Valentine's Day Advice: Local

Here’s a funny thing about Valentine’s day; people actually do care. Everyone complains about Hallmark invented holidays, (Mother’s day, etc..) or Hallmark enhanced (V day, Secretary’s day….) holidays. We believe we are above them. Especially Valentine’s day. Little Cupids, candy hearts with words only ½ legible “You are swet”. And yet, ….sitting at our desks, or while packing up a sandwich (lunch smells gross at 7:00AM) or walking through town or wherever, and seeing the windows speckled with pink hearts, sappy words, sparkling things, I must admit, I fold a little. I secretly long for that certain someone to do that silly certain something. Some chocolate. A really silly card. The card tops it off. I was reading them at CVS thinking just how lame they are and how they are for other people, and yet, wandering down the Tampax/Depends/baby diaper isle, (what’s up with that? )I had this fantasy of opening one and thinking it was not so silly after all… And, yes,, of course, this is a not so hidden message to that certain somebody to NOT BELIEVE me when I say I don’t care about that crap. And yes, my son is also included. I want that mom card.


So going with the idea that somewhere, deep inside, in some pink, connfectionist compartment of my brain and maybe your brain (yes, even you men), we kinda sorta care. I watch my son filling out a box of Valentines he will give to his classmates, which he chose based on the gum included. On Friday he will come home with 17 different Valentines and not for 1 moment will he wonder why 1 might be missing, or who doesn’t love him enough or in the way he had hoped. Ah blessed are the oblivious.

For a non-recovering admitted Valentine participant, let me give you a few clues. Do the following-

1. Act nonchalant so you don’t look stupid

2. Don’t second guess Valentine’s emotions. They are crazy from the start.

3. Find out what your partner (secretly) wants…underwear (doesn’t matter which of you wears it), sparkles, chocolate, a monkey, whatever.

4. Get YOUR VERSION of that thing- make it personal otherwise the other person will somehow feel hurt and then you will be mad because you got them the thing they wanted. It will end badly.

5. Make reservations. This counts. Even to the last minute everyone may say, “oh, let’s just stay home. We can have Valentine’s day any day. We’ll make something special…..” If you want remain with the person who might be your Valentine, don’t stay home and do nothing or make something special. It never pans out. Around 9:15 everyone realizes that it does actually matter. Why not make it special even though everyone else is too. You probably boycott New Years too, but you are right about that.

6. The restaurant needs to be

a. Not too expensive or the romance can wear right off

b. BYOB—

c. Make certain it’s a menu you know or you know is good so you don’t end up having to order strangely. Takes the sugar out of the air.

7. Basically- Reserve at Uptown while there is still time. Bring your present as an after-thought. Everything else will fall into place. Good Luck!  973-744-0915

http://www.uptownmontclair.com/

The author has chosen names and places of interest having nothing to do with ehr own personal interests. The fact that she own's Uptown Bistro is a mere coincidence....