Latin rum hot chocolate

Havana Central has been serving delicious Cuban food in Times Square (151 W. 46th St.) since 2005 and in the Upper West Side (2911 Broadway) since 2007, and this month executive chef Stanley Licairac debuts a new menu, including seasonal cocktails to keep you warm. Step in for the Latin hot chocolate with rum, paired with empanadas made of guava and cream cheese for dessert, or enjoy the brand-new short rib beef stew or the traditional caldo gallego, a white bean, chorizo and kale soup.

For your special valentine, you can't go wrong with this giant box of Marie Belle ganaches ($260). Stop by Marie Belle's cacao bar and tea salon while you're there. 484 Broome St.

Sharon Van Etten performs at the Mercury Lounge on January 18

Sharon Van Etten speaks how she performs: earnestly. On the release of her third album Tramp (February 7), she humbly acknowledges that making the record—a process that took 14 months while she was on tour, couch surfing at friends’ homes all over the world—was not easy.

“It kind of intimidated me to make a produced record,” she says, alluding to her previous albums, 2009’s Because I Was In Love and 2010’s Epic, both of which possess a more unplugged quality than her latest venture. “This was a challenge for me. I didn’t have a permanent band at the time, so I called on friends to come in and play on the record.”

Van Etten is a New Jersey girl who moved to Brooklyn about five years ago after a stint at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee—where, she confesses, she first learned about and was inspired by Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn. Her sound on Tramp reflects those influences while evoking some of her other favorite artists, like PJ Harvey and Patti Smith. Van Etten says she moved to the city to absorb its energy and harness it to embolden her writing. 

“There’s just so much going on all the time. To not do anything is such a waste,” she says of New York. “I never want to be stagnant. Walking around New York and seeing so many people, I wonder where they’re all going. There’s so many people; are there really that many places to go? Are there that many things to do? The answer is yes. It’s really inspiring to be around that many people that are all doing something, whether or not you know what they’re doing.”

Pulling from all these sources, Van Etten has succeeded in creating an album that contains a wide range of sounds held together by a common thread: a cultivated self-assurance that’s especially heard in gems like “Give Out,” “We Are Fine,” and “Joke or a Lie.”

“A lot of the writing was done in my friend’s houses when I was between homes,” Van Etten says. “Having their support made the songs sound a lot more confident, because of their nurturing. I hadn’t felt that way in a really long time, and I feel like that comes across in the songs.”

Van Etten sets off on tour a few days after the album’s release. She will be at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on February 24, and Bowery Ballroom on February 25 and 26. Tickets are available here and Tramp is currently streaming on NPR.

Whiskey Park

If you're planning on watching the Super Bowl at Whiskey Park you won't have to stray far for something to eat. The bar is partnering with the Gorilla Cheese truck to bring you a full menu and halftime raffle. Fifty dollars gets you your choice of grilled cheese (smoked Gouda with barbeque pulled pork and caramelized onions, anyone?), crispy tater tots, s’mores and unlimited Coronas. The event starts one hour before kickoff on Sunday, February 5 at 5:30 PM. 100 Central Park South, RSVP 212-307-9222

Graphic designer Vahram Muratyan began Paris vs. New York as a travel journal and had no idea the blog would garner so many fans so quickly. All 100 stylish and quirky illustrations are now available as a collection, Paris versus New York: A Tally of Two Cities ($20). The book is a perfect gift for design geeks and romantics.

Duchess Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII

Are you a Wallis Simpson fan? Then run, don't walk, to Mrs. John L. Strong Fine Stationery to see a collection of her papers on exhibit through next Wednesday. Wallis, the Duchess of Windsor, was one of Mrs. John L. Strong's most famous clients, and the exhibit will celebrate the shop’s recent reopening. 699 Madison Ave.

Gearing up to cheer on the Giants this Sunday? Serve your friends Freemans Restaurant's luscious artichoke dip. Five ingredients, one dish and you’re guests will devour it.

Freemans Restaurant's Artichoke Dip

6 13.75 ounce cans of artichoke aearts in brine
2 1/4 cups mayonnaise
6 cups grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Strain all of the liquid from the artichoke hearts. In a food processor, chop the garlic. Add artichoke hearts and process until roughly chopped. Transfer to a bowl and mix in cheese, mayonnaise and cayenne pepper. Pour into a 12x9 casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Serve with toasted bread and/or raw vegetables.

New York jewelry designer Odette has teamed up with Brooklyn-based perfumer MCMC for a limited edition Valentine's Day set ($99) that includes one brass NY Arrow Ring and MCMC's Love Perfume Oil packaged in a drawstring pouch for easy gifting. Flying A, 169 Spring St.; Jitkanda, 63 E. Seventh St

Desmond's

From February 4–11, you can visit one of London's most famous restaurants without ever leaving Manhattan. The Cinnamon Club is teaming up with Desmond's, on the Upper East Side, to open a pop-up restaurant in celebration of its 10-year anniversary. Make your reservations now to enjoy the innovative Indian cuisine that made The Cinnamon Club's a household name in London. Desmond's Restaurant, 153 East 60th St., New York; desmondsny.com

For the month of February designer David Stark will occupy shop Haus Interior with a limited edition collection of household and art items made from reusable materials. This handmade "Wood You Be Mine?" sampler ($250) would make the perfect Valentine's Day gift. Shop the limited collection at the store, located at 250 Elizabeth Street, or online at hausinterior.com.