On Not Dining Out on Valentine's Day

Looking to take your sweetheart somewhere hot on Valentine's Day? If you didn't reserve sometime in late 2003, you're screwed. SLNY reports,

PART I (venues at which you never stood a chance)
one ibl, two ibs -- 228 0822 -- 1 ring, fully booked
mas -- 255 1790 -- 3 rings, fully booked
blue hill -- 539 1776 -- 1 ring, this is jill, hold, fully booked
balthazar -- 965 1414 -- line busy; 3 rings, hold, fully booked

PART II (the top, if combined with a pre-dinner romp)
bouley -- 964 2525 -- 1 ring, how may i help you?, 11
annisa -- 741 6699 -- 1 ring, 5:30 or 10:30
l'impero -- 599 5045 -- 1 ring, 6:15 or 10
il buco -- 533 1932 -- 2 rings, 11

Apparently, there's an 8:30 reservation still available at Nobu Next Door. Unfortunately, while you were reading this, an i-banker at Goldman snapped it up on OpenTable. Better luck next year!
· the pretentious* little one pager, 1.20.05 [She Loves NY]
· Open Table: New York Restaurants [OpenTable.com]