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by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor

It is impossible to express your love for the woman who raised you and made you who you are today through one day of recognition and a gift. Nonetheless, we should all put a little thought into a thank you — even though mom will probably say that it’s not necessary — and here are just a few ideas.

Woodside native Jim McAnn started what has become the most famous name in the floral industry, 1800Flowers, in 1971. Back then the idea of purchasing floral arrangements through a toll-free phone call was revolutionary. Over the years, McAnn has expanded his business to include all kinds of gift baskets.

When 1800Flowers began operations, every Queens neighborhood had several florists. But as with neighborhood bakeries and other shops, high rents and the internet have put many local florists out of business. Ironically, 1800Flowers is trying to revive the brick-and-mortar store, as it has opened shops in Howard Beach, Ridgewood, Astoria and Woodhaven.

Harry & David’s is known for its sweet confection gift baskets, but the company also has a fruit-of-the-month club for which you can buy a membership for mom.

Jewelry can run the gamut in price and quality. Ippolita.com sells glamorous earrings, necklaces and rings for a wide array of prices. Long Island jewelry designer Nancy Rosen has been working with Bravo’s “Housewives” franchise for years, and her Housewives Jewelry website has numerous offerings. She combines style with a sense of humor in her OC Elegance Statement Necklace, which contains Swarovski crystals. Nancy dubs this admittedly over-the-top look as the perfect present for a mom “who wants to look as if she is dripping in jewelry.”

New York designer Nophar Haimovitz has created somewhat less ostentatious jewelry with her Reason To Be Pretty collection (reasontobepretty.com) of embroidered rings, necklaces and earrings.

Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian and Kate Young are celebrities who have lent their names (all claim that they were in on the design process) to clothing and jewelry lines that are on sale at Kohl’s, Kmart and Target, respectively.

If mom is an adventurous type, check out liveworldly.com, a website that sells skirts, dresses, handbags and jewelry that reflect the cultures of such faraway places as Thailand, Brazil and Madagascar, among many others.

If you are going to buy mom jewelry, be sure to pick up a can of Colle, available at colleproducts.com, a cleaning mousse that keeps valuables from getting tarnished by age.

For those on tighter budgets, Aeropostale, Fossil and Lands End all offer quality clothing and various accessories. Watches are the most popular form of jewelry, and the great news is that companies such as Timex and Long Island City’s own Armitron produce quality timepieces for under $75 that look as if they cost three times that amount.

If you are willing to spend more to get a high quality timepiece, the House of Horology (hohwatches.com), founded by Forest Hills High School alum Lawrence Leyderman, has watches that rival Rolex and Tag Heuer but at less than half the cost of those respected high-end brands — though they’re every bit as good.

Handbags are always popular. Olivia & Joy makes fine clutches, satchels and totes. Vera Bradley is known for its lively cloth pocketbooks and weekend duffels. If you want a handwoven tote, log onto McKenzie-Childs.com. If a leather bag is more your mom’ s style, Kooba has plenty of options for you.

Tommy Hilfiger’s wife, Dee Ocleppo, is almost as famous in the handbag world for her designs as her husband is for his eponymous clothing line. Dee has also devoted a lot of her time and energy into finding a cure for autism. Now through Mother’s Day, her company will donate to the cause 100 percent of the proceeds from handbags that are purchased online at shop.autismspeaks.org.

There is no shortage of perfumes on the market, but choosing the right one is not easy. Sephora has a gift box that the company smartly calls “Favorites,” which contains perfumes from Dolce & Gabbana and Versace. Former Jackson Heights resident Tara Durkan started a fragrance company in LA called Dossage, and Dossage 8 for Her is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to Chanel No. 5.

There was a time when one might feel self-conscious using any kind of skincare product. Not anymore. These days folks of all ages are using antiwrinkle cremes and antiaging serums.

There is no shortage of quality producers of these products, and that has led to competitive pricing in a very upscale industry. Avon’s Anew Clinical Absolute Even Multi-Tone Skin Corrector is a mouthful to say or write, but it purports to remove discoloration caused by freckles, acne from when you were a teen or a variety of recent dermatological problems. Dr. Brandt Skin Care products, founded by New York dermatologist Dr. Frederic Brandt, has a wide array of highly regarded moisturizers and facial cleansers.

For those who find comfort in the term “organic,” an Australian company, Nvey Eco, makes a full line of cosmetics free of any harmful chemicals.

BMR, Vbeaute, Clarins, Turo, Tilth Beauty, Dermelect, Glo Minerals, RejuveMD and Shiseido are also highly regarded companies that make quality dermatological products, but they can be pricy. A fairly new company, H20+, sells a “Skincare Must-Haves” package consisting of mineral scrub, makeup remover, toner, cleansing gel and mask for under $30 at Ulta, located in the Rego Center II mall.

Mineral Fusion is quietly rivaling Avon, Maybelline and Estee Lauder as a full-service manufacturer of beauty products, as it makes its own line of lipsticks, eye shadow, mascara, moisturizers, body lotions and shampoos. Mineral Fusion products are sold at Whole Foods and at MineralFusion.com. Other one-stop personal care websites are beauty.com and luvocracy.com.

Summer is coming, and that means so is sandals season. Ocean Minded and Havaianas both make sandals that can be worn as part of everyday fashion as well as on the beach. The same can be said for those durable clogs made by Crocs.

The arrival of warmer days means that the sun is out for more hours and that its rays are quite direct. Coola, Coppertone and Dr. Brandt all make sunscreens with high SPF counts that maximize skin protection.

Sunglasses are also a must, to prevent damage ocular damage. Mom will surely love fashionable Carrera shades. Newcomers such as Flutter, ICU, and Zeal also make fashionable eyewear at a fraction of the price of the bigger names in the optical industry.

Artwork makes for creative gifts. The MoMa Design Store sells prints, sculptures and other products such as dining ware and decorative clocks that can double as art. A new company called Grillie makes offbeat ornaments that can be attached to the grill of a car.

The days when only guys wore the apparel of their favorite sports teams are long in the past. It has been estimated by the various professional sports leagues that women comprise nearly 40 percent of their fan base. Reflecting that fact is that companies such as New Era, Sportiqe and NFL Women’s Apparel (which licenses to Victoria’s Secret and other retailers as well as selling its wares on the website of its corporate owner, the National Football League) make jerseys, T-shirts, jackets and caps specifically for women so that mom can show off her pride in her beloved teams.

Every mother deserves pampering combined with a change of scenery. There are a number of spa resorts located within a three-hour drive of Queens. The Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch, New Jersey is located a stone’s throw from the Atlantic Ocean and thankfully was not badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Other nearby spa resorts are the Spa at Norwich Inn in Connecticut, and, for those in a New York State of mind, the Emerson Spa near Woodstock and the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz.

The success of the Resorts World Casino at Aqueduct has forced both of Connecticut’s casinos, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, to offer better entertainment, restaurants and spas as well as deals on hotel rooms. The same can be said for Atlantic City. While hipster types will want to flock to the Borgata or the under one-year-old Revel, my guess is that mom will feel more at home at the Trump Taj Mahal. The Taj may not have the bells and whistles of its newer rivals, but it’s easier to navigate and has terrific amenities such as a rooftop indoor pool with an outdoor deck to catch rays on a warm day. And yes, it has a spa as well.

If you want to give mom a change of scenery after Mother’s Day, here are some ideas.

South Florida hotels are heading into their off-season. The Turnberry Isle in the Aventura section of Miami-Dade County and the nearby Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Broward County both offer heavily discounted golf, spa, food and room packages, compared with the December through early April peak season.

Of course when you think of South Florida, you think about its gorgeous beaches. You couldn’t blame mom if she wanted to just wanted to relax on the sands of a luxury property. In the Palm Beach area, you can’t do better than the Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach, which is located in the town of Manalapan. If mom wants to be treated like a queen in the heart of the Miami Beach action, she can choose between the Ritz-Carlton South Beach, the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, and, without argument the most famous hotel name in Miami Beach history, the Fontainebleau.

An alternative to staying in the hustle-bustle of Miami Beach while still having easy access to it is offered by any of the fairly new resorts located five miles north on Collins Avenue in the city of Sunny Isles Beach. Not only is Sunny Isles Beach quieter but it has a neighborhood feel with supermarkets, local stores, restaurants and public transportation similar to that of Queens.

You can’t enjoy the beach without having quality swimwear. Jantzen and Nautica are great for basic bathing suits, but if you want mom to feel like a celebrity at the resort, Marie France van Dame and Sophia Graydon both sell high-end resort apparel and sleepwear as well.

The tradewinds that grace the United States Virgin Islands serve as a buffer against summer heat and humidity. The Caneel Bay Rosewood Resort and the St. John’s Westin Resort both have pristine sandy beaches on the sparkling blue water of the Caribbean Sea.

Now that Queens’ own JetBlue has started daily service to Albuquerque, NM, you may want to send mom to the La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa (Santa Fe, New Mexico’s capital, is an hour drive from Albuquerque). This charming Southwest city is renowned for its art and culture. Its arid climate and high elevation make Santa Fe an ideal getaway from the sweltering New York summer heat and humidity. La Posada is a charming adobe-style property that is in keeping with the area’s heritage.

While that disastrous Carnival cruise in the Gulf of Mexico this past winter rightfully garnered a lot of bad press, vacation cruises are more popular than ever, as the excitement that greeted the arrival of Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Breakaway, into New York this week proved.

The biggest danger about cruises, however, is that if you or a loved one such as mom gets seriously ill, there is a good chance that the services of an air-medical transport will be needed and the cost can begin in the five digits. Medjet Assist sells memberships for its services that greatly reduce these costs. You can think of Medjet as a cross between an insurance company and an auto club such as the American Automobile Association.

Of course mom can have a lot of fun just staying in our area. The Spirit of New York, which docks at Chelsea Piers, may not be the Breakaway, but its three-hour dinner cruise and cabaret entertainment has made it a popular venue for celebrations of all kinds. World Yacht, located four blocks west of Times Square at Pier 81, also has brunch and dinner cruises.

The warmer weather makes it easier to get around and enjoy New York’s many attractions, such as taking a boat ride around town on the Circle Line, going to the Empire State Building Observatory and visiting our world-famous museums such as the Metropolitan, MoMA, Natural History and the Guggenheim. Both CityPASS and its chief competitor, New York Pass, sell booklets or cards that will allow mom and a guest access to all of the aforementioned for a price far less than the total of paying for each attraction individually. The trick is that you have a limited amount of time, anywhere from three to nine days, once you get started.

Happy Mother’s Day to all!

by Mark Lord, Chronicle Contributor

If you’re ever in the vicinity of Rego Park and catch a glimpse of what appears to be a man in a monkey suit in the middle of Woodhaven Blvd. brandishing a sign that reads, “Hairy is scary,” chances are you’re not hallucinating.

You’re probably just witnessing the advertising brainchild of John Corona, owner of nearby Velvet Effect Lasers, a hair removal and cosmetic clinic.

“I’ve been dying to do it for the longest time,” he said.

While the stunt is all in good fun, it’s clear that Corona takes his business quite seriously.

A self-described entrepreneur who became interested in matters of hair removal “through personal endeavors of removing my own hair,” he set up shop three-and-a-half years ago.

The name of the company, he explained, can be traced to research he did while skimming through a thesaurus for a suitable synonym for the word “smooth.”

“I wanted to find something catchy,” he said. “And velvety means smooth. And after you use a laser, you get that effect.”

According to Corona, the most popular treatments he offers are, of course, laser treatments for hair removal.

Corona made it clear that the treatments do not result in permanent hair removal but in reduction in hair re-growth.

Following an average of six treatments, clients can expect a reduction of between 60 and 90 percent of their hair, he said.

After that, they would be expected to return for periodic touch-ups, he added.

“Seventy percent respond well” to the treatments, he estimated.

“It’s hard to tell exactly the results they will get,” he said. “But this is the best method of managing hair growth.”

Corona said his clinic uses the Alexandrite Laser, considered by some to be the most effective for hair removal on certain types of skin.

In addition, Corona said that he and his two laser technicians, all of whom he said have been certified following completion of a 40-hour training class, “do test spots to increase the delivery of light, which provides higher-than-average results.”

The clinic has a total of four employees, Corona said.

Also popular with customers are treatments involving Botox and Juvederm, facial fillers that are designed to soften, respectively, fine line wrinkles and deep folds in the skin.

Corona indicated that when either of the two prescription injectibles is used, the procedure is performed by a nurse practitioner under medical supervision.

According to Corona, over 10,000 people have been served by his clinic since it opened. He said that, on average, between 15 and 27 customers are treated per day. Of this total, Corona estimated that 80 percent have been women.

As for possible side effects, which could include blisters and hyper- and hypo-pigmentation, Corona called them “very rare.”

Velvet Effect Lasers is located at 62-85 Woodhaven Blvd. in Rego Park.

Its hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

For further information, visit laservelvet.com or call 718-505-2737.

Kitchen Kraft was a well-known fixture in the Ozone Park neighborhood for nine years when its owners decided to relocate to Rego Park six years ago. Seizing an opportunity to situate themselves in the center of Queens to better serve the entire borough was a no-brainer. The new location at 89-17 Metropolitan Avenue is just one block off Woodhaven Boulevard at the intersection of Cooper Avenue.

The owners of Kitchen Kraft have weathered much adversity in the past and have helped many of their clients renovate their homes after catastrophies like house fires and flooding but they never thought they would number themselves among the victims until hurricane Sandy hit. In the aftermath of the storm, thousands of homeowners were overwhelmed by the devastation and the monumental task of the massive cleanup and restoration they needed to do to get their lives back to normal.

Though the first floor and basement of their own home was destroyed during the storm at a time when their customers needed them the most, the owners of Kitchen Kraft got right to work to helping the storm victims. Never ones to cower from adversity, they managed to find the strength and gumption to assist hundreds of storm victims with restoring their homes while they, themselves, were still living without electricity and heat. These are the kind of caring and understanding people you will find to assist you when you visit Kitchen Kraft!

The store carries budget and designer kitchen cabinets; all types of ceramic, porcelain and stainless steel sinks; thousands of styles and colors of granite countertops; dozens of types of interior doors; a great selection of fine bathroom vanities and ceramic fixtures; unique decorative metal, wood and ceramic hardware; thousands of laminate and ceramic countertops in a myriad of styles and colors, quality bath and kitchen elements to suit any budget and so much more!

Their attentive staff takes their time to sit down with you and help you design the bath or kitchen of your dreams. Stop in and make an appointment for them to come to your home to take custom measurements and then they’ll create a computerized custom-designed kitchen or bath just for you, which they will also flawlessly install to your satisfaction.

Kitchen Kraft is located at 89-17 Metropolitan Avenue in Rego Park and is open seven days a week. They accept all major credit cards and can be reached by calling (718) 897-1210.

by Lloyd Carroll, Chronicle Contributor

Getting the right gift for that special someone on Valentine’s Day, or for any romantic occasion, is never easy. Here are some ideas that just might help.

We may as well start with those reliable standbys, flowers and chocolates.

Woodside native Jim McCann started his company 1-800-Flowers during America’s bicentennial celebration in 1976, and it’s become to the floral industry what McDonald’s is to fast food restaurants. Despite its name, a visit to the 1800flowers.com website shows that the company has expanded from bouquets and now competes with such full-service online gift vendors as Amazon, Ideeli, QVC and HSN.

Mass chocolate producers such as Godiva, Ghirardelli, Ferrero Rocher and See all make tasty confections. Norman Love Confections, out of Naples, Fla., has a wide array of candies as well.

Long Island City has quietly become a hotspot for chocolate manufacturers as it is the home to two rising companies, Gnosis and Antidote, both of whom make cacao products that are rich in anti-oxidants.

Harry & David’s moose munch has always been one of my guilty pleasures, but the company has expanded into healthier fare such as nuts and fruits, and even offers a Fruit of the Month club membership for those who enjoy trying different types of apples, berries, grapes, cherries and citrus.

Valentine’s Day has quietly approached New Year’s Eve as an important sales holiday for the spirits industry. Red wines are a natural for setting a romantic mood, and medical studies indicate that moderate imbibing of reds is good for heart health. I like a full-bodied mild wine that is not bitter to sip. My favorite American red is Benton-Lane Pinot Noir from Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Another red wine that I recommend is d’Alessandro’s Nero d’Avola Syrah from Sicily.

For those who like more traditional alcohols, here are some more choices. Stolichnaya, Svedka, Skyy, Grey Goose and Smirnoff have long been household names for vodka. New Zealand’s Broken Shed is a newcomer whose smooth taste is perfect for creating a tasty screwdriver. If you want to enjoy a vodka that is easy to sip without having to mix it with another beverage, try Smirnoff’s Kissed Caramel.

Margaritas are quickly approaching screwdrivers in terms of popularity. Jose Cuervo even has a line of ready-to-serve margaritas right out of the bottle. For those who prefer making their own margaritas from scratch, try Jose Cuervo’s Especial Tequila Gold, Don Julio’s Anejo, Herradura, El Jimador or Partida Tequila.

If you are curious about Japanese booze, try either Ty Ku Sake or Yamazaki Whisky.

Of course, if you are serious about whisky you have to go with either Johnnie Walker or Macallan.

If softer spirits are more your style, Valentine’s Day is a great time to sample liquers such as Disaronno Originale, Baileys Old Irish Creme, Kahlua, Hennessy Cognac, Cointreau and, for those who really savor sweetness, Godiva Chocolate Liquer. LeSutra has recently introduced a champagne-style sparkling liqueur.

One of the best kept secrets in the fragrance business is that colognes have been rivaling perfumes in terms of industry gross sales. Avon signed up Yankees captain Derek Jeter to slap his name on its Driven line. Likewise Cloudbreak made sure to make both a men’s and women’s line when it got a license from the Bronx Bombers and Major League Baseball to create NY Yankees Fragrance. Two newcomers who deserve to break through the crowded fragrance market are Emeshel and Dossage, the latter of which was launched by former Jackson Heights resident Tara Durkan. Tara showed a nice sense of humor with her company’s men’s and women’s Dossage 8, which is a tongue-in-cheek play on the iconic Chanel No. 5. Fluer d’Amour is a French perfume that has a rich musk and Mediterranean citrus scent.

Of course when it comes to high-quality but very reasonably priced fragrance products that have names that make you smile, no company can approach Demeter Fragrances. Demeter was started and is still run by long-suffering season Mets ticket holder Mark Crames. Among the scents in Demeter’s sizable library are Vanilla Cake Batter, Sneakers, Funeral Home, Riding Crop, Dirt and Sex on the Beach.

Skincare products are catching up to fragrances in terms of sales volume. Baby boomers have always taken pride in trying to look as youthful as possible. Succeeding generations are very much aware of the importance of taking care of one’s appearance. Even the most macho of guys is now using moisturizers, cleansers, body butters and anti-aging serums. Clarins, Avon, Jack Black (not the comedy actor), Burt’s Bees, Shiseido, Turo and Jan Marini all have skin care lines for men.

Newer names in the skin care products industry that are manufacturing high-end products are Dr. Brandt’s, Tilth Beauty, Vbeaute, Doctors Skin Prescriptions, Merlot Skin Care, Bio-Logical, and Glo, which also makes a number of colorful lipsticks and nail polishes.

Long Island jewelry designer Nancy Rosen has added more pieces to her Housewives Jewelry line, named in honor of those delightfully self-absorbed women of Bravo’s various “Real Housewives” reality series. Jill Zarin, who starred in “The Real Housewives of New York” a few years ago, has both her own clothing and jewelry companies. A great product to have to keep your jewelry from looking tarnished is Shine by Colle. Shine is a mousse that rejuvenates your valuables.

Watches are the most popular form of jewelry because of both their practicality and wide-ranging price points. Fossil, G-Shock, Timex and Long Island City-based Armitron produce fashionable timepieces that won’t break anyone’s budget. If you want to spend a little more but get a lot of luxury in return, check out the House of Horology timepieces. The company was started by Forest Hills High alum Lawrence Leyderman.

Handbags also run the gamut in terms of price and quality. Vera Bradley’s cloth bags have long been a favorite because of their lightness and decorative designs. Tvachia, a company based in Atlanta, makes premium leather bags and clutches that run anywhere from $150 to $300. If you want to get a less formal bag, Desigual and Paul Frank both make fun and durable totes.

Lingerie is an acceptable present as long as your relationship is beyond dating, and it’s no shock that the Kardashians have put their name on intimate apparel. The Kardashian Kollection is sold exclusively at Sears. Betsey Johnson was one of the pioneers of the downtown New York new wave fashion scene in the 1980s, and she is still going strong with her Betsey Johnson Intimates, which cover the spectrum from pajamas to bathrobes to romantic nightwear.

Kumi Kookoon is a company that specializes in silk products from robes and pajamas that would please Playboy founder Hugh Hefner to sheets and pillowcases. Bedding and nightwear do not get more romantic than these products.

For more options, log onto the website myintimacy.com.

If you want to play it a bit safer, you can’t go wrong getting a present for the home. Lands’ End has a large selection of pillows, decorative candles, bean bag chairs and linen towels. The Museum of Modern Art Design Store has everything from paintings to vases to earrings and clocks.

Sunglasses have always been important for vision and they have increasingly become a fashion statement. ICU and Zeal Optics have quickly become inexpensive alternatives to high-quality but pricey brands such as Ray-Ban and Oakley. If you are not sure what kind of sunglasses to get, you can’t go wrong getting a gift certificate from a Solstice boutique.

Getting in shape is the most popular resolution that gets made at New Year’s. One way to keep that promise is to buy fashionable athletic wear. Sportiqe has fashionable hoodie sweatshirts and T-shirts that are perfect for a brisk run or walk. Athletic Recon is a new company out of Newport Beach, Calif. that makes jackets, running shorts and workout pants. Working out with someone special makes exercise less of a chore.

Technological products are always useful. The Amazon Kindle Fire is a small tablet that allows you to download books and access the Internet. Lenovo, Acer, Samsung and Motorola all make fairly inexpensive tablets that are far more portable than laptops. Samsung’s Galaxy Note II has been labeled a “phablet” by many of its users because it’s larger than a traditional cell phone, which makes its screen and keypad easier to work than those on an iPhone. Samsung officials shy away from using the term “phablet” for some reason.

In this world of email and tweets, there is something to be said for old-school stationery and writing someone a letter with a Parker Pen. Calligraphy should not be a dying art. Both Bonnie Marcus and Seltzer Goods have created a large selection of clever cards and notepaper to help make a meaningful impression on someone.

New York has long had a reputation for not only being an exciting city that never sleeps but for also being a romantic one. Spirit Cruises offers superb dining and on-board entertainment as you sail around New York City after you embark from Chelsea Piers. Statue Cruises has boat rides to both Ellis Island and, of course, the Statue of Liberty. Manhattan by Sail provides a great way to both sightsee and learn how to sail. There is an America’s Cup fantasy in a lot of us. I would suggest that you wait for the weather to warm up before trying it, however.

CityPASS and its rival New York PASS are companies that sell cards that you can purchase that allow you to visit a number of museums and other points of interest, and even enjoy a ride on the venerable Circle Line, for one all-inclusive price. The catch is that you have to do it within a very limited amount of time depending on the card that you purchase.

A fun, though occasionally painful experience if it’s done right, to have a his-and-hers massage at a top-flight spa such as The Red Door Spa, Spa Merge, Spa Martier, and the Mandarin Oriental at Columbus Circle.

After seeing a show or concert, grab a nightcap at the Two-E Lounge at the posh Hotel Pierre across the street from Central Park. My suggestion is to try one of their molecular cocktails.

But although New York may be the greatest city in the world, we all need to escape it every now and then.

If you don’t mind the cold, Montreal has a lot of Paris’ charms but it’s a lot closer and a lot less expensive.

The Umstead Hotel is a five-star resort located in the Raleigh, NC suburb of Cary. Its Heron Restaurant is one of the Southeast’s best, as is its spa. Just as Montreal is an hour-long flight north of LaGuardia, Raleigh is an hour’s flight south of it.

The Grande Colonial Hotel in the San Diego coastal neighborhood of La Jolla is celebrating its centennial this spring. Its warm staff make you feel as if you are the owner of the hotel. The Grande Colonial is a stone’s throw from the Pacific Ocean, which means that you get a great view of the sunset as well as being able to see the seals and sea lions who call La Jolla Cove home.

South Florida always has understandable appeal this time of year. The Ritz-Carlton in Manalapan, a suburb of Palm Beach, has a scrumptuous Sunday brunch and top-notch amenities. Down I-95 in Miami Beach, the South Beach Ritz-Carlton has just undergone a $10 million room renovation. Its Di Lido Restaurant is located literally on the beach and has won numerous culinary awards.

I have always had a soft spot for Sunny Isles Beach, located five miles north of the Ritz-Carlton on Collins Avenue. This area has undergone a world of changes from its Motel Row days. Sadly, the Rascal House, its famous deli, is long gone, as are most of the affordable mom-and-pop lodges. There are still a few of the old names such as the Golden Strand, the Thunderbird and the Newport, but their neighbors are now posh hotel high-rises such as the Acqualina and the Trump (the Donald licenses his name to Miami hotel magnate Michael Dezer.) Sunny Isles is located closer to Fort Lauderdale Airport than to the more congested Miami International.

Queens’ own JetBlue services Raleigh, San Diego and Fort Lauderdale with frequent daily flights.

If you still are undecided about what to do for Valentine’s Day, here is one last idea. A company called Box of Kisses has his-and-hers gift box sets for $36 that contain cologne or perfume, skin lotion and a card game that when played leads to lots of kisses.

Sounds like a plan to me.