"Battersea is now receiving calls every day from animal lovers who feel they have no option but to give up their cherished pets because they can no longer afford rising vet bills, they've been made redundant, they've been made homeless, or face imminent eviction, " it said.

BBC: Credit crunch 'prompts abandoned pets rise'

"Valentine's Day is certainly the biggest day in February for lovers, but not for restaurants, " he says.

WSJ: Bruce Palling on Food: Where's the Love? Chefs Dread the V Word

Sure enough, Mr. Hare's unhappy lovers embody England's latter-day class conflicts: Tom (Brian Mani) is a nouveau-riche Thatcherite entrepreneur with a boorish streak, while Kyra (Greta Wohlrabe) is a chastened idealist who has renounced her upper-middle-class background to teach poor children.

WSJ: Skylight | Heroes | Richard III | American Players Theatre | Passionate Acting, Impeccable Setting | Theater Review by Terry Teachout

They crave the sense of connection, the inherently communal experience, of hearing real people breathe life into centuries-old compositions: the venerated composers, modern-day musicians and generations of music-lovers, all united in the expression of raw human emotion through art.

WHITEHOUSE: The Ambition to Inspire All

The privately held Las Vegas company (whose name comes from the Spanish word for shoe) gets raves from shoe lovers for its fast, free shipping--90% of orders arrive the next business day--and a 365-day return policy that allows footwear fans to order a bunch of shoes, try them on and return those that don't suit or fit.

FORBES: A Step Ahead

For lovers of rare books and manuscripts, the Library of Congress is an enchanting place to spend the day.

FORBES: A Library Thomas Jefferson Would Love

When eating a brownie one day, he says he realized the corner brownies were the best (middle-brownie lovers will disagree) and recruited his now-wife, in school to be a pastry chef, to brainstorm with him.

WSJ: Those With Specific Tastes Play Favorites With Food