CRAVE CRUSH the urban girl's blog to all that you CRAVE

Peek into the CRAVE Closet

February 25, 2010 by Sarah C. | Comments (0)

Our very own Melody Biringer had her closet raided! MyCloset.com, a website dedicated to airing people’s dirty laundry (literally), recently featured the CRAVEcompany founder in its scintillating Celebrity Closets installment. Among the hangers and hampers, a myriad of wardrobe gems were unearthed from all over the world. Woolen leg-warmers from Amsterdam, Ilse Jacobsen rain boots from Seattle, a bold purple dress from Vancouver, BC… how can that much cuteness exist in one closet? Lucky for us, Melody divulged a few of her shopping secrets and we can all check out her fashion favorites for ourselves. Below check out some of her most-cherished boutiques.

Moscow (moscowdesign.nl)
Runstraat 8, 1111 AA, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Horseshoe (horseshoeseattle.com)
5344 Ballard Avenue Northwest Seattle, WA 98107

Lambs Ear (lambsearshoes.com)
3516 Fremont Place No.inesgloves.com Seattle, WA 98103

Ines Gloves (inesgloves.com)
Oudezijds Achterburgwal 132 1012 DV Amsterdam, Netherlands

JC Studio (jcstudio.ca)
46 West 6th Avenue Vancouver, BC V5Y 1K1

sonja | clothes to live in (sonjatacoma.com)
2701 N 21st St, Tacoma, WA 98406

Switch Shoes (switch-shoes.com)
7871 Southwest Capitol Highway, Portland, OR 97219

For a truly in depth look into the world of women-owned boutiques, check out the CRAVEguide for a city near you. These books are brimming with local women you need to know, whether you want to satisfy a craving for your closet, appetite, business, or piece of mind.

The Time Has Come for De-cluttering!

February 24, 2010 by Melisa M. | Comments (0)

February is on its way out and spring is just around the corner. That could only mean one thing. No, not warm weather, not blossoming flowers
 spring cleaning! It’s time to de-clutter your house and if you wait any longer you’re only going to regret it! But we all know that getting rid of clutter can be an intimidating task. It’s messy, it’s complicated and it’s exhausting. But the rewards will certainly outweigh all the work when you’re home is spotless and all your neighbors are jealous. So we’ve asked the experts and found some de-cluttering tips to help you get through the war known as cleaning!

This is what Toronto Interior Designer, Architectural Planner and Organizational Coach Erica Swanson, has to share on the subject:

I detest the word ‘clutter’; it’s a misnomer that fails to get to the heart of the issue.  Clutter isn’t so much about our stuff as it is about how we feel about our stuff.  Until we get honest about our relationship to the things we own, our things will continue to own us. If we spent half as much time critically thinking about our purchases as we did storing, cleaning, rearranging, insuring and generally complaining about our belongings, we’d have a whole lot of time left over to focus on the things that matter most.  And who doesn’t want that?

Getting real isn’t easy but think about this: stuff doesn’t just mysteriously appear in your closets, your cabinets, your front hall closets, your junk drawers, under the bed, and in your desk drawers.  You let stuff creep in. There are thousands of books on the market that do a phenomenal job of teaching you how to strategically purge your stuff.  Set aside the time.  Be ruthless.  Divide and conquer, baby.  But next time, when you’re standing in the checkout line with yet another jar of face cream, box of doodads, or fill-in-the-blank shiny new toy, ask yourself if it’s something you really need.  I mean, really need.  Because ultimately, clutter control is simple; stop filling your home with things that don’t fill you.

Erica’s website, www.ericaswansondesign.com will be up in April.

Another Toronto Interior Designer, Carol Reed had these great tips to offer:

Having a place for everything is key and the right type of storage organization is also key. Assess what it is that is out of control and that will help determine what type of storage you need to keep it contained, accessible and neat looking. It sounds basic but these are things that people overlook.  Acquiring shelving and buying organizing accessories is something we rarely intentionally go shopping for.

Unsightly items should be concealed behind doors, or inside cabinets (textbooks, files, media components) and attractive items or collections can be stored (displayed) openly. Select furniture that has shelving or drawers or hidden storage compartments, i.e. end tables with lower shelves or ottomans with flip tops. Avoid end tables, hall tables and night tables that have no shelves or drawers. Control visual clutter by going neutral. If you’re the type of person that has lots of ‘things’ and likes to keep them on display or likes an open shelving style kitchen, than keep the rest of the space neutral. Lots of colors plus lots of things on display will create visual clutter. 

These are my favorite ways to organize clutter. They are all inexpensive, easy to do and look good:

Trays: My favorite ‘clutter’ accessory. These are a must on surfaces, they contain your clutter and make your things look organized and appear more like they’re on display. Use them on coffee tables, entry hall tables, console tables, bathroom vanities, the back of toilets and even the kitchen counter.

Baskets: After trays, this is my next favorite clutter accessory. Not only do they add natural organic texture to a space (which I think every space needs,) they can fit under tables, on top of armoires, on closet shelves or on bookcase shelves. You can use the kind with lids or without. Today you can find a wide assortment of sizes, shapes, colours and styles from chunky and rustic to tightly woven tailored looking. Ikea, West Elm, Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel are great sources for these.

Interior Dividers: They go in your drawers, they are super inexpensive and you can fit twice as much in a drawer with these and things are easy to find.

Hooks: I’m hooked on hooks these days! They are super inexspensive, easy to install and lots of styles can be used in almost every room, hooks can go at your entry door for canvas shopping bags, in the bathroom for towels, in the bedroom for necklaces, in the mud room for keys, leashes, coats or hats, in the kitchen for pots and pans. I’m seeing a beautiful selection of hooks around in all styles and finishes. Some of them are so pretty you don’t want to cover them up!

Canvas Shoe Holders: These are a great storage device for the inside of closet doors for all kinds of things.

Vintage: If you run out of closet space to store your stuff away, antique crates and old suitcases are great for off-season or seldom used items and can double as side tables.

Wire Management: Visual clutter! It drives me crazy to see a mess of media wires or computer wires in a space. There are lots of wire management accessories in the electrical department at the building centre.

Tech Gadgets: One of my favorite tricks is to store the media components behind doors in a media cabinet or bookcase. You can buy a simple device that switches your remote controls from IR to RF (infra red to radio frequency) which means you can operate them even when they are behind doors.

Rechargables: Imagine how many cell phones, digital cameras and iPods you can find in the average house- you can buy great looking docking stations for all your rechargeables that contain the cords and that house all the other paraphernalia that go along with them.  

Cupboards: Kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanity cupboards without any pull-outs are a really poor use of space. Install pull-out wire organizers, pull-out shelves or recycle bins that let you take advantage of the cupboard’s depth and keep it all easily accessible. A wide assortment of these are readily available in building centres.

Great resources for organizational accessories: Ikea, Kitchen Stuff Plus, Solutions, West Elm, Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel.

Home is Wherever You Hang Your Hat

February 23, 2010 by Lynn Edwards | Comments (0)

For those of you who have read my Rachel Ray blog you know I’m culinarily challenged, but love those food shows. I’m equally as inept at home design & dĂ©cor but I love me some Design on a Dime (although I don’t actual DO either). I love the word “home.” I grew up in a small rambler with seven people, one bathroom and no dishwasher, but it was home. My Dad still lives there and it’s amazing how it feels sleeping in that house. It’s awesome when we all go home with our families, the bathroom line is just a little longer now with 23 people. After college I became a vagabond and lived all over the world, followed by 18 years as an army spouse. The Army has this cute little sign that says “Home is where the Army sends you.”

Needless to say, my “home” has been a stinky room the size of a closet, a grass hut in the middle of a rice paddy, an apartment on the 75th floor, a condo near a strip mall, a large sprawling tudor style, and approximately 5000 hotel rooms. I love all that cool stuff you get for your home when you get married but I made a critical mistake and had a really small wedding. Turns out I received three place settings of my formal china. When we’d have another couple over the fourth person had to eat off a plastic power ranger plate. I’m so home dĂ©cor challenged I have lived for months with no pictures on the wall, have gone 20+ years without buying window treatments and I don’t have more than two bath towels the same color. When people ask me what “theme” I have decorated my homes I answer with a mid-modern century “pot pourri”.

As a joke one year my friends bought me an entire set of holiday plates. I now have salt & pepper shakers with snowmen on them
so stinking cool! I think chicks that wear hats are fashion forward stars, those with holiday-themed china are domestic goddesses
.now I’m one. There are some staples I love that seem to make a house a luxurious home…a million pillows on your bed & lots of thread count sheets, a system to organize your plastic wear & lids, real flowers on your kitchen island, and that’s living. Oh, and whoever invented that electric fire place switch needs a raise
big time! I love huge tubs but have spent little time in them. The time I did spend was usually jockeying around to get comfortable around all those hot wheels in there with me. I did build a water feature on my deck once. I loved it, yeah for Lowe’s. I looked like a landscape architect genius just by putting part A into part B and firing up the hose. It was great to fall asleep to but it made me have to get up and pee all night long.

Oprah says make your home an oasis
take a look around and think about what you can do to make your house a little more “homey”
even if it’s just a $2 apple pie scented candle.

Put a Spring in Your Step with these Hot Colors

February 22, 2010 by Madeline C. | Comments (0)

When we think of spring we think of pastels and floral prints, but those just seem a little too passĂ© and boring. What will you be wearing this spring to spice up your wardrobe? Here are some of the color trends that you won’t want to miss out on. Pick up a few bright accessories that are both trendy and timeless.

Turquoise – We’re pretty sure this is on EVERYONE’S hot-list, along with other aqua-colored hues. This vibrant color turns every outfit up a notch, making you just exude that cool confident aura that will make you the center of attention. Splurge on a Jamie Joseph brightly colored stone ring. We love this Sea Blue Chalcedony Ring for a beautiful eye-catcher.

Light Pink – More specifically, champagnes and corals are two “light pinks” that won’t have you gagging on pastel and cotton candy. Champagne is the closest you can get to a nice neutral color while adding a little pop! And for coral, try some of Cara Lyndon’s hairpins, we recommend Coral Wheel . Whether your hair color is light or dark, this feminine flair will turn heads.

Yellow – In every shade and size. Add a dash here or there or a big bright bag to have everyone around you smiling. Evoking sunshine and happiness, everyone could stand to integrate this cheerful color into their wardrobe or even their home. Try a bright throw pillow to add to your living room, we like the yellow Gloria pillow from Henry Road. The great thing about throw pillows is, when spring is over, you can just throw them back into the closet until spring comes again!

Interview with Liz Parker of LizPR

February 19, 2010 by Melisa M. | Comments (6)

Liz Parker is a  Toronto-based publicist specializing in classical musicians. Liz has vast experience promoting classical musicians and concerts to the media, and has also promoted jazz, world, and folk music.  Crazy about makeovers, she ensures her clients look and feel great for their photo shoots; and yes, she offers clothes shopping as a service.  She LOVES encouraging musicians to raise their game with their presentation off-stage, to match the magic they create on-stage.

What is your motto, slogan, or theme song?
“Follow your bliss.”  My father drummed that into my head from an early age, and he sat me down when I was a teenager to watch Joseph Campbell discuss “The Power of Myth”, where I heard this message from the man himself.  Since then, I made a pact with myself to do what’s right for me, however unconventional to others.  It’s the greatest gift my dad gave me.
 

What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
“Figure out what you’d die for, and live for it.”  I just read this recently somewhere, and I thought, “whoa.”

What’s your favorite fashion must-have or must-NOT-have?
Must-have: boots.  I’m a boot slut.  Tasteful, outrageous, sexy, elegant, doesn’t matter – I LOVE BOOTS.  I just walk differently in ‘em.  Must-NOT-have: horizontal stripes.  So unflattering.  

In a past life you were…
A flamenco dancer in Spain.

How do you relax?
“Drool in front of the TV” is a common phrase I quip to describe needing to veg out.  I’d love to say I practice yoga on top of a mountain or go for walks in the park, but let’s face it, I just drool in front of the TV.

What’s a place that inspires you and why?
Vancouver.  It’s my hometown and every time I visit I look at the mountains and oceans and get all verklempt.  I’m sitting here at my mom’s condo, gazing at the mountains as I type (so sorry for any type-os), taking in the Olympic vibe … the scenery is crazy-phenomenal.

What makes you feel most CRAVE – able?
Apart from wearing sexy boots, I’d say my confidence.  When I’m on, I’m fierce.  (When I’m not, I eat dark chocolate.)

What’s a cause you are passionate about and why?
Not so much a cause but a sense that everyone must be true to themselves.  I see way too many people keep up appearances.  People aren’t leading the lives they’re meant to lead.  It takes great courage to be true to yourself, and that’s why I support people who go through great lengths to lead an authentic life.  I’m very passionate about this.

If you weren’t running this business, what would your life look like?
My life has been so wrapped up in promoting musicians I can’t imagine another way of living, but if I weren’t running LIZPR, I’d be walking dogs in the country.  I know, totally different scene….

What makes you laugh so hard you cry?
English slapstick.  John Cleese as Basil Fawlty comes to mind.  Let alone David Brent’s (BBC’s The Office – the original) infamous dance for charity. 

In 10 years you want to be…
…as impish and silly as I am today.

If you could time travel where would you go?
Oh, without question, the Art Deco era, New York City.  Man, everything was stylish: the people, the clothes, the martini sets, the buildings, the decor, the furniture….EVERYTHING!

Go Ga Ga for Babies in Toronto!

February 17, 2010 by Melisa M. | Comments (0)

At some point everyone needs to find a baby gift for a shower, and often times it’s last minute. If you’re looking for something really special we’ve found some stores for you to browse that are really worth a look.

My Bump
944 Kingston Road
416.698.6625
mybumpmaternity.com

My Bump provides you with an inviting comfortable atmosphere to ensure an easy shopping experience. They have searched long and hard for the finest of designers and gifts so you don’t have to. My Bump has a wide variety of maternity gifts, perfect for the expectant mother. If you know the mother well enough you can get her fashionable maternity clothes or you can get her anything for the baby from baby body foam to a changing mat to a variety of adorable baby blankets. You can even get her a hooter hider to breast feed in public after the baby arrives. There are also a lot of great sale items and if you’re not sure what to get her you can purchase a gift certificate.

Kids at Home
2086 Queen St. E
416.698.9726
kidsathome.com

If you’d like to go a slightly different route than the typical baby shower gifts like new baby supplies or new mother gifts you can try looking at Kids at Home. Kids at Home is the perfect place to find unique decorating pieces for the new baby’s room, like beautiful lights, adorable art and even rugs. They also sell impressive furniture if you’re looking to buy a more important gift and they also carry a lot of toys, baby clothes and traditional baby shower gifts. When you give your great gift from Kids at Home you can remind the new mother that their website has some really helpful tips for decorating the new bundle’s bedroom. Kids at Home is must see if you’re searching for a classy baby shower gift.

Baby on Board Apparel
416.829.2459
babyonboardapparel.com

The founder, Ali McEwen has this to say about BOBA; “I was visiting Brooklyn and stumbled upon this amazing t-shirt shop. In a brief conversation with the gentleman who was working the shop that day I blurted out the idea of blasting an ultrasound picture across a maternity tee.  And from that random thought I realized my calling to develop cool, fashion forward maternity tees that can be worn during pregnancy and after. My tees are a custom pattern and were developed through fit samples and listening to what felt good on the pregnant women.” BOBA is an online store that sells comfortable maternity t-shirts with unique designs that say things like “Made with love,” Signed, sealed, delivered” and “Baby Buddha.” This is a good place to look for a humorous, but also handy gift for an expectant mother to wear something comfortable during this undoubtedly uncomfortable time.

I hope this helps in your search for the perfect baby shower gift!

A New Twist on the Theme Song

February 15, 2010 by Jade S. | Comments (0)

A Theme Song. Normally when you think of a theme song you think of the first 30 seconds of a TV Show or news broadcast. That annoying thirty second melody that plays over and over in our heads days after we have watched the show. But this week we take a new look at the theme song. We asked around on Twitter and Facebook and came up with a fabulous list of songs people consider their “theme songs” for life.

These are songs that lifts you up and makes you feel good. Songs that starts a fire and keeps you going. Songs that you dance around in your bedroom listening to while you sing into your hair brush. These are the songs that define us. Everyone has one hidden some where inside of them. It might be your phone ring or the song that plays in your headphones while you work out or before a big meeting – whenever you use it and however it makes you feel we thank you all for sharing your themes.

Here is a complete list of the suggested theme songs:

• Dance to the Music – Sly and the Family Stone
• (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding - Nick Lowe
• Sexy Chick – Akon
• Poker Face – Lady GaGa
• Short Skirt/Long Jacket – Cake
• Do You Hear the People Sing – Cast of Les Miserables
• On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – Propellerheads
• I’m Every Woman – Chaka Khan
• This Little Light of Mine – the Steels
• Looking Good and Feeling Gorgeous – RuPaul
• Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield
• I Wanna Dance With Somebody – Whitney Houston
• Jump (For My Love) - The Pointer Sisters
• What a Feeling - Irene Cara (a favorite of CRAVE foundress Melody B.)
• Fame – Irene Cara
• Gloria – Laura Branigan
• Stand Out – the Goofy Movie Soundtrack
• I’m Coming Out – Diana Ross

For your listening pleasure go to the complete playlist on the blip.fm page titled CRAVEThemeSongs.

And next time you need a pick me up or inspiration, crank up one of these tunes and sing out – you might be surprised just how good it makes you feel!

Valentine’s Day – Pink Themed Recipes

February 12, 2010 by Madeline C. | Comments (0)

There are so many pros to going out to dinner on Valentine’s Day and we can think of a lot of cons to staying in and cooking. But with the following recipes, staying in and making a home-cooked meal with your sweetheart might just look like the best idea ever!

Rack of Lamb with Herb and Olive Crust
For a pink themed menu, let’s start with a delicious lamb recipe. It comes from Caroline in Chicago’s blog (hwhippedtheblog.com). Our mouths are watering already!

1/3 cup coarsely chopped olives – kalamata, picholine or Manzanilla
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh thyme‹2 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
2 racks of lamb (7-8 ribs each, trimmed or frenched)
salt and pepper
3/6 cups breadcrumbs

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Combine olives, parsley, thyme, garlic and red pepper in a food processor or mortar. Make a rough paste. Stir in mayo. Set aside. Trim lamb so only a thin layer of fat remains. Heat a heavy skillet (NOT a nonstick) over high heat. Season racks with salt and pepper. Set in skillet fat side down and cook for about 2 minutes. Spread breadcrumbs on a plate. Coat the surface of the lamb with the olive paste then dip in the crumbs to coat. Put bone side down in a roasting pan. Cover the bone tips with foil so they don’t burn. Roast until instant read thermometer is 120-125 degrees for rare or 130-135 for medium. It will cook another 5 degrees when out of the oven. Let the lamb rest for 5 minutes. Cut apart between the bones and serve.

Strawberry Cupcakes
Amy Sherman, a San Francisco-based author, writer, and developer of all things food, shares an amazing strawberry cupcake recipe on her blog (cookingwithamy.blogspot.com). Cupcakes and strawberries are the key to any beau’s heart.

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 large egg
6 ounces DannonÂź All Natural Vanilla Lowfat Yogurt (or any other fruit flavor of yogurt)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, diced

Frosting:
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 fresh strawberries, about 2 Tbsp. mashed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. With an electric hand mixer, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the egg, DannonÂź All Natural Vanilla Lowfat Yogurt and vanilla, blending until smooth.
2. Measure the dry ingredients into the bowl and blend, then fold in the strawberries.
3. Divide the mixture equally between the 12 paper-lined cupcake cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
4. Beat together butter, powdered sugar, and mashed strawberry in medium-size bowl until creamy and smooth. Chill frosting for 15 minutes or until thick. Frost cupcakes with a spatula. Keep cupcakes in the refrigerator loosely covered.
Yield: 12 servings

French Kiss
To accompany your beloved meal (cupcakes are a meal, right?), the Wedding Paper Divas have some suggestions for romantically festive drinks (blog.weddingpaperdivas.com). May we recommend the French Kiss? It’s just the perfect shade of pink to match you cupcakes
we mean cheeks!

Ÿ oz Chambord
Ÿ oz Peach Schnapps
Ÿ oz Vodka
Splash orange juice, pineapple juice, cranberry juice
Serve straight up in a martini glass

Valentine’s Day – Find Cupcakes in Toronto

February 10, 2010 by Melisa M. | Comments (0)

Valentine’s Day is just a few days away and if you’re tired of giving chocolates or candy, try cupcakes! Cupcake shops are a growing trend and they can often be an extraordinarily delicious and often times beautifully decorated gift. Sometimes a whole cake is too much, especially for a holiday like Valentine’s Day where a small sentiment is more appropriate. Whether it’s for a spouse, a significant other, a best friend
 or yourself, try these great cupcake bakeries to find the perfect treat!

Sugar Baking
647.669.9754
sugar-baking.com

Sugar Baking is a cupcake, cake and cookie delivery service. You can call or order online and they will deliver your cupcakes to any location in the greater Toronto area just when you want them. In order to ensure your cupcakes come on time, place your order at least two days in advance. And if you would like a custom design, order at least a week in advance. Sugar baking is a special shop because it offers unique flavors and custom cupcake/frosting combinations. Flavors like MMMango: A generous swirl of smooth mango buttercream that rests on your choice of classic vanilla or infamous chocolate cupcake. Or Banana rama: a moist cupcake bursting with bananas and laced with chopped Toblerone chocolate. This little treat is a single-sized portion of banana bread, without having to commit to the whole loaf. Indulge plain, or topped off with a swirl of Nutella or chocolate buttercream. With many delicate delights to taste, Sugar Bakery is a must to check out.

Cupcaketionery
416.910.0761
cupcaketionery.com

Cupcaketionery is also a delivery service. They care about people, animals, and the environment. They use only the finest ingredients that were made or procured without cruelty to animals or injustices to workers. They also use organic and fair-trade ingredients where they can, as long as it is vegan and allergen-free. Cupcaketionery has cupcakes that are rich in protein, omega-3, amino acids, antioxidants and healthy fats. You can indulge without ruining your health or breaking out your EpiPen! If you’re looking to treat someone who is health conscious or environmentally conscious, this is a great choice. But just because these cupcakes are healthier than the rest, it doesn’t mean they don’t taste just as good! Cupcaketionery has a long list of exciting flavors sure to please anyone. Matcha Match, Chai Tea, and Mint Condition are just a few of their fun flavors.

Sugar Plum Sweet Creations
1028 Kingston Road
416.693.4747
sugarplum.ca

If you really want to make a statement via cupcake this Valentine’s Day, come to Sugar Plum. Their specialty is decoration. Sugar Plum’s cupcakes are adorned with painstaking detail with colorful flowers or holiday themed decorations. They also sell cakes and cookies and a good selection of gifts and greeting cards for any occasion you would like to give for. Another good thing about Sugar Plum is that you don’t have to order in advance. You can come in and pick out a gorgeous cupcake on the day you need it, or if you just have a delicious craving! But don’t come in at the last minute for Valentine’s Day! These beautiful creations are sure to fly out the door.

Now that you have a hankering for the perfect cupcake, go out and bite into one! Oh yeah, and get one for that special someone on Valentine’s Day too


11 Ways To Be Single on Valentine’s Day

February 9, 2010 by Sarah C. | Comments (0)

Single, taken, or “it’s complicated”… regardless of your relationship status, Valentine’s Day can frankly be very obnoxious. If you’re with someone, you’re pressured to partake in extravagant displays of lovey-dovey cuteitude against your will. If you’re single, it’s even worse. You’re brutally reminded that those millions of cheesy greeting cards with kissing puppies on the front simply aren’t meant for you. Of course Valentine’s Day isn’t all bad, but it can be tough to go solo on a day when the rest of the world seems madly in love. In an effort to give single gals out there some solace, here’s a smattering of ideas from women (and two men) on what to do on February 14th if you’re single.

• Two words: Southern. Comfort. Now you have advice from lady AND gentleman – Corbin, Taken, Washington DC [Best "Drink Your Sorrows Away" V-Day]

• Celebrate the Chinese New Year! -Jocelyn, Single, Woodinvile [Best V-Day Replacement Holiday]

• I heard the trick is to not make Valentine’s Day about loving a person you are in a relationship with, but to make it about loving all the people you love. If it isn’t about one person than it can be less disappointing when you spread out the love! – Courtney, Single, Santa Clara [Sweetest V-Day Idea]

• Remember that it’s easier to be single on Valentine’s Day than stuck in a relationship that’s going nowhere fast. -Mike, Divorced, London [Best V-Day Reality Check]

• This might be an LA only thing…but going to Disneyland with friends is awesome, as is going to Amoeba Records by yourself. – Natasha, Single, Los Angeles [Most LA V-Day]

• Offer to babysit for your friends with kids! -Deborah, Taken, Woodinville [Most Charitable V-Day Idea]

• I loved my single Valentines the best! Having a dinner party (with yummy cocktails) is fun with your single friends, or taking a little trip somewhere- the ocean, a cabin, a movie- with a few friends is wonderful! Just celebrating the people you love is what it’s all about! – Carly, Taken, Camano Island [Best Girlfriends V-Day]

• If I were single on VDAY I’d go to Vegas for sure. But that’s just me… – Ashley, Taken, Los Angeles [Best V-Day for Ladies on the Prowl]

• It’s two weeks away…. whose to say you will be single? Also… I hear having a bonfire is great fun… and if things go awry, a fireman comes over to visit – Adrienne, Single, Santa Fe [Hottest V-Day Idea]

• Valentine’s Day is just another day…I would go to brunch and buy yourself some flowers. – Jess, Taken, San Diego [Best "Celebrate Yourself" V-Day Idea]

So there you have it. Booze, babysitting, brunch or bonfires – whatever you do, you definitely do not need a beau to enjoy your Valentine’s Day this year. Have fun!

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