Valentine’s Day is almost here!

Now, I never loved Valentine’s Day the same way I love Christmas or thanksgiving. And I also never made a big deal out of it with my significant other. But Valentine’s Day has always been, to me, either an excuse for a fun date or a day to pamper myself. And I love it!

But I think we can all agree that mass production and over the top consumerism can really take the fun out of the holiday. I mean come on! Does that chocolate really need to be wrapped up in a pink wrapper or sold in a non-recyclable heart shaped box?! 

Which is why I’m encouraging you all to step away from shopping last minute at your local grocery store and to shop local instead. If you’re in the Portland Metropolitan area then I have a few ideas for where to get some special gifts that are from local and small businesses. Let’s celebrate Valentine’s Day by showing some love to business owners right here in our city!

Chocolate

Is it even legal to not buy chocolate on Valentine’s Day?

Here are some awesome places to get some AMAZING chocolate! I know I’ll be buying lots for myself this year:

Alma Chocolate

Missionary Chocolates

The Candy Apothecary

Gifts

Jewelry is one of the most popular gifts for Valentine’s Day! Now, I know that every kiss begins with Kay, but I bet if you buy something handmade and ethically and sustainably sourced then you’ll score more than a kiss this year! *wink wink*

Here are a few of my favorite places in Portland for Jewelry:

Ayumia Angel

Grayling Jewelry

But maybe your Significant Other already has enough jewelry and you want to get something else? My favorite is the gift of sexy lingerie! Here are two lovely Portland brands:

Lille Boutique

Oh Baby Lingerie

Flowers

Let’s be real: gas station flowers are kinda sad and they scream “I forgot about Valentine’s Day.” 

Plan ahead and call up these local Portland florists:

Solabee

Coy & Co

Starflower

Dinner

Okay I wanted to add a couple of my favorite Portland restaurants but think of this is as a way to plan for next year. John Gorham is a culinary genius and if you haven’t been to one of his restaurants then you’re seriously missing out! With that being sad, good luck eating at one of his restaurants for Valentine’s Day because I bet they stopped taking reservations a few months ago. However, they usually set aside part of their dining room for walk-ins.

My recommendations are:

Toro Bravo

The Mediterranean Exploration Company

But if you’re more into something casual and want to enjoy some classic Neapolitan style pizza then one of my favorite spots doesn’t even accept reservations:

Ken’s Artisan Pizza

Looking for something to do with the whole fam?

Check this Valentine’s Day Night Market

Thanks for reading and I hope this post gave you some ideas to have some fun for Valentine’s Day!