One month until Valentine’s Day! With New York is so full to the brim with romantic possibilities, you have no excuse for not finding something exciting, exceptional or expressive for your main squeeze.

 Chocolate is a Valentine’s Day standby and somewhere in Gotham is just the right sweet for your sweet. Check out our Gotham Guide to the Sweeter Side of New York to find the best and most original (and of course, the yummiest) choices.

 Flowers. A lovely way to mark the day and Gotham has florists who can produce classic, contemporary or unusual arrangements to fit any taste, mood or decor. Now, if you’re gonna pick up a quick bouquet at the deli on your way home for no reason in particular - that’s a lovely gesture. Flowers ‘just ’cause’ are romantic in the extreme regardless of the condition of the flowers. But Valentine’s Day is another vase of water entirely. They may be ok as an accompaniment to the chocolates but if the blooms are all you’ve got - these deli bouquets will reveal one of two things. Either

• you’ve forgotten Valentine’s Day until the last minute. Listen, it happens. Don’t make a habit of it and you will be forgiven.
• you think one bunch of flowers is as good as the next. On the most basic - and unromantic - level that may be true but it won’t help keep you warm on the couch later on.

If you want the flowers that are a strong stand alone gift, why not splash some cash and/or time and get something that will make chocolates an ‘also-ran’. There are a lots of florists in town that can make classic, contemporary or unusual arrangements to fit any taste, mood or decor but among the floral finest, some stand outs are:

• Posy Floral Design (145 E. 72nd St., nr. Lexington Ave.; 212-744-7788)
• Dulken & Derrick (12 W. 21st St., nr. Fifth Ave.; 212-929-3614)
• Belle Fleur (134 Fifth Ave., 4th fl, nr. 18th St. 212-254-8703)
• Michael George (701 First Ave; 212-883-0304 )
• Zeze Flowers (398 E 52nd St; 212-753-7767)

 Hotels. Ah there’s no place like home. But if you really want to set Valentine’s Day apart as something special, why not “play house” somewhere else for the night. Don’t let the potential price of New York hotels put you off. The managers of these hostelries are a bunch of old romantics and they’ve put together some great packages that will make your night out (and morning in) something to remember.

• Book yourself into either the Erotic Literature Room or Love Room at Library Hotel. Not only will you find the shelves stocked with the appropriate titles (as is the case in all their themed rooms) but for Valentine’s Day, the hotel’s Erotica Package means that the room is also stocked with a chilled bottle of Mionetto Prosecca, a dozen Red Roses, strawberries with a bowl of whipped cream, erotic dice, bathrobes to take home as a souvenir, a pocket guide edition of the Kama Sutra (you never know when you might need it) and a Kama Sutra Love Essentials Package including a sprinkling of sweet, edible Honey Dust, tongue-tempting Original Oil of Love and a lubricating Love Liquid.
• Maybe a spot of Seduction at the St. Regis is more your style. And that is just the package on offer - with fresh flowers, chilled champagne and breakfast for two on the menu.
• Seduction is not only an uptown option. You can get down downtown as well by signing up for a little Seduction in Soho. Sure, there’s champagne and room service. It’s a given. But how could anyone resist “heart-shaped scented bath confetti?” Or while everyone else is seducing or being seduced, you can sneak off for a Tryst in Tribeca.
• I need to talk to whoever put together the Indulgence Escape Package at the Hotel Gansevoort. I think I love them. A bottle of Moet & Chandon, your own “Mile High Kit”, Chocolate Body Frosting, Copy of The Kama Sutra - Book of Erotic Games, Chocolate truffles at turndown, a moonlight dip in the hotel’s rooftop pool and - attention to detail being everything - a late check-out at 2pm.

Dinner and/or Drinks at any time in New York can be a daunting decision. This is a food and drink town. But this particular choice can mean the difference between another nice night out and a night that will have the two of you smiling quietly (and maybe not so discreetly at each other) for weeks afterwards.

• Rooms with a view: Go up, up and away to look out over the city (which looks exceptional at night). Both the Beekman’s Top of the Tower (a classic deco destination, slightly passed it’s prime but serving some of the best martinis in town) and Marriot Marquis’ View Lounge (ok, you have to wade through Times Square to get there but once you look out, you may find it’s been worth it)
• At the water’s edge: If you like your view pastoral and lakeside, The Boathouse is where you need to be. For a riverside view of the water traffic gliding, glitteringly by get down to the Water Club and see if you can’t snag a window table. The view isn’t much during the day but it’s utterly magical at night. Or you can take it all in from the other side at Brooklyn’s River Cafe.
• Romantic heavy-hitters: Wanna haul out the big romance guns and impress the heck out of someone? One If By Land, Two If By Sea makes it onto everyone’s “most romantic list” and seemingly has since the beginning of time. This is romance old school style. For other ways to harken back to a quieter, classier age try Cafe Des Artistes and La Grenouille, for even more l’amour

Something a Little Different. Pass your eye over these possibilities and you’ll have the novelty bonus to add to your romance score.

• Museum of Sex - topical, educational and entertaining. Follow it up with an after visit recap over dinner and drinks at some romantic location and chances are you’ll creating some exhibits yourself later on. 
• Central Park is gorgeous and romantic when seen by foot, by bike by horse drawn carriage or from a boat.  Speaking of boats, the Boathouse is where you can rent the bikes and the boats in addition to enjoying a waterside snack.
• Ice Skating Rink at Rockefeller Center is not only seasonally appropriate but has that “very special episode” feeling thanks to being featured on both the big and small screens. Even if you aren’t the world’s best skater, you can make this work for you. After all, what could be more romantic than injuring yourself in pursuit of your loved one’s happiness. And then they can tend to you and make it all better. Sweet.

I hope this gets some ideas going for you. I’m a little depressed myself because there’s no way I can do this ALL in just one day and it all sounds really good. And of course, I welcome any further suggestions if you’ve got them. What was your favorite Gotham Valentine treat?