Show the love with Cupid-inspired, romantic dinners, heart-shaped pizzas, pies, doughnuts & other V-Day specials throughout Inland Empire.

Susan C. Schena | Patch

Valentine’s Day this year falls smack in the middle of the week — Wednesday, Feb. 14.

Whether your celebrations are swanky or low-key, reservations are imperative.

So check out our annual, V-Day dining guide for some of the sweetest offers — for all tastes and budgets —at restaurants, bakeries and pizzerias throughout Inland Empire’s Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Find what appeals, scroll through the photo show above for visual inspiration, then get to booking.

And XOXO, from Patch!

BLACK ANGUS STEAKHOUSE: Choices here! Valentine’s Day options include “Campfire Feast Dinner for Two”($68), with starter, two entrees including prime rib & salmon, two sidekicks, broccoli & mashed potatoes, plus dessert. For couples wanting a little more “Surf ‘n’ Turf Dinner for Two” ($115), with two filet mignons, two lobster tails, starter, four sides, molasses bread, dessert & two prosecco splits. Bookings. Find locales in Montclair, Ontario, San Bernardino, Temecula.

CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN: Specials, including heart-shaped pizzas with crispy, thin crust, are back Feb. 9 to Feb. 14, for Valentine’s week. “Sweet Deal for Two” offers one appetizer, two entrees & one dessert for $50 (classic) or $60 for “Adventure Package.” Sweet Deal diners also score BOGO-offer bounceback card, redeemable Feb. 15 to Feb. 22. Details. Find locations here.

EL TORITO: Treat your sweetheart Feb. 14-17 to three-course, Valentine special for two ($55), featuring options for tortilla soup, Caesar salad, entrées of fajitas, salmon or Macho Combo (pasilla chile relleno, chicken & sour cream enchilada, beef barbacoa taco & chicken tamale). Finish with shareable dessert of mudd pie, deep fried ice cream or cinnamon-crisp cheesecake. Website. See locales.

FARMER BOYS: Award-winning burger chain plays Cupid this Valentine’s Day with debut of “Burger Bouquet.” As alternative to roses & chocolates, this “bouquet” ($30) is five Big Cheese burgers in special box with V-Day card. Sold via drive-thru, dine-in or phone-ahead, while supplies last. Website. Find restaurants in IE.

FLEMING’S PRIME STEAKHOUSE & WINE BAR: Three-course, V-Day menu for two — starring Prime Surf & Turf — will be served Feb. 8-19. Included: oysters Rockefeller & shrimp cocktail starters; bone-in NY strip; filet mignon; two crab-stuffed lobster tails; & dark chocolate torte dessert. ($230 for two.) Specialty cocktail: the Berry Basil Bliss, with gin, sherry, lemon juice & strawberry ($17). Per-guest menu options for filet mignon with crab-stuffed shrimp or Chilean sea bass available. Eateries open early at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14. Details. Location here in Rancho Cucamonga.

GELSON’S MARKETS: Create romantic V-Day celebration at home with to-go dinners for two. Options: steak & lobster; salmon & lobster tail; or cordon bleu with lobster tail. Sides include pomegranate apple salad & roasted garlic asparagus. Floral arrangements & chocolate-dipped strawberries also available for a finishing touch. Place orders online for pick-up Feb. 13-14. See info here. Find stores near you.

KRISPY KREME: Sweeten V-Day with heart-shaped doughnuts in “Dough-Notes” box with your heart-felt sentiments. This year’s four, new flavors: You Color My World (cake batter filling, red icing & rainbow heart sprinkles); I Love You A Choco-Lot (chocolate filling & icing with rose piping); You’re Berry Sweet (white Kreme filling, strawberry icing & sprinkles); & Without You I’d Crumble (cookie dough filling, chocolate icing & cookie crumble). The Dough-Notes dozens box includes space for handwritten notes from giver to receiver. Available through Feb. 14. Details. Shop finder.

MARCO’S PIZZA: The chain is spreading the love again this year with return of its beloved, heart-shaped pizzas — starting at $9.99. Offered Feb. 9-14. Website. Locations statewide.

MORTON’S THE STEAKHOUSE: Treat your Valentine to romantic dinner for two, served Feb. 9-17. Included are starters & sides, with entree choices of bone-in New York strip and twin, lobster tails. $169 for two. Dine-in only. Details/reservations. Find location in Palm Desert.

MOUNTAIN MIKE’S PIZZA: For entire month of February, heart-shaped pizzas are available for dine-in, takeout & delivery — with toppings of choice, like the chain’s signature crispy, curly pepperoni. To sweeten the deal, bite-sized Mini Churrs are $2.99 with purchase of any heart-shaped pizza. Details. Find stores.

PIEOLOGY PIZZERIA: V-Day special, Red Velvet Cookies, are back for limited time beginning Feb. 13. Freshly baked with white chocolate chips, Hershey’s milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate chunks & milk chocolate chunks, they are available for purchase & also as free “perk” option for “Pies and Perks” members. Find locations.

POLLY’S PIES: Add a delicious twist to Valentine’s Day with heart-shaped, hand pies — in boysenberry, apple & cherry — from family-owned legacy business, founded in 1968 in Fullerton. $7.99 each. Pre-order for pick-up, or schedule a delivery/shipment of four for $35.99. Details. With 13 SoCal locations in Los Angeles, Orange & Riverside counties.

ROUND TABLE PIZZA: Heart-shaped pizzas are on the menu for Valentine’s Day, plus get $5 off a large, heart-shaped pizza OR regular XL pizza with code HEART5 at checkout. Find locales.

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE: Treat your Valentine to “Porterhouse Dinner for Two” or “T-Bone with Horseradish Crust.” Porterhouse is paired with lobster tails & offered only Wednesday, Feb. 14. T-bone special is served Feb.9-18. Details. See site in Palm Desert.

SPOTLIGHT 29 CASINO TAPROOM: Valentine’s Day “Dinner For Two” planned Feb. 14, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. $96 per couple. Menu: tossed greens with berries, candied pecans & raspberry vinaigrette; filet & lobster tail, mashed potatoes, carrots & asparagus; chocolate lava cake & chocolate-covered strawberries; plus bottle of Taittinger champagne. Info. At 46-200 Harrison Place, Coachella.

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

The post Valentine’s Day Restaurant Dining & Takeout Deals 2024: Inland Empire appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

In his book, Outliers, author Malcolm Gladwell discusses what has become known as the 10,000-Hour Rule, which he considers the key to success in any field of endeavor.  Simply stated, those who have achieved the highest degree of mastery in their pursuits have put in about 10,000 hours of focused practice to attain these levels. Gladwell says that it is simply a matter of practicing a specific task that can be accomplished with 20 hours of work a week for 10 years. 

I’ve played guitar for many years.  I’m probably considered an intermediate to advanced level player.  I still challenge myself to learn new techniques.  I have dozens of training videos, but not much time to view them with my schedule.  I also own many different types of guitars.  One of my wife’s projects involves helping me to “thin the herd,” so to speak, by selling the instruments I rarely use on eBay.  However, without much disciplined practice, all of my instruction videos and my various guitars won’t help me improve my playing.

In this country, we have what Peter Scazzero calls, “American Dream” Christians.  Many people profess to follow Jesus Christ, but they are not necessarily disciples.  They attend church faithfully, they contribute financially, and if asked, they will serve.  Yet they are not disciples in the true sense of the word, ones who focus their entire lives to follow Jesus.  Genuine disciples surrender to God’s will and allow Him to transform their lives.  Instead the decisions, priorities, and commitments of many believers are shaped by their pursuit of the American Dream for them and their families. 

In a book called Move, which discussed the results of a study on spiritual growth commissioned by Willow Creek Community Church, the authors describe what’s called the Spiritual Continuum.  The last stage of spiritual growth on the continuum is called, “Christ-Centered.”  According to Move, “The people in this segment would identify their relationship with Christ as the most important relationship in their entire lives. They see their lives as fully surrendered to Jesus and his agenda, subordinating everything to his will and his desires.” The study concluded that very few Christians reach this stage.

The only way to grow into a Christ-centered stage of spiritual growth is to have a Rule of Life.  This practice finds its roots in the men and women who withdrew from society during the third to fifth centuries to seek a closer relationship with Jesus Christ.  They developed a conscious, intentional plan, which they called the Rule of Life.  The purpose of this practice is to help regulate our entire lives in such a way that we truly desire the love of Christ above all things.  Romans 12:1-2 states, “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you” (The Message).

The word “rule” comes from the Greek word for “trellis.” A trellis enables a grapevine to get off the ground and grow upward, producing more fruit.  A Rule of Life can provide that kind of structure and support to help our spiritual lives also get off the ground.

On Friday, February 14, the Hemet Valley Christian Church will provide a workshop on how to develop a Rule of Life, starting at 10:00 a.m.  We invite you to join us on this Valentine’s Day morning to learn how to increase your love for God and the experience of His love for you.

Search: A Rule of Life

Look at the latest news by visiting HSJC

The post A Rule of Life appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

A sweet prelude to St. Valentine’s day

Valentine’s Day is nearly here! I feel like I’m just putting away  my sequins from the new year! I will say, “Vday” has a special place in my heart for a couple reasons: the first is that I love anything that inspires kindness and “spoiling” of any sort; second, if it wasn’t for me trying to be a cool girlfriend who went camping under the biggest super moon in 200 years, Luna, my daughter, wouldn’t be here…so the day has become very special to me.

I love history and the origins of things so I thought I would share my favorite version of how Saint Valentine’s Day came about.

It is argued that it’s one of three Saint Valentines (the first two were beheaded and were martyrs). The third is the story of a Roman who helped Christians escape harsh Roman prisons. They were beaten and tortured and starved in such places, so Valentine helped them avoid such a fate. In doing so he himself was caught and put into the very prison he was helping others avoid. During his prison stay he was visited by the jailers daughter and the two fell madly in love. They began writing letters to each-other in secrecy. The last letter he wrote before he was put to death he signed ,”from your Valentine” a phrase we still use today. By the Middle Ages he would become one of the most popular saints because of his heroic nature…and now we have a day dedicated to him!

That is thought to be the origin of the Valentine’s Day and what spurred the tradition leading to the second biggest day for cards in the year, Christmas of course being first.

Now I’d like to introduce you to the lesser known Mother of Valentine’s Day; Esther A. Howland.  Howland began selling the first mass-produced Valentine’s Day cards in the 1840’s. She made elaborate hand-made masterpieces with real lace, ribbon and colorful pictures. Today an estimated 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year!! Another little fun fact: women purchase 85 percent of all Valentine’s day cards. I would have never guessed!

(Heavenly sweets fit)

I hope you enjoyed that little history snack: now for the real treat!

Cream cheese stuffed chocolate covered strawberries!

I will give you a twist on a classic that is sure to dazzle anyone on the receiving end of these, or treat yo-self!

All you will need is fresh large strawberries, and your favorite chocolate.  I recommend a very nice chocolate you would eat yourself all on its own.

And a brick of cream cheese

Powdered sugar

Vanilla extract

Piping bag or sandwich bag with a corner cutoff

Sprinkles

Simply wash and dry your strawberries and core the center of them, making a cup out of the strawberries.

Set aside

Whip the entire 8 oz package of cheese cheese with 2 cups powdered sugar and a tablespoon of vanilla. Whip until light and silky. Taste it and make any adjustments you see fit.

Using a Piping bag, fill the strawberries with the cream cheese mixture making sure the top is flat.

Freeze for 30 minutes to make sure the filling is firm or Refrigerate for 4 hours

Melt your chocolate of choice on a double boiler or in 30 second increments in the microwave until melted.

Carefully remove from microwave.

Stick a tooth pick in the pointed end of the strawberry the dip in chocolate enrobing the entire thing.

If you choose to add sprinkles, have them in a bowl on the ready and quickly drop it in the sprinkles after enrobing.

Return to the fridge on a parchment-lined cookie sheet for at least 20 minutes until the chocolate is set.

Then devour! Or share…the choice is yours!

Allysun The Uhmayzing” is a “momprenuer”who owns Madam Confection.She is an award-winning Pastry Chef who is passionate about great food.

She can be reached at madamconfection@gmail.com

On Facebook and Instagram as Madam Confection

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

Search: Heavenly sweets fit

The post Heavenly sweets fit for a Saint appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.