Valentine’s Day Gift Guide

Details

Parent Category: Travel Info

Category: Places To Shop

Published on Thursday, 09 February 2012 05:00

Written by Lloyd Carroll

There is a lot of pressure to find that right gift for that someone special any time, let alone for Valentine’s Day. Here are some ideas that should help.

First, let’s deal with those traditional romantic standbys, flowers and sweets:

Rising rents have made both the neighborhood florist and bakery an endangered species. Teleflora, and 1-800-FLOWERS can prepare and deliver practically any bouquet and floral arrangement.
 
Counting calories should wait for another day, as companies such as Sweet Street, William Greenberg Desserts and Crumbs Bakery are all on the Web and get their sinfully delicious confections to consumers overnight.

If you want a healthier yet still tasty option, Harry & David has a Fruit-of-the-Month Club.

Many scientific studies are showing that red wine is good for heart health. You can’t go wrong with a bottle of Pinot Noir from the Pacific Northwest, such as Oregon’s Benton-Lane Winery. If you prefer Cabernet Sauvignon from Northern California, try a bottle from Sterling Vineyards in Napa Valley or Clos du Bois from Sonoma. Nero d’Avola from D’alessandro in Sicily is another red option that has a full body and mild taste.

If you prefer other spirits, Grey Goose, Svedka and Stolichnaya all make smooth flavored vodkas. Johnny Walker has long been synonymous with quality scotch and there is no better time to enjoy it than in cold weather. Liqueur fans should try Cointreau, and the delightfully named Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine, which mixes Tennessee whiskey with cherries.
 
It is not surprising that Valentine’s Day is more important than the Christmas/Chanukah holiday season for the jewelry industry. If you want to go all out, visit a Judith Ripka boutique.

If you want a quality necklace or bracelet at a reasonable price, there are plenty of options.  Companies such as Lia Sophia, Jennifer Fisher, Sweethearts Jewelry and Housewives Jewelry by Nancy Rosen, whose designs are worn by the ladies on Bravo’s various Real Housewives franchises, all sell products with prices under $100.

To keep your jewelry from tarnishing, Shine, a cleaning mousse from Colle Products gets the job done.

Watches are both practical and very cost-efficient. You can get a very stylish timepiece for a very small price. Fossil, Almar, Rumba Time and Armitron all make top-notch watches that will tell you the same time as such pricy lines as Tag Heuer, Rolex and Movado.

Handbags run the gamut in price and quality. Vera Bradley is popular with women because of its fun patterns, ample space and reasonable prices. Olivia + Joy and designer Danielle Nicole make fine wristlets and clutches.

Domestic goods can add a romantic touch. Luxor Linens, which manufactures plush bathrobes, also makes Egyptian thread bath sheets and high thread count linens.

Christiane Lemieux has quickly become one of New York City’s top interior designers. Kat Burki is another New York-area interior designer whose scented candle collection helps enhance evening ambience. The Museum of Modern Art Design Store is another good source for knickknacks for your home.

Everyone wants to look their glowing youthful best, and it's no wonder that the skin care business is a billion dollar industry.

You can’t go wrong with body lotions, moisturizers and washes from such leading companies as Avon, Thymes, Clarins, Davines, Comfort Zone, Jack Black and Burt’s Bees.

The Body Shop and Bath & Body Works are good brick and mortar retailers that sell quality personal care products that fit nearly every budget. Sephora’s Lorac brand has quickly become one of the biggest selling cosmetics lines.

Amway’s ARTISTRY® brand has a new line that promises to get rid of wrinkles and other aging signs rapidly. You don’t need to know an Amway rep, as you can purchase products at the Amway website.

Women still outnumber men when it comes to consuming a lot of grooming products, and a few companies are smartly using humor to attract guys.

Demeter Fragrances, run by Great Neck resident and long-suffering NY Mets season ticket holder Mark Crames, has colognes that remind one of bubble gum, dirt, vanilla cake batter, and gin & tonic.

Not to be outdone, a company which calls itself Hey Dude (so much for subtlety!) makes shaving and other dermal products intended only for men.

Grit N Glory sells ManCans, which are candles made from recycled cans and have such masculine scents as gunpowder, pizza and sawdust.

You can always bring the elements of a spa home to you. Brookstone and Sharper Image have foot and calf massagers that relieve the inexorable aches and pains that come from exercising and merely standing. (Even though they’ve closed their retail stores, they still sell products via their websites. )

2(x)ist and Victoria's Secret's Pink line make playful and sexy undergarments for guys and gals,  respectively.

Victoria’s Secret and Forever 21 are just some of the many retailers who sell NFL Women’s Apparel. Guys, if you want your girlfriend or wife to spend Sunday afternoons on the couch with you, this could be a smart purchase!

Smartbox, similar to the Entertainment books, lists spas, restaurants and myriad other activities one can share with that special someone at a bargain price.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Teleflora
www.teleflora.com

1-800-FLOWERS
(1-800-356-9377)
www.1800flowers.com

Sweet Street
www.sweetstreet.com

William Greenberg Desserts
1100 Madison Avenue
New York City
212-861-1340

Harry & David
www.harryanddavid.com

Benton-Lane Winery
23924 Territorial Hwy.
Monroe, OR 97456
541-847-5792
www.benton-lane.com

Sterling Vineyards
1111 Dunaweal Lane  
Calistoga, CA 94515
707-942-3300
800-726-6136
www.sterlingvineyards.com

Clos Du Bois Winery
19410 Geyserville Ave
Geyserville, CA 95441
800-222-3189
closdubois.com

d'Alessandro - Azienda Agricola
www.dalmin.it

Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine
903 Parkway - Ole Smoky Moonshine Holler 
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865-436-699
www.olesmokymoonshine.com

Judith Ripka
www.judithripka.com

Lia Sophia
www.liasophia.com

Jennifer Fisher Jewelry
jenniferfisherjewelry.com

Sweethearts Jewelry
www.sweetheartsjewelry.com

Housewives Jewelry
www.housewivesjewelry.com

Fossil
www.fossil.com

Rumba Time
www.rumbatime.com

Tag Heuer
us.tagheuer.com

Rolex
www.rolex.com

Movado
www.movado.com

For more jewelry options, see

www.thelimited.com
www.endless.com.

Vera Bradley
www.verabradley.com

Olivia + Joy
oliviaandjoy.com

Danielle Nicole
danielle-nicole.com

Luxor Linens
www.luxorlinens.com

Christiane Lemieux
DwellStudio
155 Sixth Ave, 7th Floor
New York City
877-99-DWELL (877-993-9355)
www.dwellstudio.com

Kat Burki
175 Post Road West
Westport, CT 06880
888-881-7677
203-222-1700
www.katburki.com

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Design Store
800-793-3167
www.momastore.org

Davines
www.davines.com

Amway - ARTISTRY®
www.amway.com

Demeter Fragrance
www.demeterfragrance.com

Grit N Glory
186 Orchard St.
New York, NY 10002
212-253-2775
gritnglory.tumblr.com

Brookstone
www.brookstone.com

The Sharper Image
877-819 4734
www.sharperimage.com

2xist
www.2xist.com

Victoria's Secret
www.victoriassecret.com

Smartbox
(www.smartbox.com)

• < Prev
• Next >