I’m going to go on the record and say, I don’t believe in Valentines Day. Yes, I have been married for 15 years, and yes I eat out pretty regularly, so going out to dinner on February 14th doesn’t really mean any more to me than going out to dinner on April 14th. To me it is all the same. Love, affection and romance shouldn’t be dictated by the calender or Hallmark for that matter.
With all of that as a backdrop, however, I do realize that I am in the minority when it comes to that. I actually enjoy seeing women receive flowers and smile and just enjoy a general sense of happiness because their significant other was thoughtful in their pursuit of the perfect Valentine’s Day gifts. So we thought we’d offer some last minute, slightly different Valentines Day goodies. A couple of dinners, some clever gifts and chocolately love.
No Valentines Season would be complete without a visit to Savannah’s Chocolate Rock Star. Adam Turoni practically lives in his shop on West Broughton Street this time of the year turning out one clever truffle after another. All of them are rich, creamy, handmade and decadent. It’s Savannah’s Tiffany and Company of chocolate but you don’t have to break the bank to take some home. This year, Adam even kept the bah-humbug crowd (like me) in mind with a fantastic “Screw Love” edible treat. Talking about appealing to everyone, huh?
Ok, how exactly is Jesse working a farm into a romantic story of thoughtfulness and Valentine’s? Well, that’s easy when you consider the Ferguson family is doing not one, but two nights of dinner under the stars at their farm in Brooklet. Three courses, music and a good time that, frankly, you won’t be able to match anywhere in town. Yes, you can go big and make reservations at any of our Mount Rushmore restaurants, but-like I said-you can do that next month too. This special evening under the stars, you cannot.
The Willis family is the Coastal Empire’s first family of chocolate. Don’t take my word for it, you need to see their shop. 3,000 square feet of sweets in Richmond Hill. All of their goodies? Handmade. You can get chocolate covered potato chips. Chocolate covered pretzels, orange peels, nuts and so much much more. They also have quite possibly the best cannoli in the area. Homemade shells and cream filling. They now have a coffee shop and are serving pies, cakes and crepes. Again, all of it hand made. It is something to take in, even if you don’t buy anything.
I wrote about The Pantry Elf around Christmas time, but it is worth repeating this time of the year. Nora Von Dyuke is a private chef. At your service for anything you need. Why do I bring her up now? Easy. Call her, pick up a gift certificate, then have a private dinner in your home for two weeks from now. Made by your own private chef in your kitchen. She cleans up and heads on her way. Guys? This is smooth. This is different. This is creative. Good Luck.
Annnnd, if all else fails, fill the tank in the car and surprise your Valentine with a weekend in Atlanta. What better way to start a romantic weekend than with a special Tequila pairing dinner at Hugh Acheson’s Midtown Atlanta restaurant Empire State South. Seriously. Here’s a peek at the menu. If this event doesn’t get things off on the right foot on Valentines Weekend, then you might want to consider Waffle House.
See you on TV.
Jesse
