Valentines Ideas for Him

If you have been in any Supermarket, Card Shop or are signed up to any beauty and fragrance websites, you will be more than aware that Valentines Day is just around the corner.

So I have put together a rather creative list of the kind of things I know my beloved would like and want.


Adopting an animal is something I chose because he did it for me a few years back and it was so lovely and unique.  We are both animal lovers anyway and have three cats of our own not to mention an aquarium full of fish and love going to the zoo.

If you have a stressed out and tired hubby/partner a bit of TLC goes a long way and sending them off for a massage and some pampering is something I have always looked at doing.  My beloved has a stressful job and I think it would be nice to send him off for a few hours of me time.

If you don't take Valentines Day too seriously then something jokey like I.O.U vouchers are brilliant inside a card, some are much more naughty than others and require some imagination and others are simply "I.O.U a cup of tea every morning for x amount of time" and so on.

If money was no option, luxury Rolex watches are something I would want to invest in.  I know a few people who are lucky enough to have them and not only are they stunning they actually keep their value, many increasing at time goes on.

The final option is a meal for two.  For me, one of the best things is going out for a meal, just the two of us and there being no shopping, food preparation, cooking, washing up and so on.  A nice relaxing dinner, with wine is for me a perfect ending to a day and something I want to do more of.

What have you got planned for Valentines Day? Does the Man/Lady in your life get special treatment?

Wherefore Art thou?

One question a lot of people ask me is "what is there to do in London"  the answer which offers endless possibilities, even for those on a budget.  Living in London there are no end to things that you can do, visit and see and most of them are free.  One thing I love to do is to visit art galleries, a simple search on Google will tell you that there are over 1000 art galleries in London, some more well known than others and some specialising in certain collections and not as well known.

I am by no means an art expert and I don’t have a particular something that I like, though my favourite painting is Sunflowers by Van Gogh.  My own walls at home are a mish-mash of things I have liked, for example:

I have the bright coloured paint splatter which is actually an original painting done by The Blueman Group when I went to see them at the Theatre and I loved it so much my Husband bought it for me and it sits in my hallway on a white wall.  The next one, is a set of three photos of Manchester, my Husbands home and the final one is in my bedroom and is from Habitat and I simply liked the design.  The big space below represents a bare wall in my lounge, for which I am yet to find something to fill it and wondering around art galleries, always gives me ideas.  If there was one talent I wish I could have, it would be to be able to draw, I struggle when it comes to stickmen and at school art was never my strong point.

One of my favourite places to visit is The Saatchi Gallery on one of my favourite roads in London – The Kings Road and I have visited it many times and best of all admission is free.  Whether you love still life, abstract, surrealism or photography to name but a few different types, for me the Saatchi gallery has it all. I have spent many hours simply wandering around just looking and it is such a great way to escape the reality of life for a few hours and sit and wonder at some of the pieces on display. 

Source - A6 Wandering Line 1 by Tom Hendo

Source - painting by Paola Bazz titled Faces 5

Source - Find Out by Claire Desjardins

Source - Meridians by Lori Dell

Even if you cannot get to the actual gallery, all is not lost because you can also checkout new artists at saatchionline.com, see what events are on, have a preview of some of the artwork on show, and there is also a shop which enables you to buy paintings and prints online.

Do you have a lot of art, photographs and pictures on your walls at home? 

 My aim has always been to fill the big empty space on my wall in the lounge, something I am yet to do.