Arlene Maminta Browne, co-owner of Robust Bistro & Wine Bar, is weaving a heartfelt family tradition into part of the restaurant’s “28 Days of Robust Love” celebration this February.
“Let’s face it,” she says. “Except for Valentine’s Day, February is a throwaway month for a lot of people. It’s a short month. It’s cold and often dreary. It’s like, ‘Let’s just skip over it and move onto March, when spring happens.’”
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Fourteen years ago, Browne (whose birthday happens to be in February), began what became an annual family tradition and made February a month to relish. “I wanted to do something to bond with my kids and keep us close together,” she says. “So every morning in February, we would all take a 4-inch paper heart and write something nice about one other member of the family, with at least one heart per day.” She says it started everyone’s day on a positive note. “There were days when my kids didn’t want to do it, did it anyway, and felt good afterward.”
She began the tradition as soon as both of her children could write, she recalls, which made for some adorable but hard to decipher messages.
Then she took the idea to the street—literally. “I put the hearts in our front windows, so people driving by the Browne’s house in February could see this growing accumulation of hearts all month long.”
In addition, Browne saves every heart written, separated by year, and will pull an oldie-but-a-goodie out on occasion to show the family. It’s a tradition that she hopes her two children and their families will adopt.
Spreading the love even further, as part of Robust’s “28 Days of Robust Love,” a pop-up celebration taking place during February, Browne is asking guests to write something nice about someone.
“How can people not feel good doing something like that?” she asks. She will post them in the restaurant windows, so by the end of the month, Robust will be covered in hearts as well.
“Not to sound self-serving,” Browne says, “but events like this represent who we are as a family and as a brand.”
Browne is spending the latter part of January cutting out hundreds of paper hearts. “Even that part is a joy,” she says.
In the spirit of the restaurant’s “Winter Winederland” celebration that took place December, 28 Days of Robust Love is a month-long Valentine’s pop-up experience designed to “warm your heart, indulge your senses, and bring people together,” Browne says. Guests can expect heart-inspired cocktails, wine, and chocolate flights (perfect for sharing or savoring solo), as well as sharable entrées and desserts, all wrapped up in a festive, heart-filled atmosphere.
Each week is themed as well.
- February 5–13: During Galentine’s Week, tables of four or more can enjoy complimentary bubbles.
- February 14–20: For Random Acts of Kindness Week, guests are encouraged to send a friend a glass of wine or buy chocolate for another table.
- February 14: For Valentine’s Day, guests receive complimentary Bijoux Chocolates.
- February 19 and 26: For an anti-Valentine’s twist, there are even two “Love Sucks” nights, featuring bitter cocktails, breakup anthems, and moody vibes, where guests are encouraged to “wear black and embrace the sass.” On other nights, “festive attire” (reds, pinks) is encouraged.
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