Counting Down to Valentine’s Day

February is that one month of the year when it seems that time just stands still. It’s the longest shortest month. March is more bi-polar. 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.

Valentine’s Day is on our minds, and Patch is 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 your sweetheart, there are several jewelers to choose from in Fort Lee, including at 221 Main St., at 2151 Lemoine Ave. and at 2125 Center Ave.

But nothing says, “Be my Valentine” quite like flowers and chocolate.

The King of all things green in Fort Lee is . People tend 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 online. 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 Ave.

If you don’t mind going to the store to pick, arrange and deliver your flowers there’s always , 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 order from a florist. California Farms is located at 1475 Bergen Blvd. in the Plaza West Shopping Center.

The relatively new kid on the block in Fort Lee is . Peonia offers flowers and floral arrangements for all occasions. 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 Ave. on the first floor of Fort Lee Plaza.

If it’s the standard Whitman Sampler (and who doesn’t love their map?) or box of Russell Stover chocolates you’re looking for, try , or . Sadly, 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.

And if you’re feeling a little racy on Valentine’s Day and want to turn up the heat, don’t sit in traffic trying to get to Victoria’s Secret for sexy lingerie. Why leave town when you can go to and get beautiful lingerie that will make a bold statement? Dusty Rose has an incredible 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 in the Linwood Shopping Center.