Pick Up a Last Minute Valentine's Day Gift in Dexter, Chelsea

Here's a guide to great Valentine's Day gifts to purchase in the Dexter and Chelsea area.

To help you think outside the (chocolate) box for Valentine’s Day gifts for your sweetie, here’s a list of places to go shopping, wine, dine, and be merry in Dexter and Chelsea. Massage Looking for an extra special way to show your loved one you care? How about a couple's massage to celebrate your special Valentine's Day. Try Body Wisdom in Dexter. A coupon for $5 off is available on the company's website. You can also try the Healing Arts Center for Massage and Wellness on Main Street. Gift certificate for a manicure Try Mona Lisa Salon & Spa in Dexter, or Fancy Nails in Chelsea. Chocolates and treats For some of the best freshly made chocolates, try Ellie's Chocolate Cafe in Chelsea, or Bear Claw Coffee in Dexter. Jewelry Dexter and …

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B Wise

1:17 pm on Thursday, February 14, 2013

Cheapskate, bet your significant other is impressed! Not even worth 25 bucks to you. What a catch.   more ›

The Heart Beat

7 Ways to Keep Your Heart Strong

Here are the "super seven" tips for keeping your heart healthy through Valentine's Day and beyond.

Valentine's Day evokes images of candy hearts, heart-shaped cards that children trade with classmates, heart-shaped cutout cookies and necklaces with diamond-filled hearts. But we might also want to think about our own hearts this time of year, suggest doctors, wellness experts, nutritionists and others.  Here's a "super-seven" do's and don'ts list that could be the best gift you give your heart this Valentine's Day.  1. Do attend special health classes/seminars throughout the year: If you read about an upcoming event and say to yourself, "Hmmm, I should attend that," then go! For example, the Chelsea Wellness Center is offering a cardio fusion class at 6 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. Friday. This high-energy class combines floor aerobics, …

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Celebrate Valentine's Day Locally in Dexter

Keep your dollars in town while celebrating Valentine's Day with your loved ones this year.

As Valentine’s Day draws near, we always seem to be constricted by that suffocating question of “What do I buy?” Luckily, local businesses around Dexter have alleviated the stress of Valentine’s Day to make it easy and enjoyable. Here is just a sample of some ideas for that special someone. Sweet Treats If your significant other has a sweet tooth, head over to Stucchi's of Dexter for some handmade gourmet chocolates. For those looking for a more traditional selection, the Dexter Bakery offers an assortment of cookies, pies and baked goods. Check out our Valentine's candy price comparison and stop by Country Market and Busch's to pick up a variety of candy (both sugar and sugar free) for the big day. Little Green Apple and Dexter Pharmacy …

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Chelsea Gears Up for Fourth Annual Chocolate Extravaganza

Activities will take place in downtown Chelsea today beginning at 10 a.m.

CHELSEA — Upon taking the position as store manager of The Garden Mill in Chelsea, Maureen Tobin never imaged she would be coordinating a Chocolate Extravaganza for the entire city. Saturday's guest list includes upwards of 4,944 people, 35 local businesses and countless chocolate treats. “This event was started three years ago to generate a shopping event in February but also to support local businesses," Tobin explained. "Depending on Michigan winters, most people have cabin fever by February, so this event gives them an excuse to bring the family out." The Chocolate Extravaganza has been successful in recent years, drawing residents throughout Washtenaw County to Chelsea. Tobin said she is thrilled to have more businesses participating …

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Your Grocery Bill: Valentine's Day Sweets

Here is a look at the prices at local grocery stores in Dexter in preparation for Valentine's Day.

Where do you get your groceries? In our new grocery comparison, we're taking a look around Dexter's local grocery stores to find the best prices. Each week we'll stick to a certain theme on our grocery expedition. Last week it was Super Bowl snacks, and this week, with Valentine's Day approaching and love in the air, we're looking at the sweet stuff.

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The Heart Beat

Romantic Recipes: Eat Your Heart out with These Valentine’s Delectables

Try these favorite dishes to make you fall in love all over again.

When my husband and I were dating some 20 years ago, I decided to try to impress him with a home-cooked meal for Valentine’s Day. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, right? I knew my man’s stomach was no exception. So off to the market I went for fresh shrimp, wine, flowers and more. I’d seen my mom make a deviled shrimp dish for my dad through the years, and the two always seemed to be happier when tucking forks into this delicious seafood-starring meal. The same was true with my then-boyfriend and me the night I made it for him, and I’ve been creating deviled shrimp for us for Valentine’s Day ever since.  Culinary prowess and affairs of the heart go hand-in-hand for several Metro Detroit and nationally known chefs.  Here are…

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The Heart Beat

How to Choose Flowers That Last for Your Valentine

Giving flowers Feb. 14? With value in mind, we sniff out which last the longest, and get to the heart of the best way to keep them in bloom.

A Valentine’s bouquet of fresh flowers is typically so beautiful you wish they’d last forever. Obviously, cut flowers do have an expiration date, but by choosing specific varieties and performing various maintenance procedures, your bouquets can be your “best buds” for a good while. Carnations, alstromeria and roses top the list of longest-lasting cut flowers, said Jocie Rogers corporate floral coordinator for English Gardens. “Carnations can last up to 15 days in a vase,” Rogers explained. “They come in an array of colors; white, yellow, orange, pink, red, purple, striped and so on.” The flowers also come in two sizes: standard and miniature. “Consumers should look for carnations that are in tight bud form,” Rogers said. Alstromeria, a …

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The Heart Beat

Red-Hot Fashions, Accessories Get Hearts Pumpin'

Wrap up a red, pink or sparkly Valentine's Day surprise for your significant other — or treat yourself to something "lovely."

As Diane Harris of My House of Style peruses her wares in her inviting Birmingham boutique, she contemplates the popularity of the color red. “Red is such a beautiful and strong color,” she notes. The shop features everything from bangles and cuffs to necklaces, rings and earrings and various accessories that would make any woman happy, especially on Valentine’s Day. “We have a special program where a woman can come in and register her favorite items in the store and then her significant other can come in and check the list if shopping for a gift,” Harris said. My House of Style joins dozens of stores and boutiques that are displaying great accessories for Valentine’s Day, whether as a gift for someone or for yourself. Favorite picks at My…

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Dexter District Library, Aubree's Pizzeria Team Up for Online Promotion

The library is giving away two $30 gift cards to lucky winners on Feb. 1.

If you are scouring the Internet for Valentine's Day plans, look no further. The Dexter District Library and Aubree's Pizzeria are teaming up to give two lucky people a $30 gift certificate to the restaurant. The online promotion requires participants to "friend" the library's Facebook page. Click on the "contest" link on the left side of the Facebook page to fill out the entry form. Two winners will be chosen. The contest is open to all ages. The library will select the winners during a random drawing on Feb. 1. For more information, call 734-426-4477.

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