Valentine's Day

Kate P wrote:

tonys wrote:

Kate P wrote:

I can see you've all gone to great lengths to find out what exactly the love of your life would like you to expend your energies on in preparation for Valentine's Day.

What would you like yourselves, in the absence of mustardy text-messages, petrol station flowers, dinners in McDonalds and Oscars and day trips to gay Paree?

No no no no, a DAY trip to Paris doesn't do it, at a minimum the full 24 hours is a basic requirement.

Keep talking, tonys...

That's about all I do, I'm afraid.

That wasn't what I meant.

But if 24 hours min is the basic package, can you outline the delux offering?

I mentioned the M&S dine in deals. Their Valentines one is available on Thursday and costs €25. Included is:

- Starter
- Main Course
- Side Dish
- Bottle of Wine
- Single Red Rose


Starters:
Camembert with chutney
Onion and goats cheeses speciality tartlets
Pate de campagne
Honey roast salmon cocktail shots
Prawn cocktail
Applewood smoked salmon
Coquilles st jaques
Camembert and brusshetti
Scallops and chorizoAntipasti
Parma ham

Main courses:
Sirloin steak with pepper
Gastro beef ribs
Duck a l'orange
Lamb rack with basil and pine nuts
Seafood medley
Rump steak and peppercorn sauce
Parma wrapped chicken and cheese
Lochmuir scottish lightly smoked salmon joint
2 dover sole
Mushroom nut roast

Side Dishes:
New potato/Herb
Caesar vegetables
Med veg
House salad bowl
Ultimate mash
Gastro chips
Fresh chips

Desserts:
Valentines heart chocolate souffle
Valentines chocolate entertaining
Melt in the middle chocolate puddings
Raspberry panacotta
White chocolate and raspberry cheesecake
Fruit tarts
Special strawberry collection
Cheese selection

Flower giveaway: Single rose

Wines:
Bluff Hill sparkling
Sparkling pinot noir
Malbec reserveFleurie
Petit chablis
Marlborough sauvignon blanc
Kaituna Hills sauvignon blanc

Kate P wrote:

That wasn't what I meant.

But if 24 hours min is the basic package, can you outline the delux offering?

If we stay with the basic minimum this would be my suggestion.

You arrive at your hotel early afternoon, you might spend an hour there. You go for a walk through one of the city parks, have a coffee, stop at the open air iceskating ring on your way back to your hotel, you might spend an hour or two there. You go to a Jazz club where they serve dinner before a New Orleans style jazz session, there’d be some dancing, some drinking, some talking and some listening to the music. Back to your hotel, you might spend several hours there. In the morning after breakfast, you’d go to one of the open air markets, I like the Bastille food market, stroll around, try a pastry, try a coffee, before heading back to the hotel airport.

johnfás wrote:

I mentioned the M&S dine in deals. Their Valentines one is available on Thursday and costs €25. Included is:

- Starter
- Main Course
- Side Dish
- Bottle of Wine
- Single Red Rose


Starters:
Camembert with chutney
Onion and goats cheeses speciality tartlets
Pate de campagne
Honey roast salmon cocktail shots
Prawn cocktail
Applewood smoked salmon
Coquilles st jaques
Camembert and brusshetti
Scallops and chorizoAntipasti
Parma ham

Main courses:
Sirloin steak with pepper
Gastro beef ribs
Duck a l'orange
Lamb rack with basil and pine nuts
Seafood medley
Rump steak and peppercorn sauce
Parma wrapped chicken and cheese
Lochmuir scottish lightly smoked salmon joint
2 dover sole
Mushroom nut roast

Side Dishes:
New potato/Herb
Caesar vegetables
Med veg
House salad bowl
Ultimate mash
Gastro chips
Fresh chips

Desserts:
Valentines heart chocolate souffle
Valentines chocolate entertaining
Melt in the middle chocolate puddings
Raspberry panacotta
White chocolate and raspberry cheesecake
Fruit tarts
Special strawberry collection
Cheese selection

Flower giveaway: Single rose

Wines:
Bluff Hill sparkling
Sparkling pinot noir
Malbec reserveFleurie
Petit chablis
Marlborough sauvignon blanc
Kaituna Hills sauvignon blanc

That looks good.

tonys wrote:

Kate P wrote:

That wasn't what I meant.

But if 24 hours min is the basic package, can you outline the delux offering?

If we stay with the basic minimum this would be my suggestion.

You arrive at your hotel early afternoon, you might spend an hour there. You go for a walk through one of the city parks, have a coffee, stop at the open air iceskating ring on your way back to your hotel, you might spend an hour or two there. You go to a Jazz club where they serve dinner before a New Orleans style jazz session, there’d be some dancing, some drinking, some talking and some listening to the music. Back to your hotel, you might spend several hours there. In the morning after breakfast, you’d go to one of the open air markets, I like the Bastille food market, stroll around, try a pastry, try a coffee, before heading back to the hotel airport.

tonys - you get first prize here in my book. Perfect. A lady wouldn't mind missing the plane if it came to it...

I think MacDonalds and a text message does the job just fine...

Aragon wrote:

tonys wrote:

Kate P wrote:

That wasn't what I meant.

But if 24 hours min is the basic package, can you outline the delux offering?

If we stay with the basic minimum this would be my suggestion.

You arrive at your hotel early afternoon, you might spend an hour there. You go for a walk through one of the city parks, have a coffee, stop at the open air iceskating ring on your way back to your hotel, you might spend an hour or two there. You go to a Jazz club where they serve dinner before a New Orleans style jazz session, there’d be some dancing, some drinking, some talking and some listening to the music. Back to your hotel, you might spend several hours there. In the morning after breakfast, you’d go to one of the open air markets, I like the Bastille food market, stroll around, try a pastry, try a coffee, before heading back to the hotel airport.

tonys - you get first prize here in my book. Perfect. A lady wouldn't mind missing the plane if it came to it...

Bastille food market ... mmmm. You could rent bikes together and float through the Parisienne streets looking for places where Toulouse Lautrec ...stayed.

Auditor #9 wrote:

Aragon wrote:

tonys wrote:

Kate P wrote:

That wasn't what I meant.

But if 24 hours min is the basic package, can you outline the delux offering?

If we stay with the basic minimum this would be my suggestion.

You arrive at your hotel early afternoon, you might spend an hour there. You go for a walk through one of the city parks, have a coffee, stop at the open air iceskating ring on your way back to your hotel, you might spend an hour or two there. You go to a Jazz club where they serve dinner before a New Orleans style jazz session, there’d be some dancing, some drinking, some talking and some listening to the music. Back to your hotel, you might spend several hours there. In the morning after breakfast, you’d go to one of the open air markets, I like the Bastille food market, stroll around, try a pastry, try a coffee, before heading back to the hotel airport.

tonys - you get first prize here in my book. Perfect. A lady wouldn't mind missing the plane if it came to it...

Bastille food market ... mmmm. You could rent bikes together and float through the Parisienne streets looking for places where Toulouse Lautrec ...stayed.

The bikes are free: perhaps this might swing it for johnfás and his lady.

tonys wrote:

Kate P wrote:

That wasn't what I meant.

But if 24 hours min is the basic package, can you outline the delux offering?

If we stay with the basic minimum this would be my suggestion.

You arrive at your hotel early afternoon, you might spend an hour there. You go for a walk through one of the city parks, have a coffee, stop at the open air iceskating ring on your way back to your hotel, you might spend an hour or two there. You go to a Jazz club where they serve dinner before a New Orleans style jazz session, there’d be some dancing, some drinking, some talking and some listening to the music. Back to your hotel, you might spend several hours there. In the morning after breakfast, you’d go to one of the open air markets, I like the Bastille food market, stroll around, try a pastry, try a coffee, before heading back to the hotel airport.

Sounds wonderful tonys. It might almost restore my faith in the celebration of Valentine's day...

johnfás wrote:

I mentioned the M&S dine in deals. Their Valentines one is available on Thursday and costs €25. Included is:

- Starter
- Main Course
- Side Dish
- Bottle of Wine
- Single Red Rose


Starters:
Camembert with chutney
Onion and goats cheeses speciality tartlets
Pate de campagne
Honey roast salmon cocktail shots
Prawn cocktail
Applewood smoked salmon
Coquilles st jaques
Camembert and brusshetti
Scallops and chorizoAntipasti
Parma ham

Main courses:
Sirloin steak with pepper
Gastro beef ribs
Duck a l'orange
Lamb rack with basil and pine nuts
Seafood medley
Rump steak and peppercorn sauce
Parma wrapped chicken and cheese
Lochmuir scottish lightly smoked salmon joint
2 dover sole
Mushroom nut roast

Side Dishes:
New potato/Herb
Caesar vegetables
Med veg
House salad bowl
Ultimate mash
Gastro chips
Fresh chips

Desserts:
Valentines heart chocolate souffle
Valentines chocolate entertaining
Melt in the middle chocolate puddings
Raspberry panacotta
White chocolate and raspberry cheesecake
Fruit tarts
Special strawberry collection
Cheese selection

Flower giveaway: Single rose

Wines:
Bluff Hill sparkling
Sparkling pinot noir
Malbec reserveFleurie
Petit chablis
Marlborough sauvignon blanc
Kaituna Hills sauvignon blanc

Well, I'd eat none of the starters (which means an extra one for himself), I'd be happy enough with a steak, and I'm not really sure I'd eat any of the desserts (see above for solution to this). And I dislike M&S's exchange rate policy. I might give them a miss.

Not sure what we'll do, perhaps nothing, maybe go to a local restaurant.

My brother buys his wife a rose bush every year - fits in with buying roses, but continues to give pleasure for years. She has almost 10 of them now, though, so he's been told to come up with a new idea this year.

Kate P wrote:

What would you like yourselves, in the absence of mustardy text-messages, petrol station flowers, dinners in McDonalds and Oscars and day trips to gay Paree?

Same thing I'd get her.. a home made 5 course meal.

I got flowers once from a girl, not on Valentines.. can't remember the ocassion. Anyway it was unusual, but welcome.

On a more boyish note, a few bottles of out-of-the-ordinary English ales or continental beers. Yummy! I got this as a Christmas present from someone once and was impressed.

To be woken up to a big fry! Complete with pudding, egg, etc, good coffee and the newspaper.

eoinmn wrote:

Kate P wrote:

What would you like yourselves, in the absence of mustardy text-messages, petrol station flowers, dinners in McDonalds and Oscars and day trips to gay Paree?

Same thing I'd get her.. a home made 5 course meal.

I got flowers once from a girl, not on Valentines.. can't remember the ocassion. Anyway it was unusual, but welcome.

On a more boyish note, a few bottles of out-of-the-ordinary English ales or continental beers. Yummy! I got this as a Christmas present from someone once and was impressed.

To be woken up to a big fry! Complete with pudding, egg, etc, good coffee and the newspaper.

Agree that the above is pleasant enough except for the newpaper. The last thing your partner should want is having your mind distracted by other things. And you dont really want that either. Instead of giving you the paper, what about if she sang to you after serving brekfast- provided she had a good voice of course but preferably in a soft sultry voice and done in a relaxed spontaneous manner. Voices are wasted on talking.

As for what us blokes can do- I reckon Tonys, to judge from the ladies reaction, has the idea. The woman wants the man to take charge in logistical things - to be in control. Our image is best served by proving our worth in that aspect. You've got to make sure she has a memorable time. Paris seems to have a lot of things to do - so lots of chances to make good memories enjoying yourself there.

Quote :

As for what us blokes can do- I reckon Tonys, to judge from the ladies reaction, has the idea. The woman wants the man to take charge in logistical things - to be in control. Our image is best served by proving our worth in that aspect. You've got to make sure she has a memorable time. Paris seems to have a lot of things to do - so lots of chances to make good memories enjoying yourself there.

Hey now!

Two phallacies in a row...

Res, I almost don't know where to begin disagreeing with you.

Phallus-eze... don't know what it is but it sounds like it could make a good Valentine's Day present.

eoinmn wrote:

Kate P wrote:

What would you like yourselves, in the absence of mustardy text-messages, petrol station flowers, dinners in McDonalds and Oscars and day trips to gay Paree?

Same thing I'd get her.. a home made 5 course meal.

I got flowers once from a girl, not on Valentines.. can't remember the ocassion. Anyway it was unusual, but welcome.

On a more boyish note, a few bottles of out-of-the-ordinary English ales or continental beers. Yummy! I got this as a Christmas present from someone once and was impressed.

To be woken up to a big fry! Complete with pudding, egg, etc, good coffee and the newspaper.

Yes, I wasn't sure whether to mention that, but now that you've mentioned it, men do seem to like being given flowers.

?? What kind of men to you know cactus? Flowers are unusual, you can't eat them, drink them or kill Soviet troops on them... Yes, a distinctly illogical gift, ideal for women, not so much for men.

evercloserunion wrote:

?? What kind of men to you know cactus? Flowers are unusual, you can't eat them, drink them or kill Soviet troops on them... Yes, a distinctly illogical gift, ideal for women, not so much for men.

Here's a spade. it'll make for quicker work.

tonys wrote:

evercloserunion wrote:

?? What kind of men to you know cactus? Flowers are unusual, you can't eat them, drink them or kill Soviet troops on them... Yes, a distinctly illogical gift, ideal for women, not so much for men.

Here's a spade. it'll make for quicker work.

Yet most well known gardeners are men - apart from Gertrude Jekyll and, ahem Charlie Dimmock.

I know at least one guy who would appreciate flowers, though he'd prefer growing ones to the cut variety and when I think of certain flowers I always think of him - daffodils and blue poppies and snowdrops among others, so he's on my mind a lot this time of year.

Kate P wrote:

tonys wrote:

evercloserunion wrote:

?? What kind of men to you know cactus? Flowers are unusual, you can't eat them, drink them or kill Soviet troops on them... Yes, a distinctly illogical gift, ideal for women, not so much for men.

Here's a spade. it'll make for quicker work.

Yet most well known gardeners are men - apart from Gertrude Jekyll and, ahem Charlie Dimmock.

I know at least one guy who would appreciate flowers, though he'd prefer growing ones to the cut variety and when I think of certain flowers I always think of him - daffodils and blue poppies and snowdrops among others, so he's on my mind a lot this time of year.

Most well known gardeners may be men, but most men are not well known gardeners. It's a similar story with chefs.

Kate P wrote:

Quote :

As for what us blokes can do- I reckon Tonys, to judge from the ladies reaction, has the idea. The woman wants the man to take charge in logistical things - to be in control. Our image is best served by proving our worth in that aspect. You've got to make sure she has a memorable time. Paris seems to have a lot of things to do - so lots of chances to make good memories enjoying yourself there.

Hey now!

Two phallacies in a row...

Res, I almost don't know where to begin disagreeing with you.

Well slap me on the wrists for generalising Kate - its well deserved.
As for me I'm quite happy to let the woman (or anyone else) organise a day out -Less headache for me. Maybe living in Spain has turned me into an old machista, but I still think its in the man's psyche to take charge of the excursions. Its an evolved thing when we had to beat off bears and other cavemen, or at least work out where they might be lurking.

Respvblica wrote:

Kate P wrote:

Quote :

As for what us blokes can do- I reckon Tonys, to judge from the ladies reaction, has the idea. The woman wants the man to take charge in logistical things - to be in control. Our image is best served by proving our worth in that aspect. You've got to make sure she has a memorable time. Paris seems to have a lot of things to do - so lots of chances to make good memories enjoying yourself there.

Hey now!

Two phallacies in a row...

Res, I almost don't know where to begin disagreeing with you.

Well slap me on the wrists for generalising Kate - its well deserved.
As for me I'm quite happy to let the woman (or anyone else) organise a day out -Less headache for me. Maybe living in Spain has turned me into an old machista, but I still think its in the man's psyche to take charge of the excursions. Its an evolved thing when we had to beat off bears and other cavemen, or at least work out where they might be lurking.

Doesn't Spain have one of the world's highest incidence of men murdering their wives?

In terms of excursions, I wonder if couples were to separately write a list of their ideal excursion would there be much overlap?

My girlfriend took up waterpolo this evening... perhaps I'll buy her a ball for Valentines Day .

Do horses swim? How the fock do they get a team of horses into a swimming pool ...

Auditor #9 wrote:

Do horses swim? How the fock do they get a team of horses into a swimming pool ...

Could be something like this




Horses love swimming




even more when they have had a few:

Quote :

This is the hilarious moment drunken pony ‘Fat Boy’ fell into a swimming pool after bingeing on fermented apples.
The horse escaped from his stable, broke into Sarah Penhaligon’s back garden in Cornwall and proceeded to munch on hundreds of rotting apples.The effects of the fermented fallen fruit soon took hold and legless Fat Boy stumbled across the garden, lost his footing and fell head first into a swimming pool.
Sarah, 28, woke up after hearing a ‘huge’ splash and found the moorland pony in the shallow end. Unaware that Fat Boy was under the influence Sarah, from Newquay, fed him more apples to keep him calm before fire crews arrived.

“When I looked outside I saw this massive animal in the dark and I thought the Beast of Bodmin was in the pool,” she said.

“I was terrified, but when I took a closer look I realised it was a horse.
“I didn't have a clue what to do next - who do you call when there's a horse stuck in your swimming pool?

From the Daily Mirror 15/10/2008

Thats my kind of horse - total party animal!