Good Thursday, Blogtown! I'm Clare Gordon, The Mercury's newest and greenest intern. Nice to meet you and please don't eat me alive—I'm still learning.

So whether you're blissfully matched or romantically challenged, Valentine's Day should involve a substantial amount of chocolate, pastries, ice cream... right? You name it, if it's got enough sugar and class, I'd never say no on February 14th. So the buzzkill of winter's sweetest holiday is my dentist, who scheduled me a cavity filling (not the fun kind) on a day when I would otherwise be indulging in my favorite treats. (Don't miss me too much, Cacao. I'll be back soon, Pix!)

Instead, I'll be getting my teeth drilled at 11:30 am on Tuesday, and spend the better part of the holiday with a lopsided smile... and NO CHOCOLATE.

No doubt A Room With a View for the third (or fourth?) time is on the agenda while my face slowly regains mobility. (Apologies to the housemates for drooling on the couch. I swear it's the numbing shot, not my crush on Julian Sands... this time.)

But what about post-Sands? Since solid treats are off the menu, I'm determined to consciously ignore any and all studies linking drinking to tooth decay and imbibe my Valentine's Day indulgences... and I'm ready to experiment. So help me out, Blogtown. What and where is your preferred cocktail? The Dark and Stormy is my standby, but I feel like diversifying. Let me in on your favorite fancy drink and the bar that makes it best and I'll send some good Valentine's Day vibes your way. Not that you need them :)