Front Page     News     Opinion     Features     A & E     Sports     Back Page     Archive     Staff     Contact

OTHER FEATURE STORY - Search for roots leads couple to Germany (Part 2 of 3 part series) - Ballroom dancing: fun and social! - Where on campus? - Blame the Romans! Valentine's Day origins revealed - Not sure where to eat tonight? The Ebbtide has your back Last-minute Valentine's gifts that say 'I love you' loud and clear Daytona Danielsen Editor-in-Chief When it comes to buying a gift for your Valentine, only you can say what will be truly appropriate. But here's a little help guiding you along the way. If you're involved in a long-distance relationship and still haven't sent a gift off to your love, try a Circle Journey book. It is designed to be like those inter-office envelopes that get sent over and over again. But it's between the two of you, to be exchanged and added to. Your thoughts and messages to each other, and mementos with sentimental value can be collected through this clever creation. Even though it will not reach its destination in time for Valentine's Day, the extreme sentiment will probably excuse its tardiness. You can buy these at your local Barnes & Noble store. Hint, if you can't be with your Valentine on this day, make sure to call and let him or her know your feelings and that you are sending a package. Assemble a movie pack. It can include a gift certificate from a movie rental store, popcorn kernels, bottles of pop and a variety of junky candy. Don't do that!! Dave Foster Ebbtide Reporter 10. Do not use roofies on your date. This is the lowest possible thing you can do to your date on this supposed love day. And if I find out about anyone using roofies on their date I will personally go to your house and cut your balls off with a pair of dull, rusty scissors. 9. Do not eat beans before you go out on your date. I heard this one story about a girl with gastro-intestinal problems who went on a date. She took a car ride and the guy was driving on some winding roads trying to get her to move closer to him. The seats were covered in plastic so she was sliding around and laughing. Let's just say that after, she was sliding in the mud. 8. Do not forget protection. If you do hope to get lucky on your date, remember to bring protection. What I recommend is human-size condoms with a hole for the head. It's better to be safe than sorry. Believe me. Enough said. 7. Do not take a girl/boy out that already has a boy/girlfriend. There are plenty of people in this world who are single. You're getting high on someone else's drugs, and that's not cool. Bring your own to the table. 6. Do not wear edible underwear. That shit is gross. Just enjoy the real stuff. It tastes better anyway. 5. Do not take your date to Jack in the Box. If you're going to go high class, go with McDonald's. 4. Do not forget your date's name. This would be the dumbest thing you could possibly do. Write it on your hand if you must. 3. Do not use a date that is inflatable. You have more luck on your own with a bottle of champagne. 2. Do not kill yourself on this day. You'll get through it, man. I've had some rough Valentine's Days where I've gotten my heart broken and all that shit. It's only one day out of the year. You still have 364 days. 1. Do not forget Dave. Yeah, that's right. If you need a date from a guy who will fill all your needs and just want to have a good time, come and find me. I'm single, attractive and like girls who wear Abercrombie and Fitch and like snuggling and watching "Dawson's Creek." Maybe throw in a blanket big enough for two. Since this is your Valentine's Day gift, allow your Valentine to choose the movie and genre. Be willing to sit through a chick flick or an action movie or whatever else you may not agree on. This is his or her gift, not yours. To make your Valentine feel pampered, treat him or her to a do-it-yourself spa. Start with a massage using aroma-therapeutic massage oil. Give him or her a facial. If you have time, make your own facial products. While waiting for a mask to soak in, give your Valentine a manicure and pedicure, which don't have to be fancy and will work for males or females. Manicure is not synonymous with colored, pretty nails, after all. Just spend some time giving the hands and feet a good massage, rubbing oil into them and massaging the cuticles. Clear polish or a color are optional. Your Valentine may choose to pamper you afterward. Some say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. And what woman isn't impressed by a man who can cook? So, why not a homemade meal? Decide on a menu that you will prepare for your Valentine - tonight or later. Sometime during the day, drop off a bag of groceries, including the ingredients you will need to prepare the meal. At the bottom, include an invitation for a dinner made by you. Or, you may also have fun making the meal together. To keep it easy, try a simple salad with lettuce and a vinaigrette, spaghetti (with noodles and spaghetti sauce) and garlic bread. To make jarred sauce seem homemade, add a can of mushrooms and olives, and some oregano, basil and brown sugar to it, all to taste. Garlic bread can be easily made by brushing a mix of melted butter, garlic powder or crushed garlic, and parmesan and romano cheeses onto pieces of French bread before heating it in the oven. End with ice cream. Buy tickets for an upcoming event. You two can enjoy the event together. It's easy and quick, if you can find something you will both enjoy. Check local papers or seattle.citysearch.com for listings. Go to a bookstore together and allow your love to pick out his or her book. It saves you the stress of picking out something that will be enjoyed, and it is something you can do together. Spend some time in the Relationships section perusing the books on love, marriage, kissing, etc. For something easy yet thoughtful, visit the Build-A-Bear-Workshop store at Bellevue Square. These personal creations are done by you, at the scene, so you don't have to wait days or weeks for them to be made. You pick out the animal, stuff it, pick out its clothes and accessories, and create a birth certificate or storybook. You can even record a message and insert it in the bear. Try dressing the bear to resemble you. Your Valentine will have a sweet and thoughtful gift that doesn't reflect the haste you put into it. Call (425) 467-5944 for more information. Buy your Valentine a fish. It will require some tender loving care, but your love will think of you every time he or she feeds it. Make sure to include a fish bowl, food and all necessary instructions on how to care for it. If you're brave, you can pay for a tattoo for your Valentine. Be careful with this one, though. Too many people have been left with names that last longer than a relationship. You may want to stick with something less personal. If you want to play it safer, try a piercing. Odds and ends: Ballard's Archie McPhee is the place for unusual and random finds. The store is located at 2428 N.W. Market St. Call (206) 297-0240 or visit online at www.mcphee.com. Chocoholics can be treated to a stop at any of several Godiva locations for a quick fix. Or, for those who like to sit and savor their selections, visit Dilettante Chocolates. It's open until 1 a.m. on weekends, but it could be a bit crowded on the day renowned for chocolate consumption. The popular café is located at 416 Broadway East, Seattle. Additional Seattle retail locations are at 1603 First Ave. and 2300 East Cherry St. For more information, visit www.dilettante.com. To add some excitement with the chocolate, give Chocoholics' Chocoate Tattoos. It has a jar of chocolate with stencils with sayings such as "Kiss me." Chocoholics Strip Chocolate is a board game with dare cards, body frosting, and paint brushes. Think strip poker--with chocolate. You can find Chocoholics products at Spencer Gifts. And, if all else fails, you can't go wrong with Tiffanys. Some flower tips: Red is classic and has a clear, commonly known message: love. But if you want to get creative, try orange roses, which mean enthusiasm, desire or fascination, depending on the source. A complete list of flower meanings is available at www.me2you.com/LoveLore/Flowers/. Since we're on the subject of good Valentine gifts, here are a few to avoid. No matter what, don't give gift certificates. Take your love with you and allow him or her to help pick something out. Also, avoid e-mail greeting cards. They're cheap and easy and look lazy. It's better to send a real card, even if belated. © 2003 Shoreline Community College™