valentine’s day: 9 posts

The aphrodisiac concept is quite ancient in its allure—a wondrous potion designed to seduce and enchant, though I confess to taking the idea with a grain of skepticism. Still, I firmly believe in the magic of food, from the visual, olfactory and gustatory standpoints. The seduction of food is in the unexpected juxtaposition of flavors and textures, in the temptation exerted upon the palate and the eye. The aphrodisiac dinner that I invite you to share captures the essence of this belief. …

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by Michelle Krell Kydd

Love potion. The word has the taste of alchemy, dry ice and witchery. The concept of food as a talisman is not a new one, but when it is attached to love there seems to be an unending string of incarnations. It is no wonder; every act of coupling has a unique quality and whether or not it is intended, the potential for creating new life is written into the physical expression of affection. In that tide of energy, identities are exchanged, traded and temporarily obliterated. Each person reemerges slightly different, yet more themselves than they were before. How could one not try to pierce that mystery by engaging the sense of taste? …

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Beautyhabit is offering various Valentine’s Day gift suggestions, from pink rose scented Diptyque Roses candle to the sandalwood and saffron embellished Idole de Lubin. See more gift ideas here. Spend $85 or more and receive a 2 piece box of Coco Delice chocolates along with a bounce back $15 coupon, which can be applied to any $100 or more order from Beautyhabit. The offer expires on February 15, 2006. The bounce back coupon expires on June 30, 2006. Use COCODELICE coupon to receive this offer.

With only a few weeks before the Valentine Day, I shall start writing about the flower that is full of symbols, many of which are pertinent to the day celebrating love. “A floral symbol sacred to Venus and signifying love, the quality and nature of which was characterized by the color of the rose. A symbol of purity, a white rose represented innoncent love, while a pink rose represented first love, and a red rose true love,” says the Dictionary of Art. At the same time, rose conceals many secrets under its silky petals. ‘Mystery glows in the rose bed, the secret is hidden in the rose,’ sang the Persian poet and perfumer, Farid ud-din Attar, in the twelfth century. Is love ever an easy to understand concept anyway?

Therefore, I shall try to cover as many different aspects of rose as possible, from its innocent side to its seductive, femme fatale persona.

Please come back on Monday to read my review of the newest fragrance by Les Parfums de Rosine Rose d’Amour.