Inspiration for Celebrating Date Night at Home for Valentine's Day

Inspiration for Celebrating Date Night at Home for Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine’s weekend, friends! With days passing slowly, it’s hard to believe it’s already mid-February, isn’t it?

This time last year my husband booked a romantic getaway to the Kenwood Inn & Spa in the Sonoma Valley. We had been keeping an eye on the news and understood it might be our last getaway for awhile with the pandemic on the horizon. In some ways that made the trip all the more special and we savored the little details even more than usual. Little did we know how much ‘home time’ we would all have in the coming year.

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Throwback Travel: Our Honeymoon in Zihuatanejo

Throwback Travel: Our Honeymoon in Zihuatanejo

Just yesterday I came across an album of old photographs and was mesmerized by the grainy images, long forgotten, captured between the slightly dusty covers. It was an album of our honeymoon, back at the ‘turn of the century’, in 2000. This was before digital cameras, Facebook check-ins, camera phones, and selfie sticks. It was pure, unadulterated relaxation and romance, just like any honeymoon should be. Due to hurricane season being in full swing in September, we opted for a honeymoon resort on the western coast of Mexico, now known as The Thompson Zihuatanejo.

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The Fine Art of a Romantic Date Night at Home [Thanks to Bacio Catering]

The Fine Art of a Romantic Date Night at Home [Thanks to Bacio Catering]

The menu for the Valentine’s Day carry-out dinner was pure deliciousness . I pre-ordered the butternut squash lasagna and Scott ordered the steak medallions with red-wine reduction. Bacio clearly laid out all instructions for heating our meal and it came together in just a few minutes. There was plenty of time to enjoy sips of sparkling wine while preparing our courses.

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Date Night: Dinner High on the Mountainside in Positano

Date Night: Dinner High on the Mountainside in Positano

Our new Italian friend and driver, Davide, recommended a family run trattoria for dinner “high on the mountainside” above Positano.  He knew we would love it. We agreed and Davide made all the arrangements. A van filled with several other hungry diners picked us up in front of our hotel and traversed the terraced roadway up, up, up near the top of the mountain.

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In the Mood: Dine Al Fresco at Home

In the Mood: Dine Al Fresco at Home

Though I've enjoyed elaborate al fresco dining in the past, like this date night at home for Valentine's Day, a simple tapas menu is my favorite. It's easy to put together a platter of olives, nuts, crackers, cheeses, a bottle of chilled sauvignon blanc or rose', some pretty linen napkins and you have a perfect al fresco snack.

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Date Night: Al Fresco Dinner At Home for Valentine's Day

Date Night: Al Fresco Dinner At Home for Valentine's Day

It was an unusually warm Valentine’s Day this year. Scott had the brilliant idea of ordering in from the Chico gold standard, Bacio Catering, so that we could thoroughly enjoy our evening. Turns out this was the perfect way to enjoy a stress free date night and an al fresco dinner at home.

 

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The Fine Art of Romance (His+Her Perspective)

The Fine Art of Romance (His+Her Perspective)

For me, romance is not the sweeping gesture, the dripping of diamonds or the elaborate gifts. For me, time spent enjoying my loved one [Scott] and creating memories is the fine art of romance. I also love a hand-written sentiment, as Scott and I shared in

For me, time spent enjoying my loved one [Scott] and creating memories is the fine art of romance. I also love a hand-written sentiment, as Scott and I shared several years ago.

If I have my choice, travel is my go to for celebration or creating some romance.

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Date Night: 15th Wedding Anniversary and a Sparkling Surprise!

Date Night: 15th Wedding Anniversary and a Sparkling Surprise!

Our 15th wedding anniversary started as a typical day around the house. A quick kiss for luck and we were off to work. Scott and I had celebrated our 15th a bit early with a swanky summer vacation to Riviera Maya, so we wanted to keep the actual day of our anniversary, September 10th, more low key.

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Date Night: A Sunset Sail in a Tropical Paradise

Date Night: A Sunset Sail in a Tropical Paradise

For the final evening of our vacation in Riviera Maya, we chose a sunset sail at our resort, Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita. The turquoise waters, gentle tropical breezes, friendly service, bubbly champagne and new friends made it the best way to usher in the evening.

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The Story of How We Met (+ a walk down memory lane in San Francisco)

The Story of How We Met (+ a walk down memory lane in San Francisco)

The last thing I wanted to do that breezy fall day, back in 1997, was attend an early mental health conference in South San Francisco. I was going through a difficult time in life, a drawn out divorce, and I barely had the energy to make it to work as a school psychologist, much less pull off the professional thing at a conference an hour away. I remember getting stuck in traffic and feeling like a hot mess when I finally arrived at the San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront in South San Francisco. I thought I could finally relax, then I learned a colleague was intent on introducing me to the chairman of the conference before the session began. UGH!!!! I protested and started to walk away, until he caught my eye. His smile, and that twinkle in his eyes, were electric. I must have lit up, too, though it had been awhile since I had felt lit up in any way.

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