Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, so below is a round up of the best gifts and date ideas from flirty food experiences and drinks that make your heart flutter, to cute sleepwear and gorgeous date night make up looks all from fantastic Irish brands.
For the Foodies:
WINEDOWN This Valentine’s weekend, dine in style with an exclusive 6-course tasting menu from Winedown.
Available exclusively on Saturday 12th February, serving up the very best dishes from Winedown, the tasting menu features the ever popular Asian inspired Beef Skewers with House Rayu, Slow Braised Pork Belly with Pickled Apple, Porcupine Prawns with Lemongrass and Chilli and not forgetting Winedown’s famous super cheesy Croquettes!
If you’re not in the mood to head out this Valentine’s Day, get a Winedown Dinner Box to-go on Fridays in February. Priced at €55, The Classic Box and The Vegetarian Box each include 6 dishes to be shared between two or if you’re not on the dry this January €75 with a wine-pairing. The 6-course at-home tasting menu for two is comprised of Winedown’s most loved dishes and is available for collection from Winedown Montagues Street on Fridays in February. Think great breads, impeccable cheese, croquettes and modern tapas.
More information here
FREDDY’S Take A Pizza My Heart! Freddy’s Valentine’s pizza special topped with nature’s natural aphrodisiacs! Freddy’s, Galway’s much loved and oldest pizzeria has created a cheesy, delicious heart shaped pizza for the weekend of love, topped with aphrodisiac ingredients that are sure to get the blood pumping this Valentine’s weekend. Take A Pizza My Heart! €15.50 is topped with goats cheese and parma ham along with natures natural aphrodisiacs; rocket, one of the oldest aphrodisiacs vital to sexual health. Fig, a natural sexual stimulant to boost your stamina and honey, which regulates hormone levels and increases blood flow. These delicious ingredients are carefully assembled on Freddy’s signature light and airy pizza base shaped like a love heart. Take A Pizza My Heart! With Goats cheese, Parma ham, Fig, Honey and Rocket loaded on Freddy’s signature light and airy pizza base shaped like a love heart (€15.50).
Available Valentine’s weekend only, February 12th and 13th.
MELTDOWN Valentine’s Day, the cheesiest day of the year, is almost upon us and to celebrate, Meltdown has created a limited edition toastie to get you in the mood! This Valentine’s Day, cheese toastie haven Meltdown, has created a delicious melt layered with lust-inducing ingredients. The limited edition Get Figgy with It - €9.10 includes fig, ricotta, prosciutto, honey and rocket between two slices of perfectly toasted fresh sourdough bread. Fruits like fig and leafy greens such as rocket, while less exotic than oysters and champagne, deliver the same chemical reaction that help get you in the mood.
For a sweet pick-me-up treat someone to a delicious Valentine’s Meltdownie. Delicious rich chocolate brownies with three exclusive Valentine’s Day flavours including Champagne and Strawberries, Rose petal and Honey and Chili Chocolate. Meltdownies are priced at €13 for a box of 8 or €2 each.
For the Cocktail Connoisseur:
TRIBE IRISH GIN This Valentine’s Day, Tribe Irish Gin has created the perfect cocktail to prepare for that special someone in your life. The Tribe Tickler, inspired by it's aphrodisiac qualities, is sure to get hearts racing and set the mood for the evening ahead.
The Tribe Tickler full Recipe here Tribe Irish Gin 70cl is priced at €35 and is available to purchase from www.tribegin.ie
Gifts that show you care:
ZZZANA This Valentine’s Day, say ‘I love you’ with sultry sleepwear from Zzzana. This love day, the luxury Irish sustainable sleepwear brand is excited to launch the limited-edition Hot Pink range in two exclusive styles - the ideal gift idea for the luxury lover in your life. Available in the Vivienne full-length style (€87) as well as the Vixen, an adorable shorts-set with dainty scalloped edges (€77). The Hot Pink collection also includes a matching Eye Mask (€20) and Scrunchie (€8) to complete the look. The exclusive range is created using the brand’s signature 100% organic bamboo fabric. Zzzana’s range of sleepwear is as soft as silk, without the maintenance. The natural bamboo fabric has a silk-like texture and a range of natural properties that help support a good night sleep. Available from www.zzzana.com, pyjamas sets are available from UK size 8 to UK size 22.
HUMAN COLLECTIVE Sustainable Irish urban clothing brand Human Collective, have launched the latest addition to their range of sweatshirts, The Hug. The new unisex oversized fit promises to capture all that is good in a hug, in a sweatshirt! Their thickest and warmest crew to date at 500gsm, The Hug comes with super soft organic brushed suede cotton on the inside, voluminous sleeves and an oversized fit for that cosy warm feeling. The Hug is the latest addition to the Human Collective range of equality promoting clothing and comes in three different shades; Wanted Red, Mystery Black and Grey Melange. The logo, an equal symbol, stands for intersectional equality and €3 from every sweatshirt sold is donated to three charities tackling inequality in Ireland: LGBT Ireland, Sports Against Racism Ireland and The Irish Youth Foundation. The Hug is priced at €105 and includes free delivery. Shop the Human Collective range now from www.wearehumancollective.com
As an extra Valentine’s Day treat, Human Collective are adding vegan Nobo chocolates to any order placed between, Tuesday February 8th and Tuesday Feb 15th.
Get date night ready:
UP COSMETICS This Valentine’s Day, create your perfect date night look with luxury Irish makeup brand Up Cosmetics. For a beautifully blushing glow, the NEW Single Cream Blush collection from Up Cosmetics offers a perfectly buildable pigment with an undeniable glow to make your complexion pop. The NEW Single Cream Blush collection contains two beautiful shades – Blush Pink and Blush Peach Glow (RRP €20) to compliment all skin tones with a dewy radiant glow. For best results, apply cream blush with fingertips or stipple on with a brush. If a true loves kiss is on the cards this Valentine’s Day, create the perfect pout with Up Cosmetics New luxurious lipstick range (RRP €20.00). The satin finish formula is buildable, moisturising, and comfortable to wear all day.
Creamy and rich in pigment, UP Cosmetics lipstick range comes in 4 bold and opulent shades to suit your mood: Perfect Nude (the ultimate beige nude), Fate (a soft pink nude), Siren (a bright matte red), and Berry Red (a bold berry red) encased in a luxury gold bullet. UP Cosmetics cream blush range RRP €20.00 each and Lipstick range RRP €20.00 each, available from upcosmetics.com
BLANK CANVAS This Galentine's Day, why not treat yourself and the celebrated women in your life to a cute gift of the Blank Canvas Hot Pink makeup brush bundle (RRP €40 worth €53.00). The set includes everything you need to create your flawless night-out look and includes some of the best selling makeup brushes available in the Blank Canvas range: ● F43 Flat Round Multi Face Brush ● F41 Tapered Cheek Brush ● F36 Round Cheek/foundation ● E01 Round Eye Blender Blank Canvas Hot Pink Bundles are available online from www.blankcanvascosmetics.com and from pharmacies nationwide.
Special thanks to 2Way Communications for piecing together the above information.
Have a great Valentine’s Day, however you decide to mark the occasion!
Slán go fóill,
Danny