Flowers, candies, a day at the spa…
When it comes to Valentine’s Day, there are plenty of gift ideas for women, but what about men?
If a bouquet or a box of bonbons just won’t say “I love you” to your favourite fella, here are a few suggestions that might appeal to their manly nature.
A new Ottawa business is turning the spa experience on its ear. Warren Chase Urban Retreat for Men is a style and grooming centre designed with the male in mind. The décor includes things like industrial storage cabinets-turned-barber stations, and big, leather-covered chairs facing TV screens for manicures and pedicures. “We tried to create and environment for guys where you can feel very comfortable being groomed,” says co-owner Trevor White.
The Warren Chase Urban Retreat offers everything from haircuts to full body waxes to massages. It even has style coaching for those men needing to up their game in the wardrobe department. It’s a place for men to get the grooming they need without having to go to their wife’s salon or spa. “It’s not a spa, I guess is what we’re saying,” explains White. “It’s not your wife’s spa. It’s not your dad’s barber. It’s a retreat for you.”
Another way to say “I love you, you big lug” is candy, but not just any candy. Ottawa’s Sugar Mountain candy store chain offers treats to tempt a more testosterone-fuelled palate – insects. There are chocolate-covered insects, spicy crickets, original worm treats, and even scorpion suckers. “We explain to them it’s a great source of protein,” says Sugar Mountain’s Laura Sinclair.
And, for the slightly-squeamish, they also offer a candy bar for your big hunk. It’s called the Big Hunk.
If you don’t want to buy your sweetie something sweet then how about a shot of scotch? Some bars offer personal scotch tastings. A flight of scotch, as it’s called, includes four samples of the precious liquid served with a tasting guide by a scotch consultant like Nelson Simmonds of Ottawa’s The Highlander Pub. It can cost anywhere from around thirty dollars, up to almost four hundred dollars for a single shot of their most expensive brand.
And finally, what guy doesn’t like electronics? Outdoor equipment store, Sail, offers up this suggestion – a state-of-the-art military-grade GPS watch. It’s perfect for the hiking or running enthusiast. At the very least, it might help that man of yours find his way home from the scotch tasting.
