Heart Attack

Nothing subtle about my love for love

Feb 02, 2026

I’m sure it comes as absolutely no surprise to anyone that Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays. Granted, as a happily married woman with a toddler daughter, I will admit that everything about my existence seems inclined toward enjoying this particular day. But the love for love has deep roots, and goes way back to my childhood and teenage years, way before any leading man had made an appearance and I used to go out for pancakes with pink heart sprinkles with my girlfriends to celebrate

I don’t see the appeal of every minor holiday (I don’t vibe with St. Patrick’s Day, for example, or Marti Gras, or maybe any “drinking holiday”), but this is certainly one I make a big deal out of, and this year has been no exception.

Maybe it’s because I actually find the winter a very romantic time — frost on the windows, candles burning on the dinner table, lingering perfume clinging to your coat and sweater even once you take them off for the night… Maybe it’s because the month is so short and the days so dark that I cling to something cheerful to bring a little light. Maybe I just love the colors pink and red (I do). Whatever the case, I hope you enjoy my little visual attack of hearts below, and I hope you have wonderful plans of your own (with a lover, with a friend, or with a great movie and glass of wine on the couch) to look forward to!

FAVORITE DATES

In 2023, my husband and I went to go see Dita von Teese at the historic Chicago Theater on February 14 and set a standard for Valentines Day date excellence that has not been matched since.

Burlesque + art deco architecture + pre-dinner steaks and martinis = my ideal romantic night.

In 2024, we went to the Driehaus Museum (a historic house museum from 1883 that explores the art and design of Chicago’s Gilded Era), ate dinner the at Ralph Lauren Restaurant, and then saw a live performance of Anything Goes. Again, a truly winning trifecta.

Opulent museum + RL burgers + Cole Porter songbook = perfect evening for two history and theater nerds

Last year, we had dinner at one of our favorite local restaurants and then walked over to the Pleasant Home (a Prairie-style mansion from 1897 housed in a nearby park) to for a showing of the 1929 silent film Why Be Good? We sipped bubbly, ate popcorn, and listened to live music accompanying the delightful screening. Again, one of my favorite date nights in memory.

Unbelievable turn-of-the-century venue + champagne and popcorn + flapper girls and their naughty romps = a date night tailored just for us

This year, our current plans are to visit the Orchid Show at the Chicago Botanic Garden and then have a cozy dinner at a favorite downtown restaurant. A little less on the agenda than in some previous years, but nonetheless something to look forward to with joyful anticipation.