An edible list: taking the proverbial "cheese" out of Valentine's Day

Oh god.  Here goes.  I'm writing this post because, to be perfectly honest, there are so many amazingly delicious items out there.  You know, things that - if I had a man of substance in my life - I would sincerely hope he'd have the wherewithal and/or know me so well and/or have immaculate-enough-taste to shower me with for Valentine's Day.  Are you hearing this, fella's?  Before you run out to CVS and buy her a cheesy Hallmark card and a heart-shaped box of Whitman's Samplers, please read my cheese-less V-Day list, below, first.  I promise that, if nothing else, you'll get lucky on February 14th.  Bam chikka bam bam!  Oh, and best of all?  Everything is under $100.  You're welcome. 

Alas, if you're single on V-Day this year, you can still look at the glass "half full."  How?  Make this dreaded holiday all about you.  Treat yourself to a 12-hour sweets binge/bender - using my guide, below - with the notion that you'll get back on track tomorrow.   

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Alterna-dates / dating outside of the box

*Are you looking for an alternative to the traditional "dinner and drinks" Valentine's eve?  Head over to Milk & Cookies Bakery where, for just $30/couple, you will partake in an intimate baking experience by creating your own cookies!  Enjoy an hour of cookie creation with 1 pint of vanilla dough, a tray of mix-ins, and two drinks from the espresso bar!  They bake them and you take them home!  Call 212-243-1640 to make your reservation today!

*Still in the beginning stages of a relationship and unsure of her every culinary like and dislike?  Choose the best Valentine's Day restaurant based on your date's astrological sign!  Stop rolling your eyes, all of you horoscope haters, there is some truth to this!  I viewed my own sun sign, plus those of some of my exes and, it's pretty legit!  So after you have an incredible, "oh my gosh, how did you know that I would love this kind of place?" meal, you can thank me and the Huffington Post come February 15th.  

PS:  Make sure to check out this list of restaurants who are offering Valentine's specials and snag a reservation here!

Photo: Huffington PostBaked

*For the girl who's watching her waistline:  Miniature Meringue Kisses, Magnolia Bakery

*For the NYC-based Francophile:  The gift box of 6 macarons + Laduree-brand pink champagne, Laduree

*For the sassy Southern belle:  Conversation Hearts Petit Fours, Duane Park Patisserie

*Cupcakes take the cake!  Here are some Valentine's Day varieties from some of my favorite cupcakeries in town:

• SPRINKLES XOX BOX
• GEORGETOWN CUPCAKES (OPENING IN SOHO ON 2/11!)

Single-and-ready-to-mingle and/or the broken-hearted hater

*Get wasted with other singles and, just maybe, find a date in time for V-Day!  New York's largest singles anti-Valentine's Day party - Saturday, 2/11 - Stitch NYC

*Zagat's list of "10 Restaurants/Bars Where You Can Meet Your Type"

*What you should be drinking on Valentine's Day, based on your status and mood

Cheers! I'll drink to him!~

Hate it or love it, V-Day is rapidly approaching.  Personally, the color red is blinding my eyes right now - I cringe every time I walk in to the drug store and happen upon the card and candy aisle - couples *everywhere* are making me want to run my nails down a chalkboard - and I can hardly wait until February 15th.  There, I said it:  I HATE Valentine's Day.  And, whether you're on my side or the lovey-dovey other, I hope that my list will lead you in the right and most delicious direction for your personal situation.

~~~

xoxo (blech) and until we eat again...

The Lunch Belle 

Snapshots of NYC: all dressed up in "holiday"

Happiest holidays, dear readers!

Here are some seasonal snapshots of what NYC looks like, all dressed up, this time of year:

P.S.  Wish you were here!

~~~

Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

For Le Procrastinateur: last minute ideas for a scrumptuous "final meal"

...in the event that you're scrambling for last-minute New Year's Eve celebratory dinner and/or imbibing plans, check out these lists:

Gilt City:  Hello, New Year!

Grub Street:  Your Last Meal of the Year

Zagat:  14 New Year's Eve Celebrations in NYC

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Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

The Lunch Belle's 2011 Holiday Gifting Guide

My "Oh shit, the holidays are next week!" Gift Guide

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Gift cards that don't suck:  plastic that will make anyone smile

• Whole Foods (check website to make sure there's a store in your recipient's location)
• Fandango
• Lululemon (for her)
• Momofuku Milk Bar  TLB note:  Now shipping their amazing products all over!  3 words to remember:  B'Day Cake Truffles. 

For the imbiber:  the boozer of the bunch

• Banana Republic for Clos du Bois holiday wines, from $16.99 - see bottle above.  TLB note:  Now, ask yourself, "Have I seen anything cuter or more fashion-forward on a wine bottle?"  Doubtful.
• Disposable flasks, $10.49 for a set of 3  TLB note:  Perfect for everyone's favorite frat boy (who never grew up).
  
• Inside Out Champagne Glasses, $70 for a pair - see below.  TLB note:  OK, so they're kinda' pricey but, seriously, how unique are these? 

For your homegirl/boy:  the recipient who relishes their abode

• Hand-embroidered Region Pillows, $149 - see above
• Kate Spade's All Occasion Gift Set, $35:  stationary for everything, from 'Thank You' to 'Get Well Soon.'  TLB note:  This is, probably, the most clever stationary invention since the monogram. 
• Luxe Faux Fur Throw, $79
• Cire Trudon candle, $80

For the fatty or the foodie:  "I live to eat!"

• Unjunk Your Junk Food: Healthy Alternatives to Conventional Snacks, $12.10 - see above
• White Chocolate Petit Fours, $49.95
• Amagansett Sea Salt, from $9
• Monogrammed Cheese Board with Spreader, $18 - see below.  TLB note:  How cute are these? 

Jewels that won't break the bank:  affordable elegance

• Bubble Necklace, $115 - see above.  TLB note:  Have you ever seen a more brilliant piece?
• Tai bracelets, from $85
• Lulu Frost for J.Crew, from $39.50

If money is no object:  Because...a girl can dream.

• Kilian's Liaisons Dangereuses Eau de Parfum, $225  TLB note:  You're going to have to trust me on this one, folks, for this is the best smelling perfume on the planet.  Hands down.
• Cartier Love Bracelet, pink gold and diamonds, $9,350 - see below.  TLB note:  And the most romantical thing about this timeless piece?  The bracelet comes w/ a lock & key so, once you put it on, the person who gifts you keeps the "key," symbolizing eternal love.  Awe! 

• Festival Weekend Pass to the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, $1280
• The Ultimate Shoe Subscription, $10,000

~~~

Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

I'm back! Plus, my arsenal of NYCentric Thanksgiving websites

Can you all believe that Thanksgiving is almost one week away?  Seriously, where has the time gone?  This year will be the first time, since 2006, that I will be "home" (with my family in Texas) for my favorite holiday.  And you know what?  I can hardly wait to board that south-bound plane and escape the rat race for a handful of days.  God knows how badly I need this break. 

And speaking of the rat race/being crazed:  For those of you who read The Lunch Belle on a regular basis, I want to apologize for my dramatic lag in posting.  Since the beginning of the fall, I have had my hands completely tied, due mostly in part to accepting an amazing leadership position where I plan events for an "extracurricular" volunteer organization.  This role is in addition to my 'day-job' at an investment bank - The Lunch Belle - and volunteering for yet another non-profit.  My life is happy and full - I'm *not* complaining or whining - but I do realize that I've been molasses-slow to post, and I'm sorry about that.  Additionally, I owe you my iPhone/iPad application, which I hope will be completed very soon.   

So, on that note - and with the impending arrival of Thanksgiving - I'd like to know, what do you have planned? 

• How do you and your family celebrate my favorite holiday of the calendar year? 
• Do you have any wacky/quirky food traditions?
• Is watching football a big deal at your house/celebration? 
• What time do you eat Thanksgiving "supper," during lunch or dinner?

*And, last but certainly not least, I wanted to share some of my favorite informational websites with those of you who are staying in/coming to the NYC area next week:

• Looking for a restaurant that serves Thanksgiving supper?  Click here for a full list and to make a free table reservation!
• Looking to stay-in and have someone else do all of the 'dirty work?'  Click here for a list of Thanksgiving take-out options/prepared meals.
• Click here for pertinent information regarding Macy's Thanksgiving Parade 2011
• Too busy to bake that pie yourself?  Then order one from critically acclaimed M. Wells Diner's pastry chef, Brenna!  You know it'll taste way better than your version, anyway.  My dear friend, "Flywheel Christine," highly recommends the Coconut-Cream.  Click here to view the menu and place your order today!  But hurry, because after November 20th, prices will rise dramatically.  

 

~~~

Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

Sunday night with 'Pauly D,' plus a couple of recipes

Dear readers,

Happy pre-Labor Day weekend!  Here's hoping that, wherever you are and/or plan to go, the weather forecast is in your favor.  Tomorrow, I'm headed to Atlantic City, NJ for my very first time and, I have to be honest, I can hardly wait!  My fingers are crossed for a 48-hour span filled with lots of sun, relaxation, saltwater taffy, greasy boardwalk bites, and an abundance of summery frozen beverages.  On Sunday night, my girlfriends and I, all Jersey Shore-aholics, are headed to The Pool After Dark to see DJ Pauly D spin.  Honestly, I don't think I've been this excited about anything since finding out that Laduree was NYC- bound.     

Photo: MTVWhat are your plans for the weekend?  Do any of them involve bringing a "potluck" dish over to a friend's Labor Day BBQ, by chance?  If so, I've got a great recipe that I'd like to share with you, which utilizes fresh figs (which are in season right now).  Oh, and I should also mention that it only contains three ingredients and takes virtually no time to prepare.  Your host will think you're so fancy!  Enjoy.

Fresh figs with blue cheese and candied pecans 

Ingredients  serves approximately 15, assuming that each guests eats 3 pieces

• 10 fresh figs: remove bottom/navel and top/stem, then slice remainder of each fruit in to 5 equal slices
• 1/2 lb. blue cheese (I used Bleu d'Auvergne), left out of fridge for 15-minutes
• 8oz. chopped candied pecans - I buy mine at Trader Joe's (if you cannot locate "candied" pecans, regular chopped pecans will do)

On a large serving plate/tray of choice, arrange figs side by side.  Top each fig with a 5-finger pinch of blue cheese (approximately 1/2 tablespoon).  Finally, crown each fig with a sprinkle of chopped candied pecans.  Serve immediately and enjoy! 

~

Other recipe ideas for Labor Day weekend BBQ's and gatherings

• Southern pistachio salad

• Chile con queso

• "Cool Ranch" crackers

• Mexi-corn salsa

• Coca-Cola Cake

• Jeanie's famous rum cake

• Margaritas (traditional)

Enjoy your final weekend of summer!  Be safe - wear sunscreen - and, most importantly, eat well!

~~~

Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle