February 7, 2002

Gotta Have It

Print More

Love is in the air for some of us next week, which means you are either a) stressing over what to do with your valentine or b) stressing over how you are once again in the “lonely hearts club” or maybe c) you don’t even know what day Valentine’s Day is (it is the 14th of February — every year). Either way, next week will require some creative planning for some, so let’s take a look at some ways to spend V-Day and some creative gifts . . . (after elementary school, Candy Hearts are no longer acceptable).

Music to His/Her Ears

Nothing speaks romance greater than music. Power Ballads Vol. 1-3 probably won’t make the cut for many young lovers out there (unless of course her name is Amanda or she happens to understand the deeper meaning behind “Every Rose Has Its Thorn”) and the latest Wu-Tang comeback album is also not on Cupid’s Top Ten.

However, the advent of the digital age has made creating your own foray into romance easier than ever. After all, nothing says loving like a personal mix. Your first step should be to establish what songs (if any) have personal meaning to you and your significant other and to stay out of the trash can – keep any Celine Dion off of the play list. Rewritable CD’s are cheaper than ever (a spindle of 50 costs about $20) and the ability to burn is fast and easy with the right equipment. My personal favorite CD-Burner is the new LaCie CD-RW ($280). This drive is extremely versatile in that it can burn at speeds up to 32x and it is compatible with both USB and Firewire cables. To add an even more personal touch, create your own music-sleeve with images of you and your Valentine and add an engraving on the inside of the jewel case. Ah, amore.

Take a Trip

There is no better way to spend time with your Valentine than by whisking away to a deserted island and truly getting to know each other. However, since we are an hour from the nearest international airport and trips to Aruba are hard to come by in Syracuse, you are a little limited in your ability to leave the Finger Lakes. Luckily, the Finger Lakes are full of interesting sites and places to stay. A great way to save money is to book your trip on a weekend after Valentine’s Day. One of the nicer places in the area is the Rose Inn which is a very nice bread and breakfast located right on Route 34 in Lansing. The Rose Inn has twenty rooms. Stay in the Carriage House and you will be treated to a lovely colonial furnished room and a fantastic restaurant downstairs from the rooms. Accommodations range in price from around $160 to $240. Interesting to note is that the Rose Inn is a four-star hotel with some great amenities. It is very quaint and exudes romance (The Rose Inn, 533-7905). Another fantastic place to stay overnight is the Taughannock Farms Inn, which is located near the Taughannock State Park. Similar in price to the Rose Inn, Taughannock is located right off of Rout 89 and offers dinner of the American cuisine fare.

If You Love Yourself That Much

Personalization is one of the greatest ways to increase the value of the gift. Thus, why not get your Valentine their own personal action figure? At Andgor (http://www.andgor.com/) you can create an action figure that has a striking resemblance to your Valentine. The ability to view yourself or significant other in 1:6 scale is truly worth the large price of this gift (each action figure is personal so the price can vary but usually hovers around $300). You will have to take some pretty detailed photos of your mate and this gift is definitely not for those newly in love (or for those with no sense of humor).

Buy Yourself a Treat

If Valentine’s Day is going to be a day without a Valentine, don’t fret. Instead, use this day as a way to treat yourself to something special. For the men out there, I would suggest picking up a new video game and invite your guy and girl friends over (because who wants to be lonely and drinking at a bar on the 14th?). The latest craze in video gaming is the multiplayer hit Super Smash Bros. Melee ($49.95) for the Nintendo Gamecube. You and three friends can spend the night fighting each other as one of many

different classic Nintendo characters from Link to more obscure characters like Dr. Mario. For the ladies, treat yourself to nice massage at Stress-Out Massage Therapy (275-9736) and Day Spa or go down to the Commons and get your nails done (I’m told that this is very relaxing for the female gender) at Innovations (273-5008). Heck, even guys might like it (no polish on the nails . . . just buff — ugh, can’t believe I just wrote that).

If Valentine’s Day is indeed a day of love, then spend it with someone you love . . . even if it is yourself.

Archived article by