Yesterday I prepared an extra special - extremely long Valentine's Day post for all of you, and somehow blogger managed to delete it while I was at work. What a nice "welcome back" after my non blogging vacation. I'm starting to realize blogspot isn't really a good site for me, it always manages to delete my most important pieces of information. Time for me to relocate myself, because this is getting - well...ridiculous to be quite honest.
I tried my best to revive the previous post that I worked so hard on - but seeing as I lost so much information that I most certainly can't get back - I think this new one hardly does it justice. My plan was to have a "Pre-Valentine's Day"
post up the morning before the big day so you guys would be put in the spirit! I wanted to give you guys ideas of what you could do for your sweetheart on this special day, or what you could possibly do for yourself! Even though it might be a little late to put any of this information to use - I think it's important that I still post what little information I can find.
So even if your Valentine is your husband, your wife, your best friend, or in most of my years - your mother :) I hope you your Valentine's Day is filled with oodles and oodles of love. I suggest you make the most of the day and do your best to find a way to enjoy it - whether that be cooking dinner for your sweetie, having an "anti Valentine's Day" party with your single friends, or eating an entire box of chocolates alone, on your couch, while watching sappy love movies....we've all been there. Do whatever it is that makes you happy :)
Happy Valentine's Day my little curly and non curly heads abroad <3>
Let us begin....
[[Today’s music]]
Here are just a handful of songs that make my heart flutter… I’m sure I’ve featured them before but I don’t care… I hope they make your heart flutter too this Valentines day!!
ST. VINCENT – MARRY ME
COLDPL.AY – SCIENTIST
(3) EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS - HOME
(4) CORINNE BAILEY RAE – CALL ME WHEN YOU GET THIS
Love. Love. Love. Love.
(5) NAT KING COLE – UNFORGETTABLE
(6) THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT – FRED ASTAIRE
[[Today's kitchen gadgets]]
[[Today's news]]
(1) IN JAPAN, A WHIRLPOOL OF PASSION FOR VALENTINE’S DAY
“Most retailers are expecting a chocolate rebound in 2011, not just because the economy is stronger, but because Valentine's Day falls on a weekday for the first time in three years. Custom dictates that women give chocolate to all of the important men in their lives — from fathers and schoolteachers, to office colleagues and of course boyfriends — so women will probably spend more this year to keep up appearances.
But in Japan, there's no such thing as free chocolate. The confectionery industry has deemed March 14 "White Day," when men are supposed to return the favor and give candy to women.”
Want to read the entire article?
http://www.npr.org/2011/02/11/133652769/a-whirlpool-of-passion-for-valentines-day-in-japan
(2) FOOD ALLERGY? BE CAREFUL WHOM YOU KISS ON VALENTINE'S DAY
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, it is possible that if you have an allergy to a certain food and you kiss someone who has eaten that food, you could suffer an allergic reaction.
In a report released by ACAAI, a man with a peanut allergy developed a swollen lip and itching in his mouth after his girlfriend kissed him. She had eaten peanuts two hours earlier. However, she brushed her teeth, rinsed her mouth and even chewed gum before seeing him. Yet she was still able to pass it to him.
"Food allergies affect about 2 to 3 percent of adults and 5 to 7 percent of children," said Dr. Douglas Jones, an allergy specialist at Rocky Mountain Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in Layton. "This number is growing rapidly. People can be extremely sensitive to even small amounts of food particles from any exposure, even from kissing.
"It turns out that their partners' saliva is excreting the allergen hours after the food or medicine has been absorbed by their body," Jones said.
So what can you do to make sure your Valentine's Day kiss does not land you in the emergency room?
-- Ask your intended mate to avoid the offending food 16 to 24 hours before the kiss
-- Always brush your teeth and rinse with mouth wash before you kiss
-- Carry allergy medicine with you at all times.
Symptoms of allergies include rash, hives, vomiting, diarrhea, itchy throat or mouth and in severe cases anaphylactic shock."
(3) CHOCOLATE SAVORIES FOR YOUR SWEET
“Long before the first Valentine's Day, ancient Maya and Aztecs understood the allure of chocolate. Though the chocolate we eat today is radically different from that of ancient times, we are still seduced, especially in the days leading up to Valentine's Day, when Americans will purchase close to 60 million pounds of chocolate almost exclusively in the form of candy.
A glittery, heart-shaped box of chocolates certainly is charming, but that isn't all there is. Take a page from the ancients' cookbook and give your loved one a series of savory chocolate pleasures."
"Tips For Cooking With Chocolate
Exercise caution. More is not always better. Chocolate should add depth of flavor to the dish, not overpower it. Often 1 or 2 ounces of chocolate are all that is needed for stews and sauces.
Balance flavors. Chocolate tempers the heat of chilies, which is why it's such a popular ingredient in Latin American cuisine. Its sweetness is an ideal foil to brawny meats such as oxtail, boar, venison and beef. When added with a delicate touch, it's a lovely complement to duck, chicken, pork and even some seafood dishes.
Unless a recipe calls for a specific brand or cocoa percentage, such as 64 percent or 72 percent, use any quality dark chocolate, labeled bittersweet or semisweet. Generally, the higher the cocoa percentage, the more intense and bitter the chocolate. Milk chocolate lacks the acidity and complexity of dark chocolate.
For moles as well as many Mexican or Spanish dishes, consider using Mexican chocolate, a distinctive confection made from sugar, cacao nibs and spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon, which can be found at Mexican specialty markets and online.
Unsweetened cocoa powder adds fullness to sauces, glazes and rubs as well as stews, chilis and roasted vegetables, including winter squash and root vegetables. Look for labels that read "natural cocoa" or "100 percent cocoa" rather than "dutch processed," which neutralizes the acids.
Cacao nibs, touted for their health benefits, are roasted cacao beans that are separated from their husks and broken into tiny pieces. They are marvelously crunchy, potent and aromatic, with hints of chocolate, nuts and red wine. Sprinkle them on top of roasted winter vegetables or hearty salads, or mix them with spices such as anise, fennel or espresso for full-bodied meat rubs. Cacao nibs can be found at chocolatiers, specialty organic markets and online.”
Want to read the entire article?
(1) POSTCARDS FROM ITALY
I like this. It's pretty. And romantic. Pretty romantic :)
Break - ups is an amazing/sometimes sad/mostly HILARIOUS series of videos on Vimeo - about, you guessed it, people breaking up. I've been watching these videos over and over and over again since I discovered them in late 2010. I'm such a huge fan. I will continue to post and repost all of them until I no longer have a blog - they make me happy lol.
(I saved my favorite couple for last)
[[Today's video clips]]
(2) COFFEE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
(3) CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES
(4) CHOCOLATE TASTING PARTY
Posts
Hi! I love your blog. I was wondering if you could help me out? I just started a tumblr for girls with curly hair. I would post photos of curly heads, and give hair advice as well. I am totally lost as to how to promote it, so I was just hoping you could help me spread the word?
ReplyDeleteHere is the link if you'd like to check it out:
http://crazycurlyhair.tumblr.com
-Krissy