Flowers and chocolates. Ho-hum. Not exactly the most inspired Valentine's Day gift. But if your sweetie has a sweet tooth, that doesn't mean your gift has to bore. Read on for some of the Best Places for Candy Gifts that Stand Out.
B.A. Sweetie Candy Co., 7480 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, 216-739-2244: Do you have a funny Valentine? Then get over to B.A. Sweetie to do your wooing, slo-poke. The massive candy warehouse is a treasure trove of fun and funny retro sweets, including 1950s Razzles and bubble-gum cigars, groovy '60s candy cigarettes and Zagnut bars, and '70s Pop Rocks, Pez and, of course, Slo Pokes.
Pretzables, 30700 Bainbridge Road, Solon, 440-349-3311, www.pretzables.com: The sweets here are almost too beautiful to eat -- elaborately frosted and sprinkled chocolate-covered pretzels and cookies gorgeously wrapped. A feast for the eyes and belly.
The Popcorn Shop, 53 N. Main St., Chagrin Falls, 440-247-6577, www.chagrinfallspopcorn.com: Old-fashioned romantics will appreciate the quaint treats from this quaint store, built in 1875 in downtown Chagrin Falls. Yummy stuff includes homemade fudges in vintage-looking tins, caramel corn, taffy and toffee.
Big Fun, 1814 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-371-4386, www.bigfunbigfun.com: Who wouldn't want a pair of wax candy lips for Valentine's Day? OK, a lot of people. But for those who do -- and for those who appreciate the inner child within all of us -- don't miss Big Fun. The Coventry Road institution has a riotous selection of edible gifts from the ridiculous to the not-so-sublime, including the aforementioned wax lips, risque candy hearts, heart-shaped Pez dispensers and an array or throwback treats. Also check out the bling-bling grow-a-diamond rings, which expand 600 times in water, and the sweet vintage Valentine's Day cards.
Ambiance, area locations, www.ambiance.com: Yes, the store for lovers is also the store for chocolate lovers -- or at least those who love to think of new and exciting ways to eat their chocolate. Top off your Chocoholics Chocolate Body Frosting with some Whipper Cream for Lovers Only. Or perhaps a Body Frosting Gift Set is more to your taste (flavors include Wild Cherry and Original Sin).
Campbell's Popcorn Shop at the West Side Market, corner of Lorain Avenue and West 25th Street, Cleveland, 216-574-2899: Make a date of it and take your SO along on a treat-buying trip. The venerable West Side Market offers several tasty options, including the Popcorn Shop for hand-dipped chocolates, gorgeous candied apples and a rainbow of popcorn in flavors from sweet to savory.
Olde Salem Chocolates, 203 E. Royalton Road, Broadview Heights, 440-546-0068, www.oldesalemchocolates.com: Impress your sophisticated Valentine with a truffle or trifle from this upscale boutique, where the lush chocolates are Amish-made and the service is first-class. Don't miss the creamy Macadamia Snappers. Everything is beautifully packaged, and there's a good gift and card selection, too.
OVERHEARD
A weekly look at people and places in the national press: This week, we check out the January 2009 issue of Urban Land magazine, which highlighted several cities around the United States for their rehabilitation of historic warehouse districts. Among them was Cleveland and our aptly named Warehouse District.
"Old warehouse districts in the United States are returning to work in 21st-century roles that celebrate their past while embracing the future," writes Patricia L. Kirk. She notes that "$450 million in public and private investment has already gone into transforming [Cleveland's] eight-block district into a hip neighborhood and popular regional destination with 39 restored warehouses, 28 of which are certified historic structures."
OUTSIDE OPINION
Each week, "Outside Opinion" asks a visitor what he or she likes best about Cleveland. This week, we catch up with Carol Mikesh, a figure-skating fan from Lakewood, Colo., who recently visited to see the U.S. Figure Skating Championship at The Q.
Mikesh also checked out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and downtown, though she didn't have much time for anything besides watching skating. But she plans to come back.
"We want to come back to the area to see lighthouses. We also look forward to another meal at Flannery's," she says, adding that Cleveland was "much nicer than I expected . . and a smaller city than I expected."