Great Last Minute Valentine's Day Gifts : Washington, D.C.

PHOTO: Chocolate cake at RareSweetsDC (c) Sery Kim

Regardless of whether you are just starting to date someone or whether you are in a long-term relationship, Valentine’s Day can be a minefield in gift-giving. There are some obvious choices as to what not to buy -- please no vacuums unless she said that’s what she wants -- as well as some easy go-to gifts such as jewelry or flowers. Of course, it would be nice to think of an epic Valentine’s Day gift such as a British Airways flight to Madrid for a stay at the Hotel Urso Resort & Spa, www.hotelurso.com, or down to Punta Mita Mexico for a night at Casa Majani, www.casamajani.com, but reality is not quite fantasy!

With Valentine’s day four days away, if you are running out of time to think and plan an extraordinary Valentine’s Day, then consider some of these easy options from several local Washington, D.C. shops.

Grooming Lounge -- Since its opening in 1999, Grooming Lounge has been helping men in D.C. and Northern Virginia look their best. With products from Molten Brown, Acqua di Parma, Jack Black and even their own line of products, the Grooming Lounge provides skin care, hair care and most notably shaving/beard services. www.GroomingLounge.com.

Salon Nordine -- Owner Nordine Elabassi came to the U.S. from Morocco twenty-five years ago and opened his first, tiny salon in Vienna, Virginia. Now with a 6,000 square foot property in Prince William; a 7,000 square foot property in Reston; and the latest 3,500 in the burgeoning Mosaic District (Dunn Loring Metro Stop), Nordine has become one of the dominant salon/spa owners in the area. Thankfully, the service remains impeccable as does the hair care, pedicure, manicure and skin care services. www.salonnordine.com.

Little Acre Flowers -- Harvard-trained Tobie Ellen Whitman opened her naturally sourced Little Acre Flowers in 2013 after stints working at USAID and various NGOs. Since then, her gorgeous bouquets have been arriving at homes and offices throughout the DMV in lovely burlap bundles of happiness. www.LittleAcreFlowers.com.

RareSweetsDC -- Meredith Tomason, formerly of the pop culture phenom Magnolia Bakery in New York City as well as the prestigious Craft Restaurant Group, opened her bakeshop in CityCenterDC a few months ago and has quickly ascended to the top of the sweet-tooth crowd. I live for her miniature carrot cakes, as well as sensational coconut cookies which easily resemble a hubcab, but if a more savory option is sought do stop by for breakfast and order one of the egg in a basket. www.raresweets.com.