Hello! With Valentines Day almost here I want to show you the simple romantic dinner that we made recently with a lobster, grapefruit salad, and Meyer Lemon Fettuccini. Also, there is a great little drinks table that we are loving, what to watch and read, and the progress on the plunge pool in our small backyard.
It’s Five Faves time with Annie and Cindy!
1. Simple Romantic Dinner For Valentine’s Day Or Anytime
You can read about how I set the table here if you missed it.
Aperol Spritz Cocktail:
Ingredients: 1 1/4 oz Aperol, 2 oz Prosecco, Splash of Soda water
Pour into a glass over ice, garnish with an orange slice, and serve.
I don’t have Howard’s vodka and gin martini recipe (I don’t drink them) but I think it’s something like this.
The Lobster Grapefruit Salad is here.
Get Juliet’s recipe for Meyer Lemon Fettucini here. We were thinking that any protein added to this like seared scallops or roasted chicken would be good too.
We purchased mini fruit tarts at Whole Foods and the broken chocolate is a Lindt Excellence Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Bar.
2. What To Watch
And speaking of romance, Howard and I finished “From Scratch” on Netflix quickly. I am not going to lie, it may cause a few tears, but it’s worth it. Parts of it are in Italy and Los Angeles…just the scenery is fun.
3. Perfect Little Drinks Table
We’ve been needing a small table to set a drink down next to the sofa since we moved in here. I saw this one in Pottery Barn and loved the slightly hammered metal finish and it’s sturdy!
All the sources for our great room/living room (like the durable rug) can be found here.
4. What To Read
“Hell Of A Book” by Jason Mott is sad but worthwhile. It won the 2021 National Book Award for Fiction. “A Black writer’s cross-country book tour becomes a profound exploration of love, friendship, and racial violence in America.” It lets you empathize, in a matter-of-fact way, with a young boy and then adult life’s struggles as an African American.
After that, I wanted something a little lighter so now I am listening to “The Love Hypothesis” by Alie Hazelwood. “
“The Love Hypothesis centers on Olive Smith, a Ph.D. student who is determined and headstrong. Then after a series of mishaps, she winds up fake dating the university’s most hated professor.”
There is a section that is very “adult” (sort of like Bridgerton) and it’s a little predictable but fun.
5. Small Backyard Pool Progress
I hesitate to show anything until it’s finished (landscaping, furniture, etc) but it’s coming along and will be fun to have…especially when the weather gets warm.
I will keep you posted!
If you are new here, each Sunday I share my top five favorite things along with my friends, Cindy and Annie. It’s like our weekly “catch-up” phone call. If you would like to receive this series every week, please sign up HERE.
Let’s see what Annie and Cindy’s Five Faves are this week:
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The pool is coming along great! I personally would not have kept the spa, I always found them too hot and they make me tired. Guess that is the whole idea to relax you though isn’t it?
Great dinner menu, guess I need to get started on mine!
Linda
The spa felt like an eyesore to me. Fortunately, my husband agreed. The new pool is heated.
Oh goodness, what an absolutely perfect menu! So fresh … love the citrus theme!
Citrus is so good right now!
Mary Ann … I’m so excited about your new pool … can’t wait for the full reveal! Thanks for sharing my lemon fettuccini recipe, it’s truly the best pasta I’ve ever made and perfect for Valentine’s Day! I love your entire menu … that salad look amazing! xo
Your table looks so fresh and pretty and I like the menu.
Your pool will be so nice to enjoy throughout the year. A pool makes the year really shine.
Karen B.
Thanks, Karen. The fountains sound nice too.
I have been looking for a small table and love what you have chosen from Pottery Barn. I need to measure again (including height) but am hoping that it works. Thanks for sharing. From Scratch was great: my husband got tired of it, so I had to finish it on my own. A little soapy, but the acting and locales are great. The dinner looks great, too, but the only thing I could eat in its entirety is the chocolate! No grapefruit, no pasta w/o protein, and then only in moderation (1/3 cup); no dessert. Oh well, such is life; there are worse things.
I think you will like the little table, Maeve. Nice little touch of black. So sorry you can’t eat everything on the menu!
Your lobster salad looks delicious! My Italian husband dislikes combining fruit and meat/seafood together (EXCEPT lemon!), but the grapefruit is a nice twist! Your new pool and patio is terrific; I am sure you are used to reno and its stresses and you handle it optimally, but that’s where MY mind goes when seeing your photos!
I just left a comment and it disappeared hopefully they both don’t return! That dinner menu sounds absolutely fabulous. I could eat that lobster salad every night! We have a fabulous fresh pasta place here and the fettuccine sounds like something I would love way too much!
That dinner sounds like perfection to me! I could eat that lobster salad every day of the week! So smart to buy the pastries, simpler for everyone!!
I binged watched the series,From Scratch, one weekend and loved it, tears and all ❤️
Yes…I’d love to ask you about the ending. I will try to email you.
Mary Ann,
Your dinner looks delicious! I’ve been wanting to try Juliet’s lemon fettuccini!
Love seeing the pool pics! What a difference from when you bought it with a hot tub and enclosed patio, to open with a pool!!!
Love your little drink table! Those kind of tables are perfect to have, you can use them anywhere!
Xx
Annie
Our back patio feels so much lighter now.
Mary Ann, I was inspired by your living room photo that showed an exposed TV screen. We are moving to a smaller home and the TV will have to go above fireplace and be exposed (unlike our current house where is it behind a custom cabinet). I hope ours looks as nice as yours, but will not have the recess. There are other pieces of equipment like a sound bar and small Apple TV box that will also need to be mounted or sit on mantle. Any more ideas for displaying tvs above fireplaces will be appreciated. Thanks too for all the recipes, books, and movie suggestions. Linda S
Linda, check our Annie’s post today for the Frame tv idea!