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Shop Local for Valentine's Day

Pick up a gift for your special someone.

James Thurber once said, “Love is what you've been through with somebody,” and for families this could be a near perfect description of the emotion.

This year, make Valentine’s Day an opportunity to show true appreciation for those closest to the heart. Parents, kids, husbands, wives and partners, don’t hesitate to make special plans or buy a little something to show how much you care.

A family consists of some of the people known best to each other, so remember to put some thought into the effort. Someone who receives chocolates might better enjoy the gift with a handmade card, and someone who cooks every night could really appreciate a dinner date out on the town.  

At a loss as to what to plan or what gift to pick up? Here are some suggestions for the perfect present for anyone in the family. 

Gift Ideas for Her

Moms love jewelry and there are great options such as mid-range priced gems at  to high end baubles at stores such as and

For flower arrangements, shops like and have experts on hand to help the kids pick out a beautiful bouquet for mom.

For something extra special , and might be just the place.

Gift Ideas for Him

There are some great gift options for daddies too. Your guy like beer? Well and offer a great selection of microbrewed beers, from Marin County and elsewhere.

A day of golf with his buddies? Arrange for a round at or .

Dads who bike might love some new gear, which can be found at or .

Valentines for th Kids

The kiddos will get a kick out of waking up to a decorated table with a small package of candy or toys, it’s a great way to start the day. Check out or for brightly colored tablecloths, stickers or confettii. Valentine’s day candy and treats can be found at any drugstore or supermarket in town.



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Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
Kevin Moore May 11, 2013 at 04:20 pm
It would be nice if the comments section had "Thumbs up / Thumbs down" like the PressRead More Democrat.
Bob April 6, 2013 at 05:20 pm
Check with the San Rafael planning commission and get the low-down on why they turned down aRead More developer who submitted his plans to demolish and rebuild a mixed commercial/residential building at 2nd and B. That's directly across the street from SVDP, and a notorious loitering spot. It's currently a run-down box building that's long past its prime. The developer came in with a beautiful plan, and it was denied for, among other things, because it was not in keeping with the "Victorian era" of the others, and because the city was afraid people would store their bikes on the balconies. Take a look at it. It's the most run-down corner in the downtown area. A great way for a small town to thrive and achieve an identity, is to get people living there. The city makes it extremely difficult with their rigid design board, and archaic operations that remind me of private industry in the 70s. Oh, and then they approved Target - completely disregarding the data from our neighbors up north, as well as other small towns.
Scott Adams April 4, 2013 at 07:08 pm
Tim, I am aware of many who want to increase the housing density downtown. I am also aware thereRead More has been objections particularly around the bus and future SMART station. It seems having commercial use at street level and housing above is favored by the city. It would definitely help bring people downtown. Other elements besides safety, includes maintenance, on going activities and marketing. I made reference to Healdsburg which is a good case study. They endorsed a study by urban planners around 1990. It took until 2000 when Hotel Healdsburg opened and then the downtown took off. They have one big asset and that is their city park which is where they have ongoing activities. Public Spaces such as this offer a sense of place and acts as a magnet. If you go two or three block away from the park, Healdsburg is just another sleepy little town of 11,000. Sure the wine country is a tourist attraction, but according to the County Visitor's Bureau Marin has 12 million visitors a year who enjoy our natural environment and 80% leave and go elsewhere in the evening.
Tim H April 4, 2013 at 04:41 pm
Thank you all for your interest in this topic. Scott, are you aware of any new multifamily or mixedRead More use housing in downtown on the horizon? Someone in another article mentioned the need for greater density in the downtown area. It seems like greater density could make San Rafael a more attractive place to bring business. Maybe it's me being optimistic, but certain areas seem ripe for development which could be a catalyst for improving downtown. Just curious if others had any perspective of this issue.