Nothing expresses love and romance like fashion, flowers, confectionery, and precious stones. Downtown Rye offers extraordinarily special gifts from him to her for Valentine’s Day.
By Janice Llanes Fabry
Nothing expresses love and romance like fashion, flowers, confectionery, and precious stones. Downtown Rye offers extraordinarily special gifts from him to her for Valentine’s Day.
Something new to wear always brings a smile to her face, especially if it’s a lustrous, sexy Talbot Runhof satin raspberry dress from Angela’s. Also glamorous is the shop’s cobalt blue version with flattering ruching. Rev up her Valentine’s Day with a chic, quilted, leather motorcycle jacket by Barbara Bui. More subtle, but just as luxurious is Angela’s own private label cashmere silk sweater in a variety of styles and colors.
Franco Ferrari silk and cashmere scarves with bold images or vintage magnetized pins and pendants that embellish scarves and handbags are wonderful discoveries at Lola’s. For the woman who has everything, the shop is chockfull of options, from Parisian totes in bold colors and elegant Ostrich clutches to trendy bangles and chunky necklaces.
Great Stuff is already thinking spring and proposes the ladies will appreciate cotton and knit sweaters with lots of texture and pops of color. A re- striped dress by Only Hearts paired with a stylish rain jacket by Moncler would be pretty chic as well. Coming straight from Paris in the next few days are trendy scarves and accessories galore.
She’ll stop and smell the roses with Greene Willow’s ever-fragrant garden roses. Of course, the shop also offers its long-lasting, long-stemmed red and pink roses and marvelous orchids from the world’s finest growers. All cut flowers, including hydrangea, lilacs, and tulips with crinkled edges, can be arranged in a vase, bouquet, or gift box. One may prefer professing eternal love with the florist’s magnificent silk rose topiary that she’ll have forever.
Rockridge Flowers also offers a myriad of Valentine options. For the young at heart, their lush Gund teddy bears or Lindt chocolates make nice accompaniments to a bouquet of their premium, long-lasting Freedom red roses or splendid and resilient Phalaenopsis orchid plants. Other beautiful options are colorful Holland tulips and splendid spring mix beckoning the warmer season to come.
For the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift, there’s Woodrow Jewelers’ breathtaking Fantasia collection by Roberto Coin. The 18-karat pendants, bracelets, rings, and earrings are bathed in diamonds and pink or black sapphires. The shop’s Mikimoto pearls and Judith Ripka collection of silver and gold hearts with multicolor stones are also stunning. New to Woodrow this year are fashionable heart-shaped moonstone pendants by Temple St. Claire.
Zaltas sparkles on Valentine’s Day with Kwiat’s fabulous Star collection of diamond earrings and Dabakarov’s diamond pendants. She’d also love delicately woven verme and sterling heart pendants or miniature sterling silver keys to her heart, all designed by Chan Luu. Another colorful idea is hand-blown glass “kisses” ring holders.
Hanni Fine Jewelry’s exquisite 18-karat white gold heart pendant is available in various sizes. Hanging on a long 18-karat gold chain made of heart links, it has charming cutouts of hearts, moons, and stars, laid over a mother of pearl heart. Spectacular baroque multi-colored pastel pearls, short and long strands with matching earrings also make perfect gifts. Another option is a variety of beautiful thin micro pavé set diamond hoop earrings in white, yellow, rose, or black gold, available in all sizes.
Isabelle’s Fine Jewelry features unique pieces by Martin Kirschenbaum, including a striking heart-shaped ruby surrounded by white diamonds and an oval ruby ring flanked by trapezoid diamonds. Also sure to make her shine are their 5-karat eternity band and a celestial 18-karat gold and diamond cuff. The shop offers heart-shaped fancy yellow diamonds surrounded by white diamonds that hang majestically on a chain with diamond stations.
Not a heart lover? Royal Jewels offers a custom option. Come in with a sketch and John Gevelekian can make her dream come true. Otherwise, the shop’s dramatic 7-karat Ceylon sapphire ring surrounded by diamonds is a superb gift. Chocolate diamond pendants, champagne diamond rings, and hoop earrings with diamonds inside and out are pretty special, too.
Nothing expresses old-fashioned love quite like a Victorian diamond bracelet from Joan’s Antique and Estate Jewelry’s. Also available are a striking Art Deco diamond bracelet and a gorgeous enamel locket with a forget-me-not pattern, circa 1900. A 1920’s heart-shaped Tiffany double frame makes a memorable keepsake, too. Lovers of miniature pigs will swoon over Joan’s collection, one with ruby eyes, one a 24-karat pig.
If your beloved has more of a taste for sweets, then chocolates at Patisserie Salzburg are the way to her heart. On Valentine’s Day, the pastry shop pulls out all the stops with their homemade chocolate, raspberry, and orange truffles and heart-shaped iced cookies. Or surprise her with heart-shaped scones or flax seed muffins for breakfast.
For the icing on the cake, 350° Classic Bakeshop is offering an inspired menu. Imagine a sweet bouquet made of mini cupcakes arranged like flowers or heart-shaped cupcake sandwiches. The shop has a lovely selection of gift sets in the oven as well, including cupcakes and truffles wrapped in a gift box and sealed with a heart, as well as cupcakes with messages of love: “My Valentine”, “Be Mine”, and, of course, “XOXO”.
For a gift that transports the happy couple to a faraway place, pick up National Geographic’s “Secret Journeys of a Lifetime” at Parkers. Have her open to a page and plan that journey together, whether to Sea Island along the coast of South Carolina or a botanical odyssey in Yemen. Prefer staying closer to home? Pick up “Backroads and Byways of New England” for a weekend getaway or Frommer’s “Great Walks in New York” for a romantic stroll.