A Valentine’s gift guide for LGBTQ lovers

Here are some quirky gift ideas for same-sex lovebirds.

Neon Love Sign

Flexible LED tubing that

mimics the real glow of neon turns your romantic passion into illuminated wall art with Amped & Co’s white “love sign” mounted on clear acrylic backing for easy hanging. “Love” in purple and a red heart also are available. $60, ampedandco.com

Vibrating Couple Bracelets

Sensory technology in Bond Touch’s vibrating bracelets

allow couples to ping each other – no matter the distance – to calm anxiety, create a sense of intimacy, and strengthen relationships. A quick tap on the bracelet relays to your partner that they’re on your mind, plus you can create custom codes like three taps for “I Love You.” $98/pair, bond-touch.com

This Date in Music Book

Your favorite music lover will appreciate author Mike Walter’s On This Date in Music book, which features stories of significant events in audio history for each day of the year – from Edison patenting the phonograph to Pharrell Williams’ 10-week “Happy” run in 2014. Bar trivia is in your future. $30, amazon.com

Starry Sky Map

Did the stars align the night you two met? They did, and you can take away a memento of that specific time and place with an exact depiction of how the cosmos looked overhead. My Sky Moment provides a personalized print of your celestial encounter that blends astronomy and art with a dash of sentiment. $50, myskymoment.com

Same-Sex Cake Toppers

While finding a bakery to supply your Valentine’s wedding cake could be tricky in some parts of this country, head Down Under for exquisitely designed same-sex cake toppers. Australia’s Marri Tree Lane offers both sexes singly in light, medium, and dark skin tones to accurately represent the betrothed. $20, marritreelane.com.au

Beekman 1802 Sweet Treats

Indulge in straight-from-the-farm sweets from the Fabulous Beekman Boys with their Chewy Gooey Caramels, salty goat milk fudge cookies, or the Snuggle Bundle, which includes a pair of Beekman 1802 enamelware mugs and your choice of Heirloom Pantry Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa or double chocolate hot cocoa – which calls for a stay-in-bed snow day. $15-$30, shop.beekman1802.com

Love-Themed Beaded Pins

Handmade beaded pins from celeb-worn Jewels for Hope – in a Pride heart or bouquet of flowers – keeps Valentine’s gift giving sweet and simple. Upon checkout, select one of several charitable organizations that a portion of proceeds will benefit, including the Born This Way Foundation. $35-$55, etsy.com/shop/jewelsforhope

Fog of Love Game

Settlers of Catan meets RomCom in Fog of Love, a two-player strategy game where players role-play as couples to experience all the milestones, hurdles, compromises, and celebrations of a typical relationship to end up happily ever after or in heartache – because ya win some and ya lose some. $50, walmart.com

Customized Skin Care

Artificial intelligence uses your partner’s skin type, age, living environment, stress, and other factors to design a personalized Y’OUR Skin Care regimen that includes a cleanser, day cream, night cream, and serum for a smoother, more kissable complexion. $180, y-ourskin.com

Léon and George Plants

Keep a symbol of your love fresh and vibrant with help from Léon & George, purveyors of stunning, responsibly-sourced statement-piece houseplants styled by interior design pros. Choose from 13 varieties of flora, including peperomia, silver evergreen, and bird’s nest fern, that each arrive with a wood-crafted dock. For every plant purchased, a donation is made to plant trees for humanity. $79-$109, leonandgeorge.com

Travel-Tracking Maps

Travel the country (or the world if you’re ambitious) while tracking your progress on push-pin maps from GeoJango. Framed versions as wall art provide a special way to look back on a lifetime of adventure. Sports maps also are available to chronicle tours of MLB, NHL, NFL, and NBA stadiums. $99, geojango.com

What I Love About You book

If whispering sweet nothings isn’t your forte, pick up a copy of the fill-in-the-blank book What I Love About You, which prompts you to complete evocative checklists, deliver compliments, and otherwise tap into your sensitive side for a gift that your partner will cherish forever. $9, amazon.com

WhistlePig + Alfa Romeo F1

SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.

The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.

Keep readingShow less
by Spectrum Medical Care Center

Nurse Practitioner Ari Kravitz

When I started medical transition at 20 years old, it was very difficult to get the care I needed for hormone replacement therapy because there are very few providers trained in starting hormones for trans people, even though it’s very similar to the hormones that we prescribe to women in menopause or cisgender men with low testosterone.

I hope more providers get trained in LGBTQ+ healthcare, so they can support patients along their individual gender journey, and provide the info needed to make informed decisions about their body. I’ve personally seen my trans patients find hope and experience a better quality of life through hormone replacement therapy.

Keep readingShow less

Descanso Resort swimming pool and lounge area

Descanso Resort, Palm Springs' premier destination for gay men, just received Tripadvisor's highest honor, a Travelers' Choice "Best of the Best" award for 2023. Based on guests' reviews and ratings, fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings around the world receive the coveted "Best of the Best" designation. Descanso ranked 12th in the top 25 small inns and hotels category in the United States. Quite an accomplishment!

Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.

Keep readingShow less