Valentine’s Day is fast approaching! If you fancy snail mail like us, don’t forget to get your Valentine’s Day cards in the mail soon. Our favorites from Parrott Design Studio can be found online here or in person at Nothing Bakes Like a Parrott in South Portland. Of course, if you live in the area, you can swing by the bakery and pick up a letterpress card (or four!) and something sweet for your Valentine at the same time. Michael’s favorites treats are their Red Velvet & the Cookie Dough cupcakes.

We’d be remiss not to kick off this week’s Weekend Reads post with an article from the Portland Press Herald that includes a few Map & Menu photos! Written in response to an article that ran in the New York Times last month, this week’s piece in the PPH features interviews with some of our favorite area chefs about photography in their restaurants. We simply couldn’t stop smiling over this quote from food writer, Meredith Goad: “Most chefs would be happy to have their food on the Map & Menu blog.”

The Oyster Inn on Waiheke Island in New Zealand is now officially on our list of ‘Hopeful Reservations’ in the sidebar. Michael caught a glimpse of the hotel’s branding on The Dapper Dude recently, and now we’re scheming up ways to get to New Zealand. We find ourselves constantly drawn to hotels & restaurants with excellent branding, and the Oyster Inn’s aesthetic & visual identity is beyond anything we’ve seen lately.

While we’re snowed in this weekend, I’m thinking that making these Salted Caramel Brownies from smitten kitchen might just be a necessity, don’t you agree?

On that same note, we do just happen to have all of the ingredients for this Blood Orange & Bourbon Cocktail from Camille Styles…

Another favorite playlist from Wit & Delight. Guaranteed to inspire a dance party in the kitchen.

Have a wonderful weekend, friends! For those of you in New England, stay safe during the storm. Expect lots of snowy photos from us next week!