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Author: Fields, HelenIbsen, Katy

Valentine's Day

This Valentine's Day, you could drop in on Shanghai's Four Seasons and get the Presidential Suite, 10 dozen roses, a chef, and a violinist for $11,000. But jet lag is such a drag. Here's how to push Valentine's staples to the extreme closer to home.

Sweets. Go for specialty chocolates, advises Ted Allen, food and wine expert on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. The official chocolatier to French royalty, Debauve & Gallais, offers cherries swimming in Kirsch and encased in chocolate (15 pieces, $70, debauveandgallais.com). For flour lovers, Dean & Deluca can overnight a tin of 20 iced sugar cookies with phrases like "let's kiss"($50, deandeluca.com).

Champagne. Impress your date with artisanal champagne--a small batch from one grower's grapes. Allen recommends Chartogne-Taillet from the French village of Merfy or a bottle of Egly-Ouriet ($23 and up, wine-searcher.com to find a store).

Cards. Write your own greeting on the Fairy Tail Note Card, which expands into a 6-foot-long garland ($9.95, momastore.org).

Flowers. Roses are so high school. Try calla lilies or French (i.e., long-stemmed) tulips, proposes Sasha Souza, a Beverly Hills bridal consultant: "Anything en masse is awe inspiring." A fancy local florist can set you up with a couple dozen (or a couple hundred) pink tulips. Or order online ($75 or more, bbrooks.com).

(Or you could get chocolates at the drugstore on the way home. We won't tell.)

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By Helen Fields and Katy Ibsen

Edited by Marc Silver