Valentine’s Day is celebrated many ways. Some prefer a fancy dinner at a restaurant, while others opt for a more intimate home cooked meal. Some of the best Valentine’s Days can be spent amongst loved ones spending little to no money at all. However, if you are in the market for some gift ides, I’ve put together some recommendations below!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

Sweets and Stems

Sweets

Nothing says “I Love You” like sugar and carbs…am I right?! For those of you looking to buy for a loved one who has a sweet tooth, boy do I have some recommendations for you! There are some very famous bakeries here in the US. Often times they are located in a major city like New York, Los Angeles or Chicago. However, there are services now that will ship these tasty goods right to your door, no matter where you live in the country!

Milk Bar: The famous East Village bakery now has several locations throughout the US. I personally LOVE the one here in Los Angeles! Have no fear my friends in the south and midwest, they deliver! Their Chocolate Raspberry Jam cake would be the perfect addition to your cozy night in on Valentine’s Day. I also highly recommend all of their cookies and their truffles. You will not be disappointed!

Magnolia Bakery: Magnolia Bakery is another famous NYC bakery that also made its way out to Los Angeles. Magnolia has always had a lot of buzz about their cupcakes….but in my humble opinion their banana pudding is literally the best I’ve ever had! Daily in their bakery, they have their original banana pudding and their chocolate banana pudding. During Valentine’s Day, they’re making a Red Velvet Banana pudding and you can have it delivered! I linked to their banana pudding combo 6 pack which will deliver you a mix of their red velvet and their original banana pudding. What a great gift for 6 of your closest friends!

Garrett’s Popcorn Shop: For anyone who has ever been to Chicago, or even flown through the airport there, you’ve probably heard or seen Garrett’s Popcorn Shop. As a popcorn lover, I cannot even begin to describe how good their popcorn is! Their “classic mix” is a combination of cheddar popcorn and caramel popcorn for the ultimate sweet/savory experience. However, you can also order them separately and they have multiple options to order the caramel corn with various nuts (hello macadamia nuts!). This is a must-have for any popcorn aficionado! Right now they’re offering free ground shipping on all orders. It’s important to note that Garrett’s pops your order on the day it ships to make sure you’re getting the freshest possible popcorn. The popcorn is guaranteed to stay fresh for 14 days so be sure to dig in as soon as it arrives!

Flour Shop: Another famous NYC bakery that I’m sure you’ve all seen on Instagram is Flour Shop. Flour Shop has made “explosion cakes” the must-have confection at any celebration. When you cut into them, a treasure trove of sprinkles and candy comes spilling out. These cakes are truly a crowd pleaser! In keeping with the Valentine’s Day spirit, Flour Shop has made a heart-shaped explosion cake. Unfortunately they do not deliver so only people in the greater NYC area will be able to partake. However, there are a lot of recipes online to make your own. If you attempt to make one please tag me in a photo of it on IG, I’d love to see how they come out!

Stems

For flower lovers, Valentine’s Day is the holy grail of holidays! There are a lot of new online flower retailers that offer stunning arrangements direct to consumer that are gorgeous and priced very reasonably. The only caveat is that you often have to place your order more than few days in advance. If you’re a planner, check out Farmgirl Flowers and The Bouqs Co.

For your last minute shoppers in the greater Los Angeles area, I highly recommend La Fleur Eclose. They are located in Encino, CA but they deliver all the way down to the South Bay as well as some locations in the Inland Empire. Their arrangements are absolutely stunning and will be sure to impress their lucky recipient. I’m also a huge fan of Valleybrink Road as they have an array of unique packaging and deliver flowers within Los Angeles and Orange County.

Gifts For The Gals In Your Life

Often times the best Valentine’s Day gifts are the ones that are the most thoughtful. Buying her something that shows how much you really know her.

Madewell Pajamas - I lovely cozy weekends spent at home lounging in my PJ’s. If you also know someone who feels the same way, you know they’ll appreciate a lovely pair of pajamas! Lounging at home has never looked so good!

Cuyana Travel Case Set - Perfect for the woman on the go. These high quality leather bags will last forever, as the company who created them intended. Cuyana prides themselves in making high quality goods that stand the test of time so that we, as a whole consume less. These leather cases are the perfect way to travel. I prefer to use the large case for all of my toiletries and then I use the smaller case as a catch all for all of my small items that I use mid-flight (ear buds, lip balm, gum, aspirin) so they’re easily accessible. This travel case set is available in 16 colors AND you can have it monogramed to really add that personal touch.

Vinebox Reds & Rosés - This beautiful box is delivered to your favorite vino lover filled with 9 glass tubes containing a variety of red wines and rosés. Each tube is the equivalent of one glass of wine and will allow the recipient to taste and experience a variety of high quality wines from different vintners.

Vitruvi Stone Diffuser - Perfect for the woman who loves essentials oils, or the woman who NEEDS some essential oils in her life. This gorgeous hand crafted ceramic diffuser is designed out of the highest quality porcelain. It takes 10 - 20 drops of essential oil to diffuse up to 538 sq. ft. for 3 continuous hours or 7 hour interval settings.

Gifts For The Guys In Your Life

Closca Loop Collapsible Helmet - What a brilliant product! Helmets play such an important part in protecting the brains of the people we love. Unfortunately, helmets are often times very bulky and inconvenient to lug around when not in use. This helmet provides the ultimate protection and then collapses to fit into a work bag or backpack, making it far more likely that the man you love will always have it with him. Giving this to the man you love sends a clear message - “I Love Your Brain”.

Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug - Please pardon the sweeping generalization here….but….most men love gadgets. So if you’re shopping for a man who loves caffeine AND gadgets - look no further! The Ember temperature control smart mug will keep your cup of joe warm for over an hour. No need to keep reheating your coffee. This mug will allow you to enjoy it at your own pace.

Masterclass - Masterclass is an online learning collection run by some VERY impressive experts in film and television, culinary arts, writing and sports just to name a few categories. Check out the roster of famous and accomplished masters: Stephen Curry, Neil deGrasse Tyson, David Sedaris, Bob Iger, Gordon Ramsay, Malcom Gladell, deadmau5 and many more! The All-Access Pass gets you unlimited access to ALL of the courses. Each course consists of roughly 20 lessons, with each lesson averaging 10 minutes. This is a great gift for someone who is always looking to better themselves.

Bose QuietComfort Headphones - These noise canceling headphones are the perfect accessory for a commuter, or someone who is always on the go, who wants to listen to his favorite podcast or playlist while he’s making his way from Point A to Point B.

I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine’s Day surrounded by friends, family and loved ones!

xx Barbara