A Valentine Day Getaway

We are lucky this year, because Valentine’s Day falls on the same weekend as Family Day in Canada, so you get to stay in bed for an extra day… Wink wink…

Instead of staying around here, why not get out of the city and head to the love capital of Canada? Have you seen the Niagara Falls at night? Clifton Hills is a lot of fun if you want to battle it out with the arcades or hold hands through the haunted houses. There are also some great restaurants- I recommend Four Brothers.

Check out packages at the Marriott Niagara Falls Fallsview and Spa:

Relax Refresh Revive Romance Package:

• Luxurious accommodations.
• Fallsview hot buffet breakfast for two, $75 dinner voucher for the Terrapin Grille Fallsview Restaurant.
• One complimentary bottle of sparkling white wine and two keepsake Champagne flutes.
• Six chocolate dipped strawberries.
• Hershey Kisses.
• Six long stem red roses in a vase.
• One Select Spa Treatment.

Rates are posted here.

Niagara Wine Escape Package:

• Two nights deluxe accommodations for two. Select from a wide variety of room types including King bed with in-room whirlpool.
• Niagara-on-the-Lake Winery Tour for two – four hour tour including Niagara wineries’ tours and tastings and a chance to explore the beautiful town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.*
• Fresh-packed gourmet lunch-to-go for two.
• $75 dinner voucher at Terrapin Grille Fallsview Restaurant.
• Fallsview hot buffet breakfast for two.

Click out Rates here.

Perhaps you are one of those who thinks Valentine’s Day is quite overrated. In that case, why not make it a low-key and low-cost event?

Skating at Harbourfront

Located at Queen’s Quay, this pond-turned-ice-skating rink plays host to hundreds of skaters Sunday through Thursday from 10am to 10pm and until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Check out the Harbourfront website for special DJ appearances on Saturday nights.
Skating is free; bring your own skates or pick up a pair from the rental desk for $7.
Also available are coin-operated lockers and parking is approximately $9 after 6pm. (The Green P at Harbor and York is $4 if no sporting event is happening).

After skating, it’s home to make a yummy cup of hot chocolate…

Hot Chocolate Peppermint Recipe

Mmmmm...ummy hot chocolate

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 drops peppermint oil
• Sweetened whipped cream, for garnish
• Chocolate shavings, for garnish

Directions: In a saucepan, combine the cream, milk, sugar, and salt and heat over medium-low heat. When the cream mixture just begins to steam, add the chopped chocolate, and stir, until melted. Stir in the peppermint oil. Divide the hot chocolate among mugs and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Movie Night

Cuddle up on the couch to watch a few romantic flicks:

Cuddle up with an old romantic classic

The Classics:

• An Affair to Remember (1957)

• Casablanca (1942)
• Roman Holiday (1953)

The 80’s-Inspired:

• Sixteen Candles
• Wedding Singer: okay, not an actual 80s movie…but the sweetest movie set in the 80s.
• Say Anything…is there anything more romantic than John Cusack
  serenading Ione Sky outside her bedroom with his boombox, blasting
  Peter Gabriel’s In Your Eyes?

Watching the trailer makes me want to go out and rent it  …he’s sooo cute!

For the Guys:

• Wedding Crashers

Wedding Crashers

• Something About Mary
• I love You Man — okay, more of a bromance, but just as cute
• Knocked Up

Rachel’s Picks:

• Sleepless In Seattle

• Moulin Rouge
• The 40 Year Old Virgin
• Le Divorce
• Juno
• When Harry Met Sally

And one more for the road…..

Images via allposters.com; google images; ssplprints.com.