Candy and roses are nice, but this Valentine's Day why not give your significant other something for the home? Here are some romantic suggestions for last-minute gifts from stores at Towson Town Center and other area malls:
A lingerie organizer ($5-$8) from California Closets; "Love" potpourri ($10), Crabtree & Evelyn; a heart-shaped champagne flute ($9.95) or a heart-shaped bowl ($9.95), Crate & Barrel; a lace pillow ($18) or silver picture frame ($11 up), Handblock; gold cherub candles ($8-$20), the Icing; soapstone heart box ($12), Natural Wonders; and, if you're prepared to spend a bit more money, a rope hammock for two ($99.99) from Brookstone.
Gardening, naturally
There's no better way to get through the rest of winter than by thinking about the gardening you'll be doing soon. You can start the process Feb. 28 from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with a series of five weekly classes on natural gardening techniques called "Down to Earth." Tina James, author of "Gardening from the Heart" and host of MPT's "Good Earth Gardening," will teach the Roland Park Country Evening School series. Her work is also included in Rodale's "Low Maintenance Gardening Techniques," due out this year.
The classes will be held at the school at 5204 Roland Ave. The fee for the series is $55. Call (410) 323-5500 for information on
registering.
Perfect timing
Few things are so irritating as to come home and find your VCR clock flashing 12:00 when you thought you had taped your favorite show. The latest VCRs have a nifty new feature, an automatic clock set. Look for it in Sony's SLV-770HF and SLV-920HF HiFi Stereo VCRs. If the power goes off, the machine resets the clock from a time signal broadcast by television stations; it can even adjust for Daylight Savings Time.
Seeing the light
For 12 years, Illuminations has been selling its unusual contemporary lamps, chandeliers and track lighting to interior designers and architects. Now the Washington store has opened a new showroom for the general public in the Lansburgh Building, 415 Eighth St. N.W.
It's worth a trip to Washington to see the Frank Lloyd Wright collection (10 of the 13 lamps on display are part of a traveling exhibit and will only be there until the end of February) and lighting from the upscale Artemide, Neidhardt and Danko companies.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Call (202) 783-4888 for directions.
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Last week I listed the wrong number for information on Southern Living magazine's Southern Home Awards. The correct number is (800) 366-4712, Ext. 6359.