Tis the season for heart-shaped everything—from candy boxes to cereal bowls, pink and red have officially covered the grocery stores shelves like a blanket of “he loves me..he loves me not.” Personally, I thrive for the vday aesthetic. It’s playful and often the kind of romance I once wrote about in a 9th grade journal. It’s pink fuzzy hearts and swirly cursive handwriting personified. Valentines Day isn’t meant to be fussy. The best part about the whole holiday is getting a green light from society to be inexplicably cheesy.

Our resident Pinterest golden girl, Claire Jackson, has successfully put us in a lovestruck daze by pulling together a beautiful (and majorly affordable) Valentines Gift Basket. She took to the shelves of Dollar Tree to build a basket worthy of all the vday praise—complete with a softball-sized HERSHEY’S KISS. Let this be your sign to get creative and genuinely have fun putting together something for your special someone. The gifts that mean the most are often the ones without the big price tag.

Claire Jackson is such a refreshing part of our Bustle family. When she isn’t wowing us with her endearing creativity, she is spending time with her sweet husband, Dan, and their two precious children, Eleanor and Henry.

And not that you really need a reason to watch a sappy movie that will make you feel things, but we think Valentines Day is the perfect excuse to cry or laugh at your TV with the ones you love. We’ve put together a little list of our favorite flicks of the season. Whether you’re cuddling on the couch with your sweetheart or sharing a big bowl of popcorn with your best girls, we hope your Valentines Day is filled with sincere love. Soulmates come in all shapes and sizes <3

1.) You People

Whether you’re cuddling on the couch with your sweetheart or sharing a big bowl of popcorn with your best girls, we hope your Valentines Day is filled with sincere love. Soulmates come in all shapes and sizes.

2.) Valentines Day

We’ve put together a little list of our favorite flicks of the season. Whether you’re cuddling on the couch with your sweetheart or sharing a big bowl of popcorn with your best girls, we hope your Valentines Day is filled with sincere love. Soulmates

3.) Crazy Rich Asians

4.) The Notebook

5.) 50 First Dates

6.) Sleepless in Seattle

7.) 10 Things I Hate About You

8.) First Wives Club

9.) Portrait of a Lady on Fire

10.) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Most of us grew up captivated by Disney films. In these movies, we were able to place ourselves in the front and center of a fairytale. It’s impossible to forget the feeling of wonder that came when Alice stumbled upon the enchanted garden in Alice in Wonderland. The excitement of being immersed in a valley of life-sized blooms felt indescribable. Birmingham’s new dream girl, Juniper, feels like that.

Juniper is an awe-inspiring cocktail bar and restaurant nestled in the heart of the beautiful Forest Park historic district. The lush outdoor garden courtyard and whimsical botanical interior are reminiscent of ornate gin palaces popular during the Victorian era. This is your neighborhood bar, reimagined.

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Upon entering Juniper, you immediately feel like you’ve left Birmingham and have fallen down the rabbit hole to enchantment. If the immersive decor wasn’t enough, Juniper sets the scene with their mood lighting and ambient nature. Although gin focused, their inventive craft cocktail menu features a wide array of spirits, in addition to aperitifs, wine and beer. Let’s talk our favorite cocktails….

Two cocktails at Juniper in Birmingham: The Buzzword and Bengal Merchant.

Trying the gin based cocktails at Juniper was genuinely unlike any other drink experience we’ve ever had. Birmingham is known for its innovative bar scene, but Juniper has exponentially raised the beverage bar.

Juniper’s phenomenal team didn’t skip a beat when giving us the best recommendations. We love a team that is well-read on the menu. Every person we met on staff was so incredibly warm and inviting. Allison gave us the full run-down of her favorite cocktails and what made them special, which made ordering easy and intentional.

Romantic photo of a table at Juniper with an artisanal bottle of water and a cocktail.

Jillian ordered the Bengal Merchant. This cocktail was rich and exotic. It was a gorgeous blend of matcha, orgeat, and lime. This beverage was delicious with beautiful depth and the soothing light green color makes for the perfect photo op.

Laine ordered the house specialty, The Buzzword. This cocktail lives up to its name in a very real way. This beverage comes with a deceivingly innocent szechuan flower bud (also known as a Buzz Button) on top. Once you take a bite of the flower bud, your mouth immediately starts to tingle and you feel a sensation that neither of us had ever experienced before - truly REMARKABLE. This sensation goes beyond taste. The effervescent, Champagne-like zing takes over slowly, dancing around the top of the tongue before giving way to a surprisingly welcome numbing, cooling effect. This sensation paired with the cocktail is true magic. We highly recommend trying the cocktail before and after biting the szechuan flower so you can fully experience the difference.

The small plates at Juniper need praises of their own. We devoured the Duck Fat Fries and Crab Cakes. Next time we decided to bring more friends so that we can try MORE of this brilliant menu. The flavors and textures in these small plates are a harmonious work of art. If you are craving something sweet, they have a bread pudding that looks to be a creation of the gods.

Go ahead and give yourself bragging rights if you recommend Juniper for your next date night or hangout. This little sanctuary is something that demands to be experienced and we cannot wait to hear about your favorites. Visit their website here to check out their hours so you can plan your next visit.

Crafting with Claire: Valentines Day Gift Basket