REVIEW on WEEK 7: Valentine's Day

This has been my second year (since I was 15) that I have been single on Valentine's Day. And let me just say, this was one of my best! I know what this may say for my choice in men, but really, I didn't feel sorry for myself like a lot of people do on this Hallmark holiday, nor did it feel like Single's Awareness Day was being rubbed in any of our faces. Just being among good company filled our hearts with joy. Surprisingly, everyone participated in my schedule for the night. And although I was starting to feel like having these parties was financially draining, I look at it and see how everyone pitched in. They brought drinks, cooked food (thanks, Amy!), and even ordered pizza (thanks, Gabe!) It's pitching in like this that doesn't drain me financially and emotionally, and that makes me continue having these events every week.

So with that said, let me just elaborate on the activities that filled out night. The early-comers watched some of "The Last Kiss." I watched bits of it, so I can't really comment on my opinion about it. When more people arrived and the movie ended, we started baking. First was prepping the crust for the apple tarts. Then we made the sugar cookie dough. People used old Christmas cookie cutters that I borrowed from my mom and used sprinkles and icing to decorate their creations. The cookies turned out pretty good. It was my first time I made sugar cookies without adult supervision (meaning, I haven't made sugar cookies since I was like 5.) As we continued this process, Tony was melting chocolate in the fondue pot. We used some chocolate with nuts to give some texture to the chocolate, and then we dipped fresh strawberries into it. Yum! Time was getting late, so we put aside the final baking and continued with the next activity - sharing something special about ourselves/sharing a special talent we have. As we went around the group, I found out just how creative and artistic every one of us are. Among the talent:
- Writing
- Drawing
- Playing Guitar
- Singing
- Dancing
- Drumming
- Photography/Painting
- Makeup Artistry
It was a beautiful experience! I feel like we all bonded that night, even those who didn't know anyone there. I didn't even know everyone there, but I think that's what makes these events so fulfilling for me - to make new connections with people. And it's thanks to you, my friends, that I can do this... This, in essence, is what my blog events are all about!

----- STATISTICS -----
People attended: 14 (better turnout than expected - all singles except for one.)
Time allocated: 5 hours

----- RATING ----- (out of 5 stars)
Food: 4.5 (Thank you Amy for making the pasta, and Gabe for ordering garlic pizza. Yum! Thanks to everyone else for the drinks.)
- Sugar Cookies: 3 (sugar cookies aren't my fave.)
- Chocolate-covered strawberries: 4 (good, but small strawberries... and I dipped my finger in the hot chocolate. OUCH! Well, it is me I'm talking about.)
- Apple Tarts: 4 (I need to modify the recipe because the apples were a little over-cooked, but it was still yummy.)
Overall Experience: 5 (Two weeks in a row!)

Yes, even though the party ended, I was still determined to make my apple tarts. So Nika and I got on it, using my famous apple pie recipe. Although I do need to modify it accordingly, the tarts turned out to be excellent! I went into work on Friday and shared the three types of treats with my co-workers. They were all happy to have some sugar in them.

Thank you all for coming! And like Kai-lan says, "You make my heart feel super happy! Zai-jian!" I really appreciate you all for coming and helping out! You make these events happen, not me. So here's to more! CHEERS!