MY DISASTER DATE

WE'VE ALL BEEN THERE: WITH DATES WHO TURNED INTO HORROR STORY. HERE ARE SIX YOUNG & THE GUEST LISTEES BRAVE ENOUGH TO SHARE THEIR STORIES...

RECIPE FOR HOMEMADE ROMANCE
Tweak familiar traditions on Valentine's Day with local and artisanal specialties.

Black Fig High Fragrance candles
from the Chesapeake Candle Company. Local entrepreneur Mei Xu's sexy scents are sure to create a slow burn at your house. $9.99,www.chesapeakebaycandle.com

Handmade chocolates from Artisan Confections. Fresh chocolates by local chocolatier Jason Adelman are so much more flavorful than something that's been in a cardboard box for weeks. 4815-B Lee Highway, Arlington, Va.; 703-239-0616; Hours: 10-6 Monday to Friday, 11-5 Saturday, closed Sunday.

A blooming fruit tree. Skip the typical roses and surprise your beloved with a blooming calamondin orange tree from Washington's favorite garden store, Johnson's Florist and Garden Center. The trees will bloom and produce fruit in a sunny window all year long, and Johnson's will deliver your gift in an elegant pot of your choosing. $29.99 for the tree, plus pot and delivery charge. 4200 Wisconsin Ave. NW; 202-244-6100

For more "adult" treats, Night Dreams, with locations in Bethesda and Tysons Corner, gets consistently high reviews for selection and customer service. 4866 Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, Md.; and 8373 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, Va.; 703-556-883

Calamondin orange trees will bloom indoors and produce fruit all year.

Cachaqa is a light, smooth Brazilian rum made from sugar cane and ideal for cocktails.

MAKE 2 YEARS' SALARY LAST FOREVER

If your love is truly boundless, The Secret Kiss of the Roses Ring is available now at the recently opened De Beers boutique in Tysons Galleria. This 6.89 carat stunner is a D (flawless) color, pear shaped, rose cut diamond with a fancy intense pink 0.69 carat diamond and 1.79 carats of white pavé diamonds set in platinum. $500,000; 1763 M International Drive, McLean, Va.; 703-821-1422

Fogo de Chao, 1101 Pennsylvania Ave. NW; 202-347-4668; Chima, 8010 Towers Crescent Dr., Vienna, Va.; 703-639-3080; Cabana Cacha$a rum, $33.99 for 750ml at Cathedral Liquors; 3000 Connecticut Ave., NW.

PARTY LIKE ITS CARNIVAL IN RIO

On the 5th of February, the biggest party on the planet will reach its pinnacle in Rio de Janeiro, so join in the Carnival fiesta at Washington's best Brazilian restaurants, Fogo de Chao in Penn Quarter, and Chima Brazilian Steakhouse in Tysons Corner. If you'd like to keep the festivities in your living room, try the following recipe for Brazil's national cocktail, the Caipirinha.

	2 oz. Cabana Cachaca Brazilian Rum	In the bottom of a glass, muddle together
	1 tsp granulated sugar	the lime wedges and sugar. Add Cabana
	V2 lime, quartered	Cachaca, a splash of club soda and plenty
	Club Soda	of ice. Mix well. Pour into an old-fashioned
	Ice	glass, turn up bands like Jota Quest on your
	Ice	MP3 player, and enjoy the flavors of Rio.

GENIUS FROM JAPAN

The arts of Japan will arrive in Washington en masse this month at the Kennedy Center's Japan! Culture and Hyper Culture exhibition, a two-week, all encompassing celebration of the arts and culture of the island nation. The festival will feature the work of 450 artists in more than 40 performances of music, dance, and theater, including 15 premieres. Be sure to stop by the "Robotopia Rising" exhibit for a glimpse into what the future holds. Festival runs from February 5-17 at the Kennedy Center; for schedules and tickets visit www.kennedy-center.org.

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