Those who are Asian, are all of you celebrating White Day today? In Japan, Valentine’s Days is for the girls to give chocolates to the guys, and on White Day (TODAY!) the guy should give something in return to those girls who have blessed them with yummy chocolates. Usually more expensive than what they have received on Valentine’s Day. Anyway, Happy Pi Day, too! Pi Day? WHat the heck is that? I’m not a mathematic freak, so I don’t celebrate this day. Actually, there are two holidays that celebrate this symbol of π. The first one is Pi Day, which is today,on March 14, due to π being equal ot 3.14. The second one is Pi Approximation Day, on July 22, due to π being equal to 22/7. I know, boring information for those who hate math! But, hey, for those who love pie, you could celebrate this day by eating…guess what! Pi Pie! Why such a day is invented? Ask Larry Shaw. He was the founder. You wanna check out his hairstyle, by the way.

Times, you have some serious competition for punny captions.

The media made sure that every existing and non-existing love story was written about around Valentine’s day, one of which was the touching love story of Shilpa Shetty and her beau Raj Kundra. Says Raj :

“It was the scent of Shilpa that drew me to her ! After the Big Brother win, Shilpa launched her perfume and I went to meet her to seal a business deal,” said Raj, not knowing that he would end up sealing his heart instead. “I saw her standing with her mother in the lobby of a hotel in London, all chatty and giggly. Being a Punjabi, the first thing I did was touch her mum’s feet,” said Raj, who won Shilpa’s mum, Sunanda instantly with that act.

Imagine Raj cheats on Shilpa some years down the line as most faithful husbands do, “Yes but she was wearing the same perfume. So I was thinking about you all the time !! Plus, I touched her mother’s feet too. I am Punjabi you see.”

Shilpa would have to forgive him, partly because remaining angry would ask for more acting skills.

When Herbie and I got back from Yuma on Valentine’s Day, we dropped off Moo at my parents’ house for a sleepover and immediately cranked up Franz Ferdinand when we got home, and poured ourselves cocktails while we got gussied up for a night out.

We spent our evening at Bomberos, a wine bar in North Phoenix (so nice to enjoy a few glasses of really good wine after drinking all the cheap stuff we usually get).  I love Bomberos, or at least I did until the last 20  minutes of our visit.

As I reached down to my purse for my five-minutes-till-departure-lipgloss-application, I noticed a puddle under the table.  Then I noticed that my purse was sitting in the puddle.  I yanked it up to the table – yep, the whole bottom of the purse was soaked.  As I frantically tried to mop it up with napkins, our waitress sauntered over to the table.

“Oh, did you guys have a spill?”

No, we did not.  YOU had a spill.  I hoped it wasn’t a leak from the dishwasher – I have seen the water that comes out of a restaurant dishwasher, and it is truly horrifying.  After the owner walked right by us twice and dabbed at the wet floor with a rag, he finally came over to our table and apologized, handing me some dry rags.  Turns out the coffeemaker in the bar overflowed and puddled right under our table.  Oh great, coffee – that doesn’t stain at all.  He made some noises about giving me the number to their dry cleaner, and I asked, “And then I’ll just bring you the receipt?”  He looked surprised, and then mumbled something about getting his card.

After he gave us his card (which we were supposed to do what with, exactly?) he disappeared again, and we waited another five minutes before the waitress came over with our bill.

“We took care of your bill tonight,” she said.  “We’re so sorry about your purse.”

That’s more like it!  Herbie thinks she had to talk the owner into it, and I don’t blame her.  I remember from my days waitressing that if something goes wrong and the owner doesn’t apologize via the bill, the guests always get their revenge via your tip.

So we left her a nice tip, and picked up some club soda on the way home.  I spent 20 minutes dabbing the bottom of my purse with club soda (when really, on Valentine’s Day in a house to ourselves, I should have been focused on other things) and left it on the counter, hoping for an overnight miracle.

No such luck.  My Isabella Fiore wool purse now has a nice attractive coffee ring.  And I don’t know what to do.  The restaurant paid our tab, which was roughly the amount I paid for the purse (I found it at a consignment store), but on the other hand, your neglected coffee maker ruined my purse and you should be held responsible!  So I don’t know what to do – call it even and let it go, or take my purse to the dry cleaner (and hope for the best), and then deliver the receipt to the owner.  Anyone have any opinions or experience with purses ruined by random restaurant puddles?

This year our Valentine’s Day was all about family love.

We took Saya to deliver her Valentines to all of her neighborhood friends.

Junji bought us some cupcakes from Dozen.

We dressed Saya in her pink and red and took her out for ice cream.

(We also stopped by the hospital to visit our friend’s beautiful new baby girl, Yoshino.  I think that was the highlight of the day.)

But bawling I am not. I like Valentine’s Day.

I honestly don’t mind that I’m single, so why should I make a big stink about couples celebrating their relationship?

I do get uncomfortable, however, when I’m put in a situation where my friends are in couples and I’m the only singleton. I hate being the 3rd/5th wheel. And even though my friends always try to be understanding with the “we love you, you’re not an extra wheel at all”, it doesn’t really matter. When your the extra single one on a couple’s outing, especially if you’re going somewhere couple-y, you’re going to feel awkward.

I was worried about that when I went to a International Students Valentine’s Day ball with my friend Shereen (we’re pictured above, ain’t we cute?). I love her and her boyfriend Jon is like a little brother to me, but it’s always feels a little strange when I’m alone with them. I know they don’t mean any harm, but again, who wants to be the third wheel? I kind of wasn’t, but my somewhat-single friend Sarah was feeling down because her date ditched her last minute (honestly, it was a relief for me). The ball was kind of lame, and I learned that people all around the world are frustrated with their love lives. Kind of a downer.

This morning, I celebrated VD with a car accident. I spun out on the highway and an oncoming car hit me while driving to get my teeth cleaned. I’m okay, my car’s miraculously okay, so I’m not complaining. I feel like this is a sign or something. I have no idea what the hell it could mean though.

Later on tonight I’m going to smoke shisha with Sarah, which is good. This is the way I’d prefer to spend Valentine’s Day, low-key, relaxing, and tasty.

It’s a beautiful day today in Chronotopia. That’s the day when She will put on a gorgeous white dress and meet her Beloved, and they will get married, as they have dreamed for so long. But they won’t be alone in their celebration of love. They will be joined by ten thousand other couples on the city square. You see, all of them will be married at the same time and all will pronounce their vows together, in a chorus. That’s because today is the Day of Love in Chronotopia. It’s the official day when couples declare their love for each other, so all have to get married on that day. As an added bonus, they’ll also have their anniversary on that same day. How romantic, right?

If you are scared of this dystopic prospect, don’t panic. I am just describing our own Valentine’s Day, in a figurative way. It’s the officially established day when lovers have to – they are expected to – declare their love for each other in a visual and ritual way. They have to do that collectively, perhaps in a public space like a restaurant, and their mutual affection and happiness will be evaluated by the glances of others. Love has become a public and a collective affair, instead of private and personal moment.

On Valentine’s Day you are supposed to dress red, display love and, especially, buy something. And you are doing it always in comparison with the rest of the crowd, since it is a collective celebration of love, of course. If this sounds distasteful, that’s because it is.

Think about it. Couples’ happiness will be measured by the restaurant where they celebrated, by the gifts they bought for each other and by the smile they mastered on that specific occasion, no matter how stressful that day happened to be and how doubtful they may be about their feelings in that period of their lives.

Let’s take the gift exchange. There must be a card with a red heart. The gift must be romantic: either a piece of jewelry or something chocolaty. But since chocolate-buying has become such an ordinary everyday event nowadays, the Valentine’s chocolate must be more expensive if it has to show specialness of the occasion. In the end, it turns out that special out-of-the-ordinary occasion needs to be marked by spending money.

And this is a holiday that requires tuning yourself to special state of feeling. On other holidays you recognize, celebrate, remember. On this day, you have to feel in a certain way. How do you command a romantic feeling? On a specific day? A romantic gesture is most beautiful when it is spontaneous and personal. Everyone has their own occasions for that in the story of their own lives: an anniversary, a homecoming, a day of personal appreciation. It doesn’t have to be a mass action. A collective event. A commercially established convention.

Love is so multifaceted, after all. Let’s celebrate it every day.

Last year I wrote my ‘Ode to Valentines Day: Part 1′ and had some success with it.  So this year I have decided to write Part 2 in this saga.  It’s not that I am jaded – because I am not…not fully jaded anyway.  So here it is…my ‘Ode to Valentines Day: Part 2.’

Oh Valentines Day – you think you are so smart

You say you are all about love but are you really?

Love is not what you are about

I know your evil plan is really about loving money

Oh Valentines Day you don’t care about people just yourself

You capitalize on one day of the year to wreck the lives of many by promoting a false ‘love’

From the pits of Hell you have come,

Full of stench and meaningless

Oh Valentines Day if you are  a day of bringing people together for the sake of love

What has happened with your mascot Cupid?

For he is single and not in love!

Do you really think shooting arrows at people is a loving thing to do?

I think it’s nothing short of attempted murder!

Why if I ran around shooting arrows at people from a bow I would surely be arrested!!

Oh Valentines Day you have not pulled the wool over my eyes.

I remain enlightened to your evil plan

Your plan of self-promotion and self-lusting

Oh Valentines Day you have not gotten the best of me!

http://animal-pix.blogspot.com/2007/04/animal-love.html

http://www.cuteoverload.com/

William Shakespeare

Sonnet 116

Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wandering bark,

Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.

Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle’s compass come:

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved

Dear Kearsie,

I hope you don’t mind if I borrow your blog for the day. I need to share a few thoughts with you so I figured I could just do it here. I want everyone to know how awesome I think you are. You are my greatest inspiration. Here are a few things I have learned from you over the years. (I could list thousands but since I have to write this on my iPhone I will keep it short.)

From you…

1) I have learned the meaning of grace. You know me so well and yet you still love me. You know my darkest secrets. I have told you my most embarassing thoughts. You have seen my worst moments. Through all of this you just keep loving me. The one thing that allows a marriage to thrive is grace. You saturate us with yours.

2) I have learned the meaning of faith. I am amazed that you trust God so much that you are willing to follow my leadership. It may not be popular in this modern era but you have followed me through quite a few storms. That will be popular in eternity because it means you trust God enough to trust me.

3) You have taught me the meaning of intimacy. Let’s face it. My greatest spiritual gift is faking it. I watch you as up close as anyone and I see someone who is real. My favorite thing about our relationship is that we tell each other everything. You really are my best friend.

Blog readers out there. Know this about my wife. She is the most amazing person I know.

Kearsie, I love you. Happy Valentines.

Yours forever,

Lance

P.S. Do you know where we hid those gummy handcuffs? It is Valentines Day!

P.S.S. “Officer Murphy here. Kearsie you have been a very bad girl. I think I am going to have place you under arrest.”

Looking for Love – 8×10 Fine Art Print via irenesuchocki over at etsy.

Nå som det er Valentines dag passer det riktig godt å pleie kjærligheten litt ekstra. Selv har jeg en svensk mann, og de kaller denne dagen for “alla hjartans dag” ett mye finere ord synes jeg! Vi pleier ikke å feire så stort, men heller gjøre noe ekstra for hverandre.  En sensuell bade opplevelse, med påfølgende massasje kan man leve lenge på, her kommer ukas spa-opplevelse:

Hell varmt vann i badekaret sammen med en kork Inspire badeolje fra NEOM.

Mens vannet renner i badekaret finner du frem den avkjølte champagnen og litt sjokolade (Anthon Bergs sjokolade med marsipan og fylt med jordbær passer rimelig bra) Ønsker du ett alkoholfritt alternativ er Tart Cherry fra Pure Planet digg sammen med farris. 

Synk ned i badekaret sammen, mens dere finner den gode samtalen bare dere to kan ha. Nyt å være til!  Kanskje spiller dere musikk fra den første tiden da dere møttes, eller kanskje dere har funnet noen nye favoritter å høre på? Damien Rice sin debut–skive passer fint synes jeg.

Etter det varme badet kan dere smøre hverandre inn med Tørr oljene til The Organic Pharmacy. For han passer Neroli oljen, og for henne den mer romantiske Rose og Jasmin oljen. Kan også brukes til å massere med.

Så er det tid for massasje, ha mørk belysning i rommet, men bruk gjerne rose-dyftlyset Happiness fra NEOM for å sette den riktige atmosfæren. Masser med kjærlighet, dette er en gave til hverandre! Og igjen, husk å nyt det å bare være til!

red-gables-valentines-day-menu

I am off today. Next week I will be back with the Entertaining entry and the recap for two weeks, but today I really want to spend my time at home. Usually I think about Valentine’s Day as a commercial holiday devoid of sentiment or meaning and don’t buy into the gifts or cards – but this year, I am grateful for the to be able to have people I love in my life. I am so grateful for all that I have and that I get to celebrate with a dinner at home with James.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

picture from igourmet

If your man (or you, independent ladies) are financially sound (read: ballin’) this Valentine’s Day, Miu Miu has released this festive collection for your consumption. If only I were a trust fund baby…

Frankly I agree with my guest writer from last time missedtarget, I just do not understand why we have valentine’s day, every day is a day for lover’s whether the gift your expressing is a mere “I love you” a secretive glance, a kiss and embrace every day is a day that you and you siginificant other can celebrate your love, and if you ask me it’s just plain criminal if you don’t celebrate your love every single day you can, your not doing the love you have any justice at all and should work more for your love. You’ll only reap the benefits if you do.

That said I am celebrating valentine’s day with my wife this year, because she likes the holiday and I like to do things for her because I love her, it doesn’t matter if I don’t agree with some of things she believes in and vice-versa we’re different people who happen to be in love with each other not perfect clones designed to think everything the other does, that would ruin the intresting point of any relationship much less a marriage, sure it would reduce fights and the like but conflict is a reality of life and the love you share with your partner should be worth facing a little conflict.

That’s really all I have to say on the subject so, quick note kids as you may have guessed we’re on holiday hours this week so that means there’s no third update, yeah I know boohoo, next update is reguler time and place on monday. Happy Valentine’s Day

Quote of the Post:

“Love is the difficult realization that something other than oneself is real.”
-Iris Murdoch

Fresh From The Chef 

• Monte Cristo Tenderloin - tenderloin split with crab asparagus & Hollandaise Sauce 
• Wild Cook Inlet Sockeye Salmon 
  
• Wild Crabbed Stuffed Shrimp 
• 2 – 5oz Lamb Chops

 

 

To use coupon: Click on image or file link, and print from adobe reader. If you do not have adobe, than print webpage instead. Just remember to fill in your email with the coupon in order for it to be valid. Coupon can be used with one table and can be reused, with new email, on another visit. valentines-coupon

I was reminded of this post this week as I was thinking about Valentines Day.  So I decided to re-post it. Tomorrow or Friday I will have the Ode to Valentines Day: Part 2.

Oh Valentines Day how your persistence  to ruin my day will not overcome me

Does love really conquer all, as you would have us think?

Well Valentines Day I don’t love you so I guess you’re flat out wrong.

I smell your stench of romance a thousands miles away

I would rather stare at 1, 000 suns and lose my sight than fall victim to your plan

You see Valentines Day you are not my master

Nor my gauge of content and happiness

It is true, I do dream of a perfect place one day and you have no part of that plan

Oh Valentines Day how you were thought up by the evil one

With your silly little cards and you flowers that will eventually bring death upon themselves

All because you have cut them off from the source of their life

Oh Valentines Day how your soul must be wretched and evil, full of stench and rotting.

Oh Valentines Day your grip of love does not affect me

How you will strive to ruin my day and will not overcome me.

Yes, let’s talk about Valentine’s Day.

I used to ask my parents why there was no “Child’s Day,” like Father’s Day or Mother’s Day. My dad said, without fail, every time I asked, “Every day is child’s day.”

Now, I still think there should be a Son and Daughter’s Day. So that lesson never sank in. On the other hand, every day, every fucking day, is Lover’s Day. Because being in love is the best emotion that humanity has to offer, with the exception, of say, orgasm. It’s the highlight of our existence, our very reason for being, to find someone to rear the next generation with, and Mother Nature attached a nice endorphine rush to the person who will, essentially, cramp your style for the rest of your life.

And that’s all well and good. I’m all for love. Between man and woman, man and man, woman and woman, country and individual, country and country, world and world. It’s a great thing.

But I don’t think we need a fucking holiday for it.

If you’re in a relationship, you’ve got at least one anniversary. You’ve got birthdays, holidays, long weekends, Christmas, a thousand times to express your love for one another with cards, crappy chocolates, and all sorts of other paraphenalia.

With this in mind, I’ve come to the conclusion that Valentine’s Day isn’t for lovers, it’s for people without them. Or rather, against people without them. If every day is lover’s day, then what’s Valentine’s? It’s goddamn Flaunt It Day. When smug relationship people can smile smugly and say, no I can’t go with you guys. I’m going to see my significant other and copulate on a pile of wilting flowers and limited release pink candy bar wrappers. Have fun thinking about your potential wife or husband spending it with someone else while fighting down the intense urge to throw up because of how alone you are.

And, even when I’m in a relationship, the fact that such a holiday exists? Pisses me off.

Anyway, it’s snowing so hard here that no one’s seeing nobody today.

Fuck I hate this time of year.
-missedtarget

*To be fair I found this piece a long time ago and I don’t even know what forums I found it on, so I can’t give proper credit, just the SN the writer was using at that time, so missed if your out there, thank you for writing such great stuff.

Quote of the Post:

“Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come.”
Matt Groening