Love (On A Hundred Bucks)

After reading through nearly 500 entries, our little Valentine's Day eyeballs are weary.

But our hearts are light, mind you. Very light!

Why? Because rarely have we seen such an outpouring of affection, kindness, thoughtfulness and creativity as we did from all of you who sent us your ideas for a $100 Valentine's Day date.

Well, maybe lots of you weren't real heavy on the creativity. Let's put it this way, judging from the majority of entries, there will be a record number of lattes sold in Seattle today, the state ferry system will sink from the weight and the Space Needle may simply stop spinning from the overload.

But, hey, it's Valentine's Day!

Our winners? Joe and Connie Ravenel of Woodinville, whose letter you'll read first. We think it's a nice job of sharing with people they like - and saving some for themselves, and sticking to their budget (something many of you had a little problem with).

What follows are excerpts from just a few of the hundreds of replies we received. To you and everybody who entered, thank you.

Our suggestion to our entrants: Take your special person out anyway. Or, having read something here that might tug at your heart strings, do something nice for somebody else.

Happy Valentine's Day.

My husband and I read about your Valentine's Day date and began talking about ideas. We decided to spend a whole day with the ones we care about, give ourselves a special evening, and make it a day to remember for all of us.

We would start the day buying 54 donuts from Dunkin' Donuts. (Coupon, 18 for $4.29 times three equals $12.87.) These would put a smile on our four children's faces, more smiles on the faces of a bright, ready-to-learn group of fourth graders I teach, fill the teachers' lounge with good smells, and Joe could bring some to his office.

Because my fourth graders have been working so hard (some have read over 7,000 pages already this year), we would continue the day with double-decker hamburgers from Dairy Queen (20 at 99 cents equals $19.80).

Then I'd use another part of the $100 to buy carnations from Albertson's (two for $1 times 24 equal $12). We would have enough flowers for each child to give their mothers a carnation and one for the school secretaries and the principal.

Can you imagine the smiles and gift of giving this day is bringing to so many already, and we have only spend $44.67 so far. We have touched the hearts of over 100.

We would continue this special Valentine's date with a family-time dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant ($32). Our three teenagers and 12-year-old would go home, watch a video that they just picked out ($2.50). My husband and I would continue on to a movie theater to have a special evening out. We have enough money left for tickets, popcorn and a drink ($20). That is a budget of $99.17.

I think our hearts would be filled with all the hearts we had touched on this special Valentine's Date to remember. Joe and Connie Ravenel Woodinville

First, we'll go to the Seattle Art Museum for inspiration. Then we'll stop at Seattle Pottery Supply to pick up a bag of moist clay.

Our final stop will be to rent "Ghost" with Demi Moore and Patrick Swayzee. The Demi/Patrick pottery-making scene is oh so romantic!

Once we get home, we'll watch the movie and then . . . out to my pottery studio to re-enact that scene. Susan Frank Renton

We would start by hugging all the way to the Top of Space Needle where we would enjoy a leisurely breakfast ($16).

Next, we're off to the Coleman Dock where we'd purchase walk-on round trip tickets to Bremerton ($4). This is a trip we once took in the pouring rain. We fell in love on the ferry.

Then, off to Tubs for an hour of relaxing to our own special music. Then to the University of Washington campus, reliving the past ($2).

The final stop would be Pioneer Square with a brief walk-around before we rekindled our romance with a glass of wine and a pasta dish at Umberto's Italian Restaurant ($26).

We became engaged on Valentine's Day 48 years ago this month. We would celebrate the anniversary of our hearts.

Marilyn and Ralph Stevens Seattle

. . . directly from work we will meet at The Puget Sound Blood Center to donate blood together. Not only was this one of our first dates, but we thought it would be fitting since blood comes from the heart and Valentine's Day is represented by the same (free). Joshua Sliwa and Sarah Ryan Seattle

I would like to offer my idea of a very romantic date - but for someone else, Haymon and Rose Richardson, who were married on Valentine's Day 21 years ago.

I met Haymon and Rose while working in Yesler Terrace where they met, fell in love and were married. Over the years, they won the Seattle Housing Authority Garden Community's garden award several times, and Haymon was "Mr. Greenhouse" when Yesler Terrace had a large greenhouse and garden down on the slope behind Yesler Terrace. Now that knee replacement surgery has made working in the garden hard to do, Haymon works in his backyard garden and continues to be active in leading the Yesler Community.

What I would like is a Valentine's Day trip to a nursery to buy a new rose bush (some of his were damaged in recent SHA building renovations), the trip in a taxi for this, anniversary cake to share with the Yesler Terrace Senior Group that meets in the same room Haymon and Rose were married in, and a taxi ride to and from the ferry terminal and two tickets to ride over to Winslow and back to see the sun set and coffee on the ferry for Rose and Haymon and some flowers for Rose when they get home. Sonja Richter/Kaufman Seattle

Upon waking up, we'd express our love for each other in our own special way - with 64 years of marriage behind it.

Breakfast of cereal, juice, toast and vitamins. Total cost about $3.

Lunch with four other couples at the Old Country Buffet, which offers free lunches to couples married 50 years or more. Exchange valentine cards. Total cost about $4.50.

In the evening, attend a banquet with 40 or 50 others with entertainment provided, which will include a very talented person playing delightful tunes on his water-glass set. Total cost for tickets, $27.

Then home to bed exhausted, but happy and contented. Louise and Wayne Higbee Bellevue

I am an occupational therapist practitioner working in Geniatric-Psychiatic at Highline Hospital. My patients are the elderly with a variety of emotional, mental and physical problems. Some are hospitalized for 4 to 5 months. Some have no family. Some have family many states away.

I want to do something special for these special people, but did not have the budget to do it.

It is my wish that we could:

-- Buy: 20 "old time" lacey valentines - $40

-- Buy: 1 gallon strawberry ice-cream - $5

-- Buy: 5 package frozen strawberries - $10

-- Buy: 2 dozen Valentine cookies - $10

-- Hire an entertainer to play old time moonlight and roses songs - $35

Joan Gessner Seattle

Sixty-one years ago this Valentine's Day, my husband gave me a Lane cedar chest. Today it's filled with memories of all those years - happy and sad ones. There are poems we wrote to each other during our courtship days, special baby clothes our five children wore, a diamond, heart-shaped locket he sent me during WWII, fancy valentines and home-made ones, and on and on.

I would start a cozy little fire in the fireplace, put on music from the dance bands we danced to at the White City and Berthana Ballrooms in Ogden, Utah, in those days, pull the cedar chest in front of the fireplace and pull out all those memories and relive them. Bertha and Royal Cragun Bellevue

Nothing would be more romantic for my husband and myself than to climb on our Honda Shadow motorcycles and take an excursion to Port Townsend for the day. After 20 years of being together we have found a hobby for both of us. Connelly Johnston Seattle

Breakfast at Burien Denny's. Park our car in Park & Ride. Take a bus to Seattle, go down to the waterfront. Get each other cards and a small gift in one of the shops, take a bus up to Seattle Center to the Space Needle for 1 p.m. lunch, then walk around Seattle Center, take a bus back to Burien, pick up our car, rent a romantic movie at Blockbuster's, on home, take a nice relaxing bath, get into cozy, comfy clothes, order a pizza, eat by candlelight, watch our video, exchange our cards and gifts, then to bed, snuggle in for a good night's rest and sweet dreams.

We are seniors 69 and 73. Do not drive in Seattle anymore. Our 16th anniversary is today. Darrell and Lilly Strand Seattle

One dozen red roses for my heart to wear,

One red carnation for his soul to bear,

A romantic candlelight dinner at Ivar's Salmon House,

Relaxing at Seattle Tubs will make him my spouse!! Christina Callas Issaquah

My husband and I have been married 42 years and he has been sick 27 years.

He had a stroke in 1985 and it left him paralyzed in the right side. He wears a brace on his leg. He can't talk either. A wonderful man.

I love him so much it would be a treat to go on a date. Taxi to Northgate to Seattle Crab Co. $15; food $20; taxi home $15; a corsage for me $15; a boutonniere for Dick $15; a bottle of Aspen cologne for me $10; 2 bottles of cider $10. I'd love to get this treat as on Social Security you can't do it. Rita J. Steiner Seattle

I guess it depends on one's definition of romantic . . . but I think a great date would be for my boyfriend and I to baby-sit for a baby. We'd probably learn a lot about each other and what we each want in a partner and family.

We could baby-sit the niece of the woman who got us together. We could give her parents $50 to go out to dinner, then take the other $50 and go out, late night, and talk about kids. Shh . . . did I say that?

Barbara Davis Seattle

My long-time Valentine and I will begin by meeting at Starbucks after work and pretending we are strangers who have never been introduced. I will be wearing black lace and a Wonder Bra under the usual working attire of a reasonably serious biomedical research editor. He will be wearing a three-piece suit - not because he is a typical business wonk (he is), but because he knows that three-piece suits have always inexplicably turned me on. We will flirt outrageously. . .

Having guessed in advance that I might "get lucky" at Starbucks, I have thoughtfully assembled a gourmet picnic supper earlier in the day . . .

The bed is adorned with freshly laundered, pressed and scented linens, and piled with pillows. A small bottle of jasmine massage oil ($3.50) . . . Holly Kabinoff Bellevue

Tent (size doesn't matter), borrow; flashlight (small), $5; sleeping bags (2 open zip together), borrow; pillows (2-4), from home; step stool, $10; ice chest (foam), $5; alcohol beverages, $20; dice game, $4; little boom box, $8; Subway sandwich, $10; potato chips, $2; bag of ice, $1; baby sitter (if you have children), $25 (optional). Total $90, total (with no sitter), $65.

Start your day with setting up your tent.

Take the children to the sitter's house (if this applies to you). Go together to pick up the Subway sandwiches and chips. Come back to your tent and eat your sandwiches by flashlight using your step stool as a table.

After you have eaten take a walk under the stars with your little boom box. Tell each other 3 things that you really like about the other person.

Head back to your tent. Aileen Maria Wunder Kent

Being adventurous, we'll leave our restaurant choice to fate. I like to play a game called "Third Restaurant on the Right". The game is simple: When you're hungry, you drive down a busy street and eat at the third restaurant on the right-hand side of the car. Unless the restaurant is: 1. way out of our budget range; 2. a fast-food place; or 3. too disgusting-looking. Then you fudge the numbers a little. Michele Ruth Greenwood (and fiance, Shawn R. Bettinger) Des Moines

My husband and I are training for the Canadian Ironman Triathlon, but due to work and two 2 children, we never get to work out together.

A perfect Valentine Date would be to:

-- Go on a 3-hour bike ride together followed by a 1-hour run then finish our workout with an easy swim & hot tub at Gold Creek Sports Club in Woodinville.

-- Then go to the Red Hook Brewery in Woodinville for lunch.

-- Then to a movie,

-- Then to Baskin-Robbins, Sara Graham Woodinville

My sweetheart and I are book lovers and passionate about traveling. This summer we're booked on a romantic, adventurous cruise to the Greek Islands. Our special Valentine's Day date:

-- We meet after work at Elliott Bay Book Co. and buy Fodor's Travel Guide to Greece.

-- On the way home, we stop at Costas Opa in Fremont and pick up our pre-ordered sampling of Greek cuisine. At home, we dress in togas and dine on Tzatziki with pita bread, Fasolada, Spanakotyropeta, and baklava.

-- After our delicious meal, we dance to the music of Greece. Kay Rae Chomic Seattle

She would meet me at the door with a glass of early '97 Peter Vella's Delicious Red from the box. I would hand her the rose, take the wine and she would not notice the butcher paper package as I put it in the refrigerator.

After 30 plus years, secrets are few. The basket is destined for the Women's Refuge - a joint decision made days ago. We would drive the short distance and deliver what we both hope will remind those less fortunate in love than we, that there is love and kindness in the world. Allen A. Wolvin Everett

My girlfriend's father owns a robot and I'm a farmer, so I'm always looking for ways to surprise her, since she is used to the city.

I hope your contest includes couples who are out here in Sequim and seniors in high school because we would sure enjoy your money!

I've been going out with my girlfriend for four years and I would like to do something special, so here goes:

First - The Game Farm to visit our favorite animals, the bears, $12.

Next - Ferry to Victoria $26/round trip, and take the water taxi, $10, around the bay. Have lunch at the Elephant Restaurant, $20. Walk and hike all over Victoria come back and have a romantic dinner at C'-Si-Bon's French Restaurant, $32. We like the chocolate cake for two, which is all we might get for $32 - but that would be great. Tyrone Brown Sequim

When my husband got home, he would see a path of tulip petals leading to a closed bedroom door. Upon opening the door he would find an array of candles scattered throughout, a soothing melody of instrumental love songs, a box of chocolates, two glasses of sparkling cider and a steaming bubble bath with me inside. Sheril Richards Bothell

My wife and I both work, and there is nothing she enjoys more than a night out, rather than coming home and fixing dinner. So here is the plan:

Two days before Valentine's Day, I'll mail her a letter. (When's the last time she received a love letter?) In it, I will thank her for sticking by her man for the past 36 years.

In it, too, I will invite her to dinner at McCormick and Schmick's, one of her favorite places.

After ordering, and while waiting for the food, I'll give her her favorite lotion from Crabtree and Evelyn. It's expensive so she never buys it, but asks for it at Christmas.

After dinner, we will probably go home and cuddle in front of the fire and listen to some of her favorite CDs. Lynn Stowell Bellevue

In honor of my parent's 50th Wedding Anniversary, I would like to send them to Canlis. They can sit in the piano bar and listen to their favorite songs and look out over Seattle as they did once before, almost 40 years ago.

Taxi fare and tip: $40; appetizers $8-$10; two drinks each, $40; tip $10. Total $100.

P.S. They could go with another appetizer and forego a drink. I'm sure my father would go for two drinks. My mother may only have one.

Monica Carr Seattle

I'd like to surprise him with a simple, gold wedding band ($70) to replace the one he lost in the ocean 22 years ago. It seems with the responsibilities of doing his best to provide for me and our five children, replacing that token of our love has always had to be set aside for more pressing things. This evening would allow me to show him, in small, simple ways, just how much he means to me.

Margaret Smith Kent

I would have the living room filled with candles I bought at our neighborhood 99 cents store the previous day, and four roses in the center of the room - each a different color representing everything we feel for each other. Carlos Segarra Seattle

Each Friday of the past 23 years my darling wife has been the dialysis nurse in our home. I would love to escort her to our favorite dining spot for the evening. Normally, she arrives home from work at 4 p.m., and I have the kidney machine prepared for our 5-10 p.m. treatment. We could dialize Saturday instead.

A single red rose would top off the night. Doug Struthers Seattle

Scenario: Treat Feb. 14 as any other day, maybe a few extra kisses as he arrives home from work around 5 p.m. I would then send him on a mission to buy two Starbucks lattes that, unbeknownst to him, would begin a journey he is sure to remember.

He arrives at Starbucks and places the order. The barrista presents him with Valentine's Day card and two chocolate biscotti. The card instructs him to . . .

. . .the in-store bakery next to Starbucks, where he will say, "My wife loves me and sent me here." He will be given a prepaid cheesecake with raspberry sauce accompanied by a card directing him to . . .

. . .the video store we frequent, and say, "My wife loves me and sent me here." . . . He is then given a prepaid video of "An Affair to Remember," and yet another card with instructions to . . .

. . .the music store we shop and again say, "My wife loves me and sent me here." He is presented a prepaid CD soundtrack from the movie "French Kiss" that contains our favorite song, "Someone Like You" by Van Morrison. Yet another card is presented instructing him to stop in . . .

. . .the florist near our house, reciting the same line, "My wife loves me and sent me here." The florist hands him a bouquet of fresh cut purple irises along with a card instructing him to stop in the . . .

. . .Chinese take-out we frequent, reciting the familiar line "My wife loves me and sent me here." Along with the dinners he's given are a dozen fortune cookies. (The standard fortunes are replaced with excerpts from letters he's sent me over the years. He proposed to me in a fortune cookie!) He's given one saying, "your wife truly loves you and wants you to come home."

There we share a quiet take-out dinner in front of a fire. Cindy Pennington

Mukilteo

Make sure your valentine wears something RED. If she asks why, just answer, "we're going to paint the evening RED tonight."

Pick her up in your rented RED car. Before you get in, pull two pairs of rose-colored glasses out of your coat pocket and say something like "tonight, let's see the world through rose-colored glasses." Head for REDmond and dinner at RED Robin, making sure to say you love her or something you appreciate about her at every RED light.

Prepare a table with a RED tablecloth and a RED carnation on her plate. During dinner have the server bring a RED carnation every time he checks on you until she has a full dozen.

When you're finished, head for the SuperMall and ride the carousel on RED horses. On your way home, pass by a RED Apple Grocery store where you've arranged to have this message on the billboard: "I love You -----."

When you arrive home, have some RED balloons and a box of chocolates in a RED box waiting on your doorstep. Inside, have some RED decorations on the walls and RED candles on a table. Then, wearing RED aprons, try your hand at finger painting with (you guessed it) RED paint. Then wash up and pop some Orville REDenbacher popcorn, bring out some RED wine and sit down to enjoy her favorite Robert REDford movie.

Christopher J. Miller Auburn