Nick and I don’t usually make a big deal out of Valentine’s Day. In fact, our usual tradition is to eat dinner at Chipotle (or somewhere similar) on Valentine’s because it’s less crowded and we’re of the mind that we don’t need Hallmark to sell us a day to show our love. BUT, with me being away at school so much these past two years, Nick decided it would be a nice, romantic date night opportunity.About a month ago, he told me not to make any plans for Valentine’s because he already did. Nick doesn’t plan things like this very often (if ever) so I was pleasantly surprised. He wouldn’t tell me where we were going or what we were doing – except that we were going to dinner but he wouldn’t tell me where – because it was a surprise, but he did tell me I could dress up. So, only knowing that we were having dinner but nothing else, I put together two outfits and told Nick to pick the most appropriate one. I chose a nice blouse and pants for outfit #1 and a really cute dress for outfit #2.

Scroll through to see the outfits in more detail, and at the bottom, you’ll see what we did and which outfit he chose!

Outfit #1: Black and white blouse, black pixie pants, pink heels

Outfit #2: Black and white print dress, tights, and ankle boots

The Date

Our date was dinner at Taberna Tapas, a delicious and authentic Spanish restaurant serving small & large plates, including charcuterie and paella, and then a comedy show at the Carolina Theatre featuring Maria Bamford! I had mentioned to Nick as soon as I found out she was playing in our city that I wanted to go see her and he remembered! (And he doesn’t remember ANYTHING!)

And the Winner is…

The dress! Nick said he liked both outfits but this was his favorite of the two, so it’s what I wore.

We had a great time and I’m really glad we celebrated Valentine’s this year. And the best part was, as we were leaving the theatre, it was snowing! It didn’t last long, and it was REALLY cold and windy, but there was something a little magical about it.

Which look is your favorite? Did you celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Outfit 1: Blouse: miami via Francesca’s | Pants: Old Navy | Shoes: Christian Siriano via Payless | Bracelet: Old Navy | Earrings: gift from my MIL

Outfit 2: Dress: Soprano via Nordstrom Rack |Belt: Target | Tights: Banana Republic | Booties: Target | Bracelet & Necklace: Old Navy | Earrings: gift from my MIL

Linking up with More Pieces of Me | Still Being Molly | InDUFFinitely Me | Because Shanna Said So | The Pleated Poppy | Tucker Up | The Tiny Heart | Mix & Match Fashion | The Penniless Socialite

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Since it’s a day for love I wanted to share one of my favorite love poems, dedicated to my Valentine, Nick.

Pausing by Lady Lee Andrews. Illustration by Nicolas Thomassin

Lady Lee Andrews is a Puerto Rican poet and her husband is a French artist named Nicolas Thomassin. They own a few little shops in Old San Juan; one is the cutest little coffee and art shop called The Poet’s Passage and the other is  Mi Pequeño San Juan, where they mold and hand paint replicas of historical buildings and doors in Puerto Rico. (I bought a door for myself as a souvenir; it’s adorable)

Nick and I visited the coffee shop every day when we were on our honeymoon. It was just one of the many reasons I fell in love with Puerto Rico. I bought this illustration and a book of poems by Ms. Andrews at the coffee shop before we left.

When I think of love, I think of sitting on the white, sandy beach in Puerto Rico with my brand new husband, eating mofongo and drinking Don Q (the real Puerto Rican rum). This poem takes me back there and makes me fall in love all over again.