Butter up your valentine

Who needs flowers or greeting cards? Impress your Valentine’s Day date with food. Here is one unique and alternative (but still sweet) way to show your date that you care: Head off to a lunch or early dinner at Russian Chocolate (10170 Croydon Way) which closes at 5 p.m. This bakery, despite its name, doesn’t only carry chocolate. It carries a full selection of Russian and European baked goods and food, everything from pirozhki (stuffed Russian pastry buns) to mille-feuille (Napoleons). Tip: Pair up a delicious sandwich with something from the store’s diverse cookie selection. After your meal there, head to Sacramento’s de facto “sweet corner.” On the northwest side of 19th and L streets, you’ll find three local, artisanal dessert shops all right next to each other: Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates (1801 L Street, Suite 60), TreyBcakes (1801 L Street, Suite 70) and Yogurtagogo (1801 L Street, Suite 90).