A deeply romantic Valentine’s Day does not require huge amounts of cash. A pair of fourth-ring seats for the New York City Ballet’s staging of West Side Story Suite is $40. The dancers (whose performance shoes are pictured here) will seem far away, but Jerome Robbins’s choreography and Leonard Bernstein’s heart-stopping score are undiminished (bring tissues, and binoculars). There are performances on February 9, 13, 15, and 20, but the 13th is Valentine’s Eve (20 Lincoln Center, nr. 62nd St.; 212-870-5570 or nycballet.com for tickets). For more simple romance, click ahead.
Spell It Out
Whether you bake or buy dessert, serve it on plates that state your feelings (set of four LOVE plates, $176 at Clio, 92 Thompson St., nr. Spring St.; 212-966-8991).
Playlist-Sharing Is Caring
You can learn a lot about someone from his playlist; the MiShare lets two iPods share content ($99 at Tekserve, 119 W. 23rd St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-929-3645).
Abracadabra Her
The staff at Fantasma Magic will happily teach this disappearing-candy trick, which involves transforming a flaming heart into a piece of chocolate (the Kiss Machine, $25; 421 Seventh Ave., at 33rd St., second fl.; 212-244-3633).
Dine Beneath a Languorous Nude
Rather than fight for reservations somewhere trendy, share the steak au poivre ($37) and a bottle of red wine in a booth at Raoul’s, whose cozy bistro atmosphere and art-covered walls are almost unchanged since its 1975 opening (180 Prince St., nr. Sullivan St.; 212-966-3518).
It Doesn’t Have to Be a Diamond
Manuela Zanvettori’s Murano-glass rings are inspired by water and astronomy, and each is a different galaxy of light filled with mica or chalcedony quartz ($550 at R 20th Century, 82 Franklin St., nr. Church St.; 212-343-7979).
First You Lick the Frosting…
Chocolate is expected, but a sprinkle-topped cookie has “be my valentine” charm in its favor ($20 for four jars at Macy’s, 151 W. 34th St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-695-4400).
Make Your Own Poetry
Buy two copies of Dr. Seuss’s My Book About Me. Fill one out about yourself, let your intended complete the other, then exchange them ($15 at Borders, 10 Columbus Circle, at 58th St.; 212-823-9775).
Let Lichtenstein Be Your Card-maker
A handwritten poem on the back of an art postcard is more heartfelt than prefab (refillable ballpoint pens, $1.50 each at Muji, 455 Broadway, nr. Grand St.; 212-334-2002; postcards, $1.25 each at MoMA Design Store Soho, 81 Spring St., at Crosby St.; 646-613-1367).