Countdown to Valentine’s Day

February is that one month out of the year when it seems that time just stands still. It’s the longest shortest month. March is more of a bi-polar month. It can tease us with warm, spring-like weather one day and throw us another blizzard the next. But let’s get back to February.

About Town has Valentine’s Day on our minds and we’re here to tell you that Fort Lee has some great places to buy everything you need. If it’s jewelry you’re looking to give to your sweetheart there are a number of jewelers in Fort Lee: Kiky Jewelers, 221 Main Street; Diamond Source Jewelers, 2151 Lemoine Avenue; Bloomy Jewelry, 1550 Lemoine Avenue, and Genuine Gems, 2125 Center Avenue.

Nothing says “Be My Valentine” quite like flowers and chocolate. A staple in Fort Lee’s community is J. Clores & Sons Florist. Clores has been sending flowers to sweethearts in Fort Lee for generations. If you want to know how spectacular their floral arrangements are, just look at their stunning display windows. The great advantage to going to a small local shop is that you get personal one-on-one attention. Clores is very good about working with every type of budget imaginable. Clores also offers beautiful gift baskets. Unfortunately, they no longer have their liquor section, but they will include a bottle of wine in your gift basket if you give it to them. And don’t worry about when your flowers will arrive—they offer same-day delivery. J Clores & Sons is located at 1566 Lemoine Avenue.

There’s also the King of all things green, Metropolitan Plant Exchange. Everyone tends to think “potted plants” when they think of Metropolitan Plant Exchange, but they also offer a wide variety of fresh flowers that they will arrange and deliver for you. If you want to send roses, they have them in just about every color imaginable. If you want to be less traditional and send another type of fresh-cut flower, they offer tulips, French tulips, daisies, lilies, hydrangeas, peonies, and more. If you can’t get to the store, or the phone, you can order your Valentine’s Day bouquet on-line at www.metropolitanplantexchange.com.  Metropolitan Plant Exchange will work with every budget and help make your bouquet special. Of course, they offer same-day delivery. Metropolitan Plant Exchange is located at 2125 Fletcher Avenue.

If you don’t mind going to the store to pick, arrange, and deliver your flowers there’s California Farms where you can peruse the buckets of roses, tulips, and other freshly cut flowers. The quality of flowers is very good, and you can’t beat the prices. Although in the past they have raised the price of their roses on Valentine’s Day, they’re still much cheaper than if you ordered from a florist.  California Farms is located at 1475 Bergen Boulevard, within the Plaza West Shopping Center.

The new kid on the block in Fort Lee is Peonia Floral Studio. Peonia offers flowers for all occasions as well as floral arrangements. If you have a special event and need one-on-one attention, a representative will be happy to work with you. Peonia is located at 1550 Lemoine Avenue in the Fort Lee Plaza Shopping Center on the first floor.

If it’s the standard Whitman Sampler (and who doesn’t love their map?) or box of Russell Stover chocolates you’re looking for you can go to CVS, Walgreen’s, or A&P. Unfortunately, Fort Lee no longer has its own chocolatier, so if you want handmade chocolate you have to go south of the border to Fairview’s Krause’s, or north of the border to Englewood’s Matisse Chocolatier.

If you’re feeling a little racy on Valentine’s Day and you want to turn the heat up, don’t sit in traffic trying to get to Victoria’s Secret for sexy lingerie. Why leave town when you can go to Dusty Rose and get beautiful lingerie that will make a bold statement? Dusty Rose has an amazing selection of lingerie that’s not only sure to break someone’s heart, but might even cause you to break that Valentine’s Day dinner reservation.  Dusty Rose is located within the Linwood Shopping Center.

In the coming days, About Town will also be giving you ideas on where to dine out in Fort Lee on Valentine’s Day so stay tuned.