Valentines Day is the day for romance, a perfect excuse to pamper the person you love. We've made it easy for you to look like Casanova or Cleopatra with our hints and tips, so read on and then plan ahead for a sublime day of passion!
 


We love Frank Sinatra's Come Dance With Me!   The classic title track will make you want to sweep your partner from the chair and dance around the table!

From "Cheek to Cheek" to "Baubles, Bangles and Beads," this is a collection that is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face and a
swing to your step.
 

 

 
Lighting is crucial to setting the perfect mood for your celebration. Candlelight is flattering and fun, and candles are easy to dress up for the occasion:

Buy floating candles and float them in water in shallow bowls or glass vases. For extra interest, add leaves, shells or sand to the water.
 

Festoon pillar candles with fresh greens, extra flowers, or strings of beads from old costume jewelry.
 

Place tea lights in unexpected containers - vintage saucers, etc., and cluster them all around.


Don't even think about grabbing that cellophane-wrapped dozen of sorry roses that wilt the next day. This year, do something different and special.

How about creating a gorgeous arrangement by filling a wide, round glass vase with small fruits like baby apples or kumquats and then filling the middle of the vase with flowers so that the stems are hidden by the fruit?  It can be a bit tricky to arrange the fruit around the stems while in water, so don't be afraid to plunge your hands in and move things about until it works.

Here are some suggestions for combinations:

red striped baby apples with deep, red-orange roses
 

green baby apples with white tulips
 

orange tangerines with stargazer lilies and pink peonies

    


If you want to make your sweetheart feel especially loved this Valentine's Day, do something fun and unexpected. For instance:
 
Take out an ad in the personals section of the newspaper with a special message, then get a copy of the paper, circle the ad with a heart, roll the paper up with a bow, and place it at your sweetheart's plate at the table.
 
Put fresh sheets on the bed, and place a treat on the pillow - a chocolate truffle or a chocolate-dipped strawberry, for instance.

 
Give your partner the gift of a surprise appointment for a spa treatment the
next day, extending the glow from the day just a little bit longer.

Click the recipe names to be taken to each specific recipes or click here for a printable version of the complete Valentines Day menu and tip also be sure to check out our Delicious Seductions section for the Tasty Treats and Bubble Bath  Extravagana