#valentines-week

#valentines-week

For my husband's 69th birthday, I asked his older sister to drive me to the neighborhoods where they grew up. I photographed the grocery store, his schools, the churches he attended, the vacant lot where his childhood home once stood. I printed the photos and placed them in an album. My husband, a verbose storyteller, especially about his life growing up as one of nine siblings, was very surprised. Nola Nolen 74, Harmony, Pa.

Gifting is a science, some might even call it an art. Knowing the receiver of your affection is the first step to successful gifting, and knowing what you'd like to say with your gift adds yet another layer of complexity. Keep the process simple with these ten design-forward picks from us at Design Milk, perfect for that special someone - romantic or otherwise.

Valentine's Ball at the Embassy of Italy Get glammed up in your best ball attire for a romantic night in Verona. Waltz with your date across the ballroom floor, and then view a Roméo et Juliette opera performance. After the show, you can continue dancing to top 40 hits played by a DJ, and dine on Italian cuisine, including cannoli at the dessert buffet ($106+).

Fortunately for me, roses happen to be edible. While technically the entire plant can be eaten, it's best to stick to the petals, buds and hips (as if I had to tell you not to chomp on their thorns and woody stems). Fresh or dried, rose petals can be used to make rosewater or rose syrup, as pretty garnishes for cakes, and to infuse into sweet treats such as ice-cream and panna cotta.

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

Hot take: I love Galentine's Day way more than Valentine's Day. This could be because my birthday is pretty close to Valentine's Day, so I feel like I always get jipped, or it could be because I just love hanging out with my girlfriends and celebrating female friendship! Either way, Galentine's Day is the best made-up holiday there ever was.

Oakland couples share how they found love in real life - at protests, festivals, schools, and house parties. Plus, where to eat and what to order this Valentine's Day, whether you're single, coupled up, or celebrating with friends. Arts and community reporter Azucena Rasilla profiled couples whose relationships are deeply rooted in Oakland, and Nosh editor Tovin Lapan guides us through Valentine's desserts, singles spots, and dining recommendations for every relationship status.

Shaped like an actual mixtape, complete with a transparent shell and a Side A label, it's a pocket-sized conversation starter that happens to deliver surprisingly warm sound. The genius lies in its dual identity. It's functional tech disguised as analog memorabilia. Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity means seamless pairing, while microSD support lets him load favorite tracks for offline listening. Slide it into its clear case-turned-stand, and it becomes an instant desk personality.

When people bemoan the state of the 21st Century rom-com, they usually haven't seen this gem starring Jack Quaid and Maya Erskine as college buddies who decide to be each other's dates for multiple weddings over the course of one summer. Sure, the ending is basically predetermined, but the execution is pure joy, with a snappy script and lead performances that make you wish these two actors had made five more movies like this.

Good news, the Mercury's reader Valentines are back, and they're in print and online! DID YOU GET ONE? CHECK AND SEE! That's right, we've been collecting hundreds of your 150 characters love notes-many of which are crammed into our current print issue, on the streets in more than 500 spots around the city-and online right here! And while you may have missed our print deadline, DO NOT FRET!

Can food exist without love? And, inversely, can love exist without food? The answer to both is yes, of course, but the two are so intertwined that it's hard to imagine a romantic date without dinner, or a form of care greater than cooking a loved one their favorite meal. With Valentine's Day approaching, we at New York Times Cooking took a spin through our reader comments and found many tales of courtship and connection, of partings and proposals.

Maybe you first bonded over shared workplace frustrations. You gradually started finding each other every lunch break and synchronizing trips to the coffee machine. Eventually they become a confidant for venting about your real life outside of work. They become your work spouse. And if you find yourself strolling the greeting card aisle sometime today, you may even feel compelled to get this person in your life a trinket for celebrating the most romantic day of the year. Turns out, there are options available.

Layered with 47 different artisanal treats, from miniature cakes and truffles to macarons and maple smoked chili caramels, this gift is a nuclear bomb to the waistline, but most of the items on it last up to 30 days in the fridge, so the recipient will be reminded of your generosity all month long. Does it live up to the hype? I put on my fat pants in the name of journalism and requested one to try out.

You know what'll go great with a cozy sweater? A cozy pair of sweats. These soft and breathable sweats from Alo Yoga are a pretty good bet, and you can get them ASAP with two-day shipping or choose the "pick up in store" option if you live near an Alo store. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Best Last-Minute Flowers Gift Schedule a flower delivery from Bouqs for the big day and choose from dozens of beautiful Valentine's Day flower arrangements.

It's a tale as old as time, or at least as old as TikTok: chicken nuggets lovingly topped with a dab of caviar. McDonald's is embracing the trend this Valentine's Day with a limited-time McNugget Caviar kit. The free kit, which will be available on McNuggetCaviar.com on Feb. 10, pairs a one-ounce tin of Paramount's Siberian sturgeon caviar with a $25 McDonald's gift card to buy McNuggets. McDonald's is even throwing in some crème fraiche and a caviar spoon.

When I think about love, beer is never far behind, and one of the great pairings of culinary history is beer and chocolate. The two work so well together, though the idea of pairing them came about largely after the craft beer movement became more popular in the 1980s and early '90s. With so many different, new kinds of beer suddenly available, chefs and brewers were looking for new ways to showcase the versatility of craft beer.

Part ice pack, part blackout mask, this one is a miracle worker for headache days. It's a stretchy, light-blocking cap that delivers soothing hot or cold relief without hard ice or Velcro. A cheeky little mug that makes morning coffee a bit more flirty. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below This is the upgraded tumbler she actually wantssleek, totally leakproof, and designed to survive real life without spilling everywhere.

We couldn't leave out one of our all-time favorite giftsthe Ugg Tasman II slippers. They're perfect for anyone and for any occasion, and they're on Amazon Prime. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below A fluffy, cuddly teddy bear is about as classic a gift as there is, and everyone is obsessed with Jellycat's Bartholomew Bear. I mean, come on, look at him! If they expect a box of chocolates, then you better make sure it delivers. Godiva's decadent assortment goes beyond the basics. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Keep the bubbly perfectly cool all night with this insulated wine chiller from the insulation experts at Yeti. Treat them to a long soak in the tub. Even if they're not typically into baths, this ginger- and lemongrass-scented bubble bath may just make them a convert.

As it turns out, nearly every item I found for Valentine's Day is a sweet or chocolate, except for the ravioli. But you don't have to go in and buy everything. I tried as many items as I could to give you my honest thoughts on them to help you determine what you should actually purchase and what's better to leave behind. I judged them on flavor, texture, value, and how highly I'd recommend them to a TJ's customer.