After a bitterly-cold & grey January and equally bleak start to February, Valentine’s Day presents an opportunity to slough off the weather and warm your heart—and those of the ones you love—with a card or gift from a neighborhood business. Does anyone tire of hearing I love you?
ARTful Valentine gifts from CWE-based Kristen Kempton, FINK (fashion+art):
From left: Valentine paper, “perfectly imperfect,” hand-printed on recycled paper, $15. Hand-printed, hand-made, one-of-a-kind Valentine tees, $150 to $165. Pick-up is free, use coupon code STL at checkout, shipping available too.
Kristen Kempton, FINK (fashion+art). Visit website for info, or [email protected].
Crafty finds at Bowood Farms:
From left: Meri Meri pink garland on wooden spool, 15′ for $22; 12 fancy party sticks, $12; star garland, $12; Milagros hearts (in clear cup), $4, all Valentine cards, $5. Lower right: 12 heart-shaped cake toppers or swizzle sticks; “I Like You” stickers, 10 sheets for $8; xoxo stickers, 6 sheets for $6. Middle: “Be Mine” heart-shaped purse, $14. In cabinet from left: Package of 3 party favors, includes tattoos & confetti, with room to add your own treats, $14; “lips” garland, $14. 
Stop by Bowood Farms Flower Bar on February 14, where you can create your own hand-tied Valentine’s bouquet, $30. Click here for details.
Bowood Farms, 4501 Olive Street, (314) 454-6868.
Share libations from The Vino Gallery:
From left: For Valentine’s Day, proprietor Alex Head chose a great, juicy Mariella Román, a red blend of Zinfandel, Petit Sirah & Barbera, $23; a dry, “little bit sweet” 2016 Robert Weil Weingut Reisling, $24; and from the Champagne region, Cuvee des 2 Soeurs, a well-made grower champagne, $45.
The Vino Gallery, 4701 McPherson Ave., (314) 932-5665.
De-LOVEly deliciousness from Jeni’s, below.
jeni’s, 389 N. Euclid.
More deliciousness from Handcrafted by Bissinger’s:
From left: 28-piece Valentine’s Classic Collection, $46; Right: 2-tiered Bissinger’s Ballet Ballotin, 47 pieces for $68.
Handcrafted by Bissinger’s, 32 Maryland Plaza, (314) 367-7750.
From di Olivas: Valentine’s dinner for two (or more)
di Olivas proprietor Robert Pallenja has been singing the praises of a new Busiate pasta from Italy, $8.99, each time I have stopped in his shop. He featured the pasta in a bacon, mushroom and cream dish he demonstrated recently at cooking class in the shop’s kitchen. Another dish on the menu that evening was linguini with shrimp. lemon zest, and basil. You can substitute the Garlic & Basil Pasta, $7.99 above for linguini, and you might check out the Orecchiette $8.99, while you’re there.
Both recipes can be found here.
di Olivas, 115 B N. Euclid, (314) 367-OILS
Pet LOVERS selections from Treats Unleashed. Woof, woof!
From left: All-natural Terrier Truffles, 4 for $9.99, and personalized heart-shaped cookies, $5.99. 10% of sales donated to Rescue.
Treats Unleashed, 22 N. Euclid, (314) 889-0966
For young book LOVERS:
Join Storytime’s Cliff at Left Bank Books tomorrow morning at 10:30 for a special Valentine’s Celebrity event with St. Louisan Amy Sklansky, author of Sweet Hearts, $8.99. There will be cookies and crafts too.
Among the other Valentine’s selections are Valensteins by Ethan Long, $16.99, Love from Peter Rabbit, $8.99, Here Comes Valentine Cat by Deborah Underwood, $16.99, and What the World Needs Now is Love by Burt Bacharach & Hal David, illustrated by Mary Kate McDevitt, $9.99. 
For young adults, the staff at LBB hearts: Romona Blue by Julie Murphy, $17.99, “a love triangle unlike any you’ve ever read…the movie Chasing Amy but so much better”; Tash hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee, $18.99, “absolutely delightful, funny, smart and made my heart fuller”; This is Not a Love Letter by Kim Purcell, $17.99, “engrossing tense tale about love, loss & survival”; Meet Cute, $17.99, “ridiculously cute short stories by all of your favorite authors.”
Left Bank Books, 399 N. Euclid, (314) 367-6731.
LOVE hydrating beauty products from Cassie’s:
Crabtree & Evelyn Rose Water & Pink Peppercorn hydrating body wash, $22, soap, $10, and hand therapy, $24.
Cassie’s, 316 N. Euclid, (314) 454-1010.
“Let us define Valentines,” lululemon’s Valentine’s campaign:
The lightweight “define” jacket comes in teal shadow, left, redwood, right, and black (not shown), $128. Matching “wunder under” 7/8 tights “fit like a second skin,” $98.
lululemon, 26 Maryland Plaza, (314) 454-6857.
Celebrate Valentine’s at Candle Fusion Studio, 4742 McPherson Ave., tomorrow and again Wednesday, February 14 from 6 to 9. Couples are invited for an evening of hands-on creativity and adventure, $55 for two. Click here for more info. Reservations are recommended, (314) 250-2272.
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone.