Valentine's Day thoughts

This is the day when thoughts turn to romance -- and how to express our affections.

I promise to walk him, mom!

What I really, really want for Valentine's Day is a dog.

OK, I can wait until we get back from our vacation in Mexico.

But I do miss having a pooch, although I know my husband Dale and our cat Pikachu don't mind.

Anyhoo, I've been thinking corgi, although I also search listings on www.petfinder.org for other small, friendly breeds, such as Jack Russell terriers.

Dogs are great chums. They get us up and our of the house, even on wretchedly cold and wet days. They keep us safe from the mailman. They love us no matter what.

If I get a dog, I promise to stop asking for a pony.

Three great picks for Valentine's Day

I've been counting down the days to the big V, offering ideas of ways you can delight your sweetie. I'm wrapping up some of my faves in a nice little packet here that you can refer to for last-minute shopping. (After all the National Retail Federation says men make more than two-thirds of Valentine's Day purchases -- and the guys tend to shop at the 11th hour.)

Here's a trio of treats at the top of my list:

-- Great Food's caviar and blini kit is tasty, romantic and portable. If you don't get a gift in time for Valentine's Day this will go a long way toward getting you out of the doghouse. (Available at http://www.greatfood.com/.) Pair it with 7 Heavenly Chards, a top-drawer Chardonnay.
-- The Zune, in red, if you please, baby. Load with a mix of the songs you've shared throughout your courtship and you can't miss. Your honey will be thinking of you while putting in time at the gym.
-- Why buy off the rack when the wares of Nancy Whitcraft are just a click away? I'm charmed by her sweet and sometimes salty takes on design, and not just because she's from Haddonfield. Her T-shirts are high-quality cotton, which means people will be asking you where you found such a cool top for eons. This gal has the goods -- and you can, too, at http://www.blacksheepstyle.com/

Zune, Zune, Zune

The Microsoft Zune has always offered super portability and dazzling sound for those who like to take their tunes with them wherever they roam. For Valentine's Day, you also can get a sweet deal on these babies, such as a $20 Sears gift card with the purchase of a Zune 4GB or 8GB. You'll also find attractive offers on Zunes at Circuit City -- and in colors that match your nail polish.

Once you have your Zune in hand (in either romantic red or sentimental pink) head to Zune Marketplace to download the perfect V-Day playlist, certain to warm the heart of the one you adore. Choices include Love Latin Style, A Hip Hop Valentine and, for the hard of heart, the Anti Valentine. Hey grumpy! They're playing your song!

Sleep, not slosh

I haven't been sleeping well, lately. But that's changed, thanks to the Medi-flow pillow, a water-filled cushion that doesn't feel (or sound) like it.

The pillow enhances sleep comfort by shifting effortlessly with your head and neck. You adjust the firmness (or softness) by adjusting the amount of water in the pillow. Tested at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, the pillow is fast becoming a fave of chiropractors and patients who suffer from neck pain. (This strikes me as a great Valentine's Day gift for your favorite pain in the neck.)

Expect to pay about $50 for a pillow and cover, available online at oodles of places, from Amazon.com to eBay to such brick-and-mortar destinations at JCPenney, Macy's and Target. For more info, head to www.mediflow.com

Heavenly wines

I feel quite certain drinking wine is not a sin because it's mentioned frequently in the Bible. I'm pleased to share two heavenly vintages from the Michael + David family of wines, Californians on either end of the taste spectrum.

On the dark (or red) side, is 7 Deadly Zins, a spicy, berry-rich Zinfandel that stands up to steak, chocolate and other assertive foods. It's a winner in my house and also at the 2007 Denver International and AWS Wine Competition, where it scored a gold medal.

On the light side is a stylish 2006 Chardonnay, 7 Heavenly Chards, the boldest and best white wine priced at $15 or less I've tasted in recent memory. Think tropical fruit, ripe pears, vanilla, floral notes and barely a hint of oak. Rated a stratospheric 94 points, this wine was named both Best of Region and Best of Class for a Lodi Appellation.

Either offers a wonderful way to toast your valentine -- or your loved ones all year 'round.

Plastic gets the sack

Whole Foods has sent plastic bags packing.

Instead of handing out those skimpy bags that never go away, the grocer is encouraging shoppers to invest in reusable bags they can shop with again and again. This follow a successful European model that has nearly eliminated plastic. As an added incentive to change, our friends across the pond charge shoppers for plastic bags.

A great idea, eh? So if you want to show your affection for the planet on Valentine's Day, buy a tote, darling.

Candy is dandy

As Valentine's Day draws nigh, we are inundated with candy, specifically chocolate, which insidiously attempts to charm its way past our lips and, as the cliche says, onto our hips.

Harry London, which has been inducing sighs since 1922, is as close to irresistable as it gets. At www.greatfood.com, you can order a huge gold tin filled to the brim with milk chocolate caramels, dark chocolate-covered truffles, white pretzel Joys, peanutbutter-filled chocolate Buckeyes and more. You'll find individually wrapped treats of high-quality chocolate that snaps pleasantly as tooth meets cocoa, then eases into soft centers of mint and other sweet surprises.

The price tag: $69.99. To order by phone, call 1-800-GOODIES.

Greatfood = great find

As a devoted foodie, I'm always sniffing around for incredible edibles -- and for ways to share them with others.

That's why I think www.greatfood.com is such a fabu find. You can order sumptuous treats to be delivered to your door -- or to your good buds across the country.

Dinner at Rao's (pictured here) offers a taste of the celebrated restaurant in New York City, where aficionados of Italian food make reservations months in advance. Packaged in a big, beautiful basket with leather handles, the package includes such Mediterranean treats as sturdy fusilli and linguine, beef salami, foccacia chips, marinara sauce with sweet nubs of tomato and Rao's signature roasted red peppers. (The price tag: $129.99.)

Another great gift for your favorite gourmand is the $96 American caviar kit, an insulated tote outfitted with a two-ounce jar of paddlefish or hackleback caviar, a tub of creme fraiche and a packet of silver-dollar-sized blini. Add Champagne and serve your sweetheart.

So is anybody ready for dessert? Greatfood offers sumptuous Harry London chocolates. More on that tomorrow...

A comforting cuppa

There are few elixirs more comforting than a nice cup of tea, a beverage that gives us a lift throughout the day and also sends us off to dream land.

A superior way to enjoy a sip is the steepin' mug, a porcelain vessel from the Tea Spot that delivers your brew in fine fashion -- hot and infused with flavor, thanks to a three-step steeping system. Think of it as an attractive and effective way to deliver tea's healthy antioxidants.

Dishwasher safe and in three colors -- red rock, black and blue sky -- the 16-ounce mug is available for $20.95. You'll find the steeping cup and other heartwarming ideas at http://www.the-teaspot.com/

True grit(s) and other Southern faves

Many years ago, when the dear man who is now my husband had attained mere boyfriend status, he found the way to my heart.

He cooked for me.

Sweethearts know intuitively that good food is a gift of love. That also goes for dining out, where no one has to prep or clean up. Your only duty is to gaze longingly into each other's eyes and enjoy.
Romance is served up southern-style at Marigold Kitchen, an imaginative BYOB in a converted Victorian house in West Philly, where the walls are the deep red of a valentine and intimate tables facilitate actual conversation.

On the menu, you'll find such food for the heart and soul as chicken liver toast with fig jam and pickled celery and buttermilk-chive cornbread with creamy collards, nicely salty country ham and an egg, sunny-side up. My personal fave is an appetizer of creamy stone-ground grits and meaty sweet shrimp.

Executive chef Erin O'Shea also pickles peaches and jams in house. Marigold blooms at 501 South 45th St., near the University of Pennsylvania. Street parking, friendly service, homey dining rooms. www.marigoldkitchenbyob.com

Make-your-own bouquets

Martha Stewart, gardener extraordinaire, doesn't need flowers to fashion a bouquet -- and neither do you, cupcake.

Thanks to Martha's new crepe paper kit, you can craft 12 perfect blooms at home, enough to fashion your own bouquet of of red roses that will last long after Valentine's Day has faded away. You also can make wreaths, corsages, centerpieces and whatever else strikes your fancy. So why not grow your own?

The kits are priced at $19.99 and include everything from artificial leaves to glue and a pearl straight pin. You can find them at Michael's craft stores, as well as www.marthastewartcrafts.com

Waffles you can wear

A comfy bathrobe is the wardrobe equivalent of a stuffed animal, the honey bunny we take into Dream Land. Macy's offers sublime comfort in its Hotel collection robe, which combines a waffle weave exterior with a soft and cozy terrycloth lining. Even better, it has pockets!

It's a uni-sex, one-size-fits-all robe, which makes it ideal for sweethearts who enjoy being matchie-matchie, as well as a perfect match romantically. Imagine sliding into his and hers robes after a nice, long soak in the tub.

The robes are available in three peaceful colors: vanilla, green tea and classic white. Regularly priced at $80, you can wrap one up on sale for $59.99.

Unfurrow your brow -- and shop, darling

There's a lovely new wrinkle in retail at Anu Medical Spa in Voorhees: Shopping and botox.

On Saturday, the spa will host vendors offering such delightful designer duds as Juicy jumpsuits (marked down from $300 to $70); high-end handbags and $90 jeans with such must-have labels as Seven, True Religion and Citizens of Humanity.

From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., patrons can enjoy mimosas and light bites between shopping and botox injections, specially priced at $13 a unit. How divinely civilized! To book an appointment, give the spa a jingle at (856) 809-0909.

Anu also is offering a 10-percent discount on gift cards, now through Valentine's Day.