snow drops & cherry blossoms

Last night was Valentine’s Day. Col and I had reservations at the Kitchen Table, but with the blizzard of the century brewing outside, we decided to stay in town and were able to snag—last minute—a fabulous table in a tiny nook with my sister and her husband at Trattoria Delia, my absolute favorite Italian restaurant. Dinner was divine. And so was the wine. Afterward, feeling stuffed and giddy, we walked home in the street (the snow on the sidewalks was up to our knees!) and took breaks rolling around in the snow-banks, climbing trees, and waving to the people whizzing by on their cross-country skis.

I must have been slightly romanced at that point, because once we got home to our warm, little apartment around midnight, instead of going to bed, I decided to go online and buy some plates from Mrs. Lin’s Kitchen. Not just any plates, but a beautiful Japanese cherry-blossom pattern. For all of the nice dinners and potlucks we have, it’s about time we have pretty dishes for our guests. I think I’ll start collecting the whole bunch. Isn’t it gorgeous?