By Jeryl Brunner

Someone once told me that when it comes to dating, especially early on, it’s important to place you and your date into the epicenter of something fun and amusing.  So, in case you aren’t clicking or the conversation is generally going south, the environment around you can pick up the slack, offering instant entertainment.

So this Valentine’s Day, instead of going for the quiet table at the dimly lit restaurant, opt for something a bit more lively that will spark conversation.  Honestly, I’ve been told that the circus makes a nice date option, and is good for people watching and observation.  (“Look at that clown juggle 14 plates!  Get a load of that tightrope walker!”)  But since the circus isn’t in town, I turned to famous New Yorkers and their favorite romantic New York City spots for advice:

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By Katanya Royster

Relationships can be hard work, and they require a lot of effort to be put in from both ends.  When you both commit, it makes it all worthwhile- in most cases.  While many relationships start off on a high note and continue on the path of blissfulness, others plummet to a place of irreconcilable differences, physical altercations and repeated infidelity.  They end up heading straight to Splittsville.  In fact, all you have to do is ask the following couples:

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Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds, two of Hollywood’s brightest young stars, have put their former Los Angeles, CA, love nest on the market.  Shortly after the couple’s divorce, they took the next step in their separation and put their amazing 4bed/3bath up for sale.  It will be hard for the former couple to say their goodbyes to the house’s beautiful views of West Hollywood and the Pacific as well as their exclusive walled garden and outdoor bath.  Their move can be a positive step towards closure in their relationship.

By Sarah Thaman

Excited about an upcoming Valentine’s Day date?  Even if you’re going out with your husband or long time bf, it’s a great excuse to shake things up and go out for a night on the town.  Lost on what to wear?  Never fear!  I’m here with different looks that are sure to please you and your man.  Here’s the final of the three looks:

This Valentine’s Day look is great if you’re meeting up with your date after a long work day.  Switch out your shoes for a flash of metallic and a big cocktail ring to jazz it up.  Keep your makeup minimal and freshen it up with a highlighter to give your face a subtle glow.  When swiped down the bridge of the nose, the Cupid’s bow, and near the temples, highlighter gives your face a gorgeous, fresh look.  The pop of seafoam green in the fold-over clutch adds a surprising and polished detail.  Again, keeping with the “fresh” and sophisticated look.

Enjoy a romantic night out looking fabulous!  For more Valentine’s Day inspiration visit this Gal’s Guide to Valentine’s Day at handbagheaven.com!

While Sarah Thaman may not be a professional stylist, she prides herself on choosing fashion that looks polished and classic, and she’s always helping friends choose their date outfits.  Although she’s a writer for Handbag Heaven by day, outside of work she takes joy in being a matchmaker, a newlywed, and a momma to her precious puppy, Luna.

Channing Tatum’s next big project may just be starting a family.  The Vow actor and his wife, actress Jenna Dewan, told Hollyscoop.com that they are opting to have kids at some point in the future.  “We’re married, so it doesn’t get any further than that,” Tatum said.  Although the couple plans to procreate, it won’t be anytime soon, given that the two are busy working on other projects.  Despite having a demanding schedule, the couple manages to keep their marriage fresh by being creative and communicating.  Tatum admits that he loves leaving notes around for his wife to show how much he loves her, while Dewan states they make sure to see each other.  “We have a like a two week rule.  So we see each other every two weeks…If you want to make it work, you make it work.”

How do you know when your relationship is ready for kids?

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It looks as if Zac Efron may have a new woman in his life.  According to People, Lily Collins, 22, the star of the upcoming film Mirror Mirror, was spotted having dinner with Efron in Los Angeles at STK on Saturday night.  A source says the couple arrived together holding hands.  They were there to celebrate one of Efron’s friend’s birthdays.  After having a drink at the bar, they joined the birthday party on the patio.  To clear up any confusion about Demi Moore and her daughter Rumer, Efron told Extra, “Me and Rumer have been friends for a long time.  I know Demi is going through some personal stuff right now.  I just wish her well.  I hope she’s doing okay.”

What are three strong dinner date conversational points?

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With parents like David and Victoria Beckham, it seems natural to say that Brooklyn, 12, Romeo, 9, and Cruz, 6, have been raised with a competitive spirit built in.  “It would be easy for our kids to sit back and not work for anything, but they’re not like that,” David, 36, told Men’s Health.  “They’re as competitive as Victoria, 37, and me.”  The couple plans to instill the same values into Harper Seven who was born in July 2011, according to UsMagazine.com.  “We’re very luck with our boys: They want to win.  They want to work at something.  They know their values.  That’s the way we’ve brought them up so far, and that’s the way we’ll continue to bring them up,” said David.  “Family is the most important thing to me.”

How do you teach your kids that being competitive can be a good thing?

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By Matthew Dougherty

With Valentine’s Day coming up, this movie is sure to be a hit.  Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum star was Paige and Leo, a happily married couple whose lives could change forever after a fateful car accident leaves Paige without the memories of their entire relationship.  To make matters worse, Paige believes she is still engaged to her ex, who likes the idea of having her back.  Leo must make her fall in love with him all over again.

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By Donetta Huffman

Finding out if you and your sweetheart are meant to be is sometimes a gut feeling, judged by your relationship’s strengths and flaws.  However, many couples (more often women) seek clarity by visiting psychics and astrologers.  Whether for fun or to validate some serious decision-making about the fate of a relationship, these ‘supernatural’ predicting methods are a trend for young women looking for advice.  If you’re a numbers gal, numerology may be the thing that you crave.

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It seems Jennifer Aniston is no longer concerned with her ex-husband Brad Pitt.  She’s now very happy with her new guy, Justin Theroux.  According to People, the actress’ relationship with Theroux is “going strong,” and she says that she’s in a “joyful and peaceful” place in her life.  What’s their secret to a healthy relationship?  Not only do they have a love for acting in common, filming Wanderlust together, but they also share a sense of style.

What are some important things you should have in common with your partner?

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Robert Downey Jr. welcomed a son, Exton Elias Downey, into the world at 7:24am on Tuesday, Feb 7 in LA.  Downey’s wife, Susan, delivered her son at 7lbs 5oz.  “Everyone is healthy and couldn’t be happier,” a friend said, according to People.  The Sherlock Holmes star revealed the sex of the baby on national television back in August, which was unexpected for his wife.  “I could never really stay mad at him, but I can tell you it genuinely wasn’t something we planned to reveal,” Susan later commented.  The married couple is thrilled to have given Indio, Downey’s 18 year-old son from his previous marriage, a little brother.

What are some reasons to keep the sex of your baby a secret?

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By Renee Lee

It doesn’t matter if you live life in the fast lane, with family in the suburbs, or somewhere in between, Valentine’s Day is a time to take a moment to appreciate yourself and those we love.  My rule of thumb is to remove all pressures associated with the holiday and instead indulge in life’s simple pleasures.  Because I am a Matchmaker here in NYC, I’ve ended up working in a very celebrity focused market.  Therefore, let’s take a look at recent heart break and hookups as examples on how to make Valentine’s Day that much sweeter.

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Jennifer Aniston and boyfriend Justin Theroux went for an early dinner at a restaurant in one of their favorites hotels, L.A’s Sunset Tower Hotel.  An onlooker claims the couple looked very happy while they enjoyed their low-key evening in matching leather jackets, according to UsMagazine.com.  The two ended their early dinner, and walked out with their arms around each other.

What are some ways to spice up an ordinary dinner date?

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No serenade can change Heidi Klum’s mind.  Sources say that Klum does not wish to get back together with Seal, her husband of seven years, according to  HollyScoop.  Though Klum and Seal still wear their wedding rings, a source close to Klum says, “They have zero plans to get back together.”  Klum is reportedly miffed that Seal “won’t shut up” about their separation.

How do you keep from falling back into an unhealthy relationship?

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Although Jennifer Fritsch was eliminated during the rose ceremony last week by The Bachelor‘s Ben Flajnik, she isn’t holding it against him.  That said, she is rooting for all the final girls but one, and that’s front-runner Courtney.  Fritsch claims to no longer be bitter towards Flajnik for his surprising elimination, but says that Courtney is not the girl for him.  She believes the skinny-dipping model is in it for her career, and she doubts that she even has feelings for Flajnik.  In her opinion, Courtney is as bad of a person as she’s portrayed to be on the show. In an interview with People, Fritsch said she would advise The Bachelor to “run for the hills” when it comes to this contestant.

How do you know when to take your friend’s relationship advice seriously?

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By Erika Mionis

Valentine’s Day is the one holiday completely dedicated to our love lives.  If you’re single, you’ll survive.  If you’re in a relationship, then congratulations!  Now you can worry about gifts and date ideas for the coming holiday.  Though there’s nothing wrong with the classic dinner date, you can be sure you and your significant other won’t be the only couple with the same idea.  Here are a few unique date ideas to make this Valentine’s Day one you’ll never forget:

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Though Katy Perry may not be fully ready to move on from ex-husband Russell Brand, she is getting there.  According to UsMagazine.com, the singer was seen at a pre-Super Bowl party where she was seen mingling with many sexy athletes in attendance.  She may not be hearing wedding bells again anytime soon, but she’s certainly back to her old joking self.  “You’ll be the first straight man I’ve had a photo with in a long time, so live up to it,” she said to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, as they posted for a picture together.

How do you know how long to wait before moving on after a split?

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Julianne Hough does not take her relationship for granted.  People reports that the dancer has a difficult time coordinating schedules with radio personality Ryan Seacrest, her beau of nearly two years.  “[Balancing your career and a relationship] is a hard thing to do, especially when you’re so caught up in your work and bettering yourself,” said Hough.  “I’m so lucky that I have a great relationship.  I’m very blessed and I don’t take anything for granted.  I think if you alienate people and just focus on your work then it just becomes lonely and it’s not fun anymore.”

How do you balance your career and relationship?

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Amanda Seyfried covers the March 2012 Glamour Magazine and is uncensored when it comes to dishing on her personal life.  The actress, who may star as porn actress Linda Lovelace in the upcoming biopic Lovelace,  admits that the next guy she commits to may be the one she decides to have kids with, and if not, there’s always her ex-boyfriend British actor, Dominic Cooper.  “My God, yeah.  He was my last real boyfriend.  We still joke about having kids, like, ‘If it doesn’t work out with other people, we might as well just have a child.’  And there’s a part of that that feels…possible.”

What are the advantages to staying friends with your ex?

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Winning a supermodel’s heart this Valentine’s Day may be easier than it looks. As Victoria’s Secret Angel Adriana Lima told People, roses seem to be the key.  “If my husband sends them to me at home, I’ll be very happy.  There’s nothing better than to receive flowers from someone you love,” said Lima.  Other supermodels said they desired gifts with a personal touch such as hand-written notes on Valentine’s Day.

What are some ways to show your partner you care on Valentine’s Day?

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Revenge star Emily VanCamp has found love off-screen.  UsMagazine.com reports that the actress is dating costar Josh Bowman.  The two have been linked to each other since January, but a PDA-packed lunch date at Little Dom’s in Los Feliz, California on Sunday confirmed the rumors.  Bowman, who has been linked to Miley Cyrus and Amy Winehouse, says that he is attracted to women with class.  “She can be anything as long as she holds good conversation,” said Bowman.  “I’m attracted to intelligence.”

 What are some ways to announce your relationship to the world?

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Is there some tension brewing between Angelina Jolie and Stacy Keibler?  According to UsMagazine.com, the two ladies awkwardly ran into each other while accompanying their nominated men recently.  Jolie’s longtime lover Brad Pitt and Kiebler’s boyfriend of six months, George Clooney saw each other at the Screen Actors Guild Awards last weekend.  Keibler was reportedly fixated on Pitt when the two couples caught up with each other and even posed for what seemed to be an awkward group shot while walking the red carpet.  This isn’t the first time Jolie and Keibler have had a weird moment when bumping into each other.  A few weeks ago, the skies weren’t so friendly when Jolie and Keibler both hopped on the same private plane with their men while heading to the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

What do you do if you don’t get along with your beau’s best friend’s girlfriend?

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By Sarah Thaman

Excited about an upcoming Valentine’s Day date?  Even if you’re going out with your husband or long time bf, it’s a great excuse to shake things up and go out for a night on the town.  Lost on what to wear?  Never fear!  I’m here with three different looks that are sure to please you and your man.  Here’s the first one:

…want the deets? Click here to read more.

When Emily Maynard and The Bachelor‘s, Brad Womack, ended their engagement, she had absolutely no intention of being the the star of the next season of The Bachelorette.  But, next month, that’s exactly what she’ll be doing.  “I had no intentions of ever being the next Bachelorette.  I genuinely meant that,” said Maynard.  “I feel like the biggest hypocrite because I said that, and now I’m doing it.”  According to People, though she knows dating on TV can work, she admits to being scared about diving into the reality TV dating pool once again.  The blonde beauty also admits that it’s difficult to date as a single mom.  The show will be filmed in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Maynard is raising her 6-year-old daughter as well as in other locations.

How do you get over the fear to date again after a failed relationship?

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