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Sunday, February 07, 2010

Valentine’s Day

I’m one of the loudest to complain about the silliness of the manufactured event known as Valentine’s Day, but truth be told, it’s not because I’m hopelessly unromantic. Rather, I think that if you’ve found someone special, then every day is Valentine’s Day, every day gives us to the chance to let the person we love most know that “I’m here, I’m listening, and I’m grateful for you.” I think, now and again, about one of Honey P.’s favorite quotes, which came from Lyle Lovett in ”The Opposite of Sex.” “Maybe it isn’t about recreation or procreation, but about concentration.” He was talking at the time about sex, but I’ve found the sensibility to have a broader application; so much about relationships comes down to paying attention.

One of Honey P.’s other favorite quotes is that “we must celebrate the holidays as they come.” And as Valentine’s Day approaches ...

I was talking last Friday with some teammates who were stymied about what to do or buy for the occasion, and the conversation got me thinking about what would make a wonderful Valentine’s Day. Hopefully my ideas come with enough lead time to spark some of your own. Three points:

Point #1: Relieve the Pressure
Admittedly, this is only important if you’re both feeling some angst about the occasion. If all of the burden for the day already falls on your shoulders, this is irrelevant. Otherwise, I think one of the best things you can give the one you love is happily owning the entire day. Something along the lines of “Hey, don’t worry about Valentine’s Day this year. In fact, don’t even worry about getting me a gift--this year, I’ve got it covered for both of us, and it’ll be great.”

Point #2: Assemble a Wonderful Meal
Rachael Ray was saying on her show yesterday that a home-cooked meal trumps a reservation at an expensive restaurant any day. I’d agree, with a couple of caveats: if you don’t enjoy cooking or arent’ that confident at it, then don’t put undue pressure on yourself now, you should be enjoying the occasion as well.

If you’re an experienced cook, then you already know what to do--go to it, and have a blast making something special. If you’re inexperienced or just plain worried, consider the possible alternative of making one dish--maybe the salad or the dessert or the main course. Maybe even just a special mixed drink--then create a wonderful meal buy acquiring the rest of the courses from other places.

Some other options:
- Choose an assortment of cheeses, cured meals, olives, nuts and French bread for a picnic-type meal
- Create a meal of prosecco, chilled jumbo shrimp and crab claws, a few dips, crackers, and veggies
- If you both love something that you can get in only certain places (for example, Chicago-style pizza), have that dish shipped to you in time for Sunday
- Choose a kit from D’Artagnan and assemble an authentic French meal with step-by-step instructions

Point #3: Choose Thoughtful Gifts
Plural, yes. And thoughtful, rather than expensive. The first gift should be especially for your honey, and it should be something that’s tied to what’s important to him or her. Some ideas:

For the fitness-oriented: anything from LuluLemon Athletica. Seriously, their clothing looks and feels wonderful--everyone from my massage therapist to my personal trainer to my best friend swears by the quality of their stuff. It’s pricey, but well worth it. Or how about an iPod nano, pre-loaded with his or her favorite songs?

For the foodie: call Karen at City Olive (773.878.5408) and ask her to pull together some of her newest finds--some oils, vinegars, spices, condiments, and artisanal pastas. Stuff that cooks love to use but can’t justify for day-to-day meals. And have her send some good hand lotion, too--people who cook usually have dry hands, and moisturizer is always appreciated. Or find a local chef of a respected restaurant and arrange for “an apprentice’s day in the kitchen.”

For the reader: some reading tools (book bungees, page nibs, highlighters) from Levenger.

For the fashionista: contact Lisa Williams (http://www.lisawilliamsjewelry.com/) and tell her a little bit about your honey (girl or guy), have her choose or design a special piece for them. I’ve been a big fan of Lisa’s for awhile--her work is beautiful, handmade, and fairly priced.

For the technophile: go to www.apple.com. Print out a picture of the iPad. Tell your loved one that you’re on the pre-order list. Brace yourself for serious impact.

The second gift addresses what I meant about “having it covered for both of you.” Namely, make an event of the next time you’ll get to spend time alone together. It doesn’t have to be anything bigger than a picnic basket and a DVD of a movie you’ve been planning to see. But you could also consider getting tickets to a play or sporting event or planning a weekend away, maybe to a city you’ve always wanted to visit together or to a place that holds some good memories for you. The point of the gift is to communicate that you value the moments that you share, so much so that you’ve already thought about how to make the next one special.

That’s what I’ve been thinking. To your health and happiness this Valentine’s Day ...