Happy Valentine’s Day! Donald Trump celebrated the occasion by hailing his wife for not leaving him as he faces 91 felony charges ― and then asking for $47.
“Dear Melania, I LOVE YOU!” Trump says in a Valentine’s Day letter to his wife in a Wednesday campaign email. In case it isn’t clear, the email says it three times and shouts in all caps: THIS IS A VALENTINE’S DAY LETTER FROM DONALD J. TRUMP.
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OK. MESSAGE DELIVERED.
The Trump Save America Joint Fundraising Committee
And then, the poetry begins.
“Even after every single INDICTMENT, ARREST, and WITCH HUNT, you never left my side,” gushes the GOP presidential front-runner. “I wouldn’t be the man I am today without your guidance, kindness, and warmth,” Trump continues, with sudden emphasis, “You will always mean the world to me, Melania!”
He signs his love note, “From your husband with love, Donald J. Trump.”
Love is in the air.
Trump Save America Joint Fundraising Committee
If this Valentine’s Day letter inspired you to want to “SEND YOUR LOVE” to Melania, the email gives you the option of doing so by clicking on those words, which take you to a page asking for money for Trump’s presidential campaign.
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Specifically, it asks for $47 if you think Trump is “the greatest president of all time!”
You can also give 20 bucks and some change if you want to support Trump’s campaign.
Nothing says romance like asking strangers for 47 bucks because you think you’re awesome.
The Trump Save America Joint Fundraising Committee
What does this have to do with Trump’s love for his wife or Valentine’s Day? If you click on either of those dollar amounts, little hearts appear on the donation boxes for a second.
Melania Trump has been largely missing from the public eye since her husband lost the presidential election in 2020. She hasn’t been on the campaign trail with him and hasn’t joined him at his many court appearances in his criminal trials.
The former First Lady also hasn’t said anything about Trump’s recent loss in court: He was ordered to pay $83.4 million to E. Jean Carroll for defamation after raping her.
Banksy has revealed he was behind a powerful new piece of street artwork which centres around domestic violence against women.
The mural in question appeared recently in Margate, Kent, depicting a traditional 1950s housewife with a swollen eye and missing tooth.
In the piece – which is seemingly titled Valentine’s Day Mascara – the abused female figure is shown pushing her husband into a freezer, which sits in front of the wall art.
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Posting a photo of his latest creation on his Instagram page, the anonymous street artist zoomed in twice to show a close-up of the woman’s smiling face.
A new artwork by street artist Banksy, titled ‘Valentine’s Day Mascara’ on the side of a building in Margate, Kent.
Gareth Fuller – PA Images via Getty Images
The piece also features a variety of rubbish on the ground in front of the artwork, including a broken white garden chair, a blue crate and an empty beer bottle.
It is set on a white wall backdrop, with users online speculating it is off Grosvenor Place in the seaside Kent town.
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Comments about the post have suggested the Bristol-born artist is referencing fighting violence against women on Valentine’s Day.
Undated handout file photo of one of the new works by Banksy, appears to show a 1950’s housewife, wearing a classic blue pinny and yellow washing up gloves, with a swollen eye and a missing tooth seemingly shoving her male partner into a chest freezer, the piece is set on a white wall backdrop in Kent. Issue date: Tuesday February 14, 2023.
Banksy via PA Media
In December, the elusive graffiti artist announced they had created 50 screenprints which would be sold to raise funds for a charity supporting the people of Ukraine.
Banksy previously confirmed they had spent time in Ukraine after posting a video of an artist spray-painting designs in the war-torn country and speaking to locals.
The artist has managed to conceal his identity despite his work’s popularity, with former Art Attack favourite Neil Buchanan being forced to issue a statement insisting that he is not Bansky back in September 2020.
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Help and support:
If you, or someone you know, is in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. If you are not in immediate danger, you can contact:
The Freephone 24 hour National Domestic Violence Helpline, run by Refuge: 0808 2000 247
In Scotland, contact Scotland’s 24 hour Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline: 0800 027 1234
In Northern Ireland, contact the 24 hour Domestic & Sexual Violence Helpline: 0808 802 1414
In Wales, contact the 24 hour Life Fear Free Helpline on 0808 80 10 800.
National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0800 999 5428
Men’s Advice Line: 0808 801 0327
Respect helpline (for anyone worried about their own behaviour): 0808 802 0321
The candles are glowing softly, and you’re holding hands with your sweetheart across the table. As the waiter strides over to take your order, you may feel like everything’s coming up roses for your relationship.
But beware.
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While dinner for two at a romantic restaurant may seem like the best possible way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, professional chefs say there are dangers awaiting the unsuspecting diner ― ones that could upend what’s supposed to be the most amorous night of the year.
Here’s what to avoid if you want the night to turn out right.
Mistake #1: Eating dinner before … well, you know
As with so many aspects of romantic relationships, timing your Valentine’s Day dinner is everything.
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“I’ve had my share of unromantic Valentine’s Days, and I realized a few years ago that this is directly attributable to me loving food,” Christine Pittman, founder of CookTheStory and The Cookful, told HuffPost. “After having a multi-course dinner, wine and an indulgent chocolate dessert, the night never ended with the kind of romance in the bedroom that I was hoping for. We’d get home and find ourselves too full of rich food, a tad tipsy and very much aware that we have to be up for work in the morning.”
Now, older and wiser, Pittman has learned to rearrange the evening’s agenda for maximum fun.
“Now we enjoy the ‘romance’ part of the evening before going out to dinner,” Pittman said. “The best part is that unbuttoning your pants at the end of the night is just to make yourself more comfortable. You can go in for a cuddle and a goodnight kiss with no pressure or guilt, knowing that you’ve already had a fully romantic Valentine’s Day.”
“Everything you hear about beans is true. Luckily, we both had a sense of humor and a pack of matches.”
– Chef Rossi
Mistake #2: Guzzling pink drinks
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On a celebratory occasion, many diners think that the fancier or more colorful the drink, the better. But chefRenee Scharoff ofBlonde on the Run Catering has observed folks lapping up overly sweet pink sparkling wine that’s billed as “Champagne” on the holiday. That, she said, is a recipe for a sugar headache or a hangover.
“One time, my team and I catered a Valentine’s Day dinner at which we were asked to serve only pink or red cocktails, replete with dry ice and heart-shaped garnishes,” Scharoff recalled. “I could tell most of the attendees just wanted a bourbon or a beer.”
Keep it simple and order what you’d usually like to drink for your romantic meal, not something that will make you feel awful later.
Mistake #3: Getting the prix fixe meal and eating every bite
Many restaurants offer a prix fixe dinner on Valentine’s Day. Since it’s one of the busiest dining-out nights of the year, it makes sense for chefs, because it allows them to order inventory accurately and produce dishes they know their kitchen can handle. But it’s not necessarily the best ordering option for a night devoted to love.
“People are just too tempted to eat everything that’s put in front of them during that multiple-course seating,” chefJohn Sugimura ofPinku Japanese Street Food said. “It’s a good idea to step away from the overconsumption of food and booze, at least this one night.”
Smart restaurants are picking up those cues to keep things light. “One year, I capped off our Valentine’s service with a decorate-your-own Valentine’s cookie activity, instead of serving a rich dessert,” Sugimura said. “It got people together, talking and having fun, and they could take the cookie home for later if they were too full.”
The Picture Pantry via Getty Images
Uh, are you sure your date wants the steak for two?
Keep in mind that Valentine’s Day is not a holiday like Thanksgiving, when eating is the focus, or even Super Bowl Sunday, when the noshing never stops. Chef Michelle Bernstein, co-owner of Miami’s Café La Trova, said she’s noticed many V-Day diners who seem intent on getting their bellies full, without realizing that won’t necessarily keep their hearts light or their libidos purring.
“I’ve seen Valentine’s Day menus offering chateaubriand for two, three-pound lobsters dipped in butter, or, my personal favorite, a three-ounce piece of foie gras with something sweet underneath,” Bernstein recalled. “It’s all delicious and great food for sharing, but does anyone really feel ‘romantic’ after a meal like that? Why aren’t we eating a light salad, a lovely piece of fresh fish and a panna cotta instead?”
Mistake #4: Ordering for your date without asking first
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It seems like something straight out of “Mad Men” ― the man (whose menu is the only one that includes prices) calls the waiter over and orders for himself and his date, without any prior consultation. And yes, it still happens, according to Chef Rossi, owner and executive chef of New-York based catererThe Raging Skillet.
“The sight of all that rare meat bleeding onto the sizzle plate, and her boyfriend sucking on the bones, induced a reaction far different from romance.”
– Chef Rossi
“I observed one couple get into hot water on Valentine’s Day, when ‘meat boy’ ordered a T-bone for two, rare,” Rossi recalled. “His lady love would have preferred a filet mignon cooked medium well, but he didn’t ask. The sight of all that rare meat bleeding onto the sizzle plate, and her boyfriend sucking on the bones, induced a reaction far different from romance and more like revulsion.”
For Rossi, a good Valentine’s Day meal begins with clear culinary communication. “My best advice is simply not to prepare anything for the object of your affection without a thorough list of dos and don’ts from them. And when you’re eating out, don’t order for them.”
Mistake #5: Ordering the sloppiest thing on the menu
You’ll want to end the meal looking as nice as you did when it started, so consider your order accordingly, chefs said. “Avoid spaghetti with red sauce, unless you’re into the splatter art of Jackson Pollock and OK with looking like a piece of his art by the end of the meal,” advised executive chef and managing partnerRobin Selden, ofMarcia Selden Catering.
And not all salads are created equally, so order with care, Selden said. “One Valentine’s Day, my husband took me to an elegant French restaurant with a special tasting menu. It started with a beautiful butter lettuce, frisée and endive salad, served with a creamy lemon vinaigrette and caviar. But the lettuce was so floppy and hard to navigate that by the end of the first course I was wearing the caviar that flew off the lettuce leaves.”
Mistake #6: Choosing ingredients that ruin romance
Curtis Stone, chef and owner ofMaude and Gwen Butcher Shop and Restaurant in Los Angeles, said he’s a fan of all the traditional ingredients that make up a romantic dinner, including oysters, lobster, caviar and Champagne. But he suggested considering the effect that foods you love might have on your dining partner.
“Stay away from polarizing ingredients that literally leave a taste in your mouth, like garlic,” Stone advised. Stone and his wife, Lindsay, will be dining together this holiday at Maude in Beverly Hills, California, which he called his “dream little restaurant” — without garlic.
Timon Balloo is the chef and restaurateur at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, restaurantThe Katherine. He suggested that this is a good night to keep things mild — at least as far as your dinner is concerned.
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“Stay away from the super-spicy foods,” Balloo said. “They might turn your evening into a bad case of heartburn or even a potential bathroom nightmare — and yeah, I said it, bathroom nightmare.”
Rossi brought up the bean issue, because somebody had to. “I committed my own major league Valentine’s Day boo-boo when I served a gorgeous black bean soup with sour cream garnish to my lady love,” she said. “Sure, it tasted fabulous. But honey, trust me, everything you hear about beans is true. Luckily, we both had a sense of humor and a pack of matches.”
Selden had two more no-no’s as a parting bit of advice: “Stay away from Brussels sprouts and cauliflower,” she said. “Trust me.”
Finally, we’re allowed out and about to celebrate Valentine’s Day but dine-at-home meals are still very much on the menu. The HuffPost UK Life team snuggled up with our better halves and friends to find the best meal for the big day.
We’ve reviewed them for taste, ease and value for money and ranked them by hearts out of five. Here are our favourites.
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Waitrose’s £20 dinner for two
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Harry Slater
Waitrose’s sea bass fillets with greens.
Everything in Waitrose’s £20 dinner for two was perfectly fine and that’s sort of the problem. A Valentine’s meal should be special and pre-prepared food, no matter how fancy, doesn’t exactly say “I love you”. Granted, you could say this about every meal in our taste test, so let’s talk about the food.
Simple and satisfying, our two smoked and poached salmon terrines were close to the perfect starter. Along with a couple of glasses of San Leo Nerello Mascalese Rosato, they made for the best part the meal. (If you prefer a very dry fizz, go for the Calle d’Oro prosecco.)
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Harry Slater
Waitrose’s salmon terrines.
The main required a bit more effort. With only buttered greens as a side, the sea bass fillets with a roasted tomato and olive filling needed some company and the addition of a bed of brown packet rice made the dish look prettier and fuller. Finally, gooey chocolate puddings from Waitrose’s luxury No.1 range were an indulgent but slightly floury end to our meal. They need a scoop of real vanilla ice cream with them.
Despite these shortcomings, it’s hard to knock the value for money from Waitrose’s extensive range. Treat yourself. Harry Slater, Deputy Editor.
Co-op’s £15 meal with alcohol (or £12 with a soft drink)
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Faima Bakar
Co-op’s Irresistible range for Valentine’s Day.
Co-op’s Irresistible range for Valentine’s Day is fantastic and extensive. We started with a drool-worthy portion of their Camembert with garlic and parsley sharing bread. Although we found the bread a little dry, the cheese is so rich and creamy we didn’t mind. x
Their standout main is the steak and scotch eggs, which is sure to be a partner pleaser. I can’t eat meat, so instead tried the sea bass with a side of steak chips and Mediterranean-style veggies, and of course cute heart-shaped butter pieces on top.
Lastly, the melt in the middle puddings could melt your heart. They were a truly indulgent chocolatey, gooey bite heaven – but a 500 calories a pop, I can’t imagine having them often. And the prosecco didn’t disappoint. Faima Bakar, Life Reporter.
Tesco’s £15 meal with Prosecco
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Rachel Moss
The starter, main with two sides, and dessert from Tesco. Comes with Prosecco.
Tesco’s deal has an impressive 32 products (including a number of vegan items), allowing shoppers to choose from more than 76,000 combinations, so you’re bound to find something you like.
We opt for the feta and red pepper tartlets to start, which are surprisingly light and moreish, but do look a little plain on the plate without the addition of some rocket (which I bought separately).
The main of duck breast with a raspberry hoisin sauce, alongside a trio of greens and heart-shaped herby potato croquette, feels like a real treat and something I wouldn’t usually cook. The duck is fairly small and does shrink quite considerably, though, so I graciously give my husband the larger portion and settle for a piece resembling a large, red slug. Still, it tastes delicious.
The chocolate and orange pots are the real stars, though, with the bottom layer reminiscent of the world’s most delicious Calippo. We practically lick the sides clean. For 15 quid – with a bottle of very quaffable fizz – this meal is great value. Rachel Moss, Life Editor.
Asda’s £15 meal for two
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Melanie Grant
Asda’s sirloin steak with honeyed baby parsnips and triple-cooked chips.
Asda’s Valentine’s meal offers plenty of choice with meat, fish and vegan options, and hearts thrown-in for good measure (reader, you’ll see).
We for the tempura prawns followed by the sirloin steak, triple-cooked chips with honey baby parsnips and Chantenay carrots. It’s all relatively easy to put together, even if the starter and both sides all go in the oven at different times. But thanks to the bang-on cooking instructions – especially for the steak – you’ll end up serving a meal that looks restaurant-quality.
The tempura prawns, with its chilli-by-name-not-necessarily-by-heat dip are nice enough but not memorable. The juicy steak is notable though. It’s made all the more succulent swimming in the melted (originally heart-shaped) peppercorn butter and complemented with the dreamy, soft and crispy chips. For that added crunch, I suggest a few extra mins in the oven.
The honeyed baby parsnips are worth fighting anyone for, less so with the chantenay carrots. Even after 40 mins oven-baking, some were still hard.
Melanie Grant
Asda’s gooey chocolate pudding.
It’s much relief that the sticky toffee pudding isn’t another oven job. After 90 seconds of microwaving you’re pouring sweet toffee sauce onto its chocolate-embossed heart (yes, another one). Our rosé pinot grigio helps cut through the saccharine flavours (or you could add a dollop of crème fraîche or cream).
The box of Lily O’Brien’s chocolates is perhaps best saved for after you’ve had your other dessert…Melanie Grant, Audience Editor.
Morrison’s £15 meal for two
Morrison’s
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With a starter, a main, two sides, a dessert and a drink for just £15, the Valentine’s deal from Morrisons is a real steal. The range of options is impressive and includes plenty of veggie and vegan delights, which impresses my newly vegetarian fiancé.
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We go for the garlic and cream cheese mushrooms to start, which looks a little underwhelming, but once I taste the whipped, velvety garlic topping, I realise looks can be deceiving. It’s the perfect combination of decadent cheese and earthy mushroom.
Next, it’s the slow cooked ‘Coq au Vin’ for me and a vegan beef-lees Wellington for my partner (each extra main comes at an additional cost). Both are quick and easy to prepare.
Served in a red wine and beechwood smoked bacon sauce and topped with mushrooms and onions, the chicken delicately falls off the bone. It’s succulent, warming, and absolutely delicious. The beef-less Wellington also goes down well. My partner describes the pastry as unexpectedly buttery and wonderfully flakey. We share an uneventful side of carrots and kale in an orange dressing and a creamy, garlic-spiked portion of dauphinoise potatoes.
For dessert, my partner tries the Belgium chocolate pudding, but I’m unable to take part as it seems each dessert option “may contain nuts”, and I have a serious allergy. The pud smells absolutely divine. I assume, from the fact my partner demolishes his dessert in about three seconds flat, that it’s just as tasty.
We finish our meal feeling full and satisfied and wash it down with the crisp, satisfying prosecco.
Sainsbury’s £15 meal for two
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I love a good supermarket meal so I’m excited Sainsbury’s Valentines offering. Their options include a starter, main, dessert and bottle of fizz for £15.
We start with the the Scottish mussels in white wine, which were creamy and filling. Next, we tuck into Higgidy’s spinach, red pepper and feta quiche. It’s well seasoned and the feta is delicious. Sainsbury’s doesn’t include a side in their meal, but we can’t resisted their truffle mash. It’s rich and buttery and pairs well with the quiche. Finally, Gü’s salted caramel cheesecake makes for a fantastic finish. Can you ever go wrong with salted caramel? Our sparkling rosé is the only let down. It’s too dry for my taste. Habiba Katsha, Jnr. Life Reporter.
