Who needs a boyfriend when you're this fabulous? (Media Credit/Nicole Chan)
Stores have been jamming Valentine’s Day down our throats for at least a month now. There’s no other holiday in existence that can make so many otherwise intelligent, independent women feel so bad about themselves just because they don’t have a significant other. It doesn’t help that as we get older, more and more of our friends start to settle down. Valentine’s Day can take a real shot at your self-worth if you let it, dictating that someone should want to be with you every Feb. 14.
We all know it just doesn’t work that way. At some point, and in my case repeatedly, you’re going to be single on Valentine’s Day — and that’s okay!
Being single does not make you unloved: Your family and friends love you. I hear your objection of, “That’s not the point!” But love is love, and why shouldn’t it be celebrated in whatever form it comes in? We all remember that moment on the ultimate single gal’s show, “Sex and the City,” when Mr. Big tells Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha, “You three know (Carrie) better than anyone. You’re the loves of her life and a guy’s just lucky to come in fourth.” Having awesome friends is just as important as having a kick-ass significant other. So instead of throwing yourself a pity party, I suggest you gather your single girlfriends and throw a girls’ night bash free from the overcrowded restaurants with clichéd pre fixe menus and so much red and pink it looks like Cupid threw up in there.
Here’s what you’ll need.
What would a girls’ night be without a few cocktails? Cheers to the friends who love you no matter what!
1 ounce strawberry, vanilla or clear vodka
1/2 ounce white crème de cacao
1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
1 scoop of vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup ice
1 strawberry for garnish
Pour the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a chilled margarita glass. Garnish with a strawberry.
Chocolate covered strawberries. They’re sexy and sweet, and there’s always an excuse for chocolate. Making them together is a great group activity, and you know all the attached girls will be missing out when their guys present them with generic boxes of cheap chocolates. Gather a smorgasbord of toppings for extra flair. I like sprinkles, crushed Andes mints, crushed nuts and shredded coconut.
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, or semisweet chocolate chips
1 pound large ripe strawberries (about 20)
Wash strawberries, leaving stems on, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Set aside at room temperature. In microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate in microwave on either defrost setting or 10 percent power for one minute. Stir. Continue microwaving at 10 to 20 second intervals, stirring after each time, until chocolate is melted. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. While holding the stem, dip each strawberry in chocolate one at a time, twirling as you remove each strawberry. Sprinkle on desired topping(s). Place strawberries on baking sheet. When all strawberries have been dipped, place baking sheet in refrigerator for 15 minutes or keep at room temperature for 30 minutes, until chocolate is set. Serve strawberries the same day they are dipped.
For white chocolate drizzle (optional), melt 3 ounces chopped white chocolate and use a fork to drizzle it over the dipped strawberries.
A great chick flick. Take advantage of a night with the ladies and watch all of your favorite tearjerkers, such as “Dirty Dancing,” “Beaches,” “Ghost” and “The Notebook.” A marathon of “Sex and the City” on DVD is another great choice.
A jewelry and/or clothing swap. You might not have a man, but a girl can never have too many clothes and accessories. Have your friends bring unwanted items of clothing and/or jewelry and set up a swap. Use this as an opportunity to rid your closet of clothes you just don’t wear, and add cute new items to your wardrobe — for free!
In today’s world, there are plenty of great reasons to be single by choice; maybe you don’t ever want to be married, maybe you’re simply not looking, maybe you want to focus on your career and on being independent, or maybe you just haven’t found the right person yet. Whatever the reason, instead of moping that you haven’t found The One for you, you should be thanking your lucky stars you didn’t settle and end up with the wrong person. For every great guy out there, there’s at least one terrible guy who hasn’t grown up yet and maybe never will. People are putting off settling down for longer than ever before, according to “USA Today,” to go to school, to travel and to just enjoy being young. In a world where we are often overwhelmed or paralyzed by choice, we can at least be proud that we are choosing to embrace our single selves. So to the still-single ladies of 2011, let’s take it easy on ourselves this year. It’s a jungle out there.
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