Spread the love this Valentine’s Day by dressing up in head-to-toe red, and adding in a sprinkle of hearts and roses.

However you feel about Valentine’s Day this year —  giddy writing love letters or turning up the volume on that breakup-tunes mixtape — it gives us a chance to break away from the ordinary. And when it comes to fashion, it’s a good excuse for dressing head-to-toe in red and adding in a sprinkle of hearts and roses.

Orla Kiely Prom Dress
This sweet little sleeveless dress by Orla Kiely has a gathered skirt and bow. The pattern, which is actually small coffee cups keeps it from being too cutesy. Made from 100% organic, Fair Trade certified cotton in India.
Approx. $94, People Tree

Tiny Heart Necklace
This tiny heart necklace is sweet and simple, a discreet way to whisper to the world that you still believe in love. Handcrafted in San Francisco, by designer Kris Nations, using recycled 14k or sterling overlay.
$35, BTC Elements

Erica Weiner Sweetheart Necklace
When Erica Weiner found a small quantity of these vintage heart necklaces from the 70s, she thought they seemed to just ache to be inscribed with a message. Make your perfect Valentine’s statement and write your message with teeny tiny letter stamps.
$65-80, Erica Weiner

Apple & Bee Hearts Tote
With inside pockets and lots of great compartments, this super practical organic cotton tote will make a great shopping companion, spreading the message of love wherever you go.
$37, Apple & Bee

Hovey Lee Allott Necklace
This elegant heart-shaped pendant is designed for everyday wear, yet the genuine pink peach shell, lends it a unique glowy sheen. Available with 14kt gold-filled  or sterling silver chain.
$76, Hovey Lee

Alkemie Single Rose Ring
Roses are the ultimate symbol for love, and unlike a dozen red ones this ring will not fade. Handmade in Los Angeles, using 100% reclaimed metal and Austrian Crystal. Available in silver patina as well.
$154, Alkemie

Pink/Red Heart Lady Dragon Shoes
These new Anglomania Lady Dragon shoes by Vivienne Westwood and Melissa brings a more glitzy side with gold edged mirrored hearts that make your feet ready to party. Made from Melissa’s signature earth-friendly rubber.
$230, Vivienne Westwood

Valentine’s Day is coming! Valentine’s Day is coming!

Time to pull out every cliche in the book! It’s the most romantic day of the year! Obviously! This is what all the PR firms are telling us and we’ve gotten so many pitches over the past two weeks, we’re making this week’s lengthy edition of Better Living Through Publicists a cherry heart bonbon the size of which you’ve never seen, nested in forty million rose petals, floating atop an Olympic-sized bubble bath of edible chocolate froth. In other words, at once absurd and predictable: Just like Valentine’s Day and the publicists’ pitches that come with it!

If Hotel Walls Could Talk

Hotels.com took a “Romance Survey” that uncovered “Both dissidence and harmony between the sexes surrounding Valentine’s Day.” What did they find? Well, of course all couples get a hotel room on Valentine’s Day (thanks hotel.com survey), but what do men and women think about Valentine’s Day hanky-panky?

They want lingerie, they want sex in the jacuzzi (note to self – avoid the jacuzzi next time you travel), they want Filet Mignon and dark chocolate and also, because they hate their partner so much for forcing them to endure this obviously horrible weekend, have opted for celebrities to do this with instead:

It’s no wonder that many couples divorce or break up on the 14th. Steak, anyone?

Doomsday is Coming!

Here’s a book to cheer you up for the impending day of doom. “As stores are flooded with hearts and sappy sentiments, many single women’s hearts are flooded with reminders of loneliness, failure and doom. But cheer up ladies! There is someone out there who is confident that you will find ‘the one’ and wants to remind you to keep the faith.”

Hey thanks, Lindsley Lowell! I bet you’re going to be the one with your truly graphically pleasing book to tell us who it is!
Do you deserve true love? Are you over 35 and therefore “discounted, last season’s fashions?” Do you have the guts to sit it out and wait for a man in metal to come and sweep you off your feet?

Lindsley advises: “Do not settle. Do not let others put you down. Do not think you are crazy. Do not throw in the towel and start crocheting outfits for your cat. There IS hope. Let me be your beacon of hope, your wing woman, your leader in the fight to find your knight in shining armor. Yes, Virginia, he does exist. He just might be stuck in traffic.”

But why does the PR pitch go on to talk about how the remaining available men look “like the used, discarded Island of the Misfit Toys?”

You’re old goods, but don’t settle, but the men left aren’t so great, but they are! And you don’t simply happen to want to be single, obviously.

I’m so confused. Should I just become lesbian? Oh, just call me on the 14th and we’ll figure it out over oysters.

When All Else Fails, Shop HBO!

Because you have nobody to love (because you watch too much TV), get one of these synthetic, toxic shirts to proclaim you love something on the 14th!

By the way, HBO, we heart organic cotton.

Nothing Says Sexy Like Tyrosine!

See this woman? She’s internationally renowned celebrity nutrition and fitness expert JJ Virgin, co-star of TLC’s hit series Freaky Eaters. That’s right, Virgin. Virgin is one of those people who believes food can fuel a love fire, so she advises you to better your V-Day by following a few items on this list:

Feed him celery – a few stalks of celery it raises a man’s androstenedione, which emits a scent women can’t resist

Get your zinc on – zinc-containing foods support healthy sperm production and are high in D-aspartic acid and N-methyl-D-aspartate, which increased testosterone levels

Tyrosine and zinc supplements – increase dopamine levels in the brain, which has been linked to boosting the sex drive

Supplements, baby, supplements – fish oil supports good blood flow, arginine helps with vasodilation, and Tongkat Ali support shealthy testosterone levels

Go nuts – L-arginine enhances production of nitrous oxide (NO) to increase blood flow to the nether regions, and nuts especially are rich in arginine

Yes, chocolate! – dark chocolate contains phenylethylamine, which releases the same endorphins triggered by sex and increases the feelings of attraction between two people

Hot coffee – coffee drinkers have higher libidos and hit the sheets more often than those who don’t indulge, according to a study conducted by Southwestern University.

Get filet-ed – Lean cuts of red meat are great sources of zinc and curb production of a hormone called prolactin, which at high levels can cause sexual dysfunction. Choose deep red cuts with round or loin in the name.

So, to sum up. Nuts, deep cuts of loin. Got it. Totally sexy.

Feeling Unloved? Retreat To Dawn Christie, Spiritual Champion of the Stars!

Image: La Maison Duce, Irina

Get yourself in the mood for V-Day.

Valentine’s Day is not for everyone. But pretty much everyone can be sorted into one of two categories vis á vis the pinkest day of the year.

Category A: you experienced sweaty palms and heart-wrenching anxiety while trading Valentine’s Day cards in grammar school, afraid that no one would remember that you heart stationary, too. You were left so emotionally scarred that you inadvertently sabotage whatever romantic situation you’re in two weeks before the big day. For you, Valentine’s Day is the loneliest day of the year.

Category B: you were the type who had to employ three brown paper lunch bags instead of half of one to get all your admirations, candies and pastel colored cutouts home after the most scintillating day of the school year. You love love. You love Valentine’s Day. You will love these three Valentine’s Day decoration ideas.

1.) Order 48 mini prints from Printstagram for $12 and make a wall heart. 

2.) Create some mood lighting with a package of doilies from the craft store and a set of strung up lights. Just poke the lights through the paper.

3.) Set a romantic table with a bouquet of flowers and raspberries in your champagne. Bring out the dishes you don’t normally use and write a love note underneath the dish on an old book page.

Enjoy. If you can.

Image: Helga Weber; Loving Living Small; French Lark Spur, jaroslavd

Virginia Wolf said a good man is hard to find – but a good valentine is even harder, at least when it comes to expressing pain, disappointment and heartbreak.

I’ve been on the hunt for several years now, perusing shelf after shelf of red-foiled, sappy cards starring personified rodents bearing heart shaped boxes of treats. They’re addressed to “my one and only,” or “better half,” but never “to the dysfunctional loafer who refuses to change the motion detector light bulbs or clean out the garage so I can park my hybrid.”

You might ask, why bother giving a card if the relationship is so strained? Guess it amounts to playing nice.

In my case, it also pleases the kids. I’m still married until “the change” and our family celebrates V-Day each year at Lovejoy’s Tea Room in  San Francisco. The high tea involves exchanging adorable cards and gifts, while getting high on cocoa and petit fours. The girls, sweet and sentimental drama teens and tweens, keep a watchful eye on what is presented.

I do my best to remain cordial and express what is authentic – the real love and gratitude I feel for a devoted father and the nostalgia I feel towards someone I had selected as a life partner, as exemplified by an unforgettable, $100,000 blowout wedding at the Fairmont. Yes, I still and always will have appreciation for the guy who does trash night every Monday, sorting through a daunting jungle of recycling, composting and landfill-bound waste.

Aimed at showing that appreciation, I found myself again standing before the vast and troubling array of roses and cupids strumming lutes, combing through the horrible selection of overwrought poetry which no longer resonates. It’s hard enough to find a sophisticated greeting for Nana or a best friend. Try something apt for the one who ruined everything.

I  visited at least five shops, including the trusty resources like Lucky, Walgreen’s, Hallmark stores, as well as little boutiques on my avenue, the vintage oriented GiGi’s and the festive Just Because. In pulling one for my bitter half, I must have gone through a few dozen before settling on two somewhat nebulous expressions of affection tinged with humor.

The first one, a deep blue background with swirls and tiny hearts, features a cupid holding what else – a heart – and smiling. It reads: “Valentine – No words could possibly describe how I feel when we’re together.” On the inside: “…at least, no words clean enough to be printed in a greeting card! Love You. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

The second card I stumbled upon at Just Because made me laugh hard out loud, just because.

This card featured two dogs on the cover in a pink and red background and no words. On the inside, it read: “True love means never having to say ‘who farted?’ Happy Valentines Day!” A bit crude, yes, but it also spoke to our years together more than the other lovey-dovey choices. And I like how it toyed with the original line from the classic romance hit of my day, Love Story.

The original line reads: “Love Means Never Having to Say You’re Sorry.”

I think they got it wrong, having been very much in love and very desirous of hearing the words, “I’m sorry.” Why sugarcoat it? Love leads to heartburn much of the time. Love means having to say I’m sorry for the things I said or did quite frequently, along with saying “You’ve changed and it’s time to move out.” Those who don’t say it, often think it.

I suppose if I could compose my own DIY Valentine, as suggested on many frugal sites, I would be remiss not to include the message that I wish he would get up in the morning and help out while I’m running myself ragged packing organic lunches, feeding the dog, making free range eggs for breakfast and doing a myriad of tasks.

But I might also add the words, I’m sorry. I’m sorry things didn’t work out despite couples therapy, ultimatums, terse emails, date nights, pro-con lists and energy wasted begging for change. And I’ll be sorry in the winters to come, when I find myself again shopping cards and finding none addressed “to my sexy ex” articulating how crazy a divorce can get – but that we will always have candy.

A new line of greeting cards for the broken-hearted? Just think of the marketing potential. A card for the heartless boss who dumped you the same week the bank foreclosed on your house; a card for the brother who robbed you of your inheritance, reducing you to a helpless heroine in a Jane Austen tale; a card for the dude who asked out your best friend after your break up. A bad marriage or divorce is only the tip of the iceberg. Hallmark, are you listening?

images: Corinaclaire; vintage halloween collector; Snickerpuss; Impawards

I hate Hallmark holidays, I hate Hallmark holidays, I hate Hallmark holidays…

Let’s have a little chat, my Valentine’s Day hater. I can hear the protests now: Don’t you know every day can be Valentine’s Day if you want it to be? Don’t you know you can tell people any day that they are loved and buy them lush bouquets of flowers or heart-shaped jewelry? Don’t you know you can have hot sex day or night, with or without champagne, and with or without sexy organic lingerie?

For Pete’s sake.

I get it, I do. But is a little Valentine’s day bliss really so bad? Heart-shaped corn syrup candies may not warm the cockles of your heart, but I’m willing to bet someone you love sure likes to know they’re appreciated this time of year. (I’m saying this as much for myself as anyone.) For all of us pink-tinged Scrooges and red-hued Grinches, today we make it easy: copy, paste, click, done.

This scarf by Vivien Pollack Design for $36 comes in all the lovely colors of spring and can be used in many ways on both Valentine’s Day as well as after: A pretty neck tie on a plain blouse, a belt on a high-waisted skirt or dress, a trendy turban, a tie for the bed post, a foreplay mask.

For a cute spin on jewelry, suggest this to someone and have them put a lock of hair, a love note or fortune cookie message referring to love eternal. Available at Beklina, these French enameled lockets for $98 come in fun candy colors much more delicious than a box of See’s.

Nothing says sex me up more than a silk teddy – and one from an eco-friendly catalog? Perfectly sinful from VivaTerra – we like their style (and it’s on sale for $39!).

Valentine’s Day is the best time to give or receive a pretty bottle of fragrance from the one you love and D.S. & Durga is at the top of the best scented list. Experiencing a perfume like The Orchid Drinkers or Five Step Waltz is pure sensory bliss. $86

The grand dame of all the gifts on February 14th is the eternal symbol of love (cue the fast-bowing violins), gasp, the ring. Here’s the most unusual one I’ve discovered, and if you give or get it this Valentine’s Day, send us a picture of you wearing it.

I love the description of the snake ring, or “ouroboros,” a snake biting its own tail: “An ouroboros is an ancient symbol of eternity and rebirth. To wit: Inscribed in hieroglyphics on an Egyptian wall was ‘the male serpent is bitten by the female serpent, the female serpent is bitten by the male serpent, Heaven is enchanted, earth is enchanted, the male behind mankind is enchanted.’”

St. Kilda, $1,292

Top Image From Rainbow Photos

Love is in the air and it’s oh so toxin free. That’s the message of the Sowing the Seeds of Love getaway packages by Joie de Vivre, a carbon reducing San Francisco-based hospitality management company that wants you to get off on going green February 14th.

It’s not as seedy as it sounds, but offers high quality indulgence for lovers with some extra dough. Hey, the benefit will probably outlast a bouquet of roses.

Each time you spring for one of the romantic packages, you will earn an EcoUnit, meaning a tree will be added to the California landscape while you spice it up on your sexy weekend. This deal is available not only on Valentine’s Day, but through 2010.

How does it get you in the mood while being true to the green?

Let me count the ways:

1. Sending an E-Card instead of pushing paper messages.

You will be sure to get your spouse, f-buddy, BFF or recent Facebook reconnection in the mood with poetry like You Rock my World, You Make a Difference, and I’m Glad We’re Friends.

2. One Night Stay in one of Joie de Vivre’s 35 California hotels.

Healthy furnishings and bedding, naturally. The hotels range from The Gaige House in Glen Ellen to the swank Ventanna Inn at Big Sur to the citified Hotel Angelino in…where else? Los Angeles. Book it here. Some are pet friendly, like the Los Gatos Hotel and Spa, but do you really want a four-legged third wheel when you’re going for the romance? I say leave Fido home with a dog sitter and the Lady and Tramp DVD.

3. A bottle of organic Bonterra California wine!

You can never go wrong with wine.

4. A romantic table for two at one of Joie de Vivre’s restaurants. This could be the 4-course, Four-Play Menu at Midi in San Francisco where the selection has been inspired by aphrodisiacs such as oysters for starters and dessert of a chocolate duo, or the Chills, Chocolate and Roses menu at Fuego in Long Beach.

5. Ecodesiacs, coming right up.

This is what the company calls an aphrodisiac with a green twist. It involves a sensual organic treat, perhaps organic chocolates while you are soaking in the hotel tub, or local organic honey to drizzle on one another. How eco!

This would be a pretty transparent marketing ploy if Joie de Vivre wasn’t so committed to a green dream program of incorporating sustainability into its core business practices – one aimed at raising the consciousness of employees and guests on the reduction of waste and toxins, conservation of natural resources and the benefits of partnering with local and eco friendly businesses.

Diamantine Round hearts and Arrows

As Valentine’s Day approaches and you realize you have no love partner to bequeath you gifts, we at EcoSalon have decided to help with a generous giveaway from Diamantineâ„¢, a company that offers the only simulant in the world to contain genuine diamond.

Like rays of light, the Diamantineâ„¢ Round Hearts & Arrows are so perfectly cut you will think they appear on fire…on your ears.

“We start by cutting the best cubic zirconia in the world to the absolute highest standards. We clean the cubic zirconia core and prepare the gemstone to grow nanocrystalline diamond,” explain the folks at Diamantine. “After the process, which requires stringent heat and atmospheric conditions, the cubic zirconia is surrounded with a lab grown genuine diamond. The diamond is fully integrated into the core. The crystal diamond coating will not peel, flake or delaminate from the surface.”

Nothing comes closer to a natural diamond being as conflict free as these.

Back to you.

I imagine you showing up for cocktails with friends, ears a-glitter, they telling their tales of woe of how Bobby Joe or Ricky Bobby, their best boyfriends ever, got them gift cards and boxes of cheap chocolate. Turning, they’re blinded by your three carat bling. They demand to know who was so generous.

And you just grin and say, “Secret admirer.”

To try your hand at winning a pair, leave a comment below. (See our giveaway rules for more details.)

It sounds so trite, but the more I’ve learned to love myself, the greater my capacity is to open my heart to others. One way I practice strengthening my self-love muscle is through self-care, which includes buying myself lingerie rather than waiting for someone to buy it for me.

There’s something special about treating myself to a sexy, skimpy outfit. It feels good, just because. It’s satisfying in a simple way and doesn’t involve trying to satisfy someone else.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m big on satisfying sex and lots of it, but who could resist a little sexy for the self? And who could resist this Organic Cotton Bralette and Bloomers ($54 – pieces sold separately) from ClareBare’s shop on Etsy?

Seriously sweet and best of all, 100% eco-friendly. Both pieces are made of organic cotton purchased from “a small, sustainable farm in Texas, as well as Clare’s collection of vintage fabric and trimmings”. She makes everything by hand and “thinks of underwear more as an accessory than an undergarment – it makes dressing yourself a lot more fun.”

Find this outfit and other adorable items – just in time for Heart Day – at ClareBare.

When ex-Project Runway designer Alison Kelly embarked upon her journey as designer she realized it might be one of those lonely occupations.

So, not skimping on creating collections for her Atelier Dahl, but yearning for company, she decided to collaborate with her boyfriend and Salt and Samovar bass player Dane Risch to create Dahl and Dane, an organic t-shirt line that allows you to declare your love for husbands, boyfriends, furry pets, organic produce, even reusable bags if that tickles your fancy.

To be featured next month in Self magazine, the kitschy shirts were also recently featured on the Today Show and continue to garner press because they speak volumes of one’s love for things without having to talk about it.

After all, what you love is what you love.

You can custom design their men’s, women’s unisex or even children’s t-shirts in a variety of colors with creative statements like “I mom,” I life,” or “I me.”

For those of you who know your love is strongest for only one person, jazz it up with their initials and wear it with pride.

Order the t-shirts for Valentines Day by January 26^th and you’ll have it delivered to your door in time for holiday gifting.

Order past that and you won’t feel the love until it’s too late.

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