Āé¶¹AV Blogger Embraces Love, Food, and Local Pets
From heart-shaped pancakes to a new pet fish, Beatrice Glaviano ā26 reminds us that loveāwhether for yourself or othersāshould be celebrated every day.
February 25, 2025
By Beatrice Glaviano ā26
Good food and great companyāwhat more could you need?
This blog is dedicated to my lovely boyfriend. Love, your insane-scientist girlfriend.
Hey, hi, hello. How are you? Personally, Iām freezing cold. I donāt know if anyone else has looked out the window recently, but thereās a tree outside of Marvin K. Peterson Library that was ripped in half by the amount of ice on its branches.
Imagine being ripped in half because you got too heavy. Thatās insane.
Anyways, in honor of this past Valentineās Day, I figured Iād tell you guys all about mine. Of course, I understand that Valentineās Day isnāt always a comfortable holiday to talk about, as it can represent many things pertaining to love, so, no worries if you decide to click out of the tab.
I feel like men always come up with the most insane ways to wake their partner up, as if theyāre some kind of exotic bird or something. Except the exotic bird is wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants holding a spatula. Is that a beak?
The author squints, burrowing herself deeper into her comforter: āItās seven oāclock in the morning, dude. What gives?ā
Boyfriend, continuing āBacon Pancakes: The Sequelā: āI made you pancakes. Happy Valentineās Day, darling.ā
That was all I needed to hear. In about five minutes, I was given a plate of steaming heart and stegosaurus-shaped pancakes drizzled in maple syrup. I was given my current read ā āThe Martianā by Andy Weir (I also highly recommend reading āProject Hail Maryā by the same author, which is equally as fantastic) āand my favorite stuffed animal, Mr. Sloth (whoās a really big stuffed animal sloth).
Munching on pancakes together, we discussed the plan for the day:
Boyfriend goes to a class, Girlfriend does girlfriend things
MewHaven Cat Cafe
Buy a new beta fish
Dinner @ Wildcat (Hamden)
āG“Ǔǻå?ā
Girlfriend, still gnawing on her steggie pancake: āMe likey.ā
So, my boyfriend went to his classes, and I decided on completing some homework with some skincare in between. Personally, I really enjoy doing something called ācasual homework,ā meaning that Iām able to work on assignments while doing other activities (i.e. skincare) intermittently. Usually, this involves me baking something in the background while writing an essay or stirring up a new compote while listening to a lecture video.
(Does anyone else listen to their lectures like itās a podcast? Simply curious.)
BRB, filling out adoption paperwork (again).
By the time my boyfriend came home, not much homework had been completed, but my skin looked great, and a good chunk of chores had been completed. Dishes and laundry had been the true killers lately, so I was happy to get at least one of them done.
Soon, we were both on our way to . Weāve been going to MewHaven since our sophomore year, and always enjoy the time spent with all the cute kitties. Not to mention, the student discount they offer is helpful, too! Anyhow, to be honest, we didnāt stay very long. Given that it was Valentineās Day, it was quite crowded, and it just wasnāt matching the vibe. So, to we went.
Slither & Swim is a locally operated fish and reptile store located in West Haven, and it has some of the most knowledgeable and sweet staff Iāve ever met. They take great care of their fish, they and truly do want to help you make good decisions for your pets. Walking in, we both said āHiā to all of the snakes, turtles, bearded dragons, skinks, and geckos before making our way over to the fish.
After much conversating, we decided on a new beta, and four tetras (a minnow-like freshwater fish).
Currently, only one tetra is still alive. We donāt know if weāve adopted a Jeffrey Dahmer beta, but itās not exactly out of the question.
Getting into the car, we reevaluated our day so far: Cute kitties? Check. Acquire fish? Also check. Having fun and sneaking cheek kisses in the aisles? Check. Overall, the day had been going fantastic, and we hadnāt even reached the best part:
.
Iād been stalking Wildcat for a while. With an aesthetic for all things purr-fect and cat, Wildcat was opened on May 28, 2024, with the goal of serving well thought-out dishes, beautifully cultivated drinks, and, most importantly, bringing the culinary arts to life through its diverse staff. Surrounded by deep blues, perfectly furnished furniture, and gorgeous artwork, Wildcat became an immediate favorite of ours.
After perusing the menu about five thousand times, we decided on:
Beef Tartare ā shallot, cornichons, dijon, sherry vinegar, cured egg yolk, served with kettle chips
Conserva ā tinned mackerel in olive oil, herb butter, house giardiniera, confit garlic, sourdough
The Chocolate Red Velvet Cake (Valentineās Day Special!)
Everything was a tastebud explosion of flavor, enjoyment, and a reminder of how good food can be when made correctly. One of my favorite parts about Wildcat was the shelf on which chefs put finished dishes; it was on the way to the bathroom, and you could see how beautifully busy it was in the kitchen. As someone who formerly worked in food service, I couldnāt not appreciate the work that went behind Wildcat.
Heart-shaped and happiness-approved. 10/10 dessert choice!
Finally signing the check, Valentineās Day had come to a close. Being in a relationship is never always easy. There are always going to be hard conversations and moments of lost trust and arguments, but then you get those moments where youāre laughing so hard you canāt breathe. Youāre letting the wind through your hair, and youāre screaming Taylor Swift out of the car window, staring up at the stars on the beach, talking about your lives and how small they really are, and how weird love is sometimes.
Love can be weird, yes, but itās the matter of allowing it to fill in space that really matters.
Before this blog ends, I do want to say that youāre allowed to spend that time to love yourself too, and it doesnāt have to be limited to one day! Love yourself every day! Or at least try to!
Author, throwing love at you: āLove yourself!! Rahh!!!ā
Anyways, this is your reminder to give yourself some love, but to also share that love, too. There can never be too much of it š
I hope you guys are all having a fantastic day, and that your week is filled with amazing things.
All my love,
XOXO ā Bea