The Best Valentine's Day Ever!!

I wanted so badly to tell my husband my heart's desire for Valentine's Day. But what I wanted even more was for him to come up with something thoughtful on his own...even if it was free! I wanted to know that he thought of something that I would especially like. So Valentine's Day came and went and he kept telling me, "I have something planned for next Saturday - a surprise that will be really fun!" In my head I'm thinking, fun for me or fun for you? He threw some deceptive clues my way in order to throw me off track (which totally worked). Saturday came and he finally revealed that a massage therapist would be coming over to give me a one hour massage. He would take our daughter and be gone during the time. What a shocker! Because this was my heart's desire! A massage to ease the discomforts of my pregnancy. I had dropped a lot of hints about this previous to Valentine's Day and I thought they had fallen on deaf ears. I was so pleased and felt so loved that my husband heard me and planned this special day for me.

In need of a little mystery?

Ever wonder about the darker side of Seattle? The paranormal? Check out this mystery tour by a former private eye around the Seattle area to haunted mansions, spooky legends and crime scenes!

Check out www.privateeyetours.com

The Thai Kitchen

The Thai Kitchen is located in upper Queen Anne, which has a beautiful neighborhood filled with old houses and cute little shops good for a stroll with your sweetie pie! The restaurant is in a house and family owned and run. And did I mention the food is da bomb (scuse the Seattle ghettoness)! Seriously everything is good! Plus the atmosphere is just perfect for holding hands on across the table.

2220 Queen Anne Ave N
Seattle, WA 98109
$$

Love & War

As we know, all is not fair in love and war. Are you in the middle of a domestic dispute? Please refer to the category, "Easy ways to say, I love you," on the right hand side of your screen to remember why you married that (cute) idiot in the first place. :)

Old fashioned

Send an old-fashioned telegram. Call Western Union at 800-325-6000 or visit www.westernunion.com.

-Gregory J.P. Godek

"You don't have to be rich . . ."

"you shop, kids play
Drop the kids off at the IKEA supervised play area and ballroom, and shop in peace. This way, everyone's happy."
IKEA also has a restaurant . . . dinner date anyone?

Does anyone have reviews on this date?

Study Date?

Josh and I had a fun, quick little date at Barnes and Noble after running errands the other night. We went into the store and loaded our arms with fun easy read books like interesting facts and jokes. Then we walked up to the espresso bar on the mezzanine (people take books up there with them all the time), found a table, unloaded the books, and headed over to the counter to pick out some YUMMIES. In their selection of treats, they have cookies, muffins, CHEESECAKE FACTORY CHEESECAKE, and all sorts of desirables. I went straight for the Godiva Chocolate cheesecake (which, was half the price it would have been at The Cheesecake Factory, just over $4), Josh opted for a gooey chocolate cupcake. Then we took our deserts back to our table with the books and sat and read while we ate. We went through all sorts of books and read things to each other that we found funny. Josh enjoyed "The Darwin Awards" while I was telling him blonde jokes from a joke book. In the end, we bought "1001 Ways To Be Romantic"... which I just noticed is missing from the shelf, so Josh must have it at work with him, trying to find some ideas :-)! Shopping while you eat and date... how multi-taskerish is that?

Romance Package

My friend gave this to me as a bridal shower gift but I think it could apply to any special or ordinary occasion:

A flower vase (can get at local thriftstore) containing:
*tea lights
*fake flower petals (available a lot of places)
*A label or tag that reads:
"Romance Package- To create a romantic mood, spread flower petals generously over bed. Tea lights add intimate lighting & create a setting fit for a night of loving" or anything you choose but make it romantic.

Prescription for love

Get an empty bottle of prescription pills. Fill it with green M&Ms. Create a custom label, something like this:

PATIENT: (your pet name for your lover)
MEDICATION: LIBIDO LIBERATOR- EXTRA STRENGTH!
SIDE EFFECTS: LOVE SICKNESS & HOT FLASHES.
DOSAGE: A HANDFUL OR TWO.
REFILLS: SEE PRESCRIBING PHYSICIAN ONLY!
PHYSICIAN: DOCTOR OF LOVE, (your name)

Additional idea: Convince a local pharmacist to dispense one of these creations to your lover! (taken from "1001 ways to be Romantic" by Gregory Godek)

Kailey, I couldn't help but think of you when I read this. :)

For Valentine's day take a big bag of M&Ms and put the contents into a Victoria's Secret bag. Then put lingerie into the empty M&M bag. For kicks make him open the Vicky's bag first!

Tempero do Brasil

This one is for all of you Brazil fans out there. I have been meaning to try out this restaurant for almost a year now. We finally did last Friday night. A comida estava excelente e deu saudades do Brasil. I loved it! They serve Bahian food. Although I was never in Bahia, what Ben and I got was typical Brasilian food. We had an order of Feijoada (served with white rice and collared greens) with Aipim Frito (fried manioc) and Faraofa (hard to explain but excellent with beans). Ahhhh, I was in heaven. The atmosphere, serving style and everything was very laid back--typical Brazilian style. I definitely recommend this restaurant to any of you missing Brazil or any of you who would like a taste of Brazil.

Tempero do Brasil
5628 University Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105
University Way just before Ravenna Blvd.
Hours: Tue-Sun, 5-10 pm

Telephone: 206-523-6229
www.temperodobrasil.net
$$

Experimental College

So Century Ballroom was a good way to bet bitten by the dancing bug, but I want to learn more without making a major commitment. The Experimental College offers all types of classes in a wide range of subjects: Dancing, Arts & Crafts, Finance, Culinary Arts, Yoga etc. Most of the classes are on UW campus, but you do not have to be a student, although you do get a discount if you are. The classes are often in the evening or on a Saturday, and they vary on how many times the class meets, some meet just once, others 4 etc. Bob and I are going to take a Salsa class that meets four times and it costs $54 per person. I'm excited about it, this guarantees us 4 weeks of consistent dating, and if you break down the cost over 4 weeks, it isn't that bad of a price for a date. I'm taking a drawing class right now through EC, and I really enjoy it, but we'll see how the dancing class goes :)

Here is the link for the EC main page
http://depts.washington.edu/asuwxpcl/

Check with a local college near you, most of these offer beginning Ballroom/Salsa classes.

Century Ballroom II

Not only does Century Ballroom have bands that come and perform, but they also have dancing with a DJ every night, and it's a lot cheaper. Every night they feature a different style of dance, salsa, tango, swing, waltz etc., and 30 minutes before the real dancing begins they offer a short lesson on the basics for the dancing impaired. Bob and I did this last week for salsa, and it was so much fun! We went for their salsa night, it was $7 each for the lesson and dancing from 8:30 till 12:30 pm. I thought they could have taught more during the lesson, but it was enough to keep us going for a bit and we picked up some more moves from people around us. The dress was all over the board, some people were in dresses, others were in jeans. Overall it was just fun to be out doing something active and learning something together. It was cheaper than a movie and we were working out a bit, rather than sitting for two hours, eating popcorn and getting fatter!

Fun Messages

When Matt and I were newlyweds, we would leave messages for each other. My favorite was when I came home from work and the entire living/dining room area was covered in balloons! Matt left instructions to pop them to reveal a message. He had taped "I LOVE YOU PUNKIN" to the floor. Though "Punkin" was a nickname that is no longer with us, it was so cute and it was such a nice suprise to come home to!

I think other "high school" type things like this would be really fun now--like covering the bedroom floor or any area of the house in hershey kisses and leaving a note saying that you kiss the ground your spouse walks on.

You can also write messages with an expo pen on the mirror and it will come off just fine.

Fun Valentines Gift

I am going to be out of town for Valentines this year, so I came up with a fun gift to be delivered to Rob on Valentines Day. I had so much fun putting it together, I thought I'd share in case anyone else wants to make one, too! Minus the tacky red bow, I thought it turned out pretty cute.

Here is the recipe:

From Dollar Tree (on Aurora and about 140th, in the same parking lot as Burger King)

• bucket or basket
• shrink wrap with pull-bow
• tissue paper
• yummy treats
• fun Valentines goodies
• a romantic card

From Walgreens/Target:

• Lucky Lovers Message Dice (had to spice it up somehow)
• his favorite foods - for Rob it includes Wheat Thins & Tostitos salsa
• a $1 stuffed animal - he will appreciate it just because it's out of the norm

I also went to Half-Price Books on Roosevelt and got a Jackie Chan VHS from their Clearance section -- everything in that section is $1-2 and they have a huge variety of books, movies, etc. (turn left as soon as you go in) Lastly, I included a Half-Price gift card since the poor guy is going to be bored while I'm gone. :)

You could do this very cheap and personalize it with some fun things. Plus you get to keep the cute container! ;)

Shhhhh.................don't tell Rob! It's a surprise!!

Here is a close-up:

Getting to know you...

Been with your spouse a little too long and think you already know everything about him or her? Or has it been not long enough and you want to know more? Or are you preparing to audition for the newly wed game and need to know some useless things about your spouse? Josh and I made up a little game that we like to play if we are together and have already told each other every FASCINATING thing we have to share or talk about. We call the game, "Would You Rather?". I am sure we aren't the first to do this, nor will we be the last. But in playing this game, we have had some good laughs, found out some interesting things about each other, and started some interesting conversations. It's not hard to play at all. Each person takes a turn coming up with a "would you rather question" such as, "Would you rather be dumb or ugly?" The only rule is that the other person HAS to answer with one of the choices you have given them, even if neither seems appealing. You can decide if each person is allowed to pass on one or more, or if there is some sort of penalty for doing so. I suggest kisses or 10 minute foot rubs for any passed questions. But decide ahead of time if you are going to do this. This game is not intended to start arguments. The nice thing about this game is that you can take it and play anywhere whenever you want 'cause it's all in your heads! Also, unless it does result in some sort of a fight, there is no clean up!!

Set the night to music!

One of David and I's favorite things is to listen to music. Our poor computer's hard drive gets pushed to the max sometimes with the amount of music we store there. We listen to all different genres, from classical to rap occasionally. I always think to myself ooh I would love to share that song with David, but at the risk of him thinking I am more of a dork then he already does I keep the song to myself. Well no longer, Valentine’s Day is fast approaching; we normally spend it at home, make a fancy dinner after the kids are in bed and have some fattening sinfully delicious dessert. Well this year I am going to kick it up a notch and add a CD of all the different songs that remind me of why I married the wonderful guy that I did and that will be my gift to him this year. Not terribly expensive, a tad time consuming but worth it I think

43 Date ideas

http://lifestyle.msn.com/relationships/loveandromance/articlerb.aspx?cp-documentid=4959923 &ocid=B012MSN50A0301A

Anniversary Gift

A girl once said that for her wedding anniversary gift, all she wanted was a letter from her husband. This letter was meant to sum up the past year that they shared together. Kind of like a long glorified love letter to your spouse.This also plays into the keeping a journal idea. If you decided to keep these letters forever, then your children and grandchildren could share in your love. I thought this was an incredibly sweet and romantic gift idea. No worrying about what to buy your husband or wife, just worrying about what to write. This is literally a priceless gift.

*A cute idea is to send it in the mail, because who doesn't like to get a letter in the mail!

Hobby kit

crave

christian took me to a super cozy restaurant called crave.
the menu is very unique... we ate there for dinner
(we suggest the Goat Cheese Gnocchi & Shiitake Mac & Cheese)
but i hear the brunch is to die for.
the kitchen is open to view and it is just a really fun atmosphere.

1621 12th avenue
seattle, wa 98122
206.388.0526
contemporary comfort food
8am-11am daily

SPUDS and ALKI

What is Seattle without some seafood? Our favorite fish and chips, by FAR, are served at SPUDS on Alki Beach. There are a couple other Spuds in the area, but we have found that this one is the best. They serve halibut fish, but they are more expensive and really not as good as their good ole cod! Josh and I will get their "Special" to share which is 3 pieces of fish with fries, a drink, and a large tarter. Their pieces of fish are really generous, so sharing this and getting one of their yummy coleslaws fills us up quite nicely.

A bonus about the Spuds on Alki is that it is located directly across the street from Alki Beach. During the warmer months, we like to get their fish and take it across to the beach and have a picnic. Even in September, when the weather starts to chill, we would do this on my birthday, in the evening, and make a fire in one of the designated fire pits. Some of my favorite memories with my family are of this. Alki itself is a nice date spot. Besides Spuds, it also has some other small spots for eats. We are addicted to Spuds, so we haven't made it to any of these places, except Pepperdocks. After our fish, we wander over there for a nice waffle cone filled with ice cream.

If you have already eaten, try watching the sunset from Alki. Pack up a blanket and some cards and just go there to relax with your honey! Josh and I brought our laptop there once and watched a movie on the beach like we were at a drive in. We just laid on the blanket with our backs up to a large log and snuggled... very nice!

1001 ways to be Romantic by Gregory J.P. Godek

In my recent travels to exotic Ogden,Utah, I picked up this #1 national bestseller at Costco ($9.99 in UT). I've barely begun flipping through the pages and already this book is truly genius! I dare you to flip to a page and not find a good date or love idea! I will be posting some of the sentiments from this book but I recommend you all go and attain a copy of your own!

Melt my heart!

Fondue, cheese and chocolate. Enough said, this place is really gooooooood! Tip- happy hour prices are cheap, cheap, cheap!

The Melting Pot


Happy hour in the lounge 7 days a week 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm and 9pm - 11pm late night. $$

Atlas Restaurant

Bro and I came across this great place for dessert on a date to University Village Mall last summer, we even ate outside. Quite delectable!


2675 NE Village Lane
Seattle, WA 98105
(206) 522-6025
$-$$ for dessert

Cupcakes

I am a self proclaimed cupcake addict! I love everything about them - how little and cute they are, making them myself, the way the dense cake on the bottom tastes with the sweet and fluffy frosting on the top, but most of all I like eating them! And as my husband can testify, I crave them all the time! These places are popping up all over the place!

My favorite place to satisfy my craving is Cupcake Royale, of course they are not as good as the ones you can make yourself but definitely a second best!


4556 California Avenue SW, right across from Easy Street in West Seattle. The phone is (206) 932-2971. They also have shops in Ballard and Madrona.

There is also Trophy Cupcakes in Wallingford Center, not as good but close to the UW and the cafe decor is adorable!!! Like a 50s malt shop.

Mona's Bistro and Lounge

Voted Best Date spot 2007 by City search, Mona's Bistro and Lounge, is a great place to go for romance and desserts. The restaurant itself is quite expensive but the dessert is very reasonable, plus it's are to die for!
6421 Latona Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98115
Phone: (206) 526-1188
Near Greenlake
$$ for dessert, $$$$ for dinner

Serendipitous Chocolate

Has anyone ever seen the romantic movie, "Serendipity"? Dilettante cafe on Broadway is practically straight out of that film! Very romantic, low lighting, vintage mirrors on the walls and did I mention . . . CHOCOLATE!! A late night dessert can't get much better than this. They sell individual chocolate truffles made with their specially made trademark Ephemere chocolate but also have rich desserts and Dr. Sloans (English hot chocolate).

Click here for locations around the greater Seattle Area.
*Open till late, I think midnight on most nights, 1am on Friday and Saturday.
$-$$

Washington's Coast: South Beach Campground

This is not a place to go to get away from people. At first glance, someone might think it looks like an unpaved parking lot with the occasional picnic table and fire pit, but looking past that, there is so much beauty that the rest just seems to melt away. With that said, and not being afraid to share the beauty of the ocean with others myself, I LOVE this spot!!! For the last couple of years, Josh and I have been dumping the kids on my grandparents' doorstep and running away to this place. And it's SO easy to do. We keep a camp box in our storage that has the essentials in it like unperishable foods, foil, utensils, soap, matches, etc... we grab that, pack a cooler with fresh yummies, pack up some clothes (only the comfortable and weather appropriate stuff), some games, a great book, blankets for the beach, a kite, the cameras, and we run away for a night or two. When we get there, we back the van up to one of the sites, set up our bed in the back of the van, start a fire (wood can be purchased at a local store up the highway if you can't scavenge enough drift wood) and get cozy as we drink in the fresh sea air mixed with the warmth of the campfire. During the day, we wander down to the round rock beach (just about EVERY rock on the beach would make a perfect skipping stone) and find a spot between the giant driftwood logs to make our own little fire pit on the beach. From there, we read, snack, and watch the sunset. Josh likes to make forts with the logs on the beach. The wind is perfect for kite flying. And it always amazes me how fun it is to feng shui the beach with a stack of rocks on a log. I get so relaxed here that I almost like doing this more than any big fancy vacation I have been on. I dream about going back during the cold months that the grounds are closed. Sites are under $15 a night. It can fill up pretty quick in the summer months. We have found that the trick is to get there at least an hour or two before the campground's check out time. This has worked out really well for us so that we can have our pick of spots right up to the beach, because some of them are back behind those spots and you have to look over someone's site to see the view. It's about a 4 hour (beautiful) drive if you leave from Seattle and go south through Olympia and over to Aberdeen. On the trip home, it's fun to make a loop and drive north up the coast through Port Angeles (where you will find my favorite Antique store ever and a very yummy Mexican restaurant... more on that someday in another post) and over to the ferry on Bainbridge. Fares for the ferry are MUCH cheaper if you go from west to east than if you go from east to west, and going either way takes about the same time for travel. If you want a little more seclusion, the Kalaloch campground is about 5 miles up the road... but it costs a little more per night, fills up even faster, and only has VERY few sites with views of the ocean from them. In between these two campgrounds is the Kalaloch Lodge. We have never stayed there, but if you have some extra money ($100+ per night, at least) it looks like a very nice place to stay.

The 5 Spot: One of Seattle's BEST restaurants!

No need to dress up for this place! The 5 Spot is my favorite restaurant in Seattle, located on Queen Anne. The menu there changes themes quarterly and so do the decorations inside. From the South to New England, the theme is always American, and always yummy. It's always fun to see what they have "cooked up" for their menu. For those who have a hard time with change though, they do have some staples on there menu that are always there. This is where I usually find myself in trouble. I LOVE their "brisket" marinated in Coca Cola and Knor sauce, served with mashed potatoes and the BEST shoe string onion rings you've ever tasted (and I am not an onion ring fan)! Pair that up with their botanical salad with their raspberry vinaigrette dressing, and I will salivate just thinking about it. Their house made dressings are so good, I often order a to go bowl of them to take home for my own salads. This place is a definite Seattle treasure. To check out their menu, or find out about the 5 Spot's sister restaurants visit: http://www.chowfoods.com/five/menu.aspx
1502 Queen Anne Ave N •
Seattle, Washington 98109 •
(206) 285-7768
$$

Puppy love

Before I got pregnant, Bro and I seriously researched getting a dog. We both felt strongly that before seeing a breeder that we would do our best to find a rescue dog at one of the local shelters. Many a date night we would hop in our car to see these homeless cuties (and some scary ones). The absolute best place we found was the Seattle Animal Shelter, not only was it the cleanest and most humane but they have the biggest selection of animals. Long story short, I became prego and presto- the dog idea went on hold indefinitely. However, for a date, we still like to go visit these wonderful ragamuffins. Shelters located WHEREVER you live!

easy but effective

first of all, i L O V E this blog. yeah for shauna for such a great idea.
okay, romance has been the last thing on my mind since i have been spending most of my time hugging the toilet instead of my gorgeous husband, BUT i did this the other day and it was most effective and simple.
i wrote on our bathroom mirror with my lip liner a short sappy note and then put on lipstick and kissed by it. pretty corny but my honey loved it and when he was cleaning the mirror the other day he even saved it. pretty painless and it meant a lot to him.

Weekend Getaway Ideas?

This summer, since I won't be nursing or pregnant for the first time in a while, Rob and I want to escape for a weekend while my mom watches our kids. I know there are good getaway places just a few hours drive or ferry ride from here, but I have no idea what they are. Do you have any suggestions? Details would be good - how to get there, where to stay, etc. Obviously, money is an issue.

One more thing - ask me every once in a while how the planning is going! Otherwise, I'm afraid we won't actually do it! ;)

Shake it!

Luna Park Cafe-
My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard . . . nuff said!

2918 SW Avalon Way, West Seattle, WA 98126
$

Moroccan cuisine

Sitting on the floor, eating with your fingers- every 2 year olds dream! Last night I went to Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant in Seattle with some girlfriends. This would be a great yet unique date. If you get the 5 course meal it can be pretty pricey ($19ea.) but we stuck to the ala carte menu, where dishes range from $5-11. I was more excited about the experience so I wasn't expecting anything from the food but it surprised me with every bite! I now love Moroccan food! They have very different but yummy combinations.
2334 2nd Ave
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 956-0500
$$-$$$

They're Playing Our Song

Get out the tape or CD that has "your song" on it and set it up so that when your spouse starts the car the next time they get in it, your song will be playing. Leave a note taped to the steering wheel reminding them why you married them or the things you love about them. Remember to adjust the volume appropriately, there may be kids in the car too.

You've got mail!

Send a note, letter, or card in the mail- yes, you could save 41 cents, but where is the fun in that?

Jai Thai

This is one of my favorite restaurants of all time. I like the one in Fremont, its creatively decorated, has a fish tank and Thai TV, plus the food is divine!
Atmosphere is romantic or fun and this is a great place to show off Seattle if you have visitors.
3423 Fremont Ave N • Seattle, Washington 98103
Click here for menu.
$$

Sweet as candy

While you're out and about, jogging, shopping etc., pick up your sweetheart's favorite candy!

Nothing says "I love you" like . . .

Valentine's day is just around the corner. To the husbands who eye the teddy bear at the gas station, please don't do it. This is a shout out to post all of your Valentine ideas!

*Breakfast in bed or at a restaurant
*Gift certificate for a massage or manicure
*Make a candlelit dinner (a great store for gourmet ready made dinners is Pasta & Co at University Village and on top of Queen Anne Hill in Seattle, and in Bellevue and Redmond, Washington.)
*Rent an old romantic movie (ie. Pillowtalk- any other suggestions?)
*Re-create your first date

**Create a CD of all your favorite love songs (Jules)