Golden has a lot to offer couples for Valentines Day

It’s the romantic holiday of the year. Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and the Golden community offers a number of ways to celebrate the day for love and friendship.Attend a special eventThe Briarwood Inn is hosting a Sweetheart Afternoon Tea for Valentine’s Day from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 13 at the restaurant, 1630 8th St., in Golden.People can enjoy a variety of loose leaf teas by Harney & Sons, warm scones, tartlets, finger sandwiches and sorbet.The tea costs $ 35 per person, or people may purchase the royal tea package for $ 50 per person which includes a bottomless glass of premium sparkling wine.Individuals, couples and groups are welcome, but reservations are required. To place a reservation, call 303-279-3121. To learn more about the Sweetheart Afternoon Tea or to find a full menu of the tea selection, visit www.thebriarwoodinn.com.Those who enjoy nature may consider getting outdoors this Valentine’s Day. The Weather Channel is forecasting beautiful sunny days for Valentine’s weekend, with temperatures near the high 50s on Feb. 13, and low 50s on Feb. 14.People have a variety of options for an outdoor adventure in close proximity of downtown Golden.The City of Golden owns and maintains 402 acres of open space, as well as an interconnected trail system of 24 miles. In addition, there is easy access to nearly 8,000 acres of regional open space.To find your perfect destination for an outdoors Valentine’s Day, visit www.cityofgolden.net/play/recreation-attractions/trails/.Barrels & Bottles Brewery, located at 600 12th St., thought it would be fun to host a Vegas-style wedding at the brewery in Golden.So, from 6-10 p.m. Feb. 13, the community is invited to witness local couples renew their vows–or get married for the first time.The event is “a unique way to share the love on Valentine’s Day,” said owner Abigail George. “It will be entertaining for everyone.”Each of the couples will receive a 15-minute wedding, complete with a minister, photographer, DJ, flowers and wedding cake. The venue has scheduled one hour for the wedding ceremonies, and people are able to join in the fun with the couples and their friends and families for the receptions.Happily Ever After is free to attend, both to witness, and for the couples. The couples have already signed up in advance to participate, and reservations are not required to attend for witnesses.The event is family-friendly, and non-alcoholic beverages will be available to purchase for minors. Food will also be available. For more information, send an email to barrelsbottles@gmail.com.Go to a danceA community Valentine’s dance will take place at 7-9:30 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Golden Gate Grange, 25201 Golden Gate Canyon Road, in Golden.Live music will be provided by Magic Moments, performing classics from the 50s, 60s and 70s, plus some country and western tunes. Attendees will have opportunities to slow dance, waltz and line dance.Refreshments will be served.Individuals, couples and groups are welcome. The entire community is invited–the dance is not exclusive to grange members. Tickets cost $ 10 per person in advance, and $ 12.50 per person at the door.Questions can be directed to Phoebe Reese at 303-277-1742 or Terri Costeldia at 303-277-0351. People can also visit www.goldengategrange.com for more information.The Golden Moon Speakeasy is putting on a Heart Breaker’s Ball from 4-9 p.m. Feb. 14 at the distillery, 1111 Miners Alley, in Golden.The distillery will be offering single-portion charcuterie plate and cocktail special. The event will also offer 80’s heartbreaker flicks and from 5-8 p.m., Ben Hanna will perform.Reservations are not necessary.For more information, call 720-638-1155. The event can also be found on Facebook. To learn more about Golden Moon Speakeasy, visit www.goldenmoonspeak.com.Dine outA number of local restaurants in Golden are offering dinner specials or special menus for Valentine’s Day. Some of them are also offering live music or other entertainment.Because Valentine’s Day is a busy holiday for the restaurant industry, many eateries are requiring reservations.By no means a complete list, here are some that may be of interest:Briarwood Inn, 1630 8th St.www.thebriarwoodinn.com, 303-279-3121Bridgewater Grill at the Golden Hotel, 800 11th St.www.bridgewatergrill.com, 303-279-2010Grappa Bistro, 1027 Washington Ave.www.grappabistro.com, 303-273-8882Indulge Bistro & Wine Bar, 1299 Washington Ave.www.indulgewinebar.com, 303-277-9991Give a giftFlowers are a traditional gift to give to friends and lovers on Valentine’s Day.To find them locally, Fleur-De-Lis Flowers is a family owned and operated flower shop located at 1106 Washington Ave.The shop gets fresh flowers daily, and people may place an order to have flowers delivered or drop in to buy an arrangement the day of. It is highly recommended to place an order for delivery at least 24 hours in advance to ensure on-time delivery.Store Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays.Roses are always big-sellers, said owner Rhonda Voitl, and the Be My Love arrangement is also popular. People like the name and the look of it, she added.To see some of the arrangements available, visit www.fleur-de-lisflowers.com. Orders can be placed online. People can also call the shop at 303-279-7672.Golden Sweets has a variety of treats available for purchase to give to sweethearts.The shop, which is family-owned and operated, has a large variety of gourmet chocolates, including fudge, assorted truffles and jumbo peanut butter cups. People can also purchase baked goodies, such as homemade brownies or chocolate chip cookies.Golden Sweets is located at 1299 Washington Ave, suite 100. Store hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.For more information, visit www.golden-sweets.com or call 303-271-1191.The Foothills Art Center Gift Gallery has a variety of “unique and sophisticated” gifts available, said manager R.J. Seidel. More than 40 artists have work for sale offering all mediums of art.Some of the gifts people can find are specific to Valentine’s Day, such as cards and other mixed media artwork, but the shop also carries great all-occasion gifts such as ceramics, wood creations, paintings, jewelry and more. Everything has to go through a jury process, so people know they are purchasing high-quality work, Seidel said.But the best thing about giving a gift purchased from the art center is that everything is hand-made by artists local to Colorado, Seidel added.”There’s no two-of-a-kind,” he said. “You won’t find any of the pieces anywhere else.”In addition, every purchase benefits the art center. Besides what goes to the artist, gift gallery sales help support the center’s exhibits and other special events, Seidel said.The Foothills Art Center Gift Gallery, 809 15th St., is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays, including Valentine’s Day. The gift gallery is closed on Mondays.To learn more, call 303-279-3922 or visit www.foothillsartcenter.org.