Promise Him a Rose Garden : Valentine’s Celebrations Can Include Whatever Your Heart Desires
That’s right. Valentine’s Day is today.
If you forgot, you’re probably groping for an excuse right about now.
Or maybe you remembered but couldn’t get enthused about a holiday that falls on Thursday , that annoying gap before Friday, when there’s light at the end of the tunnel and two whole days of freedom ahead.
Either way, you’re probably kicking yourself and searching desperately for a last-minute idea.
Before you resort to a store-bought card and one of those bouquets at the checkout stand, why not suggest something fun and different for tonight or this weekend?
What could be more romantic than a stroll in a Spanish garden or watching a sunset together? Or how about a bonfire on the beach? Maybe even a drive-in movie to remind you of those steamy nights in the back seat of Dad’s car?
Feel like staying home this weekend? For less than what you would spend on cut flowers, you and your loved one could plant a rose garden that will last for years. Then you can snuggle up and watch romantic movies, or dance in the living room with the lights down low.
Or if privacy isn’t your main concern, you could invite a few friends over for a red wine tasting.
The possibilities are endless, but here are a few to start you off:
* Arrange to meet your sweetheart at Bolsa Chica State Beach. Stop by the store on your way and pick up some goodies and one of those little bundles of firewood. There are fire pits on the sand, and the two of you can enjoy a cozy bonfire. If you get there early enough, you can watch the sunset. No need to hurry home. The beach is open until 8 p.m. Parking is $6.
* There’s a romantic spot in Anaheim Hills where bandits used to hide. It’s called Robber’s Roost and it’s another great place to watch a sunset. Historians say bandits hid up there, lying in wait for the Butterfield Stage. Today, it’s bordered by housing developments and power lines. But it’s quiet up there, and you can see a long way. (Sad to think that the top was bulldozed off without a permit by developers in the 1970s. But the county made them put most of it back.)
You can drive to the base of it, and from there it’s just a short hike to the top. The trail is moderately steep, but the view is worth it.
Take Nohl Ranch Road south until it deadends at Serrano Avenue. Turn right. The peak is directly behind Anaheim Hills Elementary School. From the school parking lot, it’s easy to spot the knob-shaped boulders where the robbers hid. The trail leading to the top is between the parking lot and a housing development. Keep to your left on the trail, and you’ll find an easier route to the top. An equestrian path winds around behind the peak and curves gently up. Bring a flashlight in case you want to linger awhile after dark.
* Seaview Park in Laguna Niguel has one of the best ocean vistas in the county, and the sunset is spectacular from up there. It’s bordered by housing developments, but it overlooks Aliso/Woods Canyon Regional Park.
From Alicia Parkway, turn north onto Pacific Island Drive. Turn north again on Talavera Street and follow until it deadends at a gate-guarded community. Park on the street near the guardhouse. The entry to the gravel foot path is marked, and it’s lighted after dark, so you can stay and watch the lights of Laguna Beach come on at dusk. The park never closes.
* Drive-in movies are becoming a thing of the past in some parts of Southern California, but Orange County’s got three of them (one of which has six screens). There are two in Orange, including the county’s only Spanish-language drive-in.
Pacific’s Hi-Way 39 Drive-In on Trask Avenue in Westminster has Cinefied Sound, which comes through on AM radio. Consult the Pull-Out Movie Guide (Pages 12-17, this section) to see what’s playing. All show a second feature for one admission price, so load up the car with some pillows, blankets and plenty of goodies.
* Take the Amtrak train to Fisherman’s restaurant on the San Clemente Pier (611 Ave. Victoria). The southbound San Diegan stops daily right across from Fisherman’s at 7:40 a.m. and 9:08 a.m. If that’s too early for you, the train stops at regular intervals in San Juan Capistrano. From there, take the 91 bus over to the pier. It’s just a 15-minute ride.
Fishermans opens for breakfast at 8 a.m. Lunch is from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dinner is served from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday brunch is from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The restaurant and bar are in separate buildings on opposite sides of the pier. Both are romantic and elegant, but the bar is the best place to watch the sunset. Afterward, take a romantic stroll to the end of the pier or along the shoreline.
Call Amtrak at (800) 872-7245 and Orange County Transportation District at (714) 636-7433 for schedule and fare information.
* There’s probably not enough time to whisk your sweetheart away to someplace exotic for a romantic vacation, so do the next best thing: visit Alcazar Garden in San Diego’s Balboa Park. Architect Richard Requa, who refurbished the park for the 1935 California Pacific Exposition, loved Spanish and Morrocan architecture. He traveled extensively in Spain, Tunisia and Algeria, collecting ideas that he integrated into his building style, now famous throughout Southern California. He considered the Spanish and North African use of the garden as an outdoor room an essential element of his buildings. Requa’s Alcazar Garden was inspired by the gardens at the Alcazar of Seville, an ancient Moorish palace.
The nearby Cafe del Rey Moro will pack you a “Great Escape” box lunch for $5.95 to $7.95. Enjoy a picnic in the garden or take in more of Requa’s work in the restaurant’s courtyards. The cafe serves breakfast and lunch on Saturdays from 11 a.m to 4:30 p.m. Dinner is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Brunch is served on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There’s an extensive wine list, and the menu includes many Southwestern specialties. For reservations, call (619) 234-8511.
Taking Amtrak will make the trip seem even more like a vacation. Trains arrive and depart San Diego at regular intervals daily. To get to Balboa Park, board bus No. 7 or 7B across the street from the station. Call Amtrak at (800) 872-7245 and San Diego Regional Transit at (619) 233-3004 for fares and schedule information.
Feel like staying home?
* For less than what you’d spend on a dozen red roses, you can plant a rose garden that will last for years. Armstrong’s Garden Center in Costa Mesa will fill a gold box (the kind long-stemmed roses come in) with your choice of bare-root rose bushes and tie it up with a pretty ribbon for your valentine. Cost: less than $20 for two bushes. If your sweetheart doesn’t have a yard, they can be planted in pots, as long as you feed them regularly.
If you prefer an indoor plant, Roger’s Gardens in Corona del Mar has just the thing. The floral department sells heart-shaped topiary forms that you can plant with English ivy. You don’t need to be Edward Scissorhands to take care of it. Just water it now and then and put it near a window.
* Rent love movies and make chocolates in the microwave.
If you haven’t seen Wim Wenders’ 1988 film “Wings of Desire,” now’s the time. It’s about an angel in Berlin who falls in love with a beautiful trapeze artist. He becomes human to experience mortal love. Greta Garbo’s “Anna Karenina” is also out on video. It’s a classic love story, even if she does throw herself in front of a train in the end.
And if neither of those appeal to you, this week’s “Video Discovery” (Page 10) is a romantic Jimmy Stewart classic that may just sweep you off your feet. Or check out the accompanying list of suggestions from Video Store Magazine.
Whatever your choice of romantic videos, while viewing, forgo popcorn to indulge in the traditional Valentine’s Day cuisine: chocolate. The accompanying fudge recipe takes just minutes to prepare in the microwave.
* While you’re waiting for the candy to cool, you can slow dance with your sweetie in the living room. Sergio Vera, manager of CD’s Unlimited at South Coast Plaza, recommends the soundtrack from “Dirty Dancing” for some nice slow, romantic tunes. Or you might want to try Harry Connick’s new CD “We Are in Love.” Connick did the soundtrack for the film “When Harry Met Sally,” which is also out on video.
* Have friends over for a red wine tasting.
Beverlee Smith, owner of Sirus Cellars wine shop in Irvine, suggests contrasting California Pinot Noirs with French burgundies. “It’s fun, romantic and you’ll learn something, too,” Smith says. “Cabernets are still very popular, but Pinot Noirs are starting to get recognition. Maybe your friends haven’t discovered them yet.”
There are hundreds of Pinot Noirs to choose from, so Smith offers these suggestions: Vin Jory 1988, $8.25; La Crema 1987, $10.95; Tulocay 1985, $15.75. For comparison, set out these French burgundies: Vieux Saint Sorlin 1988, $12; Mugneret 1987, $12.50, and Leroy 1985, $12.50.
Don’t serve them cold, like you would a white wine. Serve them just a little bit cool to perk the flavor up, about 65 degrees. For appetizers, Smith suggests preparing a selection of mild cheeses and fruits, or something spicy and substantial, like lamb.
* Along those same lines but a significant notch up on the expense scale, here’s a gift that keeps on giving: pick out a collection of fine wines together and arrange for private cellaring. Sirus Cellars rents space in its temperature-controlled wine cellar for $360 a year on up. That’s about a dollar a day to protect your investment. The smallest space stores 20 to 25 cases at 55 degrees in a fire- and burglar-proof vault.
* Buy each other dance lessons. According to Kathy Corcoran, owner of New Energy dance studio in Yorba Linda, swing dancing is big in Orange County, and it won’t take long to join the fun. The first lesson is free at her studio, and after that it’s $25 to $45 an hour for private instruction. A seven-week group session is $65 per person or $110 per couple. “People get addicted. Learning to dance together is a great way to break out of a romantic rut and have a good time,” Corcoran said. New Energy is at 18200 Yorba Linda Blvd., Information: (714) 993-2766.
* Finally, if you’ve worked yourselves up into a romantic frenzy and are ready to tie the knot, why wait? Head down to the county clerk’s office and get married. Just be sure to make it in the door early to avoid the rush. The place is busy around Valentine’s Day.
If you’re both over 18 and are living together, no blood tests are required. You can purchase a standard $47 marriage license and get married right then and there. You’ll need to show your driver’s license and some proof of cohabitation, such as a rental agreement.
The county clerk’s office is at 700 Civic Center Drive, Room D-100, in Santa Ana. It’s open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Information: (714) 834-3005.
