Jeeze, Julia!

♥

Do you have any plans in mind for your darling?

I have tons of plans! I really love Valentine’s Day so I’ve been brainstorming ways to make it last all year. There are seven projects I’ve come up with that I’m going to share with you over the next couple of weeks. Ryan + I get really into seasons and holidays and love celebrating together. I can’t wait to share our ideas with you!

To get you in gear for the upcoming Valentine’s Day features, I pulled together >> this playlist <<. Please enjoy it while you cook a delicious dinner, make a cutesy card to give away to your darling or your best friend, or while you celebrate the holiday in whatever way you so choose. I also wanted to share with you the story of Portland’s Valentine’s Day Bandit! This is one of the things that makes me love this holiday so much:

It was 1976 when the Valentine’s Day Bandit first struck our salty city by the sea. But unlike other bandits, he did not steal, damage, or otherwise harm any public property – instead he covered the city with a flurry of red paper hearts, spreading the love on Valentine’s Day. Since then, we’ve awoken every February the 14^th to find our town once again plastered with hearts.

I can remember my first time experiencing this fond phenomenon (as I am not a native of Maine). I was charmed and delighted on my morning walk to work by the way that this city seemed to love me. Every shop window and lamp post burst forth with love; our city seemed to be splitting at the seams with admiration for its inhabitants.

For decades this tradition has continued. And as if covering an entire city in paper hearts was not task enough, the bandit has begun to add other towns across the United States to his route, notably: Montpelier, Vermont, and Boulder, Colorado. It seems he is taking a page from Santa’s book! One has to wonder, will our Portland hero make his way into the hearts of the rest of the world one loving city at a time?

And after all of these years, no one has figured out who the Bandit is! It’s one of our city’s great mysteries. Last year the Portland Fire Department showed their support for the Bandit by flying a red heart flag above their Congress Street station! Check out the Wikipedia article, and also my photos from last year, and a flickr set from another Portlander in 2006!

Or, come + visit this Valentine’s Day to see for yourself!

xx.

P.s. Don’t feel guilty buying yourself some little Valentine’s Day treats, either. Who says you can enjoy this holiday on your own? Make it special for yourself!

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