Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14 is on Friday this year and there are numerous places to go to buy that special something for that special someone.
What would Valentine’s Day be without candy and flowers? Both are readily attainable in Point Loma and at Liberty Station.
LITTLE HOUSE OF FLOWERS
Valentine’s Day is surprisingly not the busiest day of the year at Little House of Flowers at 1017 Rosecrans St., a Point Loma neighborhood boutique offering flowers and arrangements for pickup or local delivery.
“It’s Mother’s Day,” noted floral designer Auburn Rodriguez, about the romantic holiday, which she said is busy nonetheless. “Sometimes we have people call or come in a couple of days before Valentine’s Day who are going to elope,” she said. “And we’re just slammed. But we’re like, ‘Sure, of course.’”
Freshness is a key ingredient in any flower arrangement. “Florists know how to take care of the flowers when we receive them, “said Rodriguez. “We process them so that they last to their fullest in a cooler.”
How do you go about customizing a floral arrangement? “Clients will say, ‘She loves this kind of flower or this kind of color scheme.’ We have the usual roses, lilies, orchids, and tulips in stock and all the Valentine’s colors,” Rodriguez said. “But if somebody wants something a little bit different than that, if people want something very specific and custom, I would recommend ordering at least a week in advance so we can get something different other than what we have in stock.”
BEACH SWEETS
There are sweets for the sweeties to be had at Beach Sweets, an old-fashioned candy store at 5022 Newport Ave. in Ocean Beach. Patrons can relive being a “kid in a candy store” there, as they are, according to beachsweetsob.com, transported back to their childhoods. A “blast from the past,” the OB candy store offers a large assortment of everything from high-quality candy to the most indulgent chocolates. The store is filled, wall-to-wall, with delicious treats such as nostalgic candy and pet treats, along with sugar-free products plus handmade fudge, chocolates, truffles, salt water taffy, bulk candy, gifts, hard-to-find favorites, and more.
LIBERTY STATION
There are numerous ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Arts District Liberty Station. One is the Valentine’s Italian Night and Romantic Culinary Workshop. Hosted by San Diego Craft Collective at 2590 Truxtun Road Suite 106, this workshop is a way to celebrate love this Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Stop by for an evening crafting fresh homemade pasta, savory Italian appetizers, rich sauces, and a creamy Tiramisu — all in a warm, intimate setting. This hands-on workshop promises a night of romance, delicious food, and new skills. All ingredients and materials are included.
You can also try out a new hobby with your Valentine in Arts District Liberty Station with classes including:
Ana Galena Floral Studio at 2770 Historic Decatur Road Suite 210, is hosting a variety of Floral Meditation Workshops. In these hour-long sessions, attendees will work with beautiful, seasonal flowers. Guided through each step, you’ll engage all your senses, letting go of stress and distractions as you create a soothing, meditative floral arrangement.
Mike Oolong Pottery at 2690 Historic Decatur Road Suite 203 is hosting a few workshops including a fun pre-Valentine’s Day activity, the Pinched Nesting Bowl Workshop, on Feb. 7 from 5-7 p.m. In this two-hour workshop, attendees will create a set of handmade pinched nesting bowls using the hand-building method.
Arts District shops carrying unique gifts:
At Anneville Studio at 2750 Historic Decatur Road Suite 209, you can design a custom mokume gane ring for that special someone. This Japanese-style metalwork creates a natural wood grain look in the metal.
THATCH, a jewelry store at 2750 Historic Decatur Road Suite 103, sells handmade and female-designed jewelry pieces, from traditional heart pendants and delicate pendants to bold rings. Shoppers can also customize their pieces with engraving or build their necklaces from a variety of pendants and chains.
La Galleria, a boutique retail store at 2730 Historic Decatur Road., Suite 103, has gifts from around the world. Shop from a variety of curated handcrafted jewelry, home décor that inspires, personal adornments, custom water features, floral designs, and more.Valentine’s Day, also called Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on Feb. 14. Originating as a Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine, through later folk traditions it has become a significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romance and love.The day became associated with romantic love in the 14th and 15th centuries, when notions of courtly love flourished, apparently by association with the “lovebirds” of early spring. In 18th-century England, it grew into an occasion for couples to express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards known as “valentines.”
Valentine’s Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. In the 19th century, handmade cards gave way to mass-produced greetings.