Valentine’s Day is two weeks away, falling on a Sunday this year (2/14/2021). To think that this time last year, we had no idea what was coming. You likely had a “normal” celebration, whatever that looked. I never think of Valentine’s Day as just about romantic love, but about all love. Friend love, family love, pet love… This year will be different for sure, and here are some options to make celebrating at home as fun as possible. As always, we try to focus on local businesses as much as we can.

Celebrate the holiday by getting wined and dined at home, as Sounds Bites helps you support our local economy and favorite restaurants. The next-day home delivery service features delicious  meals from beloved eateries (including El Gaucho, Cactus and Wild Ginger), farm-fresh produce, meal kits and more. Local wine is now part of Sound Bites, too, with Sparkman Cellars being the first local winery to hop aboard. (Sound Bites is a Cedar Grove partner company that delivers within King, Snohomish and Pierce counties.) Cheers!

Smith Tea’s virtual tea & chocolate tasting and pairing class on Sunday, February 14th at 11:00 am for 60 minutes. Reserve it here.

Each tea kit contains:

• 4 sachets of the following teas:
  • Lover’s Leap
  • Black Lavender
  • Meadow
  • Peppermint Leaves
• 4 bars of Woodblock Chocolate (Madagascar – Sambirano 70%, Signature Double Origin, Salt, & Malted Milk)
• Enfleurage Pack
• Madagascar chocolate discs
• Instruction & notes sheet and Smith Pencil
• Tea origin cards

Speaking or virtual tasting classes, Theo has a Virtual Chocolate Tasting Class ($40). You can gift a class date in the future (classes currently booked through March 14).

Includes:

• Access to a live chocolate tasting class via Zoom
• Cocoa Nibs
• Pure 85% Dark Chocolate Bar
• Sea Salt 70% Dark Chocolate Bar
• Raspberry 70% Dark Chocolate Bar
• Root Beer Barrel 55% Dark Chocolate Bar
• Bread & Chocolate Bar
• Pure 45% Milk Chocolate Bar
• Peanut Butter & Jelly Cups

Sign up for or gift the class here.

Theo is a fantastic local chocolatier and so is Fran’s! Their gray and smoked salt caramels are melt-in-your-mouth amazing and also come in a pretty package. For Valentine’s Day, they are offering a Fran’s x TeaLeaves x PNB virtual tasting event ($145) on Sunday, February 14 at 2:00 pm (PST), expertly paired with custom-blended teas.

Before or after the event, enjoy chocolate caramel hearts while you watch Pacific Northwest Ballet’s virtual production of Roméo et Juliette. More information about this event here.

Get some honey for your honey. I’m such a fan of local honey (and I love bees, don’t get me started on how amazing they are). Shipwreck Honey is a local family-owned honeybee operation. They sell at the Burien farmers market on Thursday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and online as well.

As a gluten-free and dairy-free person, Frankie & Jo’s has been a godsend. Making the most crazy delicious plant-based ice creams that even my friends without dairy issues love! You can send pints to your loved one nationwide, pick up a scoop or pint at one of their three locations—Capitol Hill, University Village, and Ballard, or from any Metropolitan Market and many PCCs.

My favourite flavor is Mint Brownie and I look forward to their monthly specials posted on the first Wednesday and available for the rest of the month. Until Wednesday, February 3, try the Tococcino, available at all their store locations.

I heard about The Fernseed—with two locations in Tacoma—on social media last year when they were matching donations (up to $100) to local housing justice organizations with gift cards to their store which I found to be so inspiring and generous. They ended up encouraging $5,255 over 100 individual donations, which may not have been possible without using their platform to shed light on this important and pressing issue and offering up gift cards to their plant shop. This potted heart hoya ($42) is super cute as well as their petite floral arrangement in a pretty vase (pictured below). Shop their Valentine’s Day gifts here.

In addition, they have a ton of beautiful and affordable plants and plant accessories. They are open for in-store shopping, curbside pick-up, and offer delivery.

Still Spa at The Woodmark in Kirkland is offering in-person packages (practicing strict health & safety protocols and following all mandated guidelines) as well as at-home pampering kits for those who prefer to enjoy a relaxing romantic night in.

This take-home kit ($79) can be ordered and picked up between February 1 – 14.  Those who pick up the spa kit over Valentine’s Day Weekend (February 13 & 14), will also receive a single red rose and individually wrapped truffles. An exact pick-up time will be determined at the time of purchase.

Still Spa’s at-home pampering kit include:

• Goji & Tarocco Orange Scalloped Glass VOLUSPA Candle
• Massage Oil & Body Scrub
• Circadia MiniFacial Kit featuring a Lipid Replacing Cleanser, Caviar Lime & Passionfruit Enzyme Mask, Marshmallow Whip Hydrating Mask, Vitamin C Serum, Finishing Moisturizer & a Headband. 

Plan the ultimate #VanLife road trip with your plus one or quarantine crew. Seattle-based Peace Vans has a fleet of both vintage and modern Volkswagen and Mercedes vans, offering a one-of-a-kind getaway sure to make for a memorable gift. All vans are designed for renters to show up and hit the road – just pack your clothes and bring food. Vans come with new built-in refrigerators, heaters for chilly nights and new lithium-ion battery systems for powering cameras, phones, devices, and camping accessories.

If you have a desk job, you’ve probably been spending more time than ever in front of screens (medium screen during the day, small screen and big screen in the evening). The research around the benefits of blue light glasses isn’t super robust, but anecdotally, some (including eye doctors) suggest it can help eye fatigue. If you’re up for a new pair of glasses, consider adding it to your lenses, or pick up some prescription-less frames with blue light technology.

Warby Parker has a nice selection of blue light glasses for everyone here.

Pre-pandemic, cooking classes at The Pantry—released seasonally—would pretty much sell out immediately. You had to set an alert on your calendar and be on it. Now that’s we’re not doing much in-person, they’ve also gone online and it’s actually a little bit easier to sign up for classes (one of the few silver linings during this time). February still has some classes available, including Italian Classics: Bolognese on 2/9, The Weeknight Braise on 2/10, Dumpling Camp: Korean Mandu on 2/17, and more!

If you’re not feeling like cooking yourself, you can also enjoy their gourmet meals as to-go options here. For $75, you’ll get two generous servings, packaged family-style, ready to be picked up between 4:30-6:00 pm.

As the pandemic continues, people are looking for more meaningful experiences and less accumulation of unnecessary “stuff.” Chef Anne Marie Schukar has created a subscription box (starting at $45) perfect for cooks of all levels that not only delivers a monthly box, but also a fun, positive way to learn new techniques and build lifelong cooking skills that will last long after the pandemic is over. It’s a great at-home activity for couples and solo cooks!

The Kitchen Competent monthly subscription box includes essential kitchen gadgets, recipes, encouraging notes, a surprise gift and access to exclusive online mini-cooking classes released throughout the month. Customers will also have access to a private community where they can join live chats with Chef Anne Marie, take part in fun virtual events, and find support and encouragement. By the end of the month, subscribers will have a good grasp on best cook-at-home techniques as they incorporate their new kitchen tools and recipes.

For more information and to sign up here.

Enjoy sushi for two at home with Shiro’s Valentine’s Weekend Takeout Platter ($160) made with top ingredients from Japan, such as Kasugodai (young sea bream), Anago (sea eel), and Kuruma-Ebi (Japanese Tiger Prawn). Shiro’s also draws from premium Western seafood such as lobster, tongue sole and oyster, crafting them into delicious sushi with new interpretations of the Edomae-style technique.

On the Valentines Platter: Tuna, Medium Fatty Tuna, Fatty Tuna, Ola King Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, Kasugodai (young sea bream), Anago (sea eel), Kuruma-Ebi (Japanese Tiger Prawn), Hokkaido Sea Urchin, bi-color Ikura, lobster, tongue sole, oyster, egg omelet, and a dessert befitting of Valentine’s weekend.

Reserve your takeout-only platter (pickup either February 12, 13, or 14) by calling (206) 443-9844, or online beginning February 12; supply is limited.

Taylor Shellfish Farm’s Dinner for Two ($100) is the perfect mix of oysters for gift giving, or a dine-in evening at home. Tucked away in a tasteful blue Taylor box and wrapped in a heart-themed sleeve you will enjoy:

• 15 beautifully fluted Kumamoto oysters
• 3 pounds of delicious Manila clams
• 1 4-oz roll of garlic herb butter
• 1 4-oz package of ready to eat smoked scallops

*Available for delivery between 02/02 – 02/13 only (cannot be shipped to Hawaii & Texas)

For vegetarians and vegans (or if you’re just trying to cut down on meat like us), Cafe Flora has a four-course Valentine’s box for two to-go ($90 food only; or $135 with three beverage pairings). All items are vegan & gluten-free.

1. Starter – Taro chips served with butternut pate, beet pepper jam, and an avocado-pumpkin seed scallion pistou
2. Salad – Colorful rainbow carrot ribbons, shaved green papaya, red and savoy cabbage, papaya, grapefruit, and spiced cashews, with a grapefruit serrano dressing
3. Entrée – Artichoke croquettes with spiced lemongrass sauce + gingered kabocha smash + grilled chayote squash with beluga lentils & maitake mushrooms + pickled starfruit & blood orange garnish
4. Dessert – Chocolate Tower – chocolate mousse on a graham crust enrobed in a dark chocolate ganache with raspberry coulis and coconut whip
5. Optional cocktail and wine pairings (for first three courses) – Golden Negroni cocktail (saffron-infused gin, brovo pink vermouth, bonal gentiane quina, rishi saffron bitters); Nomadica Red Blend; and Gruet Sparkling Brut Split.

An additional dessert trio, including Buckwheat heart-shaped cookies, Mendiants (dark chocolate discs decorated with slivered almonds and pistachios, candied ginger, and dried apricots), and Passion Fruit Pate de Fruit.

This package is limited to the first 250 orders. Place your order online soon at cafeflora.com.