Since the COVID-19 pandemic touched down in the US last March, we’ve made it through pretty much all of the major holidays locked down. We had Easter and Thanksgiving dinners with only our immediate families, mailed Christmas presents across the country and rang in the new year in our living rooms. One holiday we haven’t yet celebrated COVID-style? Valentine’s Day.
But almost a year into a global pandemic, we’re getting pretty good at staying home, staying safe and making the most of what we have under our own roof. And this year, Saratoga Living is here to help make sure this V-Day is your special someone’s best yet, pre-pandemic years included. If you’re looking for something to make this February 14 a night to remember, check out Saratoga Living‘s DIY wine tasting, featuring vinos from Purdy’s, a local cheese plate from Putnam Market and chocolate from Saratoga Chocolate Co. And, if you’re on the lookout for the perfect gift for your Valentine, look no further than our V-Day auction, going on this week.
On the auction block are four of the best Saratoga Valentine’s Day gifts money can buy. First up is a classic: Flowers. But not just a simple V-Day bouquet—we’re talking about a fresh floral arrangement by Frank Gallo & Son Florist for each and every week of March, delivered right to your special someone’s Capital Region doorstep. By our calculations, that’ll get him or her straight through the first day of spring on March 20.
While flowers won’t last forever, our next auction item will. Treat your lover to a couples’ photo session with Dori Fitzpatrick, a top Saratoga wedding and portrait photographer (who moonlights as Saratoga Living‘s senior photographer). Valid through September 1, this auction item includes a 45-minute to one-hour photo session with Dori at a location of your choosing within 25 miles of Saratoga and 25 of your favorite high-resolution digital images.
If your special someone has four legs and fur, this next gift’s for you! Linda from Blue Iris Photography is offering up a one-hour photo session for you and your pet, with five digital images and one professional print included. But that’s not all. Winning this auction item could be your furry friend’s big break into the celebrity pet world—the editors of Capital Region Living will pick a few of their favorite shots from your photo session to feature in the upcoming Spring Issue.
And last, but most certainly not least, we’re auctioning off a six-night (yes, six!) stay in the Pavilion Grand Executive Apartments penthouse suite from April 5-11. Located in Downtown Saratoga Springs, the Pavilion Grand is home to the renowned restaurant 30 Lake and Make Me Fabulous salon, and is walking distance from just about any other Saratoga attraction you’d need to get to! With two bedrooms on separate floors, each with their own bathroom, this getaway is perfect for a couple (or two couples!) looking to make the most of a COVID staycation.
The auction is open until Friday, February 12 at noon—just in time for the big day. Now all that’s left to do is to outbid everyone else…and buy a card.
