Let Your Love Show
My funny valentine, sweet, comic valentine. . . . It’s the one time of the year when even the most sensible of us make an effort to share our sentiments with the ones we love. But, oh, finding that perfect gift can be harder than finding that perfect love.
Use your imagination. Gifts that appeal to the senses of sight, smell, sound, touch, taste or humor are all winners. Don’t worry about overdoing it. At this time of year, it’s acceptable to be sentimental.
From silly to sensual, here are a few suggestions to get you started.
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What’s this? A quirky gift for someone you want spared from the slings and arrows of outrageous flydom. The heart-shaped fly swatter is ideal for a newly retired spouse with time to spare. Or present it with a pair of plane tickets for an upcoming romantic vacation, someplace warm and tropical. Bzzzzzzzz. Only Hearts, 1407 Montana Ave., Santa Monica ($8).
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What better way to start Valentine’s Day than with breakfast in bed? Surprise your sweetie with sumptuous linens, a seductive invitation to stay in bed all day long. This wicker sleigh bed is dressed with beautiful E. Bellini linens ($268 to $542) and exquisite Brussels Bobbin Lace Euro Shams, handmade in 1890 ($2,400). The luxurious embroidered silk robe is by Ann Gish ($1,100). All items are available at Room With a View, 1600 Montana Ave., Santa Monica.
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Surprise your lady love with a special heart-embossed perfume bottle to house the scent that will forever remind you of her. Only Hearts, 1407 Montana Ave., Santa Monica ($72).
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Perhaps your love is a grand passion that deserves a grand gesture. An enormous heart (nearly 7 feet by 7 feet) of flowers certainly speaks volumes about your love’s largess. This lush mix of fresh and dried roses creates a richly textured tribute to l’amour. Rita Flora, 468 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles ($1,500).
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Think romance, you big marshmallow you! Fix your beloved some hot chocolate and top it with heart-shaped marshmallows. Set a trail of marshmallows that will lead to a hidden gift. Affix to a card that reads, “When it comes to you, I am a softy.” With more than 50 to a package, you can afford to be generous. 99 Cents Only Stores (mais oui, just 99 cents).
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When purchasing antique and estate jewelry, you get more than a beautiful piece of jewelry; you get a story. Consider this Victorian choker (circa 1860), possibly sent by a wealthy Eastern industrialist to his wife, wintering in Pasadena, with the following note: “My dearest, these diamonds remind me of the sparkle in your eyes, the rubies in your rosy cheeks, and the soft sheen of the pearls reminds me of your tender smile. The thought of placing this choker around your lovely neck warms my heart, nearly frozen by the icy winter and being so long without you.” Choker courtesy of Victoria Kulukjian, Kanzanjian Bros. Inc., Beverly Hills (antique and estate jewelry available from $300).
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Seeking inspiration? Try “Love Letters--An Anthology of Passion,” by Michele Lovrie (Marlowe & Co., 1994). This compilation of historically significant love letters covers emotional territory from adoration to obsession. The book includes actual letter reproductions, placed in envelopes for you to open and swoon over. Barnes & Noble ($20).
