Valentine's Day: The cost of love on the South Shore
You can't put a price on true love, but that doesn't mean it won't cost you.
Americans are expected to shell out nearly $26 billion on Valentine’s Day this year, up $2 billion from last year, according to the National Retail Federation. They will spend roughly $5.5 billion on jewelry and $4.4 billion on a special date night.
People will spend an average of $192.80 on chocolate, flowers, cards and other Valentine’s gifts this year. How much will that be for you?
Here's what some of your sweet ideas may cost you.
'Be Mine’ romantic getaway: $700
If you're willing to spend that much, you can check into XV Beacon Hotel in Boston for a night's stay that includes a bottle of Moet Rosé and chocolate-covered strawberries, breakfast in bed and a late 2 p.m. checkout. Bonus: Every room has a fireplace, so snuggle up.
Big-city dinner: $150
Chef Robert Sisca’s five-course Valentine's Day meal at Bistro du Midi on Boylston Street in Boston is $150 per person for the prix fixe menu, which offers Scituate lobster as its first course. Dishes include Island Creek oysters, Ōra King salmon or black truffle tagliatelle. Desserts are crème brûlée, chocolate moelleux or panna cotta. You can add an optional wine pairing for $90.
Romantic meal in the suburbs: $85
Five working fireplaces, historical charm, picturesque location. That's the setting at Cohasset’s Red Lion Tavern, a restaurant that’s both fancy and comfortable at the same time. Chef Richmond Edes will offer a special Valentine's Day menu that includes four starters: Wagyu beef and tartare, tuna crudo, chicory salad or celery root velouté. Entrée selections are poached salmon, squid, sirloin or lamb dishes or a bone-in rib-eye for two. Desserts are dark chocolate crémeux or warm gingerbread pudding.
A number of local restaurants have special Valentine's menus and promotions.
Roses: $125
This is the price for a dozen roses in a glass vase at Clifford's Flowers in Quincy. Most florist shops will be around the same price. You can buy them cheaper at grocery stores, $30 for a 12-stem bouquet, but florists say they won't last as long.
Candy: $7 and up
You can buy a small heart-shaped box of chocolates for less than $7 at CVS or spend $24.50 for a Valentine Heart Box at Hilliards, the artisan chocolatier in Norwell, Easton and Mansfield.
Cake: $27.99
This is the price for a 6-inch Valentine's cake from Montilio's Baking Co. that serves about four to six people. Each cake is creatively named − All You Need Is Love, You Melt My Heart, XOXO, Infinite Rosettes − and is decorated in different shades of red and pink and adorned with plenty of frosted flowers, hearts and chocolate. Montilio's has locations in Quincy, Braintree and Brockton.
Jewelry: $199 and up
Simple yet sophisticated diamond stud earrings are a classic Valentine's gift, and about $200 is what you'll pay at Macy's at South Shore Plaza in Braintree. If you want to spend more, hit Long’s Jewelers in the mall for a set of 14-karat yellow gold pear-shaped diamond heart stud earrings for $595.
Lingerie: $54.95 and up
At Victoria's Secret in Braintree, a black satin cami set with multicolored hearts will run you $54.95 and a pink satin short pajama set is $74.95.
Cologne: $295
Tom Ford’s line of men’s cologne in scents such as Tuscan Leather, Tobacco Vanille and Oud Wood costs that much for 1.7 ounces at Nordstrom at South Shore Plaza in Braintree.
Cocktails: $40 and up
Pink wines and liquors are perfect for Valentine’s date night. Grab a bottle of Salcombe’s pink gin for $40 or splurge on a $115 bottle of Pannier rosé champagne at Total Wine in Braintree. If it's out of your price range, Barefoot’s pink bubbly is about $8.
Classic bathrobe: $68
Brookstone has a white microplush bathrobe − the kind found in luxury hotels − for that price. You can spend more or less, depending on where you shop.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Valentine's Day: The cost of love on the South Shore
