Happy New Year! The Chinese calendar declares this the year of the rabbit, a period that’s meant to be relaxing and reflective. Ease into it by reclining in front of giant bowls of amazing Cantonese and Schezwan dishes at one of the area’s best Chinese restaurants. From casual Chinatown haunts to gourmet Main Line menus, there’s a pair of chopsticks with your name on them.

Two weeks and counting, loves, until Valentine’s Day. Sure, we understand that it’s a commercial invention steeped in overpriced gifts and forced affection, but that doesn’t mean it can’t also just happen to be the day you decide to inject some spice back into a relationship. Suggestion #1: head to one of these five area shops and come home with a dainty little bag of silk and lace instead of the annual fading flowers. We think you can handle the rest.

February means Valentine’s Day … which means that restaurant chefs throughout the area will be showcasing special menus over the big weekend (many of which we’ll be profiling for you here in the next few days). But Stella Blu, that sweet little romantic dining room in West Conshohocken, is wondering why hold back? Instead of keeping their special lobster menu tucked away, they are offering it all through February.

No matter your mood, it’s always the right time for a taste of the sweet stuff. From old school favorites like Lemonheads and Dots to more modern creations, we adore every little candy bite from the sweet to the sour. Grab a bag and pile in the goodies at one of these Philly treat shops.

Milk or dark, unadulterated or jam-packed with oozy, gooey fillings, it’s hard to say no to the allure of chocolate. Step inside one of these top area chocolatiers, and you’ll find the draw irresistible. From local ingredients to off-the-wall flavor combos, they are masters of the art.

We’ve all known it was coming, thanks to the massive photos of freshly baked bread and decadent little desserts slathered across the windows for the past few months. And with a name like Le Pain Quotidein, we have been dreaming about still-warm croissants and crusty French baguettes. The bakery opened its doors last week and two surprises have been revealed: they serve way more than bread and there’s no bakery on premise.

There is nary a person out there that doesn’t fall for the delicious allure of chocolate, but this indulgence can do so much more than just curb a craving. Packed with antioxidants, it actually makes for a decadent spa treatment, too. Enjoy a bit of the sweet stuff during your next trip to one of these area spas and give your entire body a treat.

Guess what, my Philadelphia friends? It’s going to snow. Again. Because, apparently, it wouldn’t be January in Philly if there wasn’t snow on the ground every single day.

As you can tell, I’m already over the white stuff. But there are other aspects of winter that I can still get behind. Fireplace. Fuzzy slippers. And spice-spiked winter beers. I can’t imagine this year’s host, the Starlight Ballroom, is going to allow anything to be set on fire or that anyone will be showing up in their favorite fluffy footwear, but this Saturday’s Winter Beerfest will have plenty of that third lovely item on tap.

If the past few weeks have been any indication, Philadelphia is on tap to get more than a dusting of snow this winter. Block the images of you shoveling out your driveway or slip-sliding down 95 out of your head, and instead focus on the new array of cold-winter sports that are at your disposal. Invigorating and energizing, these activities are exciting enough to make winter worth it. Don’t worry, you can always warm up with hot chocolate afterward.