What the Chicks Love: Valentine’s Day Chick Picks
Regardless if you’re happily and magically intertwined with a wonderful-someone celebrating with candlelight and champagne or a blissfully confident and sassy single chick painting the town red (or pink) with your girlfriends -today is a day to celebrate l-o-v-e. At ChickSpeak, we think every single day of the year is a reason enough to rejoice in the spirit of love and tell those you have the warm-fuzzies for (man, friend or family member) you appreciate them, but on Valentine’s Day, the pressure is really on. So just for the chicks, The Girls at ChickSpeak give you our favorites of all things romantic, feisty and heart-wrenching to help bring a little extra love to you on the big 1-4 of February: Movies to Make You Melt “The Notebook may be one of the most predictable romances to hit the silver screen, but this is exactly what I love about the movie. Inspired by Nicholas Sparks’ best selling novel of the same title, The Notebook’s southern charm makes it the quintessential love story. The movie begins in the Lowcountry as an affluent New Yorker, Allie Hamilton (Rachel McAdams), is vacationing with her family on Seabrook Island. Over the course of the summer Allie unexpectedly finds love when she falls for a poor country boy, Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling). Allie goes off to college and Noah is sent to war, but love ultimately transcends the young couple’s distant separation. This feel-good chick flick can make Valentine’s Day special for just about any girl who is in love, who is looking for love, or who stares long enough into Ryan Gosling’s ocean blue eyes. I watch it every year!” -Katherine Relle, Food & Fetes and Travel writer “If I could embody any one literary heroine, it would be Emma Woodhouse. Even though this movie has been remade so many times, I truly believe that Romola Garai portrays Emma in the best and most accurate light. Privileged and beautiful, Emma decides to play Cupid on her friends and family, focusing her attentions on a frumpy young woman named Harriet Smith. The audience will fall in love with Emma as she bungles her way through the film and finally finds her own true love as well. This is the perfect movie to watch on Valentine’s Day, whether you are spending the holiday alone or with a date. It is upbeat, positive, and funny, exactly the kind of feel-good movie people should watch on February 14th!” - Katherine J. Chen, Contributing Writer and Art & Thought columnist “When I think Valentine’s Day, I also think battle of the sexes, which is what this movie is all about. Katherine Heigl plays Abby Richter, a woman who has a successful career as a TV show producer but fails in every aspect of her love life. When her TV station threatens to shut down her show, she discovers that her manager has hired Mike Chadaway, the cynical TV show host of The Ugly Truth, to improve the show’s ratings. Disgusted with this decision, she decides to make a deal with Chadaway. If he can help her win the man of her dreams, then she will work peacefully alongside him. On the other hand, if he fails, he will quit and back out of the TV show contract. As viewers can well imagine, the deal ends up bringing the two closer and closer together until they end up falling head over heels for each other. Heigl, the queen of modern-day romantic comedies, never fails to please in this charming and witty film.” -Katherine J. Chen, Contributing Writer and Art & Thought columnist “Okay, so this movie really set the bar for romantic comedies with substance. I love every story line, and every character, and usually pop this one in if I need a boost. And yes, technically it’s a Christmas movie, but on Valentine’s Day, what better movie to watch than the one that reminds us that love is all around us, and sometimes we find it in the most unexpected places?” -Jasmin Charters, Contributing Writer and Social Media Manager Sappy or Sassy Books One True Theory of Love by Laura Fitzgerald “I read Laura Fitzgerald’s novel, One True Theory of Love, at a time when I was pretty bitter about relationships, chivalry, and love in general. I immediately fell head-over-feet for the main character in the book and her nine-year-old son, because the former is so hesitant to fall in love (as most of us are), and the latter is so prone to love whoever comes into his life. The book’s a great read for Valentine’s Day because there is not a single sad part, and naturally it has an ending that is tearfully happy. -Jordan Oliver, Relationships and College Life writer The Anti-Valentine’s Handbook by J. More “I firmly hold to the conviction that Hershey’s and Halmark invented Valentine’s Day. The Anti-Valentine’s Handbook, complete with a dead Cupid on the cover, is for those of us who refuse to buy into this artificial, consumer-based holiday that seems to just leave misery and disappointment in its wake whatever your relationship status is. Filled with dark humor and biting sarcasm, the book provides reasons why we should say no to chalky candy hearts, singing teddy bears, and cheesy cards.” -Shannon Kirk, Distractions and Travel writer Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair by Pablo Neruda “Neruda, a Nobel Prize Laureate, set the world on fire with his sexy, dark, and graphic love poems. Published in 1924, these poems caused a scandal because they were so intensely descriptive with lines like “I have gone marking the atlas of your body” and “On all sides, I see your waist of fog.” Neruda’s beautiful imagery will leave a deep impression on readers, and maybe even encourage a few lovebirds on Valentine’s Day to write some heart-shattering poems of their own.” - Katherine J. Chen, Contributing Writer and Art & Thought columnist Goodies to Make You Feel Gooey Red Velvet Cupcakes with Pink Cream Cheese Frosting “Valentine’s Day should be a day of indulgence whether you’re single or attached. Allow yourself to have your cupcakes and eat them too, and don’t think twice about it! I can’t think of anything more festive than red velvet cupcakes on Valentine’s Day. Not only are they are delicious, the color combination of red cupcakes and pink frosting is fun and festive. Share them with your sweetheart or bake a batch to show yourself a little love. Either way, you can’t go wrong with these treats!” -Sarah Friedman, College Life & Relationships writer “When I first started baking in high school, I begged my mom to buy a million ingredients weekly, and as you can imagine, it started to add up and she became quite annoyed. I’m not sure if it was because she hates cooking in general, that I always left the kitchen a mess or the price tag. One day, she came home with a bag of Hershey Kisses(her favorite) and said, “Bake something with these.” So I reformed my chocolate chip cookie recipe by adding one package of instant chocolate pudding mix, and ask soon as the cookies came out of the oven, I placed a kiss in the middle. My mother now offers to clean up my mess for me every holiday -if I’ll just make the cookies for her! Give it a whirl chicks -for your honey, your girlies or for your mama!” -Lindsay Tigar, ChickSpeak’s Editor-at-Large My husband and I were recently treated to an almost private tour of the Dilworth Coffee Roastery. After a short history lesson and the opportunity to partake in an Ethiopian coffee tasting we were sold on making this our sole coffee resource. Local to Charlotte, North Carolina all of their coffees are hand roasted and blended in the roastery daily making them weeks, if not months fresher than other brands such as Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. They offer a variety of light to dark roasts as well as flavored blends from beans grown around the world, and all are roasted with love by people who have made coffee their passion. Right now they just happen to be offering a flat $5 shipping rate! -Lauren Jamison, Life Beyond the Honeymoon columnist Pilsbury’s Chocolate Cupcakes & Pink Frosting “Normally on Valentine’s Day I love to bake heart shaped cupcakes and give them to all of my friends. My favorite one to use is the Pillsbury chocolate cake mix. I would use chocolate frosting to complete the chocolate coma experience, but on Valentine’s Day I have to use Pillsbury vanilla frosting and put pink dye in it. Heart sprinkles are the perfect final touch and I always end up with the yummiest cupcakes for my friends and I. It’s such a fun way to celebrate with friends while all the greeting card companies are focusing on couples. -Sarah Lorsch, College Life and Do-it-Yourself writer Chocolate Covered Strawberries “Since I was a young child, my grandmother has made homemade chocolate covered strawberries for my brother and I every year on Valentine’s Day. To my family, they’re a timeless classic; I couldn’t imagine the holiday without pressing my face to the cool window glass, peering outside, eagerly awaiting the arrival of my grandmother’s car filled with those sweet berries. There’s something about the mixture of the tart red fruit and dark, flavorful chocolate that creates a mouthwatering, mind-blowing taste. Personally, I prefer the strawberries to be stemless and completely covered in chocolate.” -Maxine Frendel, Relationships and Mind & Body writer Basket of Chocolate Covered Strawberries for Him “Valentine’s Day is such a big deal for the women, but ladies what about the guys. As much as he may deny it, he would love to get chocolate treats, just as much as you would. So why not get a gift you can enjoy together, chocolate covered strawberries. 1800baskets.com has taken chocolate covered strawberries to the next level. They come covered with not just chocolate but also sprinkles, and fancy chocolate designs. So do yourself both a favor and grab a box of these $35.00 treats that are definitely worth every bite.” -Shaneika Booker, Beauty & Style writer “These candies have been around for 145 years, and they’re still as effective as any valentine’s card. Plus, this year means they’re even better than ever!! Better taste, better color. Oh, and they’re cheaper! Can I get the sparkly ones please?” -Jasmin Charters, Contributing Writer & Social Media Manager Magically Mushy (and Marvelous) Music “With a sweet voice from Béatrice Martin, soft accords and a mixture of piano and pop indie, the Quebecer band Coeur de Pirate offers a lovely and delicate instrumentation for your Valentine’s Day. Sang in French, the most sexy and romantic language, Béatrice Martin began playing piano when she was three and wrote the first song for Coeur de Pirate when she was 17. Now with 20, Martin is a hit on MySpace, on YouTube and with concerts all over Canada and Europe. You can Coeur de Pirate’s CD on iTunes or on Amazon.” -Deborah Bisautti, Beauty & Style and Travel writer “Schuyler Fisk is a great music choice for your Valentine’s Day. With a folk rock music style, Fisk has a vibrant voice and already has millions of fans, online and also attending her concerts. Fisk’s LP was released on 2009 and her album “The Good Stuff” was number one in the iTunes Folk Charts. Fisk’s sound is perfect as a background on a Valentine’s Day dinner with your beloved one or even with friends.” -Deborah Bisautti, Beauty & Style and Travel writer “For this Valentine’s Day, whether your single or involved, Adele’s album 19 is sure to tug at your heart strings in just the right way. I fell in love with this album from the moment the first note left her lips, Adele’s sultry yet strong voice can stir up feelings of love even in the Mr.Scrooge of Valentine’s Day. Nylon magazine called her the ‘female Billy Joel’ of our generation, and her songs stir up just the right amount of adorable admiration and spiteful warnings of what happens if you’re silly enough to ignore love. You’ll recognize her second track ‘Chasing Pavements’ from the movie He’s Just Not That Into You.” -Cady Childs, Contributing Writer & Chic Q&A With Cady columnist “Sade’s long awaited new album, Soldier of Love, is on repeat on my nano. It just came out Feb. 9th in the U.S. and is a must have for any chick who has ever had her heart heart bruised or broken, anyone who’s fought for love or given too much of herself away. Songs like Bring Me Home and The Moon and The Sky are perfect during a long drive to clear your head, while Babyfatherwill remind you of the tenderness and inevitablity of real love. Download it in all of it’s emotional rawness at iTunes, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.” - Christina Twomey, ChickSpeak’s Founder Cutesy Couple or Chic Clothes Personalized “Property Of” Undies and Boxers “Yes. They’re ridiculously over-the-top, slightly tacky, probably overpriced and all around silly. However, they’re also seriously funny and pretty cute. Imagine walking around the house with your honey wearing “Property of Lisa” boxers and while you sport some “Property of Matt” boyshorts; it’s pointless and absurd, but hilarious. Greatest gag gift in the world? I think so.” -Maxine Frendel, Relationships and Mind & Body writer “Being a fashion major, I try to keep up with all of the trends out there. One of the never changing trends that I love? A classic dress. ModCloth has that classic dress that I think is perfect for a Valentine’s Day spent with the girls. This cute little dress seems very simple and innocent from the front with a sweetheart neckline but the back reveals something a little sexier. It has a cutout in the shape of a heart, letting you reveal that sexy back.” -Emma Walker, Beauty & Style and Greek Life writer “These sexy and fun PJ shorts are a great addition to your bedtime apparel. Whether you’re wearing them to impress your boyfriend or to simply lounge in the living room, they certainly add some holiday flavor to your bedtime outfit.” -Jenn Sinrich, Contributing Writer Beauty Bliss for New Beginnings Sephora by OPI: Too Good For Him Nail Colour “Valentine’s Day isn’t only about flowers and chocolate. For anyone who’s single - and proud of it - here’s a nail color to flaunt your fabulosity. Sparkly nail polish is in now (not that I need an excuse to wear it - I love showing off my inner child), and it’s a bold reminder of how wonderful you are, with or without a man- and the name of the nail polish doesn’t hurt.” - Daniella Gafen, Distractions and Beauty & Style writer “Not all of us chicks are lucky enough to be head over heels on Valentine’s Day. And some of us, wouldn’t have it any other way -however, seeing all of the couples blissfully smitten and enjoying a day dedicated to love sweet love, isn’t easy. If you find yourself crying your eyes out or even just leaking a teardrop or two, try out Benefit’s Ooh La Lift. Apply a little bit underneath your eyes before you go to sleep (preferably after you finish crying) and when you wake up, you won’t curse your puffy eyes in the morning. While several products out there claim they prevent under-eye puff, this is the only product I’ve found that actually works!” -Lindsay Tigar, Editor-at-Large for ChickSpeak Gadgets to Go Ga-Ga For “I love the new iPod Nano. I love it because it’s 16 gigs of what I love the most, never out of the reach of my fingertips. And with that much storage space, it’s impossible for me to not have all the music I may want to hear at any time. I only have 825 songs now, but I’m working hard to fill in the remaining 3,175! Maybe Valentine’s Day will inspire me to download a few songs.” -Faithlynn Morris, Tech Trends and Distractions writer “Want to ensure your sweetie never forgets you? Instead of getting the usual overly romantic gift, why not give him something he can actually use? Try giving your boyfriend a USB drive in a funky design or his favorite color, if you’d like to be practical. They are always handy to have, in or out of college, and depending on how much you’d like to spend, they can really hold a lot of space. Pair the gift with his favorite food and of course, something to remind him for what’s later. Oh, and if you want to add the sentimental factor -type up a love letter to him and save it on his USB to surprise him when he first uses it.”-Lindsay Tigar, ChickSpeak’s Editor-at-Large Follow us on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook. E-mail questions and comments to chickspeak.editor@gmail.com.
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