How to Spend Valentine’s Day at Home

With chocolates and sweet treats stocked on the supermarket shelves and red and pink decorations galore, it’s obvious that this could only mean one thing. Valentine’s Day is here! This Sunday is the day of love! Whether you are spending this day with your special valentine, with friends or alone, this year might be much different than the past. 

With COVID-19 still very much present, capacity restrictions are in effect for most establishments. Getting reservations just got a lot more difficult. And if that wasn’t the only hindrance, we are currently in the middle of a pretty brisk winter season that will surely put a pause on any outdoor plans. So, if you are choosing to spend the day at home why not make it the best Valentine’s Day yet? 

So for all of you lovers or lovers of love, we have your guide to the best and most romantic Valentine’s Day at home!

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto

Self Care

As Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday, it’s the perfect opportunity to get some much needed self-care in! Get your mud masks out and get to work! Masking with your partner is such a fun and sweet way to bond while also taking care of your skin. Check out this amazing mud mask from Fresh! While you’re at it, a hand mask or foot mask might also be a nice treat as well!

Another great self-care activity is a bubble bath! Whether you prefer bath bombs or epsom salts, a relaxing bath is the ultimate way to treat yourself and your partner. Make it romantic with some candles, music and maybe even some rose petals! It’s Valentine’s Day, go all out! 

Let’s Paint!

One of the cutest and most popular date ideas are Sip and Paints. It’s where you and your partner or you and some friends take a painting class while also enjoying a few drinks. Unfortunately, many of these places may be closed or under limited capacity but that shouldn’t stop you from the fun! 

Bring the Sip and Paint to your home for Valentine’s Day! Pick up some canvases, paint and brushes from your local craft store and follow along to your favorite painting DIY video on Youtube! We love this one by Bob Ross! 

If you don’t want to paint all on your own, a great activity is a paint-by-numbers canvas. You can select any picture you like and it will be sent over to you with the mapped-out canvas and the corresponding colors. You can even make it a gift idea, and submit a photograph of your choice to be converted to canvas for you to paint! 

Movie Night

Photo by cottonbro

Bring the movie theater date night to you this Valentine’s Day! This lovely Sunday is the best day to snuggle up and watch some movies. Get your popcorn, candy and drinks ready because we have compiled a list of some of the best movies to get you into the Valentine’s Day spirit 

1. About Time – Netflix
2. Sylvie’s Love – Amazon Prime Video
3. 50 First Dates – Netflix 
4. Call Me By Your Name – Hulu
5. Pride and Prejudice – Peacock
6. The Photograph – HBOMax  
7. Fifty Shades of Grey – Hulu
8. When Harry Met Sally – Hulu
9. Crazy, Stupid, Love – Amazon Prime Video

Dinner Time

Reservations at your favorite spot might be hard to come by this year but fear not, we’ve got you covered! An easy and simple choice would be ordering takeout and relaxing. However, a fun way to end the night could be cooking dinner with your significant other. Make sure to plan your recipe ahead of time so you can pick up all of your ingredients! 

While there are millions of recipes online to choose from, we wanted to share one of our favorite meals with you! A quick and easy recipe for some delicious pasta with spicy vodka sauce! 

Photo by Engin Akyurt

Spicy Vodka Sauce Pasta recipe to cook at home!

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small/medium onion, diced
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• ½ cup whole whipping cream
• ½ tsp salt, or to taste
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ cup shredded parmesan
• 1 (16oz) box of rotini, boiled + reserve pasta water for later use
• 1 Tbsp vodka, your choice

1. Boil pasta according to box directions, or until al dente. Set aside, reserving 1 cup of pasta water for later use.
2. Prepare all of your ingredients, set aside. Can combine all spices – red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, garlic powder—in one small dish, like a ramekin.
3. In a large, deep skillet, add olive oil and heat pan to medium/medium-high heat.
4. Once your pan is hot and sizzling, add diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 5-6 minutes. If you like your onions more cooked, sauté until golden brown.
5. Add tomato paste, butter, vodka and whole whipping cream to the skillet. Mix all ingredients together—the sauce will take on a slightly orange/pink hue, and will be slightly thick.
6. Heat pasta sauce for about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, ensuring it doesn’t burn. Lower the heat if it starts to burn, or if the pan gets too hot.
7. Add in the shredded parmesan cheese, mix until melted and completely combined.
8. Add reserved pasta water to the skillet to thin out the sauce. Start with ½ cup of water, stirring constantly. Remember: the sauce will need to burn off some liquid, so it will be a little thin to start.
9. Heat pasta sauce on low-medium for about 5-6 more minutes, stirring frequently, while some of the excess liquid burns off. Lower flame if sauce starts to burn.
10. Once the sauce is ready, pour half of the rotini into prepared sauce. Store extra pasta.
11. Plate pasta and add additional parmesan cheese and a pinch of dried or fresh basil on top.

Crack open some champagne or wine and enjoy! Happy Valentine’s Day! 

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