV, if you know what I mean… Best Valentine’s day for both of us, since being in my third trimester of pregnancy and having a tiny kid is not conducive to romance. I’d rather that than any material gift! Though some chocolate/perfume/jewelry in addition would not make me sad… Hope there’s lots of love going around for everyone, single or otherwise. xoxo
No special plans for Valentine’s day…but because I am married to a very sweet and (mostly) considerate man, I have no complaints. Well, okay, what good would complaining do? 😉
I love bats! We have some around our house, but fewer now since a lot of the taller trees have been cut down over the past few years. Actually, I have been considering buying a bat house… We also have a screech owl in the neighbor hood. I hear him in the evening, and once I saw him perched on our roof.
While getting a bat house would be very nice, I really really want to win that Tauer Rose Vermeille, which I hear is quite the rose masterpiece.
And yes, I would fight you for that bag of Hershey’s kisses. Better yet, a bag of Lindt dark chocolate truffles. We have a Lindt outlet nearby. I have never gone near the place and it’s better that I don’t.
Elizabeth, do get a bat house – they’re pretty inexpensive (a house for 100+ bats is around $35) – they need all the help they can get – and they are soooo beneficial.
Screech owls – we have them, too! They’re in the eaves of the house next door and they’re pretty big! That’s why we have netting over our coopyard.
You know, I think I will. And thank you for the BCI link–looking forward to learning more about bats. They are wondrous creatures.
I will be pulling yet another overnight at my f#$%#@g underpaid job but wait… at around 11:55 just before the magical day is over, a sexy valentine fairy (not the chubby godmother type) will appear sitting butt naked on the photocopy machine, spraying herself with mmm, I dunno, Rose Vermeille? I will leave you here and let what follows to your imagination.
Happy Valentine’s day to everyone
PS: yeah, you guessed it, photocopying both our asses is what we’ll be doing ALL NIGHT! 😉
oh, is that what they’re calling it these days…photocopying? LOL 😉
by “they” I am guessing you mean the faerie-folk?
The DH and I have a tradition of exchanging gifts and cards on Valentine’s Day. I really lucked out when I married him, because he is that rare guy who is good at picking out gifts and has great taste in jewelry. I love receiving: sterling silver jewelry (love sparkly, shiny things!), perfume that’s on my wish list, or chocolate. I haven’t tried any of the gourmet high end chocolates. Godiva is about as fancy as I get, but that’s fine with me. I love their dark chocolate and raspberry truffles.
As for my perfume wish list, there are 11 bottles on it. I guess I’m still in that acquisitive stage of perfume mania. 🙂 Your wish list is great — I could be very happy with it, though I don’t have a need for a bat box.
Thanks for entering me in the drawing. The Andy Tauer sounds nice; I’ve never tried any of his scents.
I’m such a pain in the ____ that El O gave up in despair (the Graff, the Bollinger, the Recchiuti – it’s all just Too Damn Much for a bareknuckle fighter from Tennessee). However, once he realized I wasn’t expecting HIM to get those things and instead would be thrilled if he just built the damn bat house/chicken coop/beehive stand/whatever…things smoothed out at Casa Us!
Glad you and your DH are on the same wavelength!!! xoxoxoA
It will be my birthday, my husband and I will both be working. We’ll go out with family over the weekend. I will get myself a bottle of champagne for Valentine’s night after work, have a long shower and wear my winter favorite, 1000 Flowers Reglisse Noir.
I just looked up that fragrance… mmmm, sounds delicious! Have the happiest of birthdays, Jan!
Happy early birthday, dear Jan!!
Sounds like a lovely, lovely night! Happy Birthday!!! xoxoxoA
Tonight I’m making Cupid treats for my co-workers! Take square pretzels, top w/Hershey’s Hug of your choice, place in 350 oven for 5 minutes, remove & top w/pink M&M. Press down to squish Hug. Let cool completely and box pretty. I’m using votive holders covered w/Valentine cupcake paper & tied w/twine (via Pintrest).
Very cute recipe (and easy, too — yay!!)! Thanks so much for sharing …
For Valentine’s Day I am planning on doing something, anything, to cheer up my BF. He just discovered a broken water pipe in his house and will have to wait a week for the plumber who installed the plumbing when the new slab was installed. Fortunately he loves food, wine, chocolate… I’ll throw in a card, too.
My husband is in the military and deployed elsewhere, my eldest daughter is away at college..and so this Valentine’s day..I will be dressing up and going to out to dinner with my youngest daughter. We will put on our best perfumes and have a lovely time! 🙂
A wonderful way to celebrate. Sending safe wishes to your husband – and a thank you for his service!
xoxoA
We will hope and pray for your husband’s safety.
I’m planning a surprise for her: a hydromassage bubble bath with the Lush Karma bubble bar I bought for the moment. And candles, of course!
lucky gal! xoxoA
Just me and a pint of ice cream since my bf of 10 years and I recently broke up. No shame here.
Good on you, Katie! What’s your flavor of choice?
Squoo him. Ice cream and a brisk walk, baby! My recommendation is B&J’s Fudge Brownie. Let it soften up just a tad…..mmmmmmmm xoxooxoxA
i feel for you, katie! i was in a very similar situation last year.
I don’t have any specified plans for Valentine’s day. I’m not in love so there will be no date for me, though in the evening I have my weekly French classes
I will celebrate Valentine’s day with a much anticipated evening at the theatre (we snatched up the last tickets for Moni Ovadia!).
Thanks for the draw and the wonderful prize!
Sigh… This year it’ll just be me and Joe (Trader, that is)… If I really feel like tying one on, I might go for the chocolate-covered potato chips in addition to the caramels…
Haha!
Those chocolate-covered potato chips are pretty tasty! And treat yourself to a couple of L.A. Burdick mice, too. Enjoy!
Working on V-day, but we’ll celebrate on the weekend. Antique show, nice lunch out, maybe a hike in the snowy woods.
I need to try some of that Tauer!
Valentine’s Day hasn’t really caught on over here, even though florists and media try to make it popular. I’ll be getting up really early to stand around with a winning grin at a press conference, handing out name tags and directing people to the lavatories. Way to go! In the evening I’ll be teaching a dance class, as usual. So no big deal! Maybe a glass of wine as a nightcap…. Or hot chocolate (thanks, Ann, for the inspiration).
BUT!!!!!!!! I have this really big bottle of vintage Rochas Femme PdT. And if any of the charming ladies here wants a 5 ml decant in honor of Valentine’s Day, I’ll be happy to send one – until the bottle is only half full. Mail me at [email protected], if you’re interested….
How kind of you, dinazad! I emailed you… have been wanting to try this one, ever since I fell in love with the cumin in Rubj. What’s your press conference about? And what kind of dance are you teaching? I’m impressed! I want to come TAKE your dance class! And *thanks again*!!! xo!
Oh, that is so lovely of you. What a sweetheart you are! Happy Valentine’s Day to you!
O.M.G….what a giveaway!
I wish I had some exciting plans…not really, as work beckons pretty early the next morning. 🙂 My honey is here on the weekend, so we’ll probably go out to dinner and snuggle up later with the elderly dog and the middle-aged cat.
As Valentine’s Day finds me single, I will probably stay in with a good movie and a nice wine, or maybe go out with friends, still haven’t made up my mind.
I am pretty unoriginal when it comes to what I like to get for Valentine’s day: jewellery (diamonds & pearls most), lace lingerie with a retro feel to it, and the chocolate (Belgian chocolate being the most welcome) & wine duo of course! This year, however, me and my other half decided to somewhat move & extended the celebration: we decided to spend a romantic weekend in a lovely little palace hotel in the mountains instead of exchanging gifts. 🙂 On the 14th, I’m going to bake a batch of heart-shaped cupcakes, so it’ll be a nice, quiet evening with sweets and wine.
Happy Valentine’s Say to everyone!
Just like Spiker I’ll be working on a looming deadline but… I hope I can make it to my favourite parfumerie during lunch and get myself that Carnal Flower of FM finally!!! (yes, it’s snowing heavily here and I just need that spring to come asap…)
I’m heading to Seattle to hang out with two of my closest girlfriends, which I’m excited about because we never get to see each other. We hardly ever get to spend time together, so I am grateful to get to spend this holiday with them, seeing Beautiful Creatures and eating lots of treat!
That sounds like a VERY loving way to spend Valentine’s Day! Have fun!
IhopeIwinIhopeIwinIhopeIwin…Ahem now that the inner 4 year old has had her say , I plan on working on Valentine’s Day .Stock (plus size women’s clothing).I may indulge in something “bad” to eat (choclolate /creamy ? don’t know what yet).I may also get something to share at work and at home (mom ,dad,little brother).
Fantasy : I win or inheiret (from a long lost relative) a huge amount of money and can pay all bills and buy vast amounts of perfume and support charities and schools.
Hey -it’s a dream.
It’s a good dream! May it come true!
Valentine’s day will be dinner with the rugrats, a good bottle of wine while DH puts the rugrats to bed, and probably some AWESOME truffles from the little chocolate shop up the street. URV has been on my FB list forever! Thank you for the draw!
Our favorite local restaurant, which is normally all about delicious sandwiches and couscous, does an exquisite 5-course meal for Valentine’s Day (priced to match, sadly), so my partner and I will be hitting that up, with a 5:30 reservation (b/c early dinner is how we roll, we are hardcore that way 🙂 And then probably a movie at home…he got the The Quiet Man on bluray (my fantasies tend toward the problematic/un-feminist, though my politics don’t…) as an early gift, so possibly that. And this giveaway is fabulous–URV is soooo pretty (I agonized over buying a bottle awhile ago, went with LDDM instead). Thanks, Musette (for the awesome rec’s, as ever) and thanks to MiN as well!
I will be having a simple home cooked dinner with my love. Nothing fanciful, just us two. Thanks for the great draw! Happy valentines
How nice if I’m able to have a valentines day dinner on the moon? Hahaha 🙂
I think Valentine’s Day will probably just involve going out to dinner with my husband and our daughter, since we have no babysitter for that night. It’s okay, though – it’s not a huge holiday in our house anyway. And, of course, discount chocolates later in the week.
I’m not doing anything special on Valentine’s Day. The day after Valentine’s Day is the best. All the candy is at least half off (Valentine candy). I would love for someone to surprise me for an all expense paid trip to Paris.
ACK!!! Tauer’s URV is on my buy list!! MUST WIN THIS!!!!!
My V-Day plans include:
-going to work
-making chocolate fondue with a bunch of 4 year olds (I shit you not)
-eating out Italian with my beloved and explaining why the horrible USPS lost his perfumed V-Day gift. 🙁
Hiya, doll! Love that wish list! Not much going on for us for V Day. We’ll exchange cards, a small gift or two,and also some stuff for our son. We both have to work, so it’ll be a fairly routine day. After so many years together, it’s not a huge deal.
One thing that’s a bit sad: In middle school, they don’t exchange valentines, or do anything, that I can tell. So DH and I will have to try to make it a little special for him at home. And, of course, no draw for me.
BTW, I just realized that our darling Patty will be in Paris for the holiday, the lucky girl! Here’s hoping you get your bat house (I almost typed cat house, sheesh!).
In my fantasy Valentines day, my partner ( of over 20 years) and I are married, but until California joins the civilized world, it must remain a fantasy.
Thanks for the draw!
*Grinds teeth in frustration* I bow to your patience and grace in an absurd and deeply unjust situation. The world is moving your way. Sending love, admiration, and best wishes for a happy Valentine’s Day!
Jenny already Said It Best! xoxoxoA
I lost my love, thus my Valentine plans are nil, sadness, tears, work, no Valentine. Never ever. Bad. Thanks!
Oh no! But “Nil” makes me think of Hermes Jardin Sur Nil… you could always love THAT.
I hope by ‘lost’ you mean you misplaced? Or s/he went out for a pack of cigs and…..(the bad thing about that word is it could mean…you know)…if it’s either of the first two, my sympathies but know that it’ll be better sooner (this from an Oldster who has had so very man BAD VDays). If it’s the latter – my sincere sympathies.
xoxoA
Actually (dodging shoes) I’d rather have the bat house and its inhabitants to the juice. Sorry, can’t take the Goth out of the Girl…and Trader’s makes a dark chocolate salted caramel at Christmas that is TDF!
Another Bat Lover! Yay! Here’s the link to BCI http://www.batcon.org/ they are great for bat education – wait. That’s wrong – bats don’t need education – let me try again: they are great for education ABOUT bats! xxoxoxo
My husband and I are not really into celebrating Valentine’s Day. It seems like all I’ve done for the holiday is help my daughters (3 and 6) fill out their classroom Valentine cards. But… if I had to guess, I will probably get a hand-designed card –with hearts and elephants –from my little artist, Marlena (who never forgets my favorite animal).
That makes me happy.
Yes, very, very sweet!
Have you tried Kenzo Jungle L’Elephant then?
V-Day is a Thursday this year, so it’s teaching and back-to-back meetings at the day job. I have no idea what my sweetie has planned, if anything, but it’s all OK if I can come home in the evening, work in my studio for a little while, and eat salted caramels. Winning a bottle of Rose Vermeillee wouldn’t hurt, either. Thanks for the drawing! By the way, I’m a big-time bat lover, too!
Bat lovers UNITE! I belong to Bat Conservation Int’l and my friends are totally freaked that I can casually remove a bat from a house – we have some roosting in a bad part of the roof and occasionally they come in..
Studio and salted caramels sounds like the perfect VD evening! xoxo
I’m out of town this year for Valentine’s day, and will be working. Not too exciting, eh? But in March, when we are in the same city as our family, we’re going to go on a date night. We haven’t done that in a while, since we have a 5 month old. Maybe we’ll even be crazy and have dinner AND a movie— a true extravagance when you have a little one.
I have been dying to get URV since it came out. I just love that bottle. Thank you to MiN for sponsoring the giveaway.
Congratulations! Enjoy your new baby AND your date night. You deserve it!
Congratulations, sweetie! xoxoxo
No big celebration here, either. The entire month is jam-packed, and I’m already behind schedule. Despite all of that, I did manage to make fleur de sel caramels this week – so you know where my priorities really lie. What could be better than a chewy, creamy, sweet and salty caramel? 48 of them, that’s what.
Yum, Lisa! You are making my mouth water big-time. I think you’ve got your priorities just right 😉 Enjoy!!
Crap. Lisa: I hate you! 😀
xoxoA
For Valentine’s Day my husband has actually offered to make me dinner. He burned out on cooking when he was a cook in the Marines, twenty years ago, when (as he describes it) he “stirred vats of mashed potatoes with an oar.” But today I got a text from him: “I’ll cook broccoli and tempeh for you. It will be fun!” This is a massive effort on his part, which is especially nice because this will be our first Valentine’s Day being married. (Incidentally, he has lots of allergies and can’t stand most perfumes; they bother his sinuses. But when I put on a (teeny!) drop of my Rubj EDP sample, just so I could surreptitiously sniff my wrist from time to time, half an hour later he looked up from across the room and said, “That smells good.” So I’m saving up for a bottle—which will be my first FB purchase EVER. <3)
I think on Valentine’s Day I’ll still be laughing about your tastebuds leaping around like Baryshnikov! So sorry to have read about the Trader Joe’s Tahitian Vanilla Caramels. Forget who knew they were $1.99….up to this point I didn’t even know they existed and wish I’d never seen that picture.
We’ve been married forever and stopped the Valentine’s Day thing eons ago. We send cards and/or a small gift to the kids and grandchildren but enjoy the pressure of not having to get the perfect gift for each other. That became so exhausting. As hard as I am to buy for, he is even worse! However, if we WERE doing the gift thing, I’d love to unwrapped a bottle of Micallef Ylang. I’ve worn the heck out of my decant but it’s almost gone and that makes me sad.
I’m working on a big deadline, so no celebration. So, how sweet would it be to win a draw? (and of course if I don’t win, perhaps ill need a decant to console myself)
LOL! Our ‘celebration’ will be not yelling at each other (and him doing the dishes), so I feel your pain.
I only recently started dating a wonderful man, so it is too soon to celebrate the BIG DAY OF LOVE. Just to cover my bases in case he does make a gesture, I am making him two prosciutto-style duck breasts. Trust me, this will thrill him. This is much better than last year when a made my then boyfriend tonka bean truffles. Tonka bean you probably know is illegal (in the USA) to consume because of their potential blood thinning quality. It sounds like I am feeding him rat poison, but really there was no real threat and they were delicious. In return he gave me Tokyo Milk Arsenic body lotion. Why didn’t this relationship work out?
This just made me giggle!
Sounds like Valentine’s Day with the Addams Family.
The husband and I both work late on Valentines day so we are postponing the celebrating until the following Sunday. All I ask from him is a least a hand written card/note. I usually make him 4 or 5 handmade valentines in my studio ’cause I’m such a girly girl I go for any excuse to play with pink and lace and glitter. He already brought me a dozen of the most beautiful pale pink roses because he hates to do things on the day he is supposed to ( sigh,,, my little uptight German anarchist…).
Fantasy Valentines ? Chocolates, a mess of La Perla lingerie and lets see, a bottle each of Gourmand Coquin, Les Rivage des Syrtes, and Seville a L’Aube. Hey, a girl can dream. You mentioned Cuir Fetiche? I just discovered that bad boy and was INSTANTLY smitten but I find the sillage is not that great. What has been your experience with it?
LM, I don’t have it in spray – only a dabber…so I don’t have enough experience. I need to spritz. The dab was decent sillage for what I had on.
El O couldn’t care less about doing it on the ‘day’ – he just wants to get it over with and not get yelled at or get The Dreaded Sigh. Romance, baby! It’s how we roll!
The Friday after V-Day is a sacred day at my undergraduate college, where we buy flowers for our female friends. I’m hoping to do that…
that sounds lovely!