Valentine's Day for Wine Society

 

Angela Lansbury at the Central London Wine Society meeting.

The Central London Wine Society met at a Civil Service Club meeting room for a meeting on the theme of Valentine's Day.

We told the story of St Valentine, quoted Chaucer and Shakespeare on the subject.

We tasted wines whose labels featured Romeo & Juliet, Champagne Jean Valentin, Sanct Valentin, and Château Valentin.

Photo by Angela Lansbury.

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Valentine's Day Feb 14, or July 6 or July 30th

Hand heart. Carmen Fiano - https://www.flickr.com/photos/53812099@N04/14763863277/

The hand heart was made popular by Korean pop groups, and was a sign of friendship made when the north and south Korean leaders met and were photographed together on a mountaintop. It costs nothing, creates no litter, and is a good international sign because it is universal so you don't need to speak another language.

Singapore Valentines - Be Prepared

SPRINGTIME

Februa is Latin for to cleanse, or to clean. Spring cleaning.

In the old calendar mid February was when some birds started courting matching, nesting and mating and work started in the vineyards.

In ancient times in Israel girls would wear white dresses and dance in the vineyard where boys would be waiting to propose marriage.

But marketing has amazing success. If you can create greetings cards, fill restaurants, sell jewellery and gifts and cookie cutters and cups with messages about Valentine's Day or hearts, you will sell them to children and adults, the young and the old, the single and married, anybody who wants to part with money for a message or a product with red and hearts.

ITALY, ROME & VALENTINE - La Festa di San Valentino

In Italy you wish Somebody Buon San Valentino.

More than one Christian called Valentine, a popular name was martyred, and various churches claim to have bits of the saints bodies. 

February14 is the day associated with Valentine's Day by Roman Catholics. the Eastern Orthodox celebrate In July 6th or 30th.

At the Central London Wine Society on Feb 11th Three Valentine's Day wines come to the UK from Europe, notably from France, Italy and Spain. Let's start with Italy.

ITALY

In Italy keys are given, representing the key to my heart, unlocking.

February is is named after the Roman God Februas and was the spring cleaning month.

ITALIAN FOOD

The Italian for biscuit is biscotti.

FRANCE

In France you might celebrate Valentine's Day with dinner, or a dinner on a boat on the Seine in Paris, or a helicopter ride. Your celebratory wine would be Champagne, from the Champagne region.  

Macaroons.

SPAIN, Tapas and Turron

Feliz San Valentín - Happy Valentine's Day. Feliz dia de San Valentin.

In Mexico they say, Happy Valentine's and friendship day.

Delicious Drink

The Spanish white wine equivalent of sparkling Champagne but cheaper is Cava, originally from cellars or stores in caves.

Favourite Food

Turron - Sweet

A Spanish gift might be turron, which is nougat, made from almonds, honey and egg white. A modern version is chocolate covered.

Tapas - Savoury

The Spanish food served in bars with wine is tapas. Originally supposedly tiny pieces of bread or sliced meat put on the top of glasses to keep off the flies. Or to keep off sand blown from the beach, says another story. The translation offered is lid or cover. To make an alliterative reminder, I think of the word top.

We ordered tapas in a bar in summer 2025 in Bilbao, the ferry port on the northern coast on the east (Santander is on the west). We thought it was expensive and would be the bite or two size of cocktail party canapes, but it was a large portion, as filling as a hamburger. Maybe pintchos (pintxos, which is plural, from pinchar to stab) not a pinch but sometimes skewered horizontally or toothpicked vertically to hold it all together.

You can also get dessert tapas.

UK

Chaucer, an early influencer, wrote a poem about Valentine's Day to celebrate the anniversary of the engagement of the 15 year old King of England.

In the UK Cadbury's introduced heart shapes boxes of chocolates. 

Nowadays the innovation is that the chocolates themselves are heart shaped.

|Valentine's Day is big business in the UK, the USA and Singapore which has four languages mainly English, also Chinese, meaning Mandarin. 

IRELAND

|Dublin in Ireland has a church with a relic and those without any love can pray to find love.

WALES

The Welsh celebrate on January 25th, recalling the tragic story of Welsh princess

You can make a heart sign with your thumbs and first fingers.

Happy VALENTINES DAY

Italy

Shakespeare's Ophelia mentions St Valentine's day in the play Hamlet.

AMERICA

American Valentines In Schools For Schoolchildren
When I went to live in America our son came home from school with a birthday card for Mummy, and he wanted to make a card for his teacher, which he said all the schoolchildren were doing. I was surprised, because in those days in the UK Valentine's Day cards were only for the unmarried and courting. 

Search online and you can find recordings of Valentine's day songs for the age of toddlers upwards. In America children give friendship cards to teachers. Finland also has friendship days.

ASIA

Valentine's Day month. I recall being in Singapore for the month of February and visiting several Toastmasters International Speakers' clubs. At the first Valentines theme club meeting I attended,  the table topics master asked, What would you do on Valentine's Day? What is the best restaurant for Valentine's Day? Where would you go, what was the best gift, and so on. She/he - I forget which - was looking for ideas.

In Malaysia Nowadays The Muslim movement has opposed valentines day, because it is western and encourages sex outside marriage, fornication, adultery and immorality. To counter this view, Valentines Day is  being promoted as a time for married couples to celebrate with date nights, buying expensive champagne, boxes of chocolates, and flowers. Plus of course clothes with hearts, and large cards.

In Japan women workers give chocolates to their co- workers, and a month later the men reciprocate by giving chocolates to women.

INDIA

The Hindus are against pubic displays of human affection. Instead, they tried to introduce hug a cow day. This strikes me and struck many others as an against the animal rights of the cow to refuse, besides being impractical and sometimes downright dangerous activity. Cows are too large to hug and do not necessarily reciprocate nor cooperate.

Useful Websites

February 

https://www.almanac.com/how-did-months-get-their-names

Valentine's Day

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine%27s_Day

A neat summary about Valentine's Day

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z6wjrmn#z6jqcxs

ITALY

https://mominitaly.com/happy-valentines-day-in-italian/

To make your own heart shaped biscuits, heart shaped cookie cutters (biscuit cutters we would say in the UK

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/4433235888/heart-set-cookie-cutters?

SPAIN

https://www.tasteatlas.com/tapas-vs-pintxos-vs-cicchetti#modal

Spanish turron

https://www.bascofinefoods.com/1880-chocolate-and-dulce-leche-turron/

Planning The Year Ahead For Meetings at HOD and more Toastmasters Club Meetings - Fireworks nights, November 5th, 8th and more

 I am Vice President Public Relations for HOD speaker's club. In order to get some publicity or regular event announcement in local newspapers and on the web, such as in Facebook, I need to draw up a calendar. The Toastasters International year runs from June to June.

I also want to plan my own holidays so they don't clash with important events such as club contests. This is what my plan looks like for HOD. The club meets on the first and third Thursday evenings every month. I can find both this year's and next years dates in my 2025 diary.

The first event is our club meeting just before an organized Fireworks display celebrating November 5th when the English parliament was saved from a planned explosion. Guy Fawkes Night is celebrated in England November 5th or the nearest weekend, with fireworks in public displays. 

Thursdays

NOVEMBER

HOD Thursday November 6th 2025 Theme Fireworks (Fireworks have featuref in Diwali, bonfire night Nov 5th and the nearest weekend, in the UK, and New Year's Eve worldwide on Dec 31st.) 

Theme Fireworks - love them or hate them.

Word of the day: Security./Brilliant.

(Saturday November 8th 2025 fireworks in Harrow.)

HOD November 20th 2025

Theme Thanksgiving, which is next Thursday Nov 27 in the USA with internet sales.

WOD Gratitude. (Or the word gift.) If the meeting has lots of academics you can use a multi-syllable word describing an abstract cocept. If most of the audience, both members and gusts, joined Toastmasters  

To improve their elementary English, you might choose a simpler one-syllable word.

DECEMBER

HOD December 5th 2025 Festival of Lights - Hanukah. 8 days eve of Dec 14 Sunday, 8th light eve of finishes.

Theme. Lights.

WOD Enlightenment

December 20th 2025 Christmas party. Theme and speeches on Christmas worldwide, food and drink. Wear red, white black and green.  Bring mince pies, Xmas cake, yule log, stollen, or pictures of them. If the venue allows alcohol, you can serve hot mulled wine (labelled alcoholic for drivers.  Proved tap water, bottled water, or no alcohol or low alohol drinks. If alcohol is not allowed, a hot fruit punch.

January 1st. 2026 No meetings. (Some clubs postpone their meeting for a week. Our HOD president decided it was less confusing to always meet the same day of the week.

January 15th 2026 Theme. New Year's Resolutions. Word of the resolution.

Feb 5th 2026 Valentine's Day, Love, Love & Marriage. Hearts, Gifts. Valentine's day is upcoming on Feb 14th 2026. What are your plans and shopts and restaurants?

Word of the day Love.

Feb 19th 2026 Valentine's Day - how was it for you? Word of the day. Decision.

March 5th Theme ...

Word of the day ...

March 19th Discuss British Summer time clock changes

2026 UK Time Change

Sunday March 29th 2026. UK. Clocks Spring forward.

April 2nd April Fools Day was April 1st - was anybody fooled?

EASTER April 3rd is good Friday. April 5th is Easter Sunday

April 16th ....

May 7th ...

May 21st Club committee role opportunities explained. Volunteers sought for roles and 2 club observers.

Jun 4th Club Elections. Theme Holidays.

Jun 18th BYO Summer party. Theme summer.

Sunday 25th October 2026 UK.Clocks Fall back.

Useful Websites

Harrow Fireworks

www.harrowfireworks.co.uk

Updated October 27 2025

More Dates For celebrations, themed costumes, decor, posters, theme of the meeting and word of the day.

Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year.

Halloween.

Valentine's Day And Drinks

 Hedonism wine shop in London has giant hearts in the window and the words pulling heartstrings.

Regarding tastings, you have a choice of three. Free drop in tastings. Enomatic tastings from the machine where you choose which wines to sample, after buying a card and adding whatever amount you wish to spend. Or a special event tasting when somebody knowledgeable such as the owner of a vineyard or promoter of a company brings along a set of wines.

If you are looking for a cheap taste, they have a wall of enomatic machines enabling you to try wines in small quantities from only two or three pounds. (Take your own water or crackers, or book a nearby restaurant.)

Other possiblities are buying Champagne, or a british pink wine from Nytimber.

I am a cheap date, happy with a tiny bottle of Prosecco from Tesco. However, my husband is an enthusastic customer of Hedonism . 

We have also attended their tasting events when you can join other couples and singles and learn about wines. 

Useful Website

Not for Valentine's Day but a birthday, I have put in a request for the new Coravin Sparkling which enables you to have a glass of sparkling wine from the bottle (with a kind of syringe through the cork), saving the rest of the contents of the bottle for another occasion.

Useful Websites

Hedonism

https://hedonism.co.uk/gifts

https://hedonism.co.uk/drop-in-tastings

https://hedonism.co.uk/tastings

Coravin

https://www.coravin.sg/sparkling

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Edible Gifts from Honolulu, USA

 This is what I have been looking for. Edible birthday or anniversary gifts with fruit. I hope that now I have seen this website, the magical search engines will send me advertisements for similar places until I find one which sends to my address or the address of family members in other countries.

Useful Websites

https://www.facebook.com/ediblearrangements/photos

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Valentine's Day

Spanish for happy Valentine's day, literally happy day of love

Heart shaped box of chocolates including some heart shaped chocolates

Bouquet with a difference.

If you have forgotten, make a card with hearts. You can find heart signs in symbols, on Wikipedia, or draw around a saucer and print the colour or paint in the red with paints or watercolour pencils or red felt tip pen, or spare cloth. Or a thread from a red garment could sew a small red heart or just a line under a heart.

 Useful Websites

https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/21221674/marks-spencer-valentines-day-menu-revealed/

Valentine's Day worldwide, DIY cards, edible cards, heart shape cakes, chocs, edible flowers, or Dinner for two S338 at the Tanglin Club, in central Singapore, and Love sculpture photos

 Expect prices to go up for Valentine's Day. What could you enjoy. A live band, and roses, at the Tanglin club. 

A meal with matching wines.

Heart shape decorations.

Toastmasters Clubs for aspiring speakers and business leaders, including teachers, sales people, life coaches, have the theme of love.

Singapore has a sculpture with the letter LOVE. There are many more in the USA, Canada, and Asia.

Couples used to have their wedding photos taken by churches and waterfalls. Other romantic locations include bridges and flower gardens.

If you are not a member of the Tanglin Club, ask around your friends and colleagues to see if anybody is a member.

If you are a member of a club in another country, it may have reciprocal membership with the Tanglin Club. For example, in London many including the Cavalry and Guards Club, in Australia RAC clubs and several city clubs, the USA, China and many more countries and clubs.

Any club you are a member of is likely to have valentine's Day dinners, or decorations in the lobby or restaurants which provide photo opportunities.

Alternatively, have dinner a day early, Feb 13, and have cards and flowers and chocolates saved for the next day. Make up a rhyme and print it off with hearts and flowers. 

Historical Pictures

Valentine's day stocking with red hearts.

Valentine's Day in Spanish, Feliz dia del Amor.

St Valentine shrine in Ireland. 

There's another in Italy.

Valentine's day chocolates from Japan, including heart shaped chocolates.

Valentine's day balloons from Mexico.

Current 2023 Pictures

Hallmark pop up musical card with lights, about ten dollars minus a cent. In the USA kerbside pickup is available.

Valentine's Day started as a Christian festival and is increasingly commercial and celebrated widely. In American teachers and pupils receive and send valentine's day cards and schoolchildren make cards for their teacher and their parents.

Muslims are not supposed to copy non-Moslem festivals nor to drink alcohol, but (according to an answer in Quora) it would be fine to send flowers to your wife on Valentine's day or give a gift to your child on their birthday - and if it is on Valentine's day or any day.

Sweets and Edibles

You can make edible cards and gifts. cut shapes in marzipan, icing, 

Rice paper. Edible decorating colours and piping pens. Or a piece of paper, removable. 

Or edible flowers.

Savoury

Try cutting bread and toast, or fried or poached eggs.

If you have more money than sense, oops, I meant time, you can spend 80 dollars on a bouquet of flowers, a small teddy bear and half a dozen chocolates. 

Since we already have the bears and chocolates, we can do this ourselves and spend on a gourmet lunch or dinner the next day. 

Useful Websites

Photo Opportunities

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Love_sculptures

Clubs

https://www.tanglinclub.org.sg/events/social-events/valentine%E2%80%99s-day-dinner-13february2023/individual-registration.html

https://www.tanglinclub.org.sg/reciprocal-clubs/reciprocal-clubs.html

Cards

https://www.123cards.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiArY2fBhB9EiwAWqHK6iqxOaOt2QB94RBZYg_5ugYEiL7MOyEKytO22lt0pYwM1XX-oU75PRoCaKMQAvD_BwE#google_vignette

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine%27s_Day

https://www.hallmark.com/valentines-day/valentines-day-cards/

DIY CARDS

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Valentines-Day-Card

Flowers

https://www.marksandspencer.com/for-the-love-in-your-life-vase-bundle/p/flp60614876

EDIBLE FLOWERS

https://www.amazon.sg/Cupcake-Toppers-Wedding-Birthday-Decoration/dp/B0829KMVDY/ref=asc_df_B0829KMVDY/?tag=googleshoppin-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=404214624474&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11772662749942218768&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9062509&hvtargid=pla-1543662888924&psc=1

https://www.redmanshop.com/shop-by-category/baking-ingredients/edible-decor/edible-flower

https://www.floweradvisor.com.sg/occasions/singapore-valentines-day?t=0-2-1-1

https://www.floweradvisor.com.sg/occasions/valentines-day-sg-fa25280 (Baby bear, flower, chocolates, 83 dollars Sing.)

When Does Chinese New Year End? On Chinese Valentine's Day

 

Jolly red box which contained mandarin oranges from Taiwan, sold in Singapore for Chinese New Year. Photo by Angela Lansbury

I see that the boxes which contained mandarin oranges have been thrown away in Singapore. But the Chinese New Year signs are still hanging on doors and walls. So when does Chinese New Year end?

I asked my Chinese friends in Singapore. They told me that this year, 2022, Chinese New Year ends on February 15th. Of course, being a lunar New Year, the dates change each year.

We needed to know when Chinese New Year ended, in order to decide the theme for a Toastmasters International club's zoom meeting. Chinese New year ends on the 15th, one day after Valentine's day, always on February the 14th.

The last day of Chinese New Year is also called the Lantern Festival.

My Singaporean Chinese friends told me, I that in the old days, the last day of the New Year's celebration was known as the Chinese Valentine's Day. On this day, young girls who most of the year were kept at home, were allowed to go out and enjoy themselves, unescorted, looking at the lanterns. 

However, according to Wikipedia, the Chinese Valentine's Day is also in the 7th month. It celebrates a meeting of two lovers.

Until February 15th you will still see the celebratory Chinese New Year signs.  Also, you can still wish people Gong Xi Fa Chai.

Useful Websites

Chinese Valentine's Day

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qixi_Festival

 About the author of this blog post

Angela Lansbury

About the Author Angela Lansbury

BIOGRAPHY

Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5 
The Author of several books including  Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.

Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President

Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time 

Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;

Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;

Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.

More details from Toastmasters International find a club.

Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.

Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.

Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.

Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.

Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.

Language and speech workshops in Singapore.

Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.

Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.

Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.

Angela is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter. She would be delighted to link up with new friends.

 Please share links to your favourite posts.

Books by Angela Lansbury
How to be the best man. (Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Wedding Speeches and Toasts.(Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Unforgettable British Weekends.
Poetry Workshop Workbook.
The Tailor and the Spy. (Lulu.)
Larry The Talking Labrador. (Lulu.)
Writing Poetry for fun.

Quick Quotations

Who Said What When

 

How To Use Holiday Snaps And Restaurant Birthday Cake Photos For Greetings

I showed my happy birthday dessert on Facebook and received extra greetings and good wishes regarding my birthday from friends. On Whatsapp a friend sent me a birthday greeting, telling me that her birthday was the same day as mine. She had attached her cake with the words happy birthday attached.

I then realised that you could use your own picture of your birthday cake with the words happy birthday as a greeting to others having birthdays later.



Only when I copied my photo and scrutinised it, considering cropping it, did I notice that the h in happy birthday is lower case.

Why is this? I suspect it is because people going into catering and creative jobs such as art are often visual rather than academic, interested in art and pictures rather than text.

Maybe I am wrong and it is just that visuals are often copied so the small number with errors get noticed.

So, if you are using photos with text, check the text carefully. If I had noticed at the time, would I have sent the plate back for correction?

No. Firstly, I received a free cake and when somebody has taken time to please you I don't like to look ungrateful. It was done last minute in a hurry.

Secondly, I never send things back in a restaurant unless I am on the last course and paying up and will never go there again. I do not wish to upset the person preparing food. They could take revenge on me or other customers or the management. They are probably low paid staff very proud to have a new job. On the other hand I could point out the error so they improve and get it right next time.

I would be more inclined to try to correct the chocolate myself.

To conclude, you can use your birthday cake pictures from any year as a greeting card. I shall collect mine together in an album called birthdays.

A birthday card could be created showing the year's events and successes, of the lifetime of successes and travels.

Other travel pictures can be used as a collage for Happy New Year.  Show highlights of your past year's travels. 

Saved pictures of Valentine's day can be used for next year's Valentine's Day wishes.

Happy travels and happy greetings.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. I have other posts on Birthday meal at the Tanglin club, birthdays, Valentine's Day, New Year, Singapore, destinations worldwide. Please save links to your favourite posts.

Valentine's Day Surprises

Feb 14 every year means a flurry of fun ideas and festive offerings. I love Champagne or Prosecco or any bubbly drink any time, but why not on Valentine's Day, lunch, tea, or evening dinner. If you plan a weekend away at a hotel, being overnight ready for Valentine's day, you might find you have Champagne for breakfast. Many hotels serve bubbly for breakfast. 

They often keep quiet about it. You could be onto your third day in a hotel before you discover it by accident.

A glass of bubbly. Photo by and of Angela Lansbury.

I went to visit a family in London who had guests who were kosher. I did not know what to take but decided it was safer to take flowers rather than food or drink. I was right. The guests brought home made cakes and fruit as a gift. The hostess out of consideration for hosts had a bottle of kosher Prosecco.

If you are planing  surprise weekend away, tell your beloved to block the dates for a surprise activity, otherwise they might think you have forgotten valentine's Day and plan something else.

The usual ideas are: chocolates in heart shape boxes, red roses.


Anything pink or red is good - such as underwear from Rigby and Peller (make sure you know the favourite size and style and check if goods can be exchanged, wine, dinner out.

Others are an Indian restaurant for Valentine's Day.

The Eiffel Tower, Paris.

Travel To Paris
Paris is a favourite romantic destination.

Or a weekend away, dinner on a moving vehicle or attraction such as a Gondola or a Big Wheel such as the London Eye or Singapore Flyer.

Halong Bat, Vietnam. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Vietnam
How about a cruise ship to Halong Bay in Vietnam. Our cruise ship put out the red carpet for a honeymoon couple and scattered pink rose petals on the stairs, petals falling from above like a rain of rose petals.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Lemon Festival in France

The lemon festival is in France, the south of France, in the seaside of Menton. In 2019 from Feb 16 to March 3rd. (Valentine's day Feb 14 if you want to go early.

See my previous post on the Michelin starred restaurant, Mirazur.

Other lemon festivals are held in: California, USA;Turkey; and the UK.

Photo by Bohyunlee in Wikipedia article on Menton.

Useful Websites
https://www.facebook.com/Feteducitron/

French tourist board.
Channel ferry.
tripadvsor.
wikivoyage.
wikitravel.

more later.

Singapore Airlines Offers You More Legroom - if you pay, a little extra

Singapore Flag.

I am a frequent flyer on Singapore Airlines. Into my inbox comes an email headed more legroom. Great. But you have to pay. Why would you?

Problem
Economy is too cramped. If you are tall it's a real problem. Even for small people, by the time you have stuck your bag in front of you on the floor and then the person in front leans back after take-off or after eating, you are jammed in like a sardine and heaven help you if you need the toilet or there's an emergency landing.

Answer
Pay for upgrade to Business.

Objection it is too expensive. My first thought was I'm not paying and I can't imagine anybody else will either. On second thoughts, some people will. Who and when?

Answer
Get upgrade. Pay for it. How?
People in work. Get your company which won't pay for business class to pay for it, costs them less but means you can sleep or rest easier.
Get it for a birthday or Xmas present or Valentine's day.

Singapore is a great stopover if you are travelling between the USA or Europe or Russia and want to continue on to Australia and New Zealand. Singapore Airlines in a member of Star Alliance if you need to mix and match airlines and use airmiles and lounges.

Useful Links
Singapore Airlines
singaporeair.com

Author
Angela Lansbury
Travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. I have several posts on Singapore - everything from 24 hours McDonalds to Changi airport eating and day and night (Night Safari) attractions and free attractions (Botanical Gardens), and London, England. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Flowers with tiny, twee teddy bears - as a gorgeous gift

Problem
Flowers usually last one three weeks, then they die and the donor is forgotten.

Answer
When I was asked what kind of flowers I wanted, or whether I wanted flowers for a funeral, I always asked for a pot plant containing a colourful perennial which would stand up tall and could then be taken home to a garden or balcony to keep up spirits all year and maybe forever.

In the UK I found gift companies which send combinations such as flowers with chocolates or Champagne. I recently noticed that big companies such as Marks & Spencers and Harrods and Waitrose will combine flowers and food or drink for special seasonal occasions such as Valentine's Day and Christmas.

In Singapore, I was walking towards Raffles Place MRT station (from the Bayfront area) going up the stairs. (Look for the parallel escalator at the other end of the approach/exit on the waterfront and along the corridor.)

I noticed three different bunches of flowers hanging on the door of a florist, each containing a teeny Teddy bear.

I didn't have time to check prices, but you can get them either online or by phoning. Other florists can probably do something similar.

You could do the same yourself. But as with most DIY activities and gifts, if you are short of time and want a professional effect, go to the professionals.

The woman in the shop was smiling and watching so I asked her permission to take a photo. Then I asked for her card in order to remember the location and correct name of the shop and website.

On the back of her business card was a handy guide to flowers:
1 You're the only one for me.
2 So right together - you and I.
3 I love you.

The numbers go up to 99 for An eternal promise. To me 99 is an emergency phone number for the police, so 99 would tell me, warning, this person wastes too much money on flowers. However, all of this both a bit of fun, a romantic, thoughtful gesture.

The Teddy Bear would suit a recipient who likes hangings and decorations. I have seen tiny key ring size teddies hanging from taxi's interior mirrors. On first sight they are an amusement for the passenger. Later, when I told somebody else, they remarked that Teddies hanging from a car mirror could be a distraction.

Another use for Teddies is for girls who still collect soft toys when into their teens and adulthood. Another opportunity is when you want to give flowers to a mother and entertain a child as well. That might be handy on Mother's Day, or for you or a child to take as a gift to a Grandmother who dotes on grandchildren. She can keep the flowers and give the Teddy to the child.

Handy Websites
Future Florist
Jasmine Tan
www:futureflorist.com.sg
singaporeair.com

Medium size Teddy in flowers, smaller Teddy with flowers below, on the door of Future Florist, Change Alley, Hitachi Tower, Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. Copyright.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. I have several more posts on Teddy bears, at the Nearby Fullerton hotel, Singapore, and elsewhere around the world. Please bookmark and share links to your favourite posts.

Bottle Basics - how to store those bottles you bought on holiday - and the cheese

Bottle Cork.

Problem
My parents stored bottles of Champagne upright in the house for years for special occasions. One or two of them had gone off. What a disappointment. Also an embarrassment, when we opened them specialilly for our visitors from France.

What went wrong? Now I know. But we recently visited friends living in the same street and they also had bottles in the house stored upright. What's wrong?

Now that we know, we assume everybody else knows. But they don't. So here's a reminder for you, and to check your family firends, nieghbours and colleagues, to be sure they are not storing bottles wrongly. Who should you learn from? We learned from the French and the professionals.

Horizontal?
Which bottles should be kept horizontal? Unopened bottles with corks. That way the cork is kept moist. If the cork shrinks, the air gets in and out. The bubbles escape. The aroma escapes. Hot air gets in and the wine spoils and goes vinegary.

Metal and Cork?
Many wine producers are turning to metal cap bottles. However, some prestige wines are still made with corks because it looks traditional and prestigious. If you buy old wines, or inherit them, or buy them for prestige or an investment, they will probably date back to the days when corks were widely used.

Answers
If you buy Champagne, you have probably seen bottles stored in warehouses, shops and cellars in a horizontal position. They are also stored for years in cool cellars. This is not just to hide them. It is to keep them cool.

Are other bottles not stored horizontally? Why? Are they kept in a chilled cabinet and just brought out for an event?

Champagne. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

A bottle stored in your warm kitchen near the stove is in a hot place. On top of a cupboard is a bad pllace because heat rises. In summer the heat is even worse. As for the tropics - !

Bad places to store good wines
Upright on the top of your kitchen cupboard.
Next to the hot oven and stove.
A well heated house.
On the table in the tropics.
Upright in the rack in a wheeled trollery.
A little cheap freestanding rack in a warm kitchen.

Good places to store include
A cool cellar.
An unheated outbuilding.
An unheated pantry with a grill to the cool outdoors.
An old fridge - temperature adjusted to suit the wine.
A wine compartment in a fridge.
A horizontal bottle rack in the kitchen only for items you will use soon.
A garage.

I don't like bottles kept in garages or sheds unless they are in a dedicated wine cabinet with a list of contents on the inside of the door or inside wall or a book stored in the cabinet. When you find an odd bottle or two in a garage or shed, you can never be sure somebody has not filled an old bottle with cleaning fluid or other undrinkable products.

Warning About Garage Storage
(In one case, people in the UK cleared out the garage of a deceased relative and gave a bottle, still with the label, to a raffle. The results were disastrous. I recall one permanent injury. One fatality. )
A couple in England were lucky to not suffer long-term effects:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1318462/Couple-nearly-die-drinking-antifreeze-thought-vermouth.html

Anther accidents in Spain involved a wine bottle used for another product then placed in a fridge.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/man-dies-after-waiter-accidentally-serves-him-glass-of-detergent-instead-of-wine-10324018.html

Also check drinks which are not served from a bottle. In Indonesia I was served alcoholic drinks from a coconut. I was once in a group when everybody was served the same 'non-alcoholic' house special cocktail, at a time when alcohol was supposedly banned because of an election. I always ask to see the bottle.
http://www.abc.net.au/health/features/stories/2013/09/10/3845522.htm

A wine fridge can be expensive. The bigger and better ones have a lock. You can also store chocolates and medicines and photographic equipment. In the tropics you can use a wine fridge to store biscuits out of the way of rodents and insects without actually freezing the food. A white normal fridge suits a kitchen. A black wine fridge with a see-through door might be a decorative addition to a less used and cooler dining room or spare bedroom.

Blue cheddar. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Cheese
If you buy from a cheese shop, ask them how to store the cheese. A big cheese protected by a wax covering is protected from the atmosphere. As you cut it up and more of the cheese is exposed, it lasts less long. A cheese will have different shelf life if it is organic, soft, grated, wrapped in plastic, in a fridge, on a cheesboard under a glass cover which is sealed, or not a good fit. And so on.

Cheese Outdoors
We once had an au pair girl who kept her cheese on her bedroom windowsill in winter. The cheese bag handle or string was attached to the window handle so she coudl retrieve it from inside and so it could not fall off the ledge. (After that we were very careful about cleaning her outside windowsill regularly.)

Now we have cats and foxes and I don't like food stored outside unless it is protected. Restaruants have to aboide by regulations covering food, to prevent rats and other rodents, mice and so on, either eating the food or simply scampering across it and urinating into it.

I have given you a simplified version of what to check and why. I suggest you ask when buying wine. Most major supermarkets emply a master of wine as their buyer. You can ask to speak to staff or write to customer services. Also look for the manufacturer or importer and research the type of wine, wine bottle and closure.

Cheese
The same goes for cheese. Different cheeses, cut to different sizes, hard and soft cheese, protected by rind, or not, require different treatment. Some cheeses contain dried fruit, garlic, added salt. Labels may tell you. If not, ask.

Vineyard, Champagne And Wine Tours
You can take vineyard tour and go to wine tasting all over the world. When the guide asks 'any questions?', you can ask them how to store any wines you buy.

A good place to learn about wines is at the Denbies complex south of London in England. In summer you can buy tickets for either the outdoor tour, showing you differnet types of hillside, in sun or shade, from the hilltop. The other cellar tour shows you how the wine is made in barrels and stored - and you end up with a tasting. It's all in English, too, no struggling to understand a guide with a foreign accent.

Cheese tours are also fascinating. Again, ask about storage.

Travel websites
visitbritain.com
English wine. Scottish whisky.
visitwales.com (Welsh wineries and stays and tastings)

Wine tours and tasting UK
https://www.visitbritain.com/gb/en/food-and-drink/beer-cider-and-wine

Wine tours and tastings France
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g187070-Activities-c42-t205-France.html

Wine tours and tastings USA
https://uk.viator.com/USA-tours/Wine-Tasting-and-Winery-Tours/d77-g6-c21

Wine Tours, Tastings & Education
Several companies specialise in wine tours of Europe, South Africa, Australia, USA and worldwide.

You can also join wine tasting club in major cities and take a beginners' course with WSET (Wine and Spirits Education) in England and other countries. (I did level one. My husband did levels 2, 3 and 4 and has a diploma.

I go to several club dinners and tastings, and tastings, talks, dinners, at the Wine Society in Stevenage.  They hold events around Britain, London, and other cities, with talks by their own staff and/ or visiting winemakers from the UK and other countries.

Berry Brothers & Rudd, who have a big shop in London, England, also run more expensive wine tastings and dinners all year, good for a birthday or anniversary present or Valentine's Day gift.

Tips
To test whether your wines are still drinkable, buy or borrow a Coravin. This takes a tiny sample through what looks like a small Metal straw. Expensive to buy, but saves you money and embarrassment. See their website for pictures and demonstrations of how it works, as well as stockists.
www.coravin.co.uk

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
See my previous posts about wine tastings in the UK, England, Wales, Italy and worldwide. Please share links to your favourite posts.

How To Have Fun At The French Kissing Festival!

Problem
Kissing festival? Where? When?

Answer
FRANCE VALENTINE'S DAY AND KISSING
It's at Roquemaure in South East France, on the Rhône river, the Saturday before Valentine's Day (according to the local website). Please check dates. The name means black rock in Occitan language. Roque is French for rock.

Wine, women and wonderful.

Not just any women. Kissing nuns. And kissing priests. The festival was started by a priest.

In February 2018, in London, it's flu season. Frankly, I'm a bit wary of kissing anybody on the lips. Or even the cheek. Or even shaking hands. Or being in a room with lots of people.

However, I am interested in the Fête du Baiser, La Fête du Baiser.

It's at Roquemaure on the Rhône river. Not the Rhine, the Rhône. I don't know the Rhône well.

I have heard of Château-neuf-du-Pape on the other side of the river. In English the name means the new home (or castle or mansion) of the pope. So this area of the Rhône is a wine region, an important wine region, depending on wine for prestige and income.

Roquemaure is 12 kilometers north of Avignon. Everybody knows Avignon. In kindergarten, we sang, Sur le Pont D'Avignon, on y danse, on y danse. On the bridge of Avignon, everyone dances, everyone dances. Unfortunately, that's a mistranslation. Even in the days of the horse and cart dancing in the road was a dangerous thing to do. They were not dancing sur but sous le pont, underneath it.

The local people dress in period costume. The wine is free and flows freely. (Is there an entrance fee? Or do you pay in kisses?)

What can you buy locally? Commemorative stamps at the post office opened for the festival in the Capitale des Amoureux. Wine and Cheese. A complete meal, starting with olives and walnuts. For your starter or main course, speciality sausages, and to flavour any other main course you choose (such as scrambled eggs), savoury aromatic truffles. To finish with something sweet and romantic, lavender honey and gingerbread hearts.

For more details see the Sydney Morning Herald:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/02/18/1108609398996.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roquemaure,_Gard
avignon-et-provence.com

OVER TO ITALY - VALENTINES AND ANIMALS
If you think that's odd, St Anton's church in Italy blesses dogs. In fact all kinds of animals. (See next post.)

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

What You'll See If You Spend Valentine's Day in Italy, Seeing St Valentine's Relics In Terni, the city of lovers!

Problem
Was St Valentine a real person? If so, where is he buried?

Answer
St Valentine of Terni was a bishop in the 3rd century AD, in Italy. Here's a map of Italy showing Umbria, the heart of Italy.

St Valentine
St Valentine was in Italy, in Terni, which has his relic. What a lovely idea for Valentine's day or any anniversary. A trip to Italy to the city of lovers to see St Valentine.

You can see places associated with two romantic saints. St Francis of Assisi, who preached to people and talked to birds and animals, used to visit Terni to give sermons, on his way from his home in Assisi to Rome in the years 1208-1209.

A third saint is of interest to romantic travellers! In Terni, outside the church of St Christopher, (patron saint of travellers!) St Francis used to stop to preach. The statue of St Francis is outside on a stone column.

Murals about St Francis and his life are on the cloister walls of the Santa Maria Della Grazie church.

Basilica of St Valentine in Terni, City of Lovers, Italy. Photo from Wikitravel.

List of Sights To See In Or Near Terni
1 Basilica di San Valentino.
(Basilica of Saint Valentine.)

2  Marmore Waterfalls. Balcone degli innamorati.
Marmore Waterfall (in Italian Cascata - Italian for cascade, del Marmore, of Marmore) is one of the highest in Europe and your destination is the balcony of lovers. Paths lead you to two areas of the waterfall (heeled shoes not advised, nor ballet pumps) including the balcony behind the falls (like Niagara) where the spray will soak you, so leave a change of clothes in your car.

It is about 8 km (5 miles) outside the city centre. The city of Terni as a 17th cathedral, a 12th century church of St Francis, and several more churches and grand buildings.

Terni - city hall
Photo author Starlight in Wikipedia:

What do these round-topped, tall arches on Terni city hall remind me of? Etruscans in Perugia. (See picture below.)

Archaeological museum, Terni, Umbria, Italy. Photo in Wikipedia is public domain.

Roman reamins are on the outskirts of the city of Terni.

Terni was an important industrial area, once known as the Manchester of Italy. The result of wartime bombing means it is now known for postwar architecture as well as the old sights which attract tourists.

Terni and Umbria Hotels Highly Rated, Look Good, On My Shortlist
Hotels with Swimming pools and Spas
Borgo Brufa Spa Resort
Via del Colle, 38, 06089, Brufa di Torgiano, PG, Italy.
(In Feb 2018 offering one night b and b for 2 persons including spa from £191; about £226 for one night, 2 persons half board.) Modern hotel with indoor-outdoor pool with underwater jets - terrific. I loved it.
Amusing or Amazing
Converted prison in Terni.

Check out Terni on Wikipedia and Wikitravel. Wikitravel is not an extract but entirely different. Another useful source is Tripadvisor.

Also in Umbria visit Perugia, a hilltop city with a huge Etruscan gate against the cliffside.

Impressive Etruscan Gateway to Perugia, capital of Umbria. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Perugia, Italy. Murals are on walls and ceilings all over the Umbrian region in religious buildings, civic buildings and museums, depicting local characters and saints, especially St Francis of Assisi. 

Perugia city in Umbria, Italy: underground city of the Etruscans. Wikipedia.

Side Trips And Two Centre Holidays
If you have lots of time and money, stay in Perugia, go north in Italy to Verona to see Juliet's balcony, and to the West coast in Tuscany to see Florence, or north to Rome.

Where To Marry In Italy?
If you want to get married, or renew your vows, two venues might appeal:
Small - smallest working theatre: Teatro Della Concordia, at Monte Castello di Vibio.
Grand - restored castle, Castello Di Monterone, Perugia.

Perugia, Umbria

Romantic hotels in Umbria include the Castello (castle) di Monterone, Perugia, is on the hilltop outside overlooking the city of Perugia. Perugia is on a series of peaks like many hilltop cities.

Assisi

You can see two major sights connected with St Francis in Assisi, his birthplace and his venerated burial place.

Another two-centre option would be combining a tour of Umbria (including Terni, Perugia, Assisi,  a St Francis trail by car, bike or on foot, and the wine and olive museums in Torgiano) with a tour of Tuscany (Florence for David statue and art gallery, Pisa's tower, Sienna horse race city, Chianti wineries).

UK Italian Restaurant Alternatives
If you have less time and money and are in London, England, can't afford a trip to Italy, London is full of Italian restaurants. Consider Osteria Modigliani in Pinner, Middlesex (see my two posts). Another three in nearby Hatch End include Dona Teresa (see other posts).

Tips
Today I clicked on the En sign next to the alternative IT sign on the Terni Italian language website and realised that 'en' on the end of a website name does not mean encyclopaedia but English!

How To Get There
I flew on Ryanair from Stansted, England, to Perugia International Airport, Umbria (code for airport PEG). You might as well see Perugia before moving on to Terni.

Alternatively, via Rome.

Ideal Accommodation
Luxury Spa Hotel
Burgobrufa Spa Resort

Castle Hotel
Castello de Monterone

B & B Under £100
Palazzo Delle Signorine, Cannara, Province of Perugia, Umbria, Italy.
Originally a palace with antique frescoed ceilings. Tiny exquisite chapel next door to the bedrooms where you could get married or renew your vows. Only two rooms. One of the two rooms overlooks the little square outside. Renovated with up to the minute shower rooms. Closed for low season. Opens March.

Helpful Websites
Great simplified version of the story of St Valentine here:
http://www.deliciousitaly.com/lazio-rome-itineraries/origin-of-saint-valentine-s-day

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terni
https://wikitravel.org/en/Terni

http://www.turismo.comune.terni.it/en (Lovely video of the waterfall.)

https://www.umbriatourism.it

Rooms
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g635638-d656395-Reviews-Borgobrufa_SPA_Resort-Torgiano_Province_of_Perugia_Umbria.html
castellomonterone.com
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g664988-d2693195-Reviews-or10-Palazzo_delle_Signorine-Cannara_Province_of_Perugia_Umbria.html

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.