happy hearts

I'm not big on Valentine's Day.

If you love someone, why not celebrate 365 days a year, instead of just Feb. 14? It seems silly to limit yourself.

But I admit it: Today was nice. And no, I did not limit myself.

I started off by bringing some blossoming teas from Tillerman to work for everyone in my department. (Aren't they so cute? Don't you love the ribbon and the little heart sticker?)


Then tonight we had a fantastic dinner -- mushroom cheese fondue and a beet and arugula salad accompanied by the 2004 Château Ausone, a first growth Bordeaux from Saint-Émilion that is a blend of 55 percent Cabernet Franc and 45 percent Merlot. (The fact that I even managed to get a bottle of this wine is a miracle in itself. First growth Bordeaux? Seriously. This is not something that happens every day, trust me.)


How to describe it: Like someone took dried cherries and dusted them with cocoa powder and then took a handful of violets and crushed them right next to my nose. An amazing, amazing wine -- the kind of stuff that makes me excited about wine all over again.