Happy Valentine's Day!

We're busy eating our chocolates. :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

We thought we'd show you some love in style today with one of our favorite artists-Marilyn Minter. Above is her appropriately-titled photograph entitled "I Heart U." If you heart this, check out more from Marilyn in the current issue's ARTIST STUDIO.

Let's face it, Valentine's Day Gift Guides can tend to sway towards the female gender. They're normally filled pink flowers, lacey lingerie, and sparkly diamonds. What about the dudes? Guys can be hard to buy for, espeicially for Valentine's Day. So here are a few suggestions to make sure you're sweetie feels loved too:



Clockwise from Upper Left: 1. Paul Smith's Man Candle. Available at www.paulsmith.co , Louis Vuitton Helsinki Cap. Available at www.louisvuitton.com, Nixon Chronicle SS Watch. Available at www.Barneys.com, iBike Dash Cycling Computer. Available at www.apple.com, Chocolove's Strong Dark Chocolate Available at www.chocolove.com, Jan Leslie Knot cufflink assortment. Available at www.bergdorfgoodman.com

Just in time for Valentine's Day, a new fabulous flower boutique popped up right up the street from me-Ovando! Their new location has been up and running for four months now, and it's hard not to notice their incredible Valentine's Day arranagements. Not only are their arrangements absolutely stunning, but 3% of their Valentine's Day proceeds go to support the Starlight Children's Foundation. If you place your order online before February 10th you'll receive a 15% Friends & Family Discount! Just enter coupon code VAL2011.




Valentine Coquet

"Ruffles of beautifully plush ranunculus and carnations are accented with purple orchids. Finished with a leaf-wrapped case and heart-shaped dogwood, this composition is wonderfully coquettish."



All-a-Flutter

"This richly textured piece includes a mixture of monochromatic blooms floating atop a dogwood fan."



El Corazon

This enchanting piece features a heart-shaped wreath made of roses, lying on a bed of brilliantly red beads and encased in a two-piece box.



L'Amour

"This glamorous and boldly colored composition boasts floral savoir faire at its finest."



Valentine Muse

"This lavish arrangement, brimming with red roses and a weave of pale pink orchids, is finished off with sumptuous Thai lead loops and peacock feathers."



Grass Heart

"An Ovando favorite, this sculptural composition makes a truly stunning gift. Richly colored orchids are suspended in a heart-shaped grass loop offering a chic and exquisitely delicate look."

Visit their website, or if you live in NYC visit their Upper East Side or West Village boutiques to see the other amazing Valentine's Day arrangements.

We're down to seven more shopping days until Valentine's Day, but it's always a safe bet to give flowers at the last minute, right? Right. But, what if you could make a grand floral gesture beyond anyone's expectations. The world's leading floral designer, Daniel Ost sure knows how to do just that. The Belgian-born floral "sculptor"'s work is in demand by royalty, celebrities, and corporations and his installations, which last only a few days, are extremely costly but the artistic value is, of course, priceless. I wonder what the price tag on a custom Valentine's Day arrangement designed by the flower master himself would be...















If you like what you see here, you may want to see more in Daniel's Books: Leafing Through Flowers , Invitations 2, Remaining Flowers, and Transparent

Perfume is to a woman as a tie is to a man. It's not a last case resort, but rather a sure bet! Shown above are some of our top favorite fragrances for gift giving this Valentine's Day.

From Left to Right: Rouge Hermes available at www.usa.hermes.com , Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf available at www.bloomingdales.com , Clive Christian's No, 1 available at www.bergdorfgoodman.com , Perfums de Rosine available at www.barneys.com , L'Artisan Parfumeur available at www.barneys.com

Ahhh, it's that time of year again. Love is in the air and it's time to start thinking about what you're going to buy for your sweeties for Valentine's Day. We're going to be sharing great V-Day gift ideas with you all week. Today, it's gifts for the home. Whether it's a casual gift for a friend or family member, or a thoughtful gift for a co-worker-we all love to have some love in our homes!





Clockwise from Upper Left: "Heart in My Hands" print available at www.modcloth.com, Limited Edition Rose (garden rose) and Eros (spicy wild rose) candles available at www.diptyqueparis.com, Mon Cher paperweight available at www.johnderian.com , Kosta Boda "Connect" Candlesticks available www.nordstrom.com, Pyrite (Fool's Gold) Heart available at www.jaysonhomeandgarden.com , "Smell the Roses" pillowcase set available at www.urbanoutfitters.com , "Love Pillow" in pink available at www.maison24.com , Ostrich Pillow in fushia available at www.calypsostbarth.com,