SHOP TALK : Chocolate Pianos--and Other Valentine’s Gifts : For that special guy in your life, a token of endearment can be simple: Get him a pre- sent he can enjoy.

Please, Ventura County women, none of those boxer shorts with hearts on them. We know we’re speaking for ourselves, but we’re willing to bet the majority of guys out there would prefer some other token of your affection on Valentine’s Day.

Like maybe a chocolate golf ball.

We checked out a few gift possibilities for that special (at least on Feb. 14) guy in your life. You can go all out, or spend pocket change. It’s up to you.

But remember, it’s not always the thought that counts; he’d probably appreciate something he actually likes. So, how about chocolate? Guys like chocolate as much as anyone. There are any number of heart-shaped boxes of assorted chocolates out there. Take your pick.

But if you want to add that special touch, go to a candy store that takes special orders--where they will mold chocolate into various shapes, like cars, computers, something that fits the recipient. These stores will generally sell pre-molded chocolates as well.

At Love at First Bite in Simi Valley, the better all-chocolate gift items range from $5 to $100, depending on how much detail goes into them and how much chocolate is used.

“We do personal things,” said owner Maggie Urpin. “If somebody’s into golf, or whatever, they might like a golf bag and golf balls with initials on it. All done in chocolate.”

You could spend some bucks on a whole set of clubs. On the other hand, a simple, single golf ball, priced at about 75 cents, might suffice.

At Johanna’s Ice Cream and Candy shop in Ventura you can buy your jock husband or boyfriend a pre-made chocolate ski set--two skis, one boot--for $3.25. Or, if he’s more the musical type, you can pick him up a pre-made chocolate piano for $3.75. And of course, you can put in special orders there too.

At the top of this column, we suggested avoiding underwear. But we’ve got nothing against another old standard: ties. The Broadway in Thousand Oaks is selling them for between $14.95 and $29.

But really, for the money, it’s hard to beat thrift shops when you’re tie hunting.

We took a stroll down Main Street in Ventura to see what we could dig up. To our mild surprise, we found a couple of really nice, stylish tie selections. The Retarded Children’s Thrift Store was selling ties for 95 cents each. The Mission Bargain Center Thrift Store had them for 99 cents per.

On our tour of the thrifts we stopped at The Coalition Thrift Store, which helps support battered women. We couldn’t find any ties, but for $1.50 you can pick up a recording of Rod McKuen reading poetry. That’s pretty romantic.

Now if that special man in your life is real special--we mean real special--you may want to make an extra big deal out of Valentine’s Day. And we can tell you, without hesitation, that most guys would love to be picked up at work (or at home, wherever they spend their days) and whisked off to a nearby hotel for an evening or two, assuming that there are no major sporting events on television.

We checked with two local establishments to see what the going rate is for such extravagance.

The Hyatt Westlake Plaza in Westlake Village has a special Valentine’s rate Feb. 11 through 13 for guests who specifically request it. It will be $79 per room for the first night, a savings of $6 off the regular price. If you stay a second night during the special offer period, the room is half the discount price.

On Valentine’s Day, the hotel’s restaurant will serve a five-course dinner with a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine. Price: $40 per person.

The Mandalay Beach Resort in Oxnard is offering its usual Romance Package: For $210 per couple you get a room with partial ocean view, choice of a sunset dinner for two or gourmet picnic lunch, a gift basket with food items, and a complimentary bottle of champagne.

Then again, if it’s the champagne you want, you could just drop by Trader Joe’s, pick up a bottle of Chateau Diana’s 1987 Monterey Champagne Blanc de Noirs for $5.99, grab a pair of the store’s champagne glasses for $1.25 each, rent your guy a video, maybe a heart-wrenching sports movie like “Brian’s Song,” and stay at home on Valentine’s Day.