Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to show the loves in your life some extra love, whether that’s your friends, partner, kids—or yourself!
Have a Treat
We’ll take any excuse to indulge in something sweet, like Dylan’s Candybar’s Double The Love Marshmallow Pop, fluffy marshmallows dipped in pink confectioner’s dip, or their S’more Time Together Takeout Box. This custom takeout kit features chocolate covered marshmallows, French vanilla malt balls and chocolate covered graham crackers for a fun s’mores night with the family.
Why not make your own sweet treats for a fun, kid-friendly activity at home? Catherine McCord, Weelicious and One Potato founder and mom of three, shares some sweet and adorable recipes for Valentine’s Day. Heart Crispy Treats are naturally sweet and easy to make with only four ingredients, and Puff Pastry Hearts make the perfect Valentine’s Day (or any day) dessert.
Heart Crispy Treats
Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice syrup
1 cup smooth peanut butter (or any nut or seed butter)
4 cups organic crispy brown rice cereal
1 cup freeze dried raspberries or strawberries
Preparation:
1. In a large bowl, combine the rice crisps and the freeze-dried fruit.
2. In a large saucepan, heat brown rice syrup and peanut butter over low heat and whisk until melted and combined, about 2 minutes.
3. Remove saucepan from heat and pour over rice crisps in a large bowl.
3. Stir with a plastic spatula until completely combined.
4. Pour into a greased 8 x 8-inch pan and press down to flatten the top.
5. Cool for 5 minutes and then use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut into hearts.
Puff Pastry Hearts
Ingredients:
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
1 package frozen puff pastry, defrosted
½ cup fresh raspberries (or mixed berries)
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Unfold the puff pastry and cut into hearts using heart-shaped cookie cutters.
3. Place the puff pastry hearts on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. In the bowl of a standing mixer, or with an electric mixer whip the cream on medium- high speed for 2-3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and beat on high for 30 more seconds or until thick and fluffy.
5. Remove hearts from the oven and allow to cool completely. Slice hearts in half. Top the bottom half with whipped cream and berries and place the other half on top to form a sandwich.
For more kid-friendly Valentine’s Day recipe ideas, visit weelicious.com.
Catch a Flick
Street Food Cinema will host an entire Valentine’s Day Weekend lineup of drive-in movies at Santa Anita Park, including favorites like “Selena,” “Lady and the Tramp,” “Crazy Rich Asians,” and more. Each night from Feb. 11-14 will have food trucks and a car decorating contest. streetfoodcinema.com
It’s the month of love at Electric Dusk Drive-In in Glendale. The long-standing pop-up drive-in series will host romantic films like “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “The Notebook.” Park early and walk across the street to grab dinner at one of Glendale’s many eateries, or you can purchase a “luxury treat box,” with goodies like macaroons, fruit and roses. electricduskdrivein.com
El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood presents two Valentine’s Day date night movie experiences. Catch “The Princess Bride” Feb. 11-12 or “Beauty and the Beast” Feb. 13-14 and enjoy Ghirardelli chocolates and dinner at Miceli’s Italian Restaurant in Hollywood. $50 for Dinner and a Movie package or $15 for movie and a popcorn. elcapitantheatre.com/Valentines-Dinner
Get Creative
Little Tokyo Branch Library will have Valentine Pop-up Cards kits available Feb. 1 – 14. Each kit includes three pop-up heart cards and an assortment of foam heart stickers to make it your own. lapl.org
L.A. mom and lifestyle expert, Eden Passante of Sugar & Charm blog, shares her DIY Lavender Balm project, a perfect Valentine’s Day activity that doubles as a great gift.
Supplies:
1 ½ in. round hole puncher
Sticker paper
Round lip balm tins
Shea butter
Coconut oil
Lavender essential oil
Beeswax
Dried lavender, chopped
Directions:
- Melt all the ingredients in a medium saucepan on low heat. Pour into round pots and let it cool and harden.
- Download and print Sugar & Charm’s Pucker Up labels on sticker paper.
- Use a 1 ½ in. round hole puncher to cut each of the out.
- Stick them onto the round tins and pucker up!
For more DIY Valentine’s Day crafts and recipes, visit sugarandcharm.com.
Book Lovers
Snuggle up with your loved ones and a good book. If you’re looking for something new to read, Friends of Santa Clarita Public Library will host a week-long book sale from Feb. 5 to Feb. 13 at all three library branches. For $7 fill a provided bag with any book, DVD or CD you find at the sale. Proceeds go to support programming for the Santa Clarita Public Library. santaclaritafol.com
If you want to get into the Valentine’s Day spirit with your little ones, these books are a sweet place to start:
“LOVE” by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Loren Long is a moving, honest and poetic take on the importance of love throughout our lives, through joy and sadness and everything in between. For ages 4 – 8.
“My Heart” by Corinna Luyken is a beautifully illustrated poetic book about love, self-acceptance and listening to our hearts. For ages 4 – 8.
“Llama Llama I Love You” by Anna Dewdney follows the loveable Llama Llama as he makes heart-shaped cards to shows his friends and family that he loves them. For ages 0 – 3.
“Love from The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle features Carle’s beloved caterpillar and shows the ways our loved ones make the world sweeter and brighter. For ages 3 – 5.
Explore the City
Head over to ROW DTLA for a one-stop Valentine’s Day shopping destination. Grab flowers from newly opened Jean Pascal Florist, champagne and chocolate from Flask & Field and jewelry from Dylan Lex. If you’re looking more for experiences over things, take your date to a ceramics class at Still Life Ceramics or treat yourself to non-toxic manicure at Powder Beauty. ROW DTLA is also running a
Bring the whole family to see Cirque du Soleil’s OVO, a magical journey into a colorful ecosystem where insects work, ear, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love, at L.A. Live. Get your tickets between Feb. 1-14 for a special Valentine’s Day deal, two tickets for $89. cirquedusoleil.com
Bring your date to The Zimmerman Automobile Driving Museum in Anaheim on Feb. 13 and go on a romantic ride in one of their classic cards. automobiledrivingmuseum.org
Bring the little ones to Rocket’s Universe Playground in North Hollywood on Feb. 5 for some Valentine’s Fun with My PlayClub. From 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. enjoy inclusive activities for kids of all abilities like craft projects, tattoos, raffle, giveaways and snacks.
Treat you and your loved one to a delicious farm-to-table meal at Lady Byrd Café in Echo Park. The neighborhood restaurant’s romantic outdoor setting makes a perfect date spot, with a full dinner menu, beer, wine and cocktails. If you can’t get a babysitter for the night, Lady Byrd features a kid’s menu with favorites like chicken nuggets and hot chocolate, so you can have a family night out and the date will still feel special. ladybyrdcafe.com
Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Grand Park where the iconic fountain will be lit up in pink and red for the occasion. A DJ will be spinning popular love songs and food trucks will be available so you can set up a romantic picnic under the stars.
