Valentine’s Day Revamp

Valentine’s Day Revamp

Chocolates and flowers?  What a bore. Try these unique gift ideas for the ones you love.

THE GIRLFRIEND: Rue No. One. Guys, a word of advice: anything you buy for your special girl from Rue No. One is the perfect gift. Anything. Just follow these simple steps. One: go to Rue in Snider Plaza. Two: pick up any item in the store. Three: pay for it. Four: give it to your aforementioned girl. Five: be adored and showered with kisses. Our favorites are the tall, white candles adorned with vintage-looking French stickers and tied with sweet ribbons. Just lighting a few of these lovelies during a romantic rendezvous transports you to the City of Lights sans the hefty price tag of the actual trip. <Mon-Sat, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 6701 Snider Plaza. 214-265-0900.

THE WIFE: Hermès. When it comes to luxury goods, no one comes close to Hermès. They began making saddles and other leather goods in 1837. Today their repertoire includes not only magnificent leather products (Birkin bag, anyone?), but also an extensive collection of jewelry, clothes, perfumes, and those coveted silk scarves. The Hermès silk scarf is the must-have piece for any lady. They can be worn around the neck, on the waist as a belt, on the head as a skullcap—or in a variety of other ways. They come in every color scheme imaginable, so you’re sure to find the right design for your beautiful bride.Mon-Sat, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 21 Highland Park Village. 214-528-0197. www.hermes.com.

THE BEST FRIEND: Scrapbook Haven. Remember all of those late nights out with the girls? Margaritas at Mi Cocina, smuggling in a bottle of wine to a mani/pedi gossip session—those were the days. Actually, they’re still our days, and there’s nothing more fun than going through photos of all those nutty nights. Instead of putting pics in boring little photo album, why not make a scrapbook at Scrapbook Haven in Snider Plaza? Geraldine Washam has stocked her lovely shop with stickers, fun pieces of stationery, and wacky cutouts to make any collection of snapshots a pure work of art. You can even take a class to maximize the possibilities. Mon-Thu, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Fri & Sat, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 3409 Rosedale Ave. 214-696-0323. www.scrapbook-haven.com.

THE HUSBAND: Viking Cooking Classes. Yes, we said cooking classes for men. The new Viking store on McKinney Avenue has a state-of-the-art cooking instruction area in the back, replete with every utensil you never knew you needed and skilled chefs who show you how to use them. This is a three-in-one hit, ladies. You get him out of the house, he learns how to cook a fabulous meal, and he’ll want to impress you with what he learned in class (read: romantic dinner for two coming right up). Who knows? You may never have to cook again. Well, a girl can dream, can’t she? Mon-Fri, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun, noon-6 p.m. 4531 McKinney Ave. 214-526-3942. www.vikingrange.com.