Esquire: February 2005

True romance

If, like the majority of mankind, you’ve left it to the last minute to organize something for Valentine’s weekend (and no, Love Actually on DVD and a pizza do not count), the European Cities edition of the Mr & Mrs Smith Hotel Collection (Spy Publishing, £24.95;  www.mrandmrssmith.com), complied from personal recommendations by the Mr & Mrs Smith team (which includes Stella McCartney, restaurateur Oliver Peyton and The Times food critic Giles Coren), might just get you out of an awkward spot.  Buying a copy also signs you in to the Mr & Mrs Smith membership scheme.  Alternatively, you can always say it (“it” being “Oops, nearly forgot”) with 0800flowers.com, an online service that sources flowers direct from Holland (believe us, they know the difference) and offers same-day, next-day or worldwide delivery.  Meanwhile, if you’re planning on popping the question, news reaches us from “a leading tour operator” that the place where most women would like to be proposed to is… Iceland.