Valentines Day
A long stem pink rose met me this morning when I first awoke. Sitting on my desk, it was wrapped in ties and a little cupid card with a "rise and shine" poem inside. What a fabulous way to wake up to a new day...Valentines Day is wonderful.
After a shower and dressing (I sported a pink t-shirt for the occasion) I spent about 5 minutes knocking on Kareem's door...his peg said sleeping...so I called his cell to wake him. I was sad to find out that he was running errands for a few hours but convinced myself that I needed to study for a couple of hours anyways.
At three o'clock Kareem finally appeared and told me that he had borrowed Sam's car for the evening and was going to take me out to dinner. We decided that since the reservations weren't until 7 or so we should go out for coffee and lunch. So I enjoyed some coffee at a downtown cafe and then we hit up Ihop. Kareem-you'll have to take on the all you can eat pancake challenge some other time though....we were both inpressed by the 27 pancake record...ha ha.
Afterwards Kareem had to run a few more errands for some kids on the floor, so I decided to take a nap.
Woke up around 6 and got dressed. Julie had told me that evening that we were going somewhere nice and I should dress up, so for the first time in a quite some time I sported a skirt and heels.
Kareem picked me up at 7 and on the way down the elevator explained the plan....pick up the car keys from sam and off to our reservations: a candle-lit dinner for two.
As he opened the door to Sam's apartment, candle-light danced through the door and across the walls...the flames flickered and bounced light off of the petals and flowers strewn over the counters, tables, and bar. Pansies, daisies, little orange flowers, and others colored the counters beautifully. As I stepped inside I was greeted by two place settings at the bar, each complete with champagne glasses, silverware, and an elegant salad. Kareem handed me a bouquet of flowers. "Lilys-you're favorite"...but not only lilys...roses...white and red...orchids...flowers, flowers, foliage and more. A huge, beautiful, wonderful smelling bouquet of flowers...
The little table next to the bar was complete with large bowl of strawberries and fondue forks; on the stove, melting chocolate to fill the fondue pot....
He pulled out my chair and sat me in the seat...pointed up...a picture...a painting..."will you be my valentine" and a picture from something I said the first day...painted on a canvas...
He walked around the counter and snatched up the "blushing" champagne from the holder it was icing in and successfully popped open the lid....(by successfully I mean we both still have our eyes intact and OK)...it even made the cool popping sound!!! ;)
Organic lettuce...rasberry vinegrette with pears and almonds...he got up to slice the loaf of bread and poured out the oil into a dish with rosemarry leaves for dipping.
Gregory's mix played in the backround...Valentine among other Frank Sanatra songs and instrumentals....
Kareem had cooked the entire meal...freaturing pasta with white alfredo sauce...."if you like mushrooms and garlic and sundried tomatoes I'll add those as well." So he sauteed the extras and tossed them into the prepared alfredo sauce...and of course remembered to sprinkle the parseley on top!! It was like watching a cooking show! Everything was already prepared in little bowls...he just had to add and mix...ha ha.
The pasta was rediculously good...Macarroni Grill status...;) absolutley fantastic! For all of you who i mentioned the iron chef contests to next year..i'm calling ot off. I'm simply no competition.
Following the candlelit dinner, we moved to the strawberries and chocolate...the fondue forks didn't work out so well, so we resorted to fingers...wow..let's just say wow....
I can't explain how this evening will never ever be surpassed...the standard has been set for sure. You made it a hard one all right Kareem. Honestly...you outdid yourself, you are so wonderful. The entire evening was absolutely fantastic....like nothing I've ever had. It meant so much to me that he would do all of that for me, I'm still stunned....
I can't believe you even trial-cooked everything on Thursday!! I don't know what to say...the whole ordeal....I'm absolutely amazed....
Kareem, you're so wonderful.
He laughed..."did you really only think you would get that one rose from me this morning?" little did I know.....
What a fantastic night. One I will remember forever. Thank you Kareem baby. Happy Valentines Day to you.
After a shower and dressing (I sported a pink t-shirt for the occasion) I spent about 5 minutes knocking on Kareem's door...his peg said sleeping...so I called his cell to wake him. I was sad to find out that he was running errands for a few hours but convinced myself that I needed to study for a couple of hours anyways.
At three o'clock Kareem finally appeared and told me that he had borrowed Sam's car for the evening and was going to take me out to dinner. We decided that since the reservations weren't until 7 or so we should go out for coffee and lunch. So I enjoyed some coffee at a downtown cafe and then we hit up Ihop. Kareem-you'll have to take on the all you can eat pancake challenge some other time though....we were both inpressed by the 27 pancake record...ha ha.
Afterwards Kareem had to run a few more errands for some kids on the floor, so I decided to take a nap.
Woke up around 6 and got dressed. Julie had told me that evening that we were going somewhere nice and I should dress up, so for the first time in a quite some time I sported a skirt and heels.
Kareem picked me up at 7 and on the way down the elevator explained the plan....pick up the car keys from sam and off to our reservations: a candle-lit dinner for two.
As he opened the door to Sam's apartment, candle-light danced through the door and across the walls...the flames flickered and bounced light off of the petals and flowers strewn over the counters, tables, and bar. Pansies, daisies, little orange flowers, and others colored the counters beautifully. As I stepped inside I was greeted by two place settings at the bar, each complete with champagne glasses, silverware, and an elegant salad. Kareem handed me a bouquet of flowers. "Lilys-you're favorite"...but not only lilys...roses...white and red...orchids...flowers, flowers, foliage and more. A huge, beautiful, wonderful smelling bouquet of flowers...
The little table next to the bar was complete with large bowl of strawberries and fondue forks; on the stove, melting chocolate to fill the fondue pot....
He pulled out my chair and sat me in the seat...pointed up...a picture...a painting..."will you be my valentine" and a picture from something I said the first day...painted on a canvas...
He walked around the counter and snatched up the "blushing" champagne from the holder it was icing in and successfully popped open the lid....(by successfully I mean we both still have our eyes intact and OK)...it even made the cool popping sound!!! ;)
Organic lettuce...rasberry vinegrette with pears and almonds...he got up to slice the loaf of bread and poured out the oil into a dish with rosemarry leaves for dipping.
Gregory's mix played in the backround...Valentine among other Frank Sanatra songs and instrumentals....
Kareem had cooked the entire meal...freaturing pasta with white alfredo sauce...."if you like mushrooms and garlic and sundried tomatoes I'll add those as well." So he sauteed the extras and tossed them into the prepared alfredo sauce...and of course remembered to sprinkle the parseley on top!! It was like watching a cooking show! Everything was already prepared in little bowls...he just had to add and mix...ha ha.
The pasta was rediculously good...Macarroni Grill status...;) absolutley fantastic! For all of you who i mentioned the iron chef contests to next year..i'm calling ot off. I'm simply no competition.
Following the candlelit dinner, we moved to the strawberries and chocolate...the fondue forks didn't work out so well, so we resorted to fingers...wow..let's just say wow....
I can't explain how this evening will never ever be surpassed...the standard has been set for sure. You made it a hard one all right Kareem. Honestly...you outdid yourself, you are so wonderful. The entire evening was absolutely fantastic....like nothing I've ever had. It meant so much to me that he would do all of that for me, I'm still stunned....
I can't believe you even trial-cooked everything on Thursday!! I don't know what to say...the whole ordeal....I'm absolutely amazed....
Kareem, you're so wonderful.
He laughed..."did you really only think you would get that one rose from me this morning?" little did I know.....
What a fantastic night. One I will remember forever. Thank you Kareem baby. Happy Valentines Day to you.