Lovefest ❤️
Party like St. Valentine
Hiya!
As a self-described party girl, I don’t need many excuses for a good time. However, life and work and schedules can get complicated and then all of a sudden, you haven’t seen your BFFs in months! Soooo this is your sign to fire up the group chat for a cute lil Valentine’s dinner party! Valentine’s can be an awkward holiday, but it can also be a fun night with friends and partners. Getting together with those who make you laugh and warm your heart is just what we all need in the middle of winter. Sometimes it feels overwhelming to host, but keep the guest list tight, make sure the menu can be prepped ahead of time, add a few cute decorations and you’re good to go! Here are some ideas to get you started…
INVITE
Create a cute invitation on Hi Note and send it to a few of your besties whether they’re coupled up or not! I like to think of Valentine’s as a reason to celebrate those we love, regardless of relationship status! Set a dress code for some festive flair.
TO WEAR
White and red is a color combo I always feel good in and is on brand for St. Valentine. You could wear white jeans with a white button up from Sessei or Frank and Eileen (or petal pink from Chava!) with a red sweater thrown over your shoulders. The one from Doen has heart buttons! Or a lingerie inspired silky, lacy skirt with a grey sweater, red socks and loafers. I also love this pink skirt from Kallmeyer. These lil heart earrings are pretty sweet too. For a showstopper, go with this red and white polkadot dress from The Irish Twin. Wowza!
LE MENU
Beet and goat cheese terrine - This dish is a tried and true winner at my parties. It looks so beautiful and can be made the day before making your evening prep a breeze! Serve with a crusty baguette.
Citrus, fennel and crushed olive salad - Take advantage of the citrus in season right now and layer cara cara and blood oranges for a gorgeous, colorful, and fresh salad. I love this recipe from
. You could also add crushed pistachios or fried capers here for a lil extra pizzazz.Lasagna of Love - like all great loves, this lasagna has layers of intrigue and gets better with time! I love the recipe from the legendary Moosewood Kitchen - vegetarian and really delicious. I’ve made this for manyyyy a gathering and it always hits. Plus it’s nostalgic and indulgent and can be fully prepped ahead so you’re free to enjoy your guests!
DESSERT
Lately, I’ve been entranced by Isabelle Heikens’ themed dinner party videos and she seems to always serve dessert in individual coupes and it looks so cute! I think silver coupes filled with chocolate mousse topped with freshly whipped cream and raspberries would be heavenly. Or you could do an Eton Mess! We don’t always have to do the chocolate covered strawberries.
ACTIVITY
Make Valentine cards for loved ones! Pick up some construction paper, a few pairs of scissors, glue sticks, doilies, magazines to cut out from and some markers. (or this adorable collage kit has everything you need). Plus a tube of red lipstick on the table so people can decorate with kisses too! Last year, Lorenza co-hosted a crafty evening with Art Life Practice. Their mission is to get more people to start a daily creative habit which has been proven to lower stress and anxiety. Doing something creative with our hands is such a relaxing and fun way to spend the evening, I highly recommend it!
DECOR
I like the idea of leaning into the DIY kitschy-ness of Valentine’s day. Make cute place cards for everyone. Or use craft paper as your tablecloth and hand paint hearts and the names of your guests. If you feel like picking up some new pieces, this tablecloth, these gingham napkins and the red and white striped bowls shown above are all so cute. Red taper candles would be a great, low lift way to make your table feel festive. Flowers are a must of course! I love tulips, Icelandic poppies and duh, roses. Use this trick to make grocery store roses look special. If you really want to up the ante - get these 3D heart glasses. So much fun, you’ll never want to take them off.
DRINK
Pink bubbly of course!! Make a spritzy cocktail with Lorenza bubbly rosé and a splash of pomegranate juice. Freeze some kumquat ice cubes to serve it with. Swap with NA Sparkling for a dry option. Also a chilled red like Lorenza Cinsaut would be perf with the lasagna.
LISTEN
Here’s a fun lil playlist I made with some of my favorite love songs. Also, the soundtrack from A Man and A Woman is a classic.
I hope this has inspired you to throw a little get together! Apparently Americans Need to Party More, so let’s do our part! The fact that it’s no longer January, is reason enough to celebrate.
Thank you for being here. And thank you to everyone who became a paid subscriber last week, we were able to donate $300 to LAFD. I’ll be back next week with some fun Valentine’s themed gifts. In the spirit of love, if you liked this post, give it a heart! It helps Amuse Bouche get discovered.
xo!
Michèle
P.S. If you make a purchase using the links above, I may make a commission, so merci!
The love we need!!!! ❤️ 💌
Le Menu looks so scrumptious! Especially the salad. I love beets and goat cheese. Yes, Americans need to party more and stop being so divisive! A Valentine’s Day party is a great idea.