If you've ever scrolled through a Valentine's Day roundup, you know it's a carefully 'curated' list of great things you can/should buy to show your love: the latest skincare for the perfect glow, the must-have pillow for the absolute best sleep of your life, that viral kitchen gadget the list says we all NEED. Well, the team at SBP loves a good find as much as anyone, but today, we're doing something different.
Instead of stuff, we're sharing some non-material moments making our days a little brighter, our homes a little warmer, and our lives a little richer. No affiliate links, no shopping carts, just the simple pleasures that don't cost much (or anything at all) but somehow mean everything.
Seeing Movies In Theater
There's something about the ritual of it all — the overpriced popcorn, the previews, the collective gasp when something shocking happens on screen. Streaming at home is convenient, sure, but watching a film in a theater is an experience. Speaking of which, Wuthering Heights just hit theaters, and if you're in the mood for moody moors and dramatic romance, we can't think of a better Valentine's weekend plan.
Cooking with Farmers Market Ingredients
Ordering DoorDash after a long day? We get it. But there's something deeply satisfying about wandering through a farmers market on a Sunday morning, chatting with the people who grew your tomatoes, and coming home to actually cook something. It doesn't have to be fancy — a simple pasta with fresh vegetables, a big colorful salad, scrambled eggs with herbs. The ingredients do the work, and somehow it just tastes better when you made it yourself.
Sunlight First Thing in the Morning
Andrew Huberman has been preaching this one, and honestly, he's onto something. Getting outside and exposing your eyes to natural light within the first hour of waking does wonders for your circadian rhythm, energy, and mood. It's such a small shift — step outside with your coffee, take a quick walk around the block, sit on your porch for five minutes — but it genuinely changes how the rest of your day unfolds.
Phone-Free Family Dinners
We've all been guilty of it: scrolling through Instagram while half-listening to a conversation, checking emails between bites, letting our phones sit on the table like an uninvited guest. Putting the phones away during dinner — actually away, not just face-down — creates space for real conversation. You'd be surprised what comes up when everyone's actually present.
Writing Letters to Loved Ones Just Because
Not a birthday card. Not a thank-you note. Just a letter to someone you care about, for no reason at all. Handwritten, a few paragraphs, mailed with an actual stamp. In a world of texts, DMs, and empty mailboxes IRL, getting something lovely with an envelope feels special. And writing it? That feels pretty good too.
Volunteering in the Community
There are so many ways to get involved on the Westside, whether it's helping out at a local food bank, joining a beach cleanup, mentoring through organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles, or supporting Westside Food Bank's efforts to fight food insecurity. Giving your time instead of just your money has a way of connecting you to your community in a whole new way.
Trying Something New
Learning to paint. Taking a pottery class. Baking sourdough. Picking up tennis or even simply re-engaging with those knitting needles and sweater yarns collecting dust. Whatever it is, there's something exhilarating about being a beginner again, whether via a solo journey or with someone you'd like to spend time with. Find joy this Valentine's Day.