Valentines Day in New York – Chocolates, Dinner, Wine and
Diamonds (or, What Babette really wants)
V-DAY (A Victory for some….)
Ah, Valentines Day in New York, so festive, so fun, so full of happy couples. All the romantic nooks in the city’s top restaurants will be filled with pairs exchanging flirtatious glances, like those Penguins after making the long march to the mating grounds.
It is no secret that I do not give a rip about Valentines Day. It is one of those recently-made-more-important-than-it-should-be holidays, like Halloween (which at least has the best parade ever) and Flag Day.
All the gift shops around town are full of little red hearts and squeaky toys befitting tweens, not adults. But, since we all want to remain forever young, what the heck, let’s have a look.
Rites of Passage Seeking Human Beings in Need of Same
In this fast moving, modern work-a-day world, we Human Beings have little time left for tribal rites of passage, so why should I begrudge Valentines Day, which stands in the place of a more ritualistic coming-of-age.
Children love those colorful little punch-out cards, with the little envelopes, twenty of which can be purchased at any Dee Dee store for about $2.99. They love writing the names of people they love, or think they love, and their first Valentines Day is one of those things that they remember for decades (for good, or for bad….).
How Much Babette Expects You to Spend on Her
Flash Forward: For the Male adult, Valentines Day is another expense to be scheduled on the old accounting ledger. The average Male spends about $130 on his beloved (or on his current pursuit). Those who are currently attached to a Babette will spend considerably more.
Babette not only wants a box of chocolate from Vosges ($50) or Michel Cluizel ($75), she wants to be surprised by Prime Time reservations at one of the City’s hottest restaurant (“hot” means “where I am most likely to be seen by a fashion photographer”), and she wants a good bottle of wine (which the Male must choose) ($300), and she expects to get a little diamond treat afterwards – maybe a tennis bracelet or a solitaire necklace ($500). She needs this to add to her collection. Babette also likes diamonds very much. And they better not be from Zales. You best budget at least $1000 for the evening.
How Much Babette Doesn’t Spend on You
Females, on the other hand, spend on average about $60 on their beloveds (and $0 on current pursuits), and often the purchase is something like a pair of boxer shorts with little hearts printed on the opening.
Caveat: Ladies, always check your man’s underwear drawer for festive boxers and briefs – this is the historical record you may need to know about.
If the Female takes the Male out for Valentines, she will choose a place that he likes, and will remind him of it later in the year. Babette of course will not do this, because that would mean that for one evening it was not all about her (and then the sky would surely fall). But, if you spend that $1000 on her, she will purchase a box of Altoids ($1.69) for a little tingly fun later.
For the Truly Romantic
Valentines Day, for the truly romantic, can be very lovely. If you are in love and are tender hearted and do want to mark this special day with a loving gesture, here are some tips:
- If you haven’t made a dinner reservation but would like to, search for a “romantic” restaurant, like Chanterelle or One If By Land and see if they have tables.
- If you can’t find a table, or if logistics make it tough, stop by Chelsea Market
or the Market at Grand Central and pick up a few items for dinner chez toi. You can buy a nice filet mignon or tuna steak, along with a couple of exquisite pastries and a bottle of wine – not to mention chocolates.Both markets can boast bonbons.
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If you haven’t purchased a card, stop by Papyrus and check out their handmade (and expensive!) collection of cards.
- Don’t buy a gift.Love is enough,
and if it isn’t, then you need to re-think Valentines Day, Charlie Brown.
