i am big hypocrite. who knew?

i am a 공주.  honesty=best policy, esp. dealing with yourself.  i like valentines, it turns out.  i guess i never got that kind of personalized attention before so i decided to just hate the whole thing, flowers, chocolates, barf barf barf.  and of course the swedes sealed the deal for me by hating the fake holiday. and i always try to emulate the swedes.  but... if someone knows you hate the CHEEZE but somehow they also know you really do like someone being genuine and thoughtful (genuinely thoughtful, i guess i mean) even if you yourself don't even know that (brilliant huh) it is then SUPER DUPER cool.  valentine's day can be done subtly, i have just learned.  it's genius, especially here in the midwest where cheeze rulez.  (provel: ewww)

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for this wholly new experience! whoa, sincerity, qu'est-ce que c'est?  we are ALL too cool for that!  wait, why is this sooooo cool?  oh someone with a really cool genius brain behind it... ahh so.  what a diff a brain makes.  seriously. wow.
(ok, i'm still a hypocrite.  i told you, i know.  honesty, good policy.)  but check it!:

ORCHIDS WHEN IT'S SNOWING ??  QUOI?!  with eucalpytus and subtle minimalist greenery? what? no!! oh but 'tis true.  Y E S:

i separated all of the diff elements so the orchids could BREATHE

CHOCOLATES THAT ARE UNPRETENTIOUSLY AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS AND LOCALLY GROWN???  IMPOSSIBLE, you say?  MAIS NON!

made in st louie; believe it.   and they're so good i cannot inhale. believe it!

[i just tried a bit of the above.  it has a really stimulating and fascinating ko-ju-jang (i'm serious.. seriously!) delayed-SPICE that just made me cough. (not cuz i'm a wuss, but because it caught me by surprise)  and i only had a tiny corner.  must be korean cowboy candy.  oh and--

i was going to include pic of the thrilling (incroyable) sea salt caramels but they're GONE!  wha' hap'nd?]

most over-looked/BEST dinner (understated, nonsalty, delicious) in st. louis is at MAYA'S in maplewood.

you MUST go there.  everything is fresh and amazing.  the people there are super nice and smart and funny.  and musically-inclined!  they are starting as a live music venue soon-- a real stage and green room and everything!  since i am starved for responsibility i volunteered to be in charge of the classical music. yes moi.

also, margaritas are "best in st. louis"--says so on their website! but also i tried--very good.

i had never even heard of this place or seen it, nothin.  the decor is also understatedly witty-cool.

we sat by this:

 

this work was done esp. for Maya's by the unofficial official interior decor genius

 at Maya's, who originally was...a sign designer.  neat-o, eh?

(his name is Bill Christman.  here is an excellent blurb i found about him.  he apparently really is a genius.  did the sculptures at the singularly cool --not just st. louis, but really just VERY COOL--City Museum. (it's like a mini late-nite amusement park, with a bar. i'm not kidding.))

the surprise "valentines" dessert was a delicious un-cheeze perfect fresh single jumbo-sized STRAWBERRY which tasted better than anything in the whole world on this snowy cold day. better. than. ANYTHING.  (not hyperbole. in this case.) 

whew: took picture before completely devouring:

this was actually strawberry #2, since my companion is selflessly generous and gave me his. 

(i ate both with several utencils, it seems.)

i am still marveling at it all.  i even got to talk continuously through three episodes of the BEST SHOW ever, my companion completely unfazed.  if that isn't sincere kindness...  (continuously, seriously)

i will officially start my (MY) year of the tiger tomorrow.  no sugar (less headache), better sleep habits, no more hideous flakiness.  it is MY year.  MY YEAR!!  

(OMG that sounds SO george constanza, e.g.-- "it's the SUMMER OF GEORGE!")