Looking for love? 5 last-minute Valentine's Day gift ideas

DAYTONA BEACH — Love is a “crooked thing,” said the poet William Butler Yeats. “There is nobody wise enough to find out all that is in it.”

Forget that. For most guys, it’s enough of an accomplishment to just greet your love on time today with the appropriate trappings for Valentine’s Day. If you’re among the hapless, er hopeless romantics still shopping on Thursday, the deadline clock is ticking.

The mysteries of the heart can wait. What these lovelorn procrastinators need are sure-fire Valentine’s Day ideas to impress that special someone with something pretty or tasty, fun or romantic.

Here are five suggestions to help even the most romantically challenged guy get moving.

Chocolates: The 24 hours before Valentine’s Day is the busiest day of the year at Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory, and for good reason. Even the most clueless guy knows that a heart-shaped box of chocolates is a reliable winner among more ambitious Valentine’s Day gift options.

“It’s an easy pick for me,” said Donnie Klem, 52, a PGA golf instructor from Daytona Beach who took advantage of Wednesday’s rainy morning to make a last-minute run for a pound of assorted chocolates at the longtime Beach Street business. “My wife loves this place. She brings my granddaughter here about once a month for the tours, so this idea is a winner.”

Angell & Phelps opened an hour early at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday and will open at the same time on Thursday for the real last-minute romantics, said Chuck Smith, the company’s president. The shop stays open “until the people stop coming,” Smith said, usually around 7 p.m.

The shop expects to sell some 700 dozen packages of chocolate covered strawberries before the Valentine’s Day holiday concludes, Smith said. For the holiday, the shop is offering a special that includes a half-dozen strawberries free with the purchase of a dozen for $19.95.

Flowers: When it comes to mystical romantic power, there’s not a mythical love potion imaginable that matches the impact of a dozen red roses. Like love, it's hard for some guys to understand.

Although it helps to plan ahead on such creations, even clueless last-minute shoppers are likely to be able to find something pretty at Zahn’s Flowers, a family-owned fixture for decades, located a block west of Beach Street on International Speedway Boulevard in Daytona Beach.

“It started a lot earlier this year,” owner Emily Voegtle said of the Valentine's Day rush. “Today (Wednesday) is pretty nutty, so business has been good. We’re feeling pretty good about the holiday, so far.”

But what about those procrastinators?

“We have a large display case up front and we will be trying to keep it full for walk-in customers all day,” Voegtle said, “so yeah, you should be able to find something even at the last minute.”

Wine: A bottle of wine “is better than chocolate.” That's the bold pronouncement from Ashley Sheridan, proprietor of Wine-Me, locally owned wine bar and retail store with locations in Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach. “It’s shareable and you can never go wrong with bubbles.”

Wine-Me offers those bubbles at a price range from $20 to $300. The latter is the cost of a 2002 vintage Piper Heidsieck Rare, a French wine renowned for its creation during an uncommon heat wave.

The Wine-Me establishments — on Beach Street and West Granada Boulevard — are popular spots for Valentine’s Day celebrations, Sheridan said. On Thursday, both locations will be offering a special cheese fondue and bottle of wine for $50, Sheridan said.

Dining: Valentine’s Day also is a big day for area restaurants, including the popular Frappes Italian Grille in Ormond Beach.

“We all want to celebrate love and that’s what Valentine’s Day is,” said Meryl Frappier, owner of the restaurant and widow of its namesake chef, Bobby Frappier, who died in October at age 70. “We share food; we share experience and we share memories.

“Food is the common denominator,” Meryl said. “That’s how we express ourselves, through food.”

In terms of business, only New Year’s Eve rivals Valentine’s Day for business at the eatery at 123 W. Granada Blvd., Meryl said. “People go out, we have as special menu and we have a lot of love to give,” she said. “That’s what we're doing on Valentine’s Day and we’re packed. We’ve been sold out for about a week. People booked very early this year.”

Although it will be tough to find a seat at Frappes, other restaurants might still be able to accommodate last-minute reservations.

Krispy Kreme: For a more informal treat, Krispy Kreme doughnut shops, including the Daytona Beach location at the corner of Nova Road and International Speedway Boulevard, are offering Valentine’s Day-themed conversation doughnuts that would make a sweet romantic gift.

The heart-shaped doughnuts come emblazoned with more than a dozen sweet messages (“Say Yes!” “Pick Me!”). They’re available in four flavors: cake batter, chocolate cream, raspberry-filled, and strawberries and cream, said Chip Harwick, manager of the Daytona Beach shop.

“They should be a pretty big seller,” Harwick said. “We have taken a ton of pre-orders for them and we also will have plenty of them for tomorrow at $12.29 per dozen.”

The shop also will offer pre-packaged 12-packs featuring the special Valentine’s Day flavors as well as one chocolate-iced glazed doughnut and one chocolate-iced with sprinkles, Harwick said.

“That way they are ready to grab, so you won’t have to wait,” Harwick said.

Perfect for the last-minute romantic shopper.