We have a lot of ladies here who guest blog here, but it’s not often to come across a cool veg guy who wants to share. I was really excited when Kind Lifer Kalem agreed to guest blog about his experience as a veg guy on Valentine’s Day. Here’s what he had to say!  Love, Alicia

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My First Vegan Valentine’s Day
by Kalem

This time last year, my girlfriend and I had been vegan almost one month and were feeling great. However, there was a small cloud looming on the horizon: Valentine’s Day.

I’m not the biggest fan of Valentine’s Day. I’m sure I have my reasons deep down someplace, but this might just be an old fashioned case of being a “stick in the mud.” Still, I knew my girlfriend would be excited, and I was determined to do things right. I had a great plan. We would go to a restaurant, get some drinks, order up the best thing on the menu, and cool it all down with a chilled desert. A fine meal is an easy way to show someone you care. Unfortunately, you can’t “make it rain”(aka spend a lot of money) at a vegan restaurant, or at least it’s very difficult. I learned that even after drinks, appetizers, main courses, dessert, and coffee, I would be lucky if I would be paying more than $75. I began to panic a little. It wasn’t really about the money. I knew she would be happy with a nice dinner, but I felt I needed something more.

I looked online for jewelry, but nothing inspired me to purchase. I found a flower shop, but that seemed cliché.  I even hit up my friends for craft ideas, but execution would fall well short of the sentiment.  Then it hit me. I needed to think about what we shared, and why that was special to me. Our lives needed to inspire how we celebrate the holiday, and inspiration was staring me straight in the face.

Our first steps into veganism were also corresponding with us deciding to move in together. New beginnings were popping up for us everywhere , and we were both very excited and hopeful for the possibilities. I decided I wanted to harness some of that energy into our Valentine’s Day celebrations. For dinner, we picked a vegan restaurant that was eco, and mirrored our concern for healthy food, prepared well, and grown locally (we picked Café Gratitude in Hollywood). This was what we cared about. For our relationship, I got diamond earrings, but with raw diamonds that were conflict-free. This was to recognize that we have something strong and special, but very new. She loved it.
While I am not a big fan of the Valentine’s Day spirit, I do have to say I learned a lot. Through the hustle and bustle, I was able to find out what really mattered. It isn’t about being flashy, and making a huge fuss. When it comes down to it, the day is about taking the time to tell the person you love how much they mean to you. Sometimes that means “making it rain” at a restaurant, and sometimes that means buying a set of raw diamond earrings. Other times, it’s about the smaller details that make it all more significant.

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Thank you, Kalem! The thought and effort you put forth is just so sweet. Your girl is lucky!
How do you make Valentine’s Day meaningful for you?

 

 
About Kalem: Kalem works in film postproduction and is an aspiring screenwriter. He enjoys trying new recipes, Scorsese films, and most things nerdy. Add Kalem as a friend.
 
Photo source: flickr.com / seanmcgrath, Flickr.com / jewels globe, Flickr.com / makelessnoise, Flickr.com / bymanu