Sweet treats
For the big spender: What could be more romantic-or clich??d-than a dozen roses. Show up at the door with a handful of fragrant flowers and your date will swoon. www.urbanflorist.com offers a dozen roses in colors from whisper white to perfect pink and everything in between for only $29.99. Call 888-244-4531 and surprise your loved one, but remember-red roses symbolize love.
Sweets for your sweet? Cookies by Design, 7414 Mineral Point Rd., sells baskets and bouquets of cookies for the wealthy college student. An array of seven heart-shaped, Valentine's-themed cookies is $48.95, but your sexy someone can enjoy every last bite for days.
For the penny pincher: Jamie's Cookies and Cakes, 545 State St., offers a variety of Valentine's-themed cookies. Starting at $1, individual cookies are always available, but you can also order large, heart-shaped cookies with your own personal message for up to $16. Just make sure to stop by and order them a couple days ahead of time.
Food options
For the big spender: If you're in the mood to spend money, the best Madison option is L'Etoile, 25 N. Pinckney St. This French restaurant, right on Capitol Square, features a seasonal menu with ingredients from local farmers. L'Etoile is holding a multi-course, fixed-price dinner on Valentine's Day. Reservations are recommended, so call 251-0500 as soon as possible to get a prime time and seating for your romantic date.
For the penny-pincher: Prepare early and plan to cook dinner at home. The Dane County Farmer's Market, Madison Senior Center 330 W. Mifflin St., moved inside for the winter. Buy some fresh food from the market and cook it. Vendors at the winter market offer fruits and vegetables, herbs, cheese, beef, chicken, rabbit, goose, maple syrup, specialty baked goods, dried flowers, jams, salsa, and honey. The market is open 8 a.m. to noon, and breakfast is available from 8 to 11 a.m.
Not a master chef? Nothing is more romantic than Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar, 529 State St. Take your date for some hot wings and get revved up for the evening with some finger-licking food. She-or he-won't even realize how much money you're saving.
Destinations
For the penny-pincher: Enjoy the crisp winter air and take a free \Winter Birds"" walk at the UW-Madison Arboretum, 1207 Seminole Highway, on Sunday, Feb. 13 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Study up beforehand and impress your date with your extensive ornithological knowledge. Look for cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches and woodpeckers-all birds which are abundant in winter.
Or, avoid the saccharine crowds and save a few bucks by staying in on Valentine's Day. Kick your roommates out and plan a great evening at home. After a nice dinner, cover your living room floor with pillows and blankets and watch a romantic movie you'll both enjoy. ""Am??lie,"" ""Chocolat,"" ""The Princess Bride,"" ""Top Gun"" and ""Casablanca"" are five nice, man-approved choices. Prepare early, buy the makings for s'mores and toast marshmallows on your stove after the movie. There's nothing like sticky sweets to get the mood started.
No snow left by Valentine's? Make reservations for Olbrich Botanical Gardens', 3330 Atwood Ave., ""Valentine's in Paradise"" on Saturday. Slow dance with your sweetheart next to flowers in the candlelit, indoor tropical conservatory. A selection of chocolates and sweet desserts abounds, with the semi-formal party-and a cash bar-running from 8 to 11:30 p.m.
For the big spender: Long walks on the beach aren't quite an option during a Wisconsin winter, but a candlelit ski in the woods can be even more romantic. Get outdoors and enjoy the fresh air at Lake Kegonsa State Park in Stoughton. On Saturday, Feb. 12 from 6 to 9 p.m., the park will open two miles of trails lit with hundreds of luminaries. Curl up by the bonfire afterwards with your snow bunny and enjoy refreshments. Though a car is required to reach the park, there is only a $5 charge for a parking sticker.
