Thursday, February 9, 2012

Love is in the Aerator

It's that time of year again - Valentine's Day. Like it or not, it's not a day that can easily be ignored. Having previously worked at a Hallmark store for two years, I'm a little cynical about February 14th. That's a rant for another time, though I'm sure my story about having to call a lady five minutes before delivering flowers from her boyfriend to make sure her husband wasn't around would provide both entertainment and insight into the joys of bringing people Valentine's happiness...

When florists snap.

With four days left until "the most romantic day of the year", I'd just like to suggest breaking away from the tired flowers and chocolate bit. Any gesture is appreciated, but if you're looking to do something a bit different this year, I would highly suggest looking into events going on at local vineyards. Many of the vineyards I've been to on my tour are hosting special Valentine's Day events, such as five course dinners, murder mystery parties, and wine and chocolate pairings. One of the benefits of going to a local vineyard instead of a restaurant is that the vineyards only allow a preset number of people attend these events, resulting in a much less hectic and more romantic atmosphere.

If staying in is more suited to your taste, a wine gift basket could be a great addition to the evening. Pick out a wine that each of you will like, add in two sexy-stemmed wine glasses (our term for wine glasses with tall, skinny stems - like stiletto heels for wine glasses), maybe some dark chocolate for pairing and voila! Let the love affair begin.

The sexy stem.

Or, you could celebrate the way I plan on celebrating. I'm scheduled to work the open to close shift, so after work I'm going to grab one of my favorite bottles of red - I have it narrowed down to Mac's Creek River Valley Red or Glacial Till's Frontenac Rose - put on some Micheal Buble, and dump an entire bottle of bubble bath into the tub. Bliss.

Ahhhhh....

Whether you're celebrating solo or spending time with someone you love, wine is the perfect addition. Happy Valentine's Day!