real estate adviser: How I’m Reliving the Romance of Past Trips at Home This Valentine’s Day

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Valentine's Day

How I'm Reliving the Romance of Past Trips at Home This Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day 2021 might look a little different than in year's past. You're likely foregoing that long weekend in Paris (or even that fancy steakhouse dinner) for something a little more… understated this year. But it doesn't mean that you can't relive the magic and romance of past trips at home.

A few years ago, my husband and I spent two wonderful weeks in Brazil. We fell in love with the electric nights in Rio and the secluded beaches of Paraty, a colonial village inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2019. While we'd give anything to go back to that trip, this year, we'll be enjoying a quiet Valentine's Day at home in Brooklyn.

But it won't be short on good memories: we'll likely throw a João Gilberto record on; whip up a few caipirinhas, made with cachaça purchased on our trip, natch; and, if I'm feeling adventurous, perhaps I'll even try to whip up some feijoada, a rich stew made of beans, pork, and beef.

While nothing can replace the feeling of exploring somewhere new with the person you love, reliving old, fond memories can be just as exhilarating. Why not pop that special bottle of Champagne you bought in Reims or throw on the special suit you had made in Hong Kong? I promise that, even at home, it will make for a night you won't forget.

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