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Community Corner

Twenty Under $20 – Valentine's Day Edition

Valentine's Day fun in Three Village for $20 or less.

Valentine's Day is almost here, but there is still time to buy a gift for someone special or plan something fun with anyone you love. Let's take a look at some things to buy or do in Three Village for $20 or less.

It's all about Chocolate... Valentine's Day is all about chocolate, and so is Godiva in Stony Brook. Choose from a large foil-wrapped milk chocolate heart ($20), a set of three chocolate heart lollipops ($15 for all three or $6 each), the Heart of Hearts gift box ($13), a set of three Message Hearts – Love, Hug and I Love You ($20) or buy a message heart individually ($8 each).

...And Candy. Boxes and boxes of candy line the rows of CVS, Rite Aid and Target. There are also bags of your favorite candies (M&M's, Snickers, Hershey's Kisses and others) in Valentine's colors. Prices start at $2.50 per bag and $3.99 for a small heart-shaped box of chocolates.

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....And Flowers. Stop and Shop, King Kullen and Waldbaum's each have bouquets of flowers all year long, so don't forget about them for this holiday. Each store has a number of choices for under $20 in seasonal colors featuring red, pink and white flowers. Orchids are also available in ceramic pots starting at $8.99 each.  

...And Wine. Barbara Dennihy at has some suggestions you might enjoy: “For red, I would suggest Francis Coppola's Director's Pinot Noir ($16.99) or Byron's Pinot Noir ($19.99), which has a black cherry and plum flavor. It's delicious,” she said. “For white, I recommend Dr. Loosen's Riesling ($10.99). It is a tiny bit sweet and dry and pairs nicely with a lot of appetizers, and Robert Mondavi's Napa Valley Chardonay ($15.99) is also very nice. But pink champagne goes with just about everything and is always romantic. It starts at $17 per bottle and goes up to $90 per bottle.”

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...And Beer. If you are a fan of John Harvard's fall flavor Pumpkin Spice Ale, it makes a comeback Feb. 11 for the Valentine holiday. There are also a couple of other special winter brews right now, including the Penguin Pilser and the Abbey Dubbel. Pints are $5.50 apiece.

...And Ice Cream. Carvel has ice cream cupcakes which you can get in a six pack or as a cupcake cake. You can also get the Lil' Love Cake, which can serve four to six people. Prices range from $12.99 to $19.99.

...And Cupcakes. Rite Aid's new line of kitchen accessories, Cupcake Sensations, come in soft holiday colors. Choose from a jumbo mug, a round cupcake plate or a cupcake shaped plate ($2 each) or a small cupcake tray ($1 each).

...and Marshmallows. Candy Land Creations has chocolate covered marshmallows on a stick with pink sprinkles for $2 each.

...and More Marshmallows. With cocoa. The Ward Melville Heritage Association will serve both to guests who come in to hear a children's book author read from his or her own book. Takes place every Wednesday and Thursday at 10:30 a.m. until March 10. Admission is $3 per person.

...and Stuffed Animals. Rite-Aid and King Kullen have some teddy bears and other plush pets that might make someone's heart melt. Prices range from $12.99 to $24.99.

...and Art. Gallery North presents “Art on Paper,” featuring drawings, prints, painting and mixed media on paper. The exhibit runs until Feb. 27. Free admission. Think possible date idea.

...and All Things Pink. Borders invites kids ages four to eight to the Silverlicious Celebration in honor of the release of the book by the same name. The event will feature crafts, giveaways and a Pinkalicious parade.  It all takes place in the store Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. The event is free; the book is $17.99.

...and Dream Homes. Save a part of your celebration for Feb. 28 and take someone special to the Three Village Historical Society's lecture, “Gatsby's Mansions: A Look at the Real Long Island Mansions That Inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby.” It will be held in the community room of the . Free.

...and Donuts. You can get a heart-shaped donut with pink frosting topped with red, white and pink heart shaped sprinkles. Hey, Dunkin' Donuts did not name it Cupid's Choice for nothing ($1.79 each). If that does not warm you up, maybe a caramel hot chocolate will do the trick ($1.29-$3.99).

...and Oscars. Plan a date to see an Oscar-nominated film so you will know why it is a contender for the award. Five of the movies nominated – The King's Speech, True Grit, Black Swan, 127 Hours and The Fighter – are playing at the AMC Loews Stony Brook 17. Tickets average $11 per show.

...and Breakfast in Bed. Have you ever wanted to treat everyone in the house to a breakfast of homemade waffles? Shop at Target this week to turn that wish into reality. The Oster Inspire Belgian Waffle is $17.99 and comes with recipes and complete instructions for even the novice waffle maker.

...and Music. Take a step back in time and discover (or rediscover) some classic love songs performed by some favorite artists. It's the perfect holiday to get an education in the likes of singers such as Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney (George's aunt), Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin. Borders has a number of CDs by all these performers, and no matter what you pick up it will be worth it. Prices range from $5.99 to $18.99 and up. Or borrow them from the library for free.

...and Dancing. Learn to do the Salsa or the Mambo at the Emma S. Clark Memorial Library. If you are too shy to learn, bring someone who isn't so you can watch them have fun. Takes place Feb. 11. Open to couples or singles. Call for registration. Free.

...and Winterfest. With the Seawolves basketball teams on Saturday, Feb. 12 at the Stony Brook Arena. For $6 per person, you can see the men's game at 11 a.m. and the women's game at 2 p.m. One attendee picked at random will get the chance to win a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-300 for a series of basketball shots. One student will be chosen at random to try to sink a half-court shot for $20,000. Alumni are welcome to a reception in between the games while current students are invited to a tailgate party in the morning. Wolfie's 16th birthday is also being celebrated that day, so in honor of that milestone 1,000 people will be treated to a cupcake after the men's game.

...and Hearts. Not the filled-with-candy kind, the beating-in-your-chest kind. Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women, so since February is Heart Health Month, educate anyone you love on how to live a little healthier. Take them on a brisk walk (free) or to a aerobics class at the Setauket Neighborhood House ($8 per person per class) or make them a healthy meal. If you don't know how to cook one, buy one. Wild by Nature has two salmon choices on its healthy dinners to go menu: grilled salmon with garlic greens for $6.59 per pound and Spence smoked salmon for $6.99 per pound. Your hearts will thank you for the omega-3's. 

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