With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought that I would get you thinking about that special someone in your life who perhaps deserves additional doses of love thrown at them for no particular reason. Look, I'm not one for commercial holidays, and no one is forcing your hand to buy luxurious things for your loved one. But should you wish to make somebody in your life feel extra special during any part of the year (and not just mid February) here are some ideas on how to do just that, and that doesn't mean spending a fortune or going to a spa and buying a crappy bouquet of red roses.
Sausage Making Class - Nothing says true love like making sausages. Actually that's probably the first time anybody in the history of the world has ever said that, but I can assure you, making sausages with your loved one is actually quite fun. The Healthy Butcher is a butcher shop in Toronto who specializes in local, organic and 100% grass fed meat and organic produce. They also host a series of classes throughout the year, teaching everything from knife skills to fish basics to creating your own charcuterie. Their most popular class however is sausage making, where you get to spend over two hours building flavors just "encase" you want to make your own sausages. Yeah, I said it. The best part is that you actually make a LOT of sausages, so many in fact that you will go home with a giant bag of them which will surely impress your friends and family. Classes are $80 per person (they've definitely gone up since I took my husband five years ago) but are totally worth the splurge for a fun night out.
Eclairs - Nügateau is Toronto's newest desert destination (sorry Nadège, don't be upset because I still love you) and it is a real pity if you haven't been there yet. Located near the corner of Queen and Palmerston, this shop deals strictly in eclairs, and presents them in the most beautiful way. With a ton of flavors to choose from - think lemon meringue, maple bacon, raspberry, pistachio etc - you will probably want to grab a mixed box of six for you and the one you love.
Photo Book - If you want your significant other to shed endless tears of happiness, all you have to do is make them something. And by something I mean a carefully edited book of your most important photographic memories, not a random scrapbook of old love notes and movie stubs. Although on second thought, that actually sounds really romantic. In any case, Blurb helps you to build your own custom photo book that looks pretty professional. You get to choose the size you want (anything from 7 x 7 inches to 13 x 11 inches), and you have several options for the front of the book, including going with an image wrap, soft cover or a dust jacket. I personally prefer the image wrap in a 12 x 12 inch format. You can build a standard book online, download their software to make it a tad more customized, or you can go all out and hire one of their professionals. Prices start at $30 for 20 pages.
Cheese Boutique- Things are about to get cheesy here...it's a possibility anyways. Whether you choose to go solo or with your date, give yourself at least an hour wondering around this glorious cheese emporium that's located on the outskirts of High Park just off the Queensway. You are bound to stock up on lots of treats which will enable you to make a delicious little spread, which you may want to have with a nice bottle of wine and a toasty fire. I suggest you buy at least 3 cheeses and build yourself a nice little charcuterie board with other fixings. They also have an amazing selection of canned goods, hot sauces, prepared foods, and not to be missed Chocolates X Brandon truffles from former Bar Isabel chef Brandon Olsen, who is about to open his own little chocolate shop in Brockton Village.
Coffee Mugs - I'm assuming that if you are reading this blog you are probably a grown up. Maybe you aren't, you know, like actually grown up, but physically, you probably at least embody the body of a grown up. Does that make sense? And most normal grown ups like a good morning cup of coffee, because it's really the world's most perfect beverage. To truly enjoy that warm, soothing, wake you up cup of coffee you could put it in a regular mug, but when you are a grown up, why not treat yourself and your loved one to two lovely ceramic mugs like this one? Yes, a mug that costs almost $60 is kind of expensive, but it's so pretty with it's blue speckles, and has such a nice weight to it, plus if you use it everyday I think it's totally worth the expense.
Roros Tweed Blanket - This 100% pure new wool blanket from Norway is hands down the best blanket I have ever owned. It's so highly superior to anything I have ever snuggled under, I really can't imagine using another blanket, ever. It was a Christmas gift from my husband (he got it in electric orange and purple), and it's definitely one of the best presents I've ever gotten. It's warm and cozy, and guaranteed to bring you two together, in a very literal way.
Customized Stationary - Buying your own customized stationary seems a bit indulgent, but it is such a nice gesture when presented as a gift. Anything customized basically says "hey I took the time and effort to make something personal" and makes everybody feel special. I love Rifle Paper Co. and really love this little company that has grown into a massive stationary powerhouse over the last few years. For our wedding, I ordered a customized print that features an illustration of my husband, myself, our dog, and our wedding date. It's hanging in our living room and it's such a nice reminder of our wedding day. Plus we ended up getting thank you cards made from the same print, so our guests received it as a little keepsake. So why not get your loved one a notepad or some business cards that they will be proud to hand out to colleagues? They will always think of you when they see it and make them feel like real professionals.
Terrarium - Everybody loves air plants and succulents, but if you don't have a green thumb, why not ask the experts at Crown Flora to make you a terrarium. These guys made my flower crown and wedding bouquet, and yes, one day I will get around to sharing some photos from the day. You can spend a little or go all out and splurge, but I guarantee you your date will be happy no matter what you spend.
