Who says you have to jump on a plane to get a Valentine's weekend vacation? At the newly renovated Best Western Coconut Hotel in Waikiki, you can get away for an urban adventure without leaving the island. The mod, bright rooms have LCD TV and Wi-Fi, accented with splashes of sea-foam green and coral and a touch of Art Deco — and there's a cutesy pool and fitness center, too. With kama'aina rates, you can splurge on other Waikiki attractions. Best Western Coconut Waikiki, 450 Lewers St., www.bestwesternhawaii.com, 923-8828.

— Lacy Matsumoto

SALES & BARGAINS

• Long-stem roses are expensive, usually don't smell as sweet as they should, and only last a week. Plus they're a little staid. Surprise her with an unexpected gift that will give her months of that sweet and intense rose scent. Jo Malone's Red Roses Body Lotion is creamy and moisturizing, but not at all greasy. The scent is naturally derived from seven different kinds of roses. Its intense aroma is not for the faint of heart, but subtly used it's the perfect accent to a sweet and sexy night (and a lot more luxurious than a lace teddy). The same scent is also available in cologne or bath oil. The sweetest part? Every time your valentine uses the lotion, she'll be reminded of you. It's $65 at Neiman Marcus, Ala Moana Center, 951-8887, www.nordstrom.com.

• So you've got the long-stem roses for Valentine's Day, but what to put them in to show that you really care? At local boy Geoff Lee's Island Glassworks in Kailua, all of his uniquely designed and hand-blown utilitarian pieces are lovely on the eyes — and not too bad on the wallet either. Show that you care about your local economy too; spend your Benjamins locally. Island Glassworks, 171-A Hamakua Dr., Kailua; 263-4525.

• There's a special appeal to updated classics. The new store Cloth has done it with what they call "vintage reimagined." Owner Micah Iaukea has culled some really cute pieces in excellent shape at very good prices. She keeps the integrity of the original design but makes subtle tweaks like shortening a hemline or altering a neckline or sleeve. The shop is a dream closet accented with some new accessories such as jewelry and belts, modern pieces that work well to update a look. The best part? Alterations are included in the price. That's a huge savings. Cloth, 909 Kapi'olani Blvd.; 341-9044.

• Spread your love with a handmade valentine by who else but you? Go old-school with a potato print piece using a classic second-grade staple, tempera paint. Mix colors and have some fun. Make it even more Earth-friendly by stamping your heart prints on some cardboard or posterboard lying around. Your only limit is your imagination. Pick up supplies at your local craft or drug store.

— Pualana Lemelle

RELEASES

VON BONDIES HIT BACK

There are five things that have held the Von Bondies back from truly capitalizing on the band's pop-savvy garage swagger: the fingers on Jack White's punching fist.

After Bondies singer Jason Stollsteimer was on the losing end of a nasty scuffle with White in 2004, the band never really recovered in the public eye. Which is a bit of a shame, because although its latest album, "Love Hate and Then There's You" (Majordomo Records), is right out of the Stooges/MC5 canon, there are a few unexpectedly tight tunes that hit as hard as, well, a sock in the eye.

The album owes as much to producer Butch Walker's immaculate pop ear as any Bondie, and the immediacy of cuts such as "21st Birthday" and "Blame Game" proves that good rock music usually benefits from expert second opinions.

— August Brown, Los Angeles Times

MUSIC BYTES

• Melissa Auf der Maur, formerly of Hole and Smashing Pumpkins, has created a "multimedia concept album that incorporates an album, film, comic and Web site," called "Out of Our Minds." The short film premieres at this year's Sundance Film Festival; see the trailer at http://ooomfilm.com/trailer. Buy an accompanying EP at http://xmadmx.com/obtain.

• The folks behind the Bonnaroo Festival have launched Bonnaroo 365, streaming select performances on www.Bonnaroo.com.

• The Pretenders (right) are inviting fans to upload videos for "Boots of Chinese Plastic," a song from 2008's "Break Up the Concrete," for a contest co-sponsored by PETA. One winner will be flown to Los Angeles to appear in a Pretenders video; http://thepretenders.com/petacontest.html.

• The soundtrack for the CBS drama "NCIS," out Tuesday, includes songs from Dashboard Confessional, Jakob Dylan and others. Preview tracks at http://ncismusic.com.

— USA Today

WHAT'S ON YOUR IPOD?

B-boy JD

"Back it up," Webz

"Hatin' On The Club," Rihanna featuring The Dream

"I Get Money," 50 Cent

"Planet Rock," Afrika Bambaataa

"Swift-Twisted," Dieselboy

SWEETHEART SAIL

Choices, choices: Woo your sweetie in a crowded restaurant — or set sail and get away from it all on the Ko Olina Cat? The catamaran sets sail daily from 5 to 7 p.m. for a cocktail cruise on the west side of O'ahu, where the sun sets.

This cruise has a different feel than other cheesy tourist trips, with a young and lively crew, and includes gourmet pupu and two free drinks. Additional glasses of beer, wine, and champagne are $1, and mixed cocktails are $2. The beautiful atmosphere gives another meaning to "happy hour." Cruises are $54 per adult with the 10 percent kama'aina discount. To make a reservation, contact Hawaii Nautical, www.hawaiinautical.com or 234-7245 (234-SAIL).

— L.M.

HOT TICKETS

A couple of can't-miss concerts are just around the corner ...

• Of Montreal (right), Feb. 21 at Next Door: The Georgia-based prog-pop rockers are returning, this time with more buzz than ever. Their latest album, "Skeletal Lamping" (Polyvinyl Records), made it onto a number of "best albums of 2008" lists, including those of Paste and Rolling Stone. Ara Laylo, the power behind the weekly Enterprise party who brought out Menomena last year, is responsible for this show. She rocks. Buy advance tickets, $20, at http://enterprise.bigcartel.com.

• Face to Face, March 3 at Pipeline: These SoCal punk-rockers have a strong reputation and an avid following. But wait. Didn't they break up like, five years ago? Guess they're back: In January 2008, they announced a reunion and limited tour that has included Europe, Australia and now, Honolulu. No complaint: These guys could rock a room like crazy — and word is, they still got it. Presented by BAMP; tickets, $25 and $50, are on sale at www.Ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets, or charge by phone at 1-877-750-4400. Get more info at www.bampproject.com.

— Kawehi Haug