Valentine's Day puts nearly everyone in a romantic mood
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Tuesday is Valentine’s Day, which means it’s time to buy greeting cards, flowers and candy. You could also make a reservation for a romantic dinner at your favorite local restaurant, if you hurry.
Valentine’s Day has always been big in Erie because we’re a city that appreciates excellent chocolate makers. You’ve got Romolo’s, Pulakos and Stefanelli’s, as well as many other smaller producers of fine chocolates.
Chocolate lovers, rejoice: Erie chocolatiers reveal top sellers for Valentine's Day, Easter
Local florists also do big business on Valentine’s Day, but, again, you’d better hurry if you want those roses delivered on time.
Related: Flower farmers seed a growing backyard industry in Erie and northwestern Pennsylvania
The Catholic Church added St. Valentine’s Day to its liturgical calendar around 500 A.D., making it a feast day for martyred saints named Valentine. One was a Roman priest who performed weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry. The Roman emperor at the time issued an edict decreeing married soldiers did not make good warriors and thus marriage was verboten.
Father Valentine, who wore a ring with a cupid on it, married the couples anyway before he was hauled off and beheaded. Actually, there was some doubt about the legitimacy of the St. Valentine’s legends, so the feast day was removed from the Catholic calendar in 1969.
That was about the same time that St. Christopher was decommissioned. But the medals, greeting cards and flowers haven’t lost their popularity.
Salman Rushdie emerges with new book after Chautauqua attack
Author Salman Rushdie, who was attacked onstage at Chautauqua Institution last August, is back giving interviews, promoting his new book, "Victory City." He’d already completed it before the stabbing.
He spent six weeks in the hospital after the attack by Hadi Matar, of Fairview, New Jersey, and is still coping with serious injuries. Chautauqua received extensive publicity because of the attack, but it’s not the kind of attention it wanted or needed.
Chautauqua would rather talk about its upcoming season, which will start with a concert by singer Bonnie Raitt on June 24. A week later, on June 30, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons will perform at the Amphitheater.Valli turns 89 in May, but I saw him in concert about a decade ago and he was still terrific.
Edinboro Hotel gets second TV appearance in a year
The exterior of the Edinboro Hotel is featured in the Hallmark movie, “Sweeter Than Chocolate.” A year ago, a shot of the hotel was featured on the CBS sitcom, “The Neighborhood.”
It is a classic small-town hotel and I can just see the late Kip Allen, longtime owner of the building, smiling with pride.
A Super Bowl ticket cost how much?
The lowest-priced ticket for Sunday’s Super Bowl topped $6,000, which made me think of my dad, the late Times-News sports editor Gene Cuneo, who covered the first game, which hadn’t even been dubbed the Super Bowl yet.
Ed Mead called and asked him to buy a ticket for a friend, and it ended up costing $12. That first game, played in Los Angeles, wasn’t even a sellout.
For subscribers: Here's how D.K. McDonald went from Edinboro to the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles
Farewell to Chris DeGeorge
Chris DeGeorge, a great guy and a true artisan who plastered walls and ceilings at many of Erie’s best-known buildings, died Feb. 6 at the age of 92. Chris and his late wife, Mary Grace, were dedicated to their church and community, and they would lend a hand to anyone in need.
Chris used to walk every morning at the Millcreek Mall, and I’ll bet he piled up hundreds of miles. He was one of a kind and will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
Calling all Erie Lions hockey alumni
Former Erie Hockey Lions stars Dick Homovec, Ron Sciarrilli and Erik Hengelbrok are putting together a reunion of that beloved team for later this summer. The Lions put hockey on Erie’s map in the 1960s and early seventies when they drew large, raucous crowds to the then Glenwood Ice Rink.
It would be great to see those guys again. For information, call Erik at 814-449-0069.
A new demand for youth baseball in Erie?
John Popoff, of the Boys & Girls Club of Erie, mentioned that many of the kids there have expressed an interest in playing organized baseball. That would be music to the ears of the late Dick Agresti and Steve Franklin, who worked so hard to make Boys & Girls Baseball so successful.
It’s been gone for a couple years now, but maybe this is the start of a comeback.
Shortage of a drug at Erie pharmacies?
Local diabetics tell me they’re seeing a serious shortage of Ozempic at the pharmacies in the region. Some believe it’s because people are using it to lose weight. I hope it works out better for them than it did for me years ago when I started to lose my hair and began using Rogaine.
Related: Elon Musk's weight loss, Ozempic, Wegovy and what to know about the new TikTok viral treatment
The hair grew back nice and thick, but Rogaine cost about $50 a month back then. When I stopped using it, all the new hair quickly fell out.
Putting country in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
I see Willie Nelson is the latest country singer to be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In 2022, Dolly Parton became the first country star to be inducted. Could Hank Williams be next? How about Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. Could the hall be running low on rock stars?
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2023 nominees: George Michael, Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson top the list
Kevin Cuneo can be reached at kevin.cuneo1844@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Valentine's Day puts nearly everyone in a romantic mood
