L-u-v

As another Valentine's Day passes, I start to think ahead for what I'll do for next year's event. I can hardly believe that it's been 3 years already since my first anti/alternative V-day extravaganza occurred. It started as a chocolate and wine party...the perfect setting for friends to come over and share stories, relax and enjoy each others company. Oh, and I remember that we burned items that our ex-lovers gave us. That was a nice highlight. Just a side note: chocolate Hershey's lips don't burn and give off a strange glow when on fire.

So on this day, during this week, I celebrate all things lovely - and with that, all the things that I love and am grateful for in my life.


This year, 12 close friends and family gathered at my house for a dinner party. I prepared a meal for everyone; about 80% of the food came from local farms or the Market. And everything was Italian-inspired. Since most of us were going to run the 1/2 marathon the next day, I thought pasta was a good option. Here's the menu:

Antipasti:
Caprisi Salad
Bruschetta with sun-dried tomatoes and olives

Ensalada:
Mixed greens with Sheep's milk cheese and heirloom tomatoes

Zuppa:
Lentil and Chard soup

Prima Piatti:
Spaghetti with tomato and mushroom sauce

Secondi Piatti:
Blanched snow peas with garlic and heirloom tomatoes
Sicilian pan-fried cauliflowers

Dolci:
Canoli with Chambord

Love is:

- my books (read and soon-to-be-read)
- my friends that make me laugh and keep me young
- my sisters that reminds me that no matter how different we are, we are still capable of loving each other
- hearing my mother's voice on the phone
- my mother
- cool weather
- love letters on my pillow
- my hammock that I lay in after a long day's work
- rosaries
- Jack, my new love
- long weekends
- days off
- Saturday Farmer's Market
- roasted beets
- hot cup of coffee
- summer days
- rainy, summer days
- daily crosswords
- long, slow walks with Nerina
- dinner parties with friends, new and old
- making my moms recipes and having my friends love them
- red wine
- nieces and nephew
- weekends away
- weekends in town
- the desert

I hope you continue to have a lovely and relaxing year filled with love.

Comments

Anonymous said…
You are a renaissance woman! Your dinner sounded fabulous.
Lauren
February 19, 2009 at 6:44 AM
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