Solana Beach Mayor Mike Nichols at Fletcher Cove, which he designed as an employee of local landscape architecture firm M.W. Peltz. Courtesy photo

By Claire Harlin

You can’t think about Solana Beach without picturing iconic landmarks like the Coastal Rail Trail, Fletcher Cove Park and the newly renovated Community Center. But behind that public-art sprinkled meandering path, mosaic-trimmed beach park and ocean-view gathering space are handfuls of residents whose resources, effort and expertise have made those projects possible over the past decade. And one of the most influential visionaries behind those masterpieces has been Mike Nichols, the local landscape architect who designed them, his passion projects launching him into two fruitful terms on the City Council.

“Getting involved with government wasn’t my direct route of travel,” said Nichols, 43, who began his second (nonconsecutive) term as Mayor in December. “I never set out to become a council member.”

But things started falling into place for Nichols just over 10 years ago when he moved to Solana Beach from La Jolla to take a job with landscape architecture firm M. W. Peltz Associates and was assigned to turn the huge parking lot that once stood at Fletcher Cove into the park that is there now — the single most memorable work of design in his portfolio, he said.

“No doubt, I’m the proudest about that project,” he said, adding that meeting his wife, Heather, at Fletcher Cove makes the landmark even more special. “Being able to live in the same city and enjoy it, I don’t think I will ever have a project more memorable than that.”

Unlike that project, he was not hired to sketch out the landscaping found along the rail trail and around the Fletcher Cove Community Center. He stepped in voluntarily in 2005 to create a design for the rail trail that lies between Highway 101 and the railroad because he and a group of residents didn’t like a city-commissioned design that had already gained council approval. In the case of the landscaping around the Community Center, which was renovated last year, he was one of many who got involved in both the concept and completion — from sketching designs, to picking out plants to putting shovel to dirt.

“I like to come up with the ideas and do presentations, but I like to physically get involved too,” said Nichols of his work last year helping the new Community Center come to fruition. “I spent a lot of time up there just because it’s something I like to do.”

Nichols’ first taste of government involvement went hand-in-hand with one of his first landscape architecture projects — a skate park he both designed and petitioned to have built while he was attending college at the University of Georgia. A skateboarding and BMX enthusiast himself, he said he realized there was no place for kids to practice that type of recreation in Athens, Ga., so he mobilized support and held a presentation for the mayor and city leaders to educate them about the function and benefits a skate park would bring.

“There were a lot of aspects to it. The report addressed health issues, safety issues and the misperception that these parks would be a liability to the municipality,” he said. “For me, it was also a matter of helping at-risk youth because this was their way of expressing themselves, and because skateboarders were prohibited to ride on the streets they were being classified as outlaws, cast in the light of doing something illegal.”

While the project was a class requirement, Nichols said bringing awareness to Athens’ city leaders was his priority, and he was happy to see the park actually get built two years later.

“I was amped to have seen how landscape architects can really make change in communities and people’s quality of life,” Nichols said.

A native of the small, coastal North Carolina town of Nags Head, which has sand dunes so tall they can be seen from miles out to sea, Nichols is an outdoorsman at heart. Not only did the role outdoor spaces play in a community inspire his career, but his longtime love of surfing and skateboarding fueled the California intrigue that landed him in San Diego after college. He first lived in La Jolla and did projects in the Windansea area before laying his stakes in Solana Beach, where he eventually started his own landscape architecture firm about a year ago.

It was also his involvement in the community’s outdoor spaces that started turning heads around town. Having majored in parks and recreation in college, Nichols first got involved in the community by serving on the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission more than 10 years ago, and his input on public projects slowly started to gain him the trust of city leaders.

Margaret Schlesinger, who served as the first mayor of Solana Beach when it became a city in 1986, said she started hearing Nichols’ name being suggested as a viable candidate for city council by movers and shakers around town, so she met with him one day before his 2006 candidacy to get an idea of whether their goals were in line.

“We talked about our visions for the city, and he told me what he hoped to accomplish, and it sounded like he’d be a great candidate,” said Schlesinger, who has been active in the community for decades. “He seemed like he really caught the spirit of what we were trying to do when we became a city, when San Diego was dumping big development on us. I think it was his idea of being protective, keeping Solana Beach the way it is, that really made me confident in him.”

Schlesinger said Nichols, the youngest resident to ever join the council, has fully understood throughout his two terms the vision that she helped draft in the city’s first General Plan — and Nichols said revisiting that plan this year for the first time in 25 years is a council priority he looks forward to.

“When you read the plan that was written a quarter century ago and everything they talk about as far as how to develop the city, those forefathers should be applauded,” said Nichols, adding that updating the General Plan will come before the council during the next few months, with an initial workshop tentatively scheduled for Feb. 21. “I hope in 25 years people will be just as inspired as I was when I first read the plan.”

Schlesinger said she has been impressed that Nichols’ humble influence in the city spans beyond the council chambers.

“He really helped renew the Plaza area [by Fletcher Cove]. It was his idea to take all those palms trees out and open up that beautiful view from Lomas Santa Fe,” she said. “And look what he did for Fletcher Cove. It was just an asphalt parking lot, not nearly as friendly to the beach as what’s there now.”

Nichols has taken a passionate interest in the ongoing construction on Highway 101 as well, he said. While employed at M.W. Peltz, he was the project manager and lead designer on developing the Highway 101 Master Plan for the city in 2005, prior to his service on the city council. The document he was responsible for has since become the basis for the design that is being constructed today.

“As a council member, I continued my focus on this project and dedicated hundreds of hours to continue the development of these plans,” he said. “The result of this project will strengthen the long-term economic sustainability of our community and create a vibrant, energetic business district along the corridor. It will also provide a very pedestrian-and-bicycle friendly environment and have many aesthetic enhancements to complement our community character.”

On the council’s radar is also the future development of a mixed-use project at the train station property at the corner of Cedros Avenue and Lomas Santa Fe, and Nichols said the project is becoming more and more likely as negotiations with the North County Transit District continue to progress. He said he’d like to see the “next big project” in the city create an “east-to-west streetscape beautification that would create a ‘rail trail-like’ pedestrian and bicycle corridor from Highway 101 up to Highland Drive.”

Nichols will serve as mayor until December, and his term on the council ends in 2014. For a full biography on Nichols, visit the city’s website at www.ci.solana-beach.ca.us, and information on Nichols’ landscape architecture work is available at www.nicholsdesigngroup.com.

Related posts:

1. Solana Beach residents help landscape Fletcher Cove Community Center
2. Nichols holds mayoral gavel for first time
3. Nichols’ term as mayor is up
4. Help Solana Beach celebrate anniversary at festive events
5. Fletcher Cove Community Center in Solana Beach honored

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Despite the recent rain, the Farmer’s Almanac predicts a drier and warmer summer in Western North Carolina, with an especially dry September and October on the horizon. But don’t let your flowers and veggies wither in the sun when water runs low. The Men’s Garden Club of Asheville will host a program on water-wise landscaping, featuring Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener James C. Wade, on Tuesday, Feb. 5.

With drought in WNC’s not-too-distant memory, Wade reminds us that rainfall is variable and often inadequate. He asserts that “carelessness will create waste” and that the cost of delivering water is increasing. Saving water saves money and helps our environment, reducing runoff from local properties into our streams and lakes. Water-wise landscaping techniques maximize natural rainfall and improve irrigation.

Since Wade has spent much of his life in areas with limited water resources, he has some advice for keeping moisture in WNC’s often troublesome soil. He stresses that advanced planning is essential, so start thinking about water now. As you might imagine, native plants stand up to heat and dry weather better than exotic blooms. Since our soil is relatively soft from this winter’s warm temperatures, now’s a good time to improve your soil to prevent evaporation. Also, try to group plants according to water needs so that when you do water, you only need to focus on a few targeted areas.

A good first step for someone who is just beginning to explore water efficiency is to reduce turf and lawns and much as possible, as they often require additional water to keep green. Try a victory garden in the front yard or create an area just for drought-tolerant native plants. A rain garden is also a fun way to increase the water level on your property.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. A full explanation of water-wise landscaping, and advice for experienced and novice gardeners alike, will be offered on Tuesday, Feb. 5, at First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St. The meeting, which is free and open to the public, begins at 12:40 p.m. For info, call: 329-8577.

Future Men’s Garden Club of Asheville meetings, which are held on the first Tuesday of the month, will feature a variety of topics this season:

March: Growing herbs with Fairman Jayne of Sandy Mush Nursery
April: Vegetable gardening with club member Alan Wood
May: TBD
June: Creating a Native Woodland Garden with Lisa Wagner, Education Director SC Botanical Gardens
July:Wildflowers and Plant Communities of the Southern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont with Tim Spira of Clemson University. 
Aug: Club picnic
Sept.: Jerry Merrill, co-owner Breezy Acres Nursery
Oct: Ornamental Grasses with Amanda Stone, Coop Ext.
Nov: Tour of Van Wingerden Greenhouse with co-owner Bert Kemkes.
Dec: Club awards luncheon

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PHILADELPHIA – February 2, 2013 (WPVI) —
The 2013 Philadelphia Home Show is here and the new exhibit gives a peek at the latest building, design and landscaping trends.

Ruth Hawthorne, who says she likes antiques and creative recycling, was in search of ideas for her kitchen.

“I heard there were different countertops using recycled glass and metals, so I’m interested in that,” she said.

Robin Horne brought family to get ideas they can bring back to their Birdsboro, Berks County home.

“A lot of things you wish you could have but can’t but you can always dream,” said Horne.

There’s certainly plenty to see from massage chairs, to flags to innovative home workout equipment.

After the workout, you might want a new shower or if you’re looking for a snack you can check out a ceramic grater.

Among the most alluring displays are those featuring landscaping ideas and flowers. It’s all a reminder that it won’t be winter forever.

Mike Pasquarello says the big trend for Spring is making yards a real part of the home.

“They’re trying to create outdoor living spaces – spaces where you have these rooftop structures and fireplaces to bring the feeling of the indoors out,” said Pasquarello.

Even if you didn’t make it Saturday, the show runs to Feb 10.

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The guiding principles for the Civic Area Master Plan call for preserving central Boulder’s historic character while creating a vision for the future of the area between Ninth and 17th Streets along Boulder Creek.

But several of the plans for the area submitted to the city as part of an ideas competition omit one historical structure, the band shell in Central Park. Some of the plans move it to a new site within the proposed civic area boundaries, while others don’t show it at all.

City planners are in the process of taking ideas from those concept plans and turning them into three or four alternatives to present to the community and the City Council.

The omission of the band shell has caught the eye of members of the city’s Landmarks Board, some of whom want to see it stay where it is, between 13th and 14th streets on Canyon Boulevard, and all of whom don’t want to see it disappear.

“Moving the building has implications,” said Landmarks Board member Mark Gerwing, who said the site was carefully chosen and is part of the historic aspect. “Once you move a building, it’s no longer eligible for the national registry, and that speaks to funding for renovations.”

Gerwing noted that the community has organized repeatedly to save the band shell, including the push that resulted in its landmark status in 1995.

“The community has spoken, though it was a long time ago,” he said.

The Glen Huntington Band Shell, named for the well known Boulder architect who designed it, was built in 1938 and dedicated to the city by the Lions Club. Denver-based city planner and landscape architect Saco DeBoer worked on the placement of the band shell and the amphitheater seating.

The band shell is a rare example of Art Deco architecture in the city and one of only a few park band shells in the state.

The band shell received landmark status from the city in 1995, partly in response to discussion about moving the band shell to make way for the historic (and peripatetic) train depot that now sits near 30th and Pearl streets.

To change anything about a landmarked structure requires getting a landmark alteration certificate and is subject to review by the Landmarks Board.

Boulder Comprehensive Plan Manager Lesli Ellis, who is co-managing the Civic Area Master Plan process, said city officials are aware of the significance of the band shell for many people in the community. The participants in the ideas competition were encouraged to think outside the box, and the final plan won’t look like any one of the submissions.

“What’s probably not on the table is any proposal to demolish the band shell,” Ellis said. “There isn’t a lot of support for that in the community. But we do see some support for moving the band shell to another location where it would be more conducive to performances and have better access.”

The site near Canyon Boulevard has a lot of traffic noise that competes with the music when concerts are held there.

Ellis said at least one of the alternatives put together by staff will show a new location for the band shell, but other ideas include improving the landscaping and adding other amenities to Central Park.

City Councilman Tim Plass, a former Landmarks Board member, said he would support moving the band shell and would like to keep it in central Boulder. He believes demolishing it would violate the spirit of historic preservation behind the landmarks ordinance and set a bad example for the private sector.

“I’m not sure it can still serve its purpose where it is on the corner of Broadway and Canyon,” Plass said. “I don’t want to see it demolished. I don’t want to see it go away. I think it might be moved so that it can better serve its purpose. It’s also a prime corner for maybe doing something else.”

Boulder Mayor Matt Appelbaum said he’s never cared for the band shell, and the way it backs up to Canyon detracts from the pedestrian experience of the street, which the city would like to turn into a tree-lined boulevard.

“We have a lot of opportunity to really re-imagine the space, and to do that, I think you have to be willing to talk about moving the band shell,” he said.

Contact Camera Staff Writer Erica Meltzer at 303-473-1355 or meltzere@dailycamera.com.

James Flynn, 19

Occupation

University student

Portfolio

Includes shares in Manulife Financial, Canadian Natural Resources, BP (ADR), SNC-Lavalin Group, Royal Bank of Canada, Banco Santander Mexico SA (ADR), Procter Gamble.

The investor

James Flynn has a grasp of investing far beyond his years. His interest was first piqued at the age of 12 when his aunt gave him a subscription to Fortune magazine. In the summer after his final year of high school, most of his classmates were living it up but he completed the gruelling Canadian Securities Course. Now enrolled at university, Mr. Flynn manages his $30,000 portfolio, reads The Globe and Mail’s business section, and maintains an investing blog at jamesflynn.ca.

How he invests

“I would describe my investment approach as value-based and strongly influenced by the investing principles of Benjamin Graham and David Dodd. I primarily seek out stocks that are trading at discounts to their book value due to negative, short-term news affecting the company.” The company should also have an easy-to-understand business model and history of earnings growth.

The majority of his portfolio – as much as 90 per cent – is allocated to equities. That’s because his long-term investing horizon gives him a high tolerance for risk. “Since I invest on a 40-year horizon, the stocks I own have plenty of time to rebound from short-term shocks,” he reasons.

Best move

He invested in Bank of America when it was trading at a large discount to book value due to fears of bankruptcy. But Mr. Flynn saw it as too big to fail. The stock was sold after it rebounded nearly 100 per cent.

Worst move

Buying Research In Motion at $15 on the grounds its large cash hoard, strong subscriber base and trove of patents gave it a liquidation value higher than the market price – then selling below $10 in a panic only to see it rebound back.

Advice

The earlier one starts to invest, the better – if only to reap the benefits of compounding interest and returns.

 

Special to The Globe and Mail.

Want to share our strategies?

E-mail mccolumn@yahoo.com

• MFC-T
• CNQ-T
• BP-N
• SNC-T
• RY-T
• SAN-N
• PG-N
• BAC-N
• RIM-T

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AUBURN, Ala. — This will be one A-Day Auburn football fans won’t soon forget.

The beginning of a new era coincides with the closing of another.

Auburn University announced The Oaks at Toomer’s Corner will be rolled one final time following the spring scrimmage April 20.

Gus Malzahn will be on the sideline for the first time as Auburn’s head coach, to conclude the Tigers’ set of spring practices. Then afterward, fans are invited to toss their toilet paper and take photographs with the time-honored oaks, which were poisoned by Alabama fan Harvey Updyke soon after the 2010 Iron Bowl.

The City of Auburn is dubbing the day a “Celebrate the Tradition” block party at Toomer’s Corner, at the intersection of College Street and Magnolia Avenue.

The trees will later be removed at a yet-to-be-determined date.

“The Oaks at Toomer’s Corner have been a part of Auburn tradition for generations,” said Debbie Shaw, Auburn University vice president for alumni affairs and executive director of the Auburn Alumni Association. “Their removal will in no way diminish the Auburn Spirit, which has grown even stronger during these past two years.”

Despite extraordinary efforts to save the oak trees, members of the university’s Tree Preservation Committee say they do not see the possibility of survival.

The university’s future landscaping plans will be unveiled on A-Day. Over the past two months, more than 10,000 fans and friends of the university provided their opinions and ideas through an online survey conducted by Auburn University and other landscape architectural firms.

“The architects are combining their expertise and experience with the terrific input from the Auburn Family to come up with a future plan that we will all be proud of,” said Dan King, assistant vice president for Auburn University Facilities Management.

To keep the tradition alive, the university and city will create structures at the site suitable for rolling after the oaks are gone. Fans will be invited to gather there as they always have following big victories or other momentous occasions.

The block party, which is co-sponsored by the Auburn Alumni Association, will feature live music and a festive atmosphere.

“We want people to be upbeat about the future of this area,” Shaw said. “Rolling the corner is a uniquely Auburn tradition, and whether we roll trees or other structures, the camaraderie and sense of togetherness is part of what makes Auburn a special place.”

Information from Mike Clardy, Auburn Office of Communications and Marketing, was used in this report.

Cam speaks up

Cam Newton is taking a break from classes at Auburn, spending time in New Orleans for Super Bowl weekend.

The Charlotte Observer caught up with Newton, the Carolina Panthers quarterback and 2010 Heisman Trophy winner, and Newton spoke for the first time about going back to school this semester.

Newton is looking to complete his degree in sociology, which he promised his mom he’d do even after leaving Auburn a year early for the NFL. His first few days back on the Plains were hectic, with students following Newton and taking cell phone photos of the local legend.

“It’s smoothed out now. When I first got on campus, it was kind of a circus. But that’s kind of what I expected,” Newton told the Observer. “But it’s nothing but love, man. You go back and you see people’s reaction. You take a couple of pictures and you see what it does to a particular person, and you appreciate it your influence.”

Local listings

Auburn’s baseball team is two weeks away from its home opener at Plainsman Park, when the Tigers will host Maine on Feb. 15.

The SEC released its television schedule for the spring, and Auburn will be featured five times (all times ET):

• Mar. 16 — Vanderbilt at Auburn, 3:15 p.m., FSN

• Mar. 30 — Alabama at Auburn, 4 p.m., CSS

• Apr. 18 — Auburn at Mississippi State, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU

• Apr. 19 — Auburn at Mississippi State, 7:30 p.m., CSS

• May 4 — Ole Miss at Auburn, 3:15 p.m., FSN

The guiding principles for the Civic Area Master Plan call for preserving central Boulder’s historic character while creating a vision for the future of the area between Ninth and 17th Streets along Boulder Creek.

But several of the plans for the area submitted to the city as part of an ideas competition omit one historical structure, the band shell in Central Park. Some of the plans move it to a new site within the proposed civic area boundaries, while others don’t show it at all.

City planners are in the process of taking ideas from those concept plans and turning them into three or four alternatives to present to the community and the City Council.

The omission of the band shell has caught the eye of members of the city’s Landmarks Board, some of whom want to see it stay where it is, between 13th and 14th streets on Canyon Boulevard, and all of whom don’t want to see it disappear.

“Moving the building has implications,” said Landmarks Board member Mark Gerwing, who said the site was carefully chosen and is part of the historic aspect. “Once you move a building, it’s no longer eligible for the national registry, and that speaks to funding for renovations.”

Gerwing noted that the community has organized repeatedly to save the band shell, including the push that resulted in its landmark status in 1995.

“The community has spoken, though it was a long time ago,” he said.

The Glen Huntington Band Shell, named for the well known Boulder architect who designed it, was built in 1938 and dedicated to the city by the Lions Club. Denver-based city planner and landscape architect Saco DeBoer worked on the placement of the band shell and the amphitheater seating.

The band shell is a rare example of Art Deco architecture in the city and one of only a few park band shells in the state.

The band shell received landmark status from the city in 1995, partly in response to discussion about moving the band shell to make way for the historic (and peripatetic) train depot that now sits near 30th and Pearl streets.

To change anything about a landmarked structure requires getting a landmark alteration certificate and is subject to review by the Landmarks Board.

Boulder Comprehensive Plan Manager Lesli Ellis, who is co-managing the Civic Area Master Plan process, said city officials are aware of the significance of the band shell for many people in the community. The participants in the ideas competition were encouraged to think outside the box, and the final plan won’t look like any one of the submissions.

“What’s probably not on the table is any proposal to demolish the band shell,” Ellis said. “There isn’t a lot of support for that in the community. But we do see some support for moving the band shell to another location where it would be more conducive to performances and have better access.”

The site near Canyon Boulevard has a lot of traffic noise that competes with the music when concerts are held there.

Ellis said at least one of the alternatives put together by staff will show a new location for the band shell, but other ideas include improving the landscaping and adding other amenities to Central Park.

City Councilman Tim Plass, a former Landmarks Board member, said he would support moving the band shell and would like to keep it in central Boulder. He believes demolishing it would violate the spirit of historic preservation behind the landmarks ordinance and set a bad example for the private sector.

“I’m not sure it can still serve its purpose where it is on the corner of Broadway and Canyon,” Plass said. “I don’t want to see it demolished. I don’t want to see it go away. I think it might be moved so that it can better serve its purpose. It’s also a prime corner for maybe doing something else.”

Boulder Mayor Matt Appelbaum said he’s never cared for the band shell, and the way it backs up to Canyon detracts from the pedestrian experience of the street, which the city would like to turn into a tree-lined boulevard.

“We have a lot of opportunity to really re-imagine the space, and to do that, I think you have to be willing to talk about moving the band shell,” he said.

Contact Camera Staff Writer Erica Meltzer at 303-473-1355 or meltzere@dailycamera.com.

Get ready for the 28th annual Utah Valley Home and Garden Expo owned and sponsored by the Utah County Association of Realtors. 

The event is usually held in March or April, but organizers pushed it up this year, according to the Realtor association. So this year it’s on Friday, Feb. 22 and Saturday, Feb. 23 at the UCCU Events Center in Orem, formerly the McKay Events Center on the Utah Valley University campus. Tickets are $5 or you can get them free from a Realtor®. Admission is also free if you’re a kid under 12. 

While the local Realtor® association owns the event and used to have a committee run it, it was a lot of work, so now Utah Valley Expos (part of Bennett Communications) runs it. 

The Utah County Association of Realtors is listed as the title sponsor and counts it as a major revenue producer for the association beyond the hundreds of dollars member Realtors pay in dues each year. 

New this year is a complete landscaping section. Look for waterfalls, pathways, trees and other landscaping features to give you ideas, because spring WILL come, even though it’s freezing outside right now.

The event is a magnet for vendors who target homeowners, so expect to see about 200 of them and what they have to offer. Plans also include family activities and childrens’ areas, free seminars, valuable door prizes and yes, food. 

The Expo typically attracts 8,000 to 12,000 people, the association says.

Here’s a link for more information: http://www.uvexpo.com/home_garden/

•••

 

Taylor Oldroyd, Corporate Executive Officer of the Utah County Realtor association recently told the Women’s Council of Realtors that they’re only as good as the service and information they provide, then lauded them for surviving the last four years of a tough real estate market.

He cautioned them not to take the service they give for granted because they are in an industry with low overhead and a huge upside, which they must protect. He cited a PulteGroup poll that said six in 10 renters want to buy in the next two years, but the number of renters has skyrocketed.

Still, online searches for homes are up 253 percent, Oldroyd noted. Realtors can meet that demand with relevant websites, video environments, and mobile applications. Locally home starts are up and the owners of a new outlet mall have caught the vision with the start of the second phase of a new outlet mall in Lehi.

Improved transportation infrastructure — a rebuilt 1-15 through Utah County and the extension of Frontrunner to Provo is enhancing travel. Allegiant Air is now flying non-stop from Provo to Mesa Ariz. UCAR recently sponsored an Allegiant Air introduction lunch.

Other pluses for Utah County include:

•A Kiplinger Report that Provo is 2nd of 12 cities in the country where prices have gone up the most. In the last year prices there increased 21.8 percent.

•Provo has a low foreclosure rate now at one in 1,685.

Also, Oldroyd said, a Fortune 500 food manufacturing company is looking at Utah County to serve the Southwest. The key factor is the quality of the local workforce. That’s all good news for housing. There’s more and I’ll report on it in future columns to come.

Rodger L. Hardy is a Realtor affiliated with Prudential Utah Real Estate and a former real estate editor. For answers to your real estate questions please email him at rhardy@utahresidentialEteam.com.

DENVER, Feb. 1, 2013 — /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Turn up the romance this year with music, theatre, cocktails and only-in-Denver activities. Make the most of Valentine’s Day weekend with a romantic hotel package from more than 20 participating metro Denver hotels.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130201/DC52767 ) (Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101210/DC15827LOGO-b )

1. Romeo Juliet at the Denver Center for Performing Arts January 25 – February 24 The Stage Theatre, Denver Center for the Performing Arts You can’t go wrong with the greatest love story ever told, right? Shakespeare’s classic play tells the tragic tale of two “star-cross’d lovers,” and still packs an emotional wallop more than 400 years after it was first performed. 

2. Southwest Rink at Skyline Park Through February 14 Skyline Park, Denver, CO Take a whirl on the ice with your sweetheart, right in the heart of downtown Denver. It’s a cheap date, too – if you bring your own skates, the rink is free (and skate rentals are just $2).

3. Orchid Showcase at the Denver Botanic Gardens Through February 24 1007 York St., Denver, CO Things are always blooming in this Denver oasis, a lovely spot for an afternoon rendezvous. More than 200 orchid plants with more than 1,000 blossoms will be surrounded by colorful complimentary foliage plants to provide a dramatic display during the coldest months of winter.

4. Traditional Tea Brown Palace Hotel Spa 321 17th St., Denver, CO Experience a touch of elegant, Old World charm at the historic Brown Palace Hotel Spa. The Traditional Afternoon Tea takes place between noon and 4 p.m. in the hotel’s gorgeous atrium lobby, and includes freshly made scones, pastries and sandwiches and a wide variety of teas.

5. Georgia O’Keeffe in New Mexico at the Denver Art Museum February 10-April 28 100 W. 14th Ave Pkwy, Denver, CO Spend an afternoon taking in O’Keeffe’s beautiful southwestern visions at the Denver Art Museum. These rarely seen masterpieces were inspired by katsina tithu (carved and painted representations of Hopi spirit beings).

6. Green Russell 1422 Larimer St., Denver, CO Steal away to a speakeasy in Denver’s posh Larimer Square. Located behind the “front” of a pie shop, Green Russell offers handcrafted, artisanal cocktails in an intimate, 1920s-inspired space.

7. Peaks Lounge at Hyatt Regency 650 15th St., Denver, CO Located on the 27^th floor of the Hyatt Regency Denver, this one-of-a-kind spot offers swoon-inducing views of the Rocky Mountains and downtown, along with 40 wines by the glass and a menu of appetizers and desserts.

8. D-Bar Desserts 1475 E. 17^th Ave., Denver, CO Does your sweetie have a sweet tooth? This upscale dessert and wine bar, owned by Keegan Gerhard, one of the nation’s top pastry chefs, is just the ticket, with a menu filled with sinful treats like Cake and Shake (3-layer chocolate cake, manjari frosting, and a vanilla or chocolate milk shake or malt) or a Chocolate Hazelnut Sitting in a Tree (chocolate souffle, chocolate sauce, Nutella beignets, and praline ice cream). Need we say more?

9. Dive Lounge at the Downtown Aquarium 700 Water St., Denver, CO It’s not 20,000 leagues under the sea, but it’ll do. A posh getaway in a truly unique setting, the Dive Lounge is located on the first floor of Denver’s Downtown Aquarium, offering the chance to sip cocktails with your sweetheart while surrounded by beautiful marine life. 

10. Couples Massage at the Ritz-Carlton Denver 1881 Curtis St., Denver, CO Unwind together! The Ritz-Carlton’s Reconnection Falls treatment offers relaxation with your partner in a luxurious couples suite.

11. Valentine’s Day 5K February 10 Washington Park, Denver, CO Couples who run together have fun together! This race will get your pulses racing – literally – during a 5K trek around the scenic Washington Park neighborhood. Registration is just $30 and all proceeds help fight cancer.

12. Lannie Garrett’s Valentine Show: “Takin’ A Chance On Love” February 14 1601 Arapahoe St., Denver, CO A swingin’ Valentine’s Day! Lannie Garrett and her quintet, The Errand Boys of Rhythm, will perform a special Valentine concert, featuring love songs for you and your honey. Located beneath the famed DF Clocktower in downtown Denver, Lannie’s is one of the city’s most romantic venues.

13. Cruise Room at the Oxford Hotel 1600 17^th St., Denver, CO One of the most hidden and romantic downtown Denver bars, the art deco-style Cruise Room was modeled after one of the lounges on the legendary Queen Mary, with original chrome and neon creating an unparalleled atmosphere. Order a drink from the classic cocktail menu or enjoy a handmade martini.

14. Infinite Monkey Theorem Wine Tour 3200 Larimer St., Denver, CO Is your Valentine a wine lover? Then show him or her how Denver wine is made! If you’ve never experienced an urban winery before, there’s much to see, lots to learn, and there’s a lot to taste. This tour guides you through a flight of palate-pleasing Infinite Monkey wines. And if you decide to purchase wine while you’re here, the tour is free.

15. Culinary Date Night at Cook Street School of Culinary Arts February 13-15, 22 1937 Market St., Denver, CO Spice up your love life with an evening that’s guaranteed to stir up more than just delicious dishes! Take date night to new heights with a cooking class that’s perfect for pairs. Two glasses of wine (one white and one red) are included with the meal.

16. Most Romantic Classics with the Colorado Symphony February 14 1000 14th St., Denver, CO The perfect date night soundtrack! Enjoy classic, classical love songs and romantic works in the acoustically perfect Boettcher Concert Hall.

17. Pinnacle Club at the Grand Hyatt 1750 Welton St. Denver, CO One of the most awe-inspiring spots in The Mile High City, the Pinnacle Club is located on the 37^th floor of this downtown hotel. Enjoy food and drink while taking in the entire Rocky Mountain Front Range with the city skyline in the foreground, through floor-to-ceiling windows. Gentlemen, this would be a good place to pop a certain question. Just saying!

18. Colorado Garden Home Show February 9-17 Colorado Convention Center, Denver, CO If you’re planning on moving in with that special someone, this is the event for you. Discover the Rocky Mountain region’s oldest, largest and most prestigious garden and home show – a nine-day spectacular event – where you can find inspiration from the latest ideas and trends in landscaping, gardening and home improvement.

19. Cupid’s Arrow at Su Teatro February 10 721 Santa Fe Dr., Denver, CO This Valentine’s themed show takes a vivid look at the emotional roller coaster of romantic love as expressed in both poetry and prose, with readings by some of the city’s best actors.

20. Jekyll Hyde at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts January 29-February 10 The Buell Theatre, Denver Center for the Performing Arts A darkly romantic (think Phantom of the Opera) adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of horror, this bound-for-Broadway musical is brought to thrilling, chilling new life by Constantine Maroulis (“American Idol”) and Grammy-nominee Deborah Cox.

21. Downtown Horse Carriage Ride 16^th Street Mall, Denver, CO Take a quintessential romantic ride through downtown Denver. Sit up high snuggled under a blanket in a Cinderella carriage drawn by magnificent draft horses. As you slowly clip-clop along the streets, you’ll get a different perspective of the sights and lights of downtown Denver. There are various pick-up points along the 16^th Street Mall.

22. Chocolate Class at the Four Seasons Hotel Denver Feb. 10 EDGE Restaurant Bar, 1111 14th St., Denver, CO Bring your sweetheart to one of the city’s top restaurants for a Valentine Chocolate Class from 2 to 4 p.m. where Executive Pastry Chef Christopher Jordan teaches lovebirds how to make their own chocolate dipped strawberry marshmallows, chocolate hazelnut truffles, and hot chocolate puddings with quick candied peanuts. Guests take home the finished products. To reserve a spot, contact EDGE at 303-389-3343.

23. Howl At The Moon Piano Bar 1735 19th St., Denver, CO Want to sing your heart out? Located in the heart of lower downtown, this high-energy dueling piano bar provides live music centered on audience participation. Come sing, dance and howl.

24. Salsa Dancing Lessons at the D-Note Sundays, 8 p.m. 7519 Grandview Ave., Arvada, CO Spice things up with a Sunday night Salsa dancing lesson at this classy pizza joint in Olde Town Arvada. All skill levels are welcome!

25. DeVotchKa at the Paramount Theatre February 14 1621 Glenarm Pl., Denver, CO Denver’s own DeVotchKa bring their unmistakable brand of theatrical rock to downtown’s beautiful Paramount Theatre for a concert benefiting Bonfils Blood Center.

CONTACT: Katie Converse 1-303-571-9418 kconverse@visitdenver.com

SOURCE VISIT DENVER, The Convention Visitors Bureau

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