foodie chat: not your usual Valentine's sweets...

Bored of giving (or receiving) generic chocolates and pretentious truffles? Here are some confectionery alternatives to spice up your lover (or possibly, your love life).

1. Rosy Vanilla Marshmallow Hearts from Whimsy and Spice

These homemade marshmallows are flavored with a hint of rose and are a perfect accompaniment to a cup of hot cocoa. Mark and Jenna, the husband-and-wife team behind the sweets, hand make everything with extra love out of their Brooklyn operation. They also have a special cookie gift box for Valentine's Day.


2. Sweet and Savory Hearts from Saxelby Cheesemongers
and Roni-Sue Chocolates

A unique pairing from two of the lovely Essex Street Market merchants: three fantastic cheeses from Saxelby (one of them aptly named Constant Bliss) paired with six decadent hand-rolled truffles from Roni-Sue chocolates. It is definitely a match made in heaven.


3. Miniature cupcakes from Kumquat Cupcakery -

The cupcakery is doing a Valentine's Day Special for its best-selling bite-sized cupcakes. Each one of them is so cute and addictive that even a dozen of them will leave your loved one wanting more (or more of your feeding).


4. Gourmet Pops by chef David Burke from Neiman Marcus

These adorable cocktail lollipops created by renowned chef David Burke are equal parts yummy and fun. The cheesecake pops and chocolate-covered pops come in different flavors, and are so colorful that they would have been approved by Marie Antoinette.

i heart ...

Everyone deserves to be loved once in a while... especially with Valentine's Day soon approaching. What's better than wearing fashionable hearts on thyself to embrace the love?!


From top: Versace SS09 runway collection, WWII sweatheart bracelet by vintagefabulous, "Love is Blind" necklace by Daydream Nation, Alexander McQueen heart peep-toe pumps

foodie chat: let them eat pancakes!

February is National Pancake Month! I don't know how pancakes deserve a whole month of dedication (like why isn't there a Cupcake Month or a Biscuit Month...), and why it falls in February (shouldn't it be Chocolate Month since it's Valentine's?), but what the heck, it gives all of us a justifiable excuse to go out and indulge in some comfort food in the midst of this miserably chilly winter. One of the recommended places to celebrate this is Clinton Street Baking Company on the LES, which will be serving special flavors like blood orange peel & bittersweet chocolate on weekdays throughout the month (check out their website for the full calendar). The best part is that the pancakes are served all day until 11pm, so get ready to have some breakfast for dinner!



Besides pancakes, February is also the City Bakery's annual hot chocolate festival. This year they've come up with some intriguing flavors like banana peel, beer (!), and ginger. There are also some funny names that I have no clue what flavor it represents (Hot Chocolate A-Go-Go? Will it empower you with Grease dance moves? and Love Potion Hot Chocolate on Valentine's Day? maybe you should try it on your crush and see if it works!). So whether some of these will taste finger-licking good or simply weird (banana peel...), I'm definitely marking my calendar to try at least one special hot cocoa or two!

February... mmn... the month of evil sugary temptations...