Red velvet hearts and love message cookies, pink cakes and blushing macaroons.

Valentine's Day is just a week and a day away and local confectioners and bakers are putting out their wares and taking orders for seasonal specialties.

Honolulu Chocolate Co. co-owner Michael Cummins says buying chocolates is not just a man-for-woman thing anymore. "You know women always take care of their girlfriends, also within offices, there are appreciation gifts, people are going to lunch together and bringing chocolates along," he said.

Not sure where to go, what's out there or how much you'll have to spend? Here, in alphabetical order, is a range of options, from $1.10 for foil-wrapped chocolate hearts at See's Candies to $99.90 for a 49-piece selection from Padovani's Chocolates. Some shops will be open extended hours on Feb. 14, Valentine's Day.

Cake Couture, Aina Haina Shopping Center, 820 W. Hind Drive; 373-9750.

At this cupcake boutique, baker Carmen Emerson-Bass creates unusual specials every week (chai spice, chocolate mint, bittersweet chocolate with hazelnut-Frangelico Italian buttercream), so imagine what she must be planning for Valentine's Day. They include red velvet cupcakes, chocolate with bittersweet ganache topped with white chocolate raspberry rosettes, chocolate with pink marshmallow topping and pink sugar sprinkles, fresh strawberry, cupcakes adorned with handmade sugar fondant decorations. They will be offering individual cupcake boxes wrapped with red satin ribbon, as well as boxes of one dozen with a satin bow.

Cake Works, 2820 S. King St.; 946-4333.

Baker Abi Langlas, who has taken over the site once occupied by Mary Catherine's Bakery, is preparing heart-shaped chocolate extravagance cakes ($18), strawberry shortcakes ($15 for 6-inch cake; $16.50 for heart-shaped cake) and chocolate-dipped strawberries ($1.50). They're also contemplating making some of their signature red velvet cakes in heart shapes. Some of these are available now, or can be ordered in advance. The strawberries will be available closer to Valentine's Day.

Godiva Chocolatier, Kahala Mall, Ala Moana, Waikiki, Waikele Premium Outlets.

The world-renowned maker of fine chocolates offers Valentine's gifts in several moods. For the truly lovestruck, there's the Romantic Box, a heart-shaped box draped in rippling layers of red organza fastened with a sparkling crystal — the evening gown of heart-shaped boxes — 1 pound (40 pieces), about $90. For a more cute and cuddly effect, they've got a soft teddy bear with a pink bow around his neck cradling a six-pack of chocolates for about $24. And for the very dignified, there's the ballotin (square gold box) of mixed pralines, ganaches, caramels in dark, white and milk chocolate, from 8 pieces for about $15 to 36 pieces for about $44.

Hokulani Bakery, Restaurant Row; 587-7098.

Specializing in cupcakes and cookies, Hokulani has developed a local following for its commitment to "real" ingredients — no trans fats, real dairy butter, homestyle baking in smaller batches. Owner Tushar Dubay said they're offering three unusual Valentine-themed products. One is the Love Note Cookie, a cookie topped with hard royal icing printed with what looks like a scroll, sold with a red edible ink marker and a tote bag, for $6; you write your own message on the cookie. Also available is a four-pack of red velvet cupcakes, each topped with a piped-on red heart, in an eco-friendly clear container (recyclable, made of cornstarch), for $12, with a gift bag. And the skilled icing crew at Hokulani has created a slightly more risque line of lingerie cookies ($3.75 each), topped with piped-on lace and blank white hearts, upon which messages can be written with an edible ink pen ($1 when sold separately). They've come up with some catchy phrases including an anti-Valentine, "It's SO over."

Honolulu Chocolate Co., Ward Centre; 591-2997.

Chocolate-dipped strawberries have been tradition at Honolulu Chocolate Co. for 23 years, available only from Feb. 12 to 14. "We only do them in dark (chocolate)," said co-owner Cummins. "I've decided the dark chocolate offers the best contrast with the strawberries." Finding the berries is an annual headache, he said. "I only get the ones that will have flavor all the way through. I don't want just a pretty strawberry, and you bite into it and there's nothing there; I want them red all the way to the hip." A 1-pound box of 12 to 14 chocolate-dipped strawberries will be $32. Honolulu Chocolate Co. represents acclaimed Joseph Schmidt chocolates here, with boxes full of the signature domed truffles in fantastic patterns of white, light and dark chocolates (from $24.95 for a beautifully batiked, handpainted box of 6 pieces to $36 for a satin or velvet heart-shaped, 1-pound box). Or you can choose a selection of the Chocolate Co.'s own chocolates.

Malie Kai Chocolates, Find them at specialty food and gift shops, including Epicure at Neiman Marcus, Pat's Island Delights, R. Field shops at Foodland stores, Honolulu Coffee Co., Martin & MacArthur, Executive Chef, 'Umeke Market, Tamura's Fine Wine & Liquors, Sweet Memories, North Shore Soap Factory, Chocolate Gecko and Blue Hawaii LifeStyle.

If you want to skip the reds and pinks, and instead indulge in fine chocolate made from Waialua-grown cacao beans, Malie Kai specializes in solid chocolate bars, packed in bright tropical-themed wrapping. They make the only American-grown, single-estate chocolate bars in the country.

Padovani's Chocolates, The Shops at Cannery Square, 650 Iwilei Road, (park in Costco lot); 536-4567.

Chef and confectioner Philippe Padovani is crossing his fingers that he'll be able to get enough Kula strawberries to be one of few outlets to wrap chocolate around locally grown fruit; if not, he'll order from California. Chocolate-dipped strawberries will be by pre-order only, by Feb. 10. He said the sweets will be made with a 66 percent dark caraibe couverture made from renowned Valrhona French Chocolates. "It's the same chocolate I use as a base to make my candy," Padovani said. "The majority of chocolate-dipped fruit is based on oil, but the taste is 200 percent different. This caraibe chocolate has a snap and tastes very different." The store will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 12, 13 and 14. Aso available, red velvet boxes of mixed chocolates (11 pieces, $29.50; 24 pieces, $58), painted rose hearts (4 pieces, $12.50; 9 pieces, $23.85) and butterfly-shaped boxes priced the same as red velvet. Padovani's specializes in chocolates that speak of the Islands: liliko'i or Ka'u orange soft caramel or filled chocolates with flavors of mango, apple banana and spicy ginger — even a Sea Breeze Soft Caramel with a touch of sea salt.

See's Candies, Ala Moana, Kahala Mall and Pearlridge Center Phase I.

Remember when we used to have to bring See's back from the Mainland before they established their shops here? For Valentine's Day, the longtime favorite chocolate maker is doing three different heart-shaped boxes — red satin, red and gold and a clever tuxedo-front box that would work well for a man's gift. Prices range for heart-shaped boxes from $24.45 for 1 pound, up to $38.65 for 2 pounds. But you can also pick up a 12-pack of scotchmallow hearts (caramel and marshmallow) for $15.60, a red organza bag of chocolate hearts for $6.75 or a foil-wrapped heart for as little as $1.10. See's makes more than 50 candy varieties (though not all are available at all times and all outlets); a couple are particularly suited for the "red" holiday — raspberry cream and Mayfair (buttercream with cherries and walnuts).

Sugar Rush by Frances, 1404 Colburn St., Kalihi; 949-4948.

This small, primarily catering operation specializes in mini desserts and is offering a new 9-piece set with a 10th piece free from now through Valentine's Day. All sales are by pre-order. Prices range from $1.35 to $1.65 per piece and owner Frances Yoshinaga Pons says they're "awash in pinks and reds." The pink French macaroon cookies are "selling like crazy," she said. Check the Web site for flavors from truffle cakes to lemon tarts: www.sugarrushhi.com.