{doughnuts, beer pong, and ice cream cake}

in

All we could ever ask for are the Simple Things as Miguel puts it perfectly. We shouldn't leave it to just one day to show our appreciation of someone's love, amirite?

Instead of going through the hassle of making Valentine's Day reservations for an overpriced Prix Fixe dinner, we decided to have a lowkey weekend with some of our favorite things: food, beer, and sweatpants. It also helped that the weather was insanely cold, so cuddling while stuffing our faces with snacks seemed like the optimal decision. And I have to say, this was hands-down the best Valentine's Day I've had to date.

First we got some bagels from Bagel Hut in Great Neck. The combination of the cinnamon raisin bagel (shown below is with an everything bagel) with scallion cream cheese, lox, onion, and tomato was absolutely amazing. Always stealing Kev's food ideas, hehe.

{Bagel Hut in Great Neck}

{Bagel Hut in Great Neck}

Then we headed over to Long Beach because we're crazy. It was freezing, but with the waves crashing, it was also extremely serene. We also weren't the only people out there; couples bundled up way less were strolling on the boardwalk and even closer to the water. Y'all crazy.

{Magnolia Beach, Long Beach}

{Magnolia Beach, Long Beach}

{Magnolia Beach, Long Beach}

{Magnolia Beach, Long Beach}

Obligatory doughnut stop because I was craving something cake-y and sweet. The strawberry icing on both the sprinkles and Fruity Pebbles doughnuts were incredibly sweet but delicious. The Fruity Pebble doughnut was made to order, so the icing and doughnut were fresh off the pans.

{Dough Hut in Long Beach}

{Dough Hut in Long Beach}

We then spent the night playing games of beer pong, eating ice cream cake, and watching the NBA All-Star contests, from the dunking contest to the three-point shooting contest. The next morning, for lunch, we headed to Cafe Baci for an amazing Italian feast. I mean, a place that has pizza bread in their bread basket is an instant win in my book. We asked for more pizza bread before our food came out, which was a mistake because the portions were enormous. It all worked out because I took the leftovers to have as my lunch the next day.

{Cleanest games of beer pong ever}

{Cleanest games of beer pong ever}

{Cafe Baci}

{Cafe Baci}

Cold weather means ice cream cake in bed while watching the Food Channel.

{Why yes, we (almost) did eat an entire ice cream cake}

{Why yes, we (almost) did eat an entire ice cream cake}

...We really did eat an incredible amount of food this past weekend. I guess I'll start hitting the gym.

Maybe.

Soon.

{date yourself}

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Just about anything these days enables us to be in constant contact with the entire world. With that being said, it's also getting increasingly easier to get caught up in other people's lives. You find yourself scrolling through 200+ pictures in an old classmate's photo album, and midway through the album, you stop and ask yourself why in the world you're looking at these photos in the first place. One of my favorite things about social media is its ability to create communities and connect individuals, but social media has also turned us into unhappy robots as we swipe through the 6 month Euro-trip of someone that we don't even have any kind of relationship with anymore and tap through a 60+ second Snapchat story.

Before I deactivated my [Facebook] account, I found myself mindlessly scrolling through my newsfeed, not only when I was bored but also "just because" it was there. So much of my time was wasted by checking the site for no apparent reason, and now that I'm freed from Facebook's clutches, I find myself happier and more appreciative of my own time.

So much of the clutter of our social lives prevents us from focusing on the most important person: ourselves. I personally love to recharge my internal battery by spending time by myself and away from others, and I frequently go on dates with myself. For some odd reason, there's a social stigma when it comes to dining or having a cup of coffee alone. Some people see eating alone as embarrassing, that they must have at least one friend sit down and eat with them. Being able to enjoy a meal or a cup of coffee by yourself is a simple pleasure that I believe people need to begin embracing. If you know me, you know that I'm constantly on my phone, oops. And I do love my fair share of GNOs and dates with my beloved friends. During my me-dates, however, I prefer to switch my phone onto the "Do Not Disturb" setting and quietly enjoy my time with a good book (disclaimer: I do use my phone as my Kindle, but I rarely go to check my notifications). Plus, waitresses/waiters are sweeter and check up on you more frequently than they normally would.

I used to feel sadness when I saw older folks sitting at tables by themselves, but now, I see them happily taking their sweet time as they savor every drop of coffee in the cup or enjoy a perfectly cooked medium-rare steak with fries on the side before they rush back to work, only to get swept up into an extended day of meetings and more interactions or before they go back to a home full of screaming children. Sometimes, it's nice to have a moment of tranquility.

This alone time doesn't always need to involve food or coffee — take a long walk in your city, go running, watch a movie, or stroll through an exhibit, anything that offers time for you to breathe and take some time for yourself without having to worry about anyone other than yourself. You're allowed to be selfish with your own time, so take advantage of it.

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