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Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

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Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby Alexandria » Sat Jan 27, 2018 11:40 pm

Since Saint Valentine´s this year falls on a Wednesday, so we have decided to make a local trip to a tiny 21 room boutique hotel on a wine estate, 30 kilometres west of the city of Barcelona on Friday the 9th and return on Sunday the 11th .. :thumbsup


On the 14th, we shall go for dinner, close by, on the renowned Paseo Maritimo, for Japanese, our favorite Asian cuisine .. and share a Nigriri & Sashimi Boat ..


What is everyone doing ? :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup


Have a lovely weekend ..
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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby strictlysalsaclare » Sun Jan 28, 2018 10:43 am

Hello Alexandria

Not trips away for me this year. We will be that short-staffed where I work that week that I may be holding the fort. Therefore I'll be cooking a lovely sounding meal (i hope, because I haven't made it before) for Mr Strictly and I. It's Frutti Di Mare with Fregola from the Hairy Bikers Mediterranean Adventures series. We love our seafood and we can get a frozen posh shell-on selection from our local Iceland supermarket. I will be using giant couscous instead of the fregola though! Unfortunately the recipe is not on their website, but it does look delicious.

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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby Gillthepainter » Sun Jan 28, 2018 11:19 am

Sounds excellent, Strictly.
Where can you get ginormous couscous? I'm interested.

Hi Alexandria.
What a super minibreak you have booked. Likewise here, we are going away.
Not on the 14th itself, if anyone is planning on robbing us whilst we are out.

We have a slot to see the Terracotta Army exhibit in Liverpool.
Not been, save a university campus interview when I was 17. Absolutely no interest in seeing anything Beatles related. But there's masses more to visit and see.

Food? I'll have a search for a restaurant to book. Unless anyone knows a place on here.

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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby strictlysalsaclare » Sun Jan 28, 2018 12:00 pm

I managed to get the couscous from Sainsburys, but Asda sell the wholewheat one as well.

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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby Lusciouslush » Sun Jan 28, 2018 12:32 pm

Think it's your anniversary round about then Gilly :newhuggy ( and I know you smooch in public!) :stfu

Liverpool is fascinating - so much to see, so much history - it'll keep you busy! They've really cleaned the place up in recent years - I remember when I first went there it was really watch-where-you-sit in cafes & restos because the upholstery was slashed & the cutlery did have dried food on it!!

We never go out on V/day for a meal - overcrowded/ overpriced & underwhelming food - but loads of other days in the year what! :thumbsup

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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby Renée » Sun Jan 28, 2018 1:40 pm

Gill, I contacted my friend who lives in Liverpool, who says that all the big chains, Cote, San Carlo, Piccolino, Browns, Bistro Pierre are there, but if you prefer smaller plates there’s Bacaro or Neon Jamon both very good tapas style food or there’s Mowgli a new Indian Street food place on Bold St. Her daughter said the food there was very good.

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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby Alexandria » Sun Jan 28, 2018 1:46 pm

@ Mr. Strictly,


Have a lovely Valentine´s ..

:thumbsup Hold up the fort !!

Thank you for your feedback ..

Have a wonderful day ..

:thumbsup
Last edited by Alexandria on Sun Jan 28, 2018 1:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby Alexandria » Sun Jan 28, 2018 1:52 pm

@ The Gill Painter,

Liverpool sounds like an amazing little get away .. :thumbsup

Have a marvelous St. Valentine´s ..

Yes, the tiny Masquefa, Barcelona Boutique Hotel is just 5 kilometres from Sant Sadurni d´ Anoia, our Cava Designation of Origin and of course the Alt Péndès Region is chockful of splendid landscapes and boutique wineries ..

The Boutique Hotel we have been to many times houses an amazing Spa, and Restaurant and is situated on a beautiful Wine Estate, renowned for its red wines ..

Have a lovely day and Thank you for all your feedback ..
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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby Alexandria » Sun Jan 28, 2018 1:56 pm

Dear Renée,


Thank you for all your info on Liverpool and all your feedback ..

:newhuggy


Have a marvelous day ..
Barcelona, soulful & spirited, filled with fine art, amazing architecture, profoundly steeped in culture & history, and it engages all your senses, and food fancies.

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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby Alexandria » Sun Jan 28, 2018 2:01 pm

@ Luscious Lush,

Have a lovely little Valentine´s .. and thank you for your humorous account in Liverpool ..

:thumbsup

We always go to our neighboring Boutique Hotel & Spa in February to chill out and relax .. It is an astoundingly incredible region, Alt Pénèdès / Sant Sadurni d´ Anoia where our Cava has been produced since the 1800s and prior ..

As Valentine´s falls out on a Wednesday, we decided to take advantage of the the weekend before to drive over ( 30 kilometres west exactly ) ..

Have a nice day ..
:thumbsup
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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby Renée » Sun Jan 28, 2018 3:03 pm

Gill my friend has just sent me the link for Sugarvine/Liverpool.

https://www.sugarvine.com/liverpool/liv ... ty-centre/

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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby smitch » Sun Jan 28, 2018 3:44 pm

I second Mowgli, the one here in Manchester is fab. I’ve had my eye on Maray for a while but not got around to visiting yet https://www.maray.co.uk/. There are some nice places on Hope Street and Bold Street. Leaf is nice for tea and a light meal too.

I went to uni in Liverpool and love it there. There are some fab museums, particularly the World Museum and the one near the Liver Building (Liverpool Life maybe?). It is easy to avoid the worst of the Beatles tourist traps too.

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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby Joanbunting » Sun Jan 28, 2018 5:58 pm

This February 14th will be the 59th anniversary of our first date. Apparently we are saving up for something special next year.

We don't usually go for the big Valentine's menu thing but we know a lovely restaurant which, unusually for round here, will be open for lunch on the 14th. That's where we will be heading.

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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby Alexandria » Mon Jan 29, 2018 12:16 am

@ Joan,


Happy Anniversary ..

Congratulations !! :clap

Sounds truly lovely ..

All my best for a wonderful Valentine´s Day Lunch ..

:wino
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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby Lizzie-47 » Mon Jan 29, 2018 12:28 pm

I second the vote for Maray in Liverpool - I've been twice (although not for a few months), and it is fabulous.

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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby karadekoolaid » Mon Jan 29, 2018 1:27 pm

St Valentine´s?

No plans at all!

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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby Gillthepainter » Mon Jan 29, 2018 5:07 pm

Hey, thank you so much for the personal recommendations.
I'll choose 2 of them with Tony, and get them booked up in advance. Can't wait.

Joan, happy anniversary to you both for next month.

In recent years we've never had a decent meal on the night. The worst was an Indian.
We were the only schmucks in the place. And the food was watered down even then. It epitomised what couples hate about Valentine's Day.

Lush, we manoeuvre dates often. Birthday meals can wait for a more convenient day or even month.
But not Valentines.
We always celebrate it on the 14th.

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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby mark111757 » Mon Jan 29, 2018 9:59 pm

If I had my drothers, there is someone special I would do dinner for......Gordon ramsays escallope of chicken, brussel sprout gratin from Sophie grigson and nigella Lawson's instant chocolate mousse.

As a take home....


https://www.tasty.co/recipe/giant-peanu ... .tgbmGzdqo

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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby aerona » Wed Jan 31, 2018 10:41 am

Such a shame it's not over the weekend... We're planning to just go for a nice dinner at the new restaurant in our neighbourhood. Too bad it's Wednesday, but we're still planning to have a great time. We're going to this restaurant: http://www.saltflakeslondon.co.uk/ I hope the food is mindblowing. French cuisine is not that easy. :D

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Re: Saint Valentine´s Day: 18 Days Away. Plans ?

Postby Renée » Wed Jan 31, 2018 10:53 am

Aren't you lucky having that lovely restaurant in your neighbourhood, aerona! What a fabulous menu, too. I would be so spoilt for choice! Have a lovely time.

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