Manhattan, NY

You only have a few hours left to submit nominations for the 2012 Manhattan About.com Readers' Choice Awards. After midnight tonight, we will tally up the nominations and determine the finalists.

We want your picks in ten critical Manhattan categories. Help us cut through the overhyped and pick the very best of the best:

1. Best New York City App
2. Best New York City Food Truck
3. Best Dessert in Manhattan
4. Best Manhattan Gym
5. Best Manhattan Yoga Class
6. Best Manhattan Fitness Class
7. Best Manhattan Dog Run
8. Best Manhattan Hair Color
9. Best Manhattan Salon for Curly Hair
10. Best Manhattan Salon for Black Hair

Learn more about all of the categories and nominate your favorites here. After nominations close on February 15th, 3-5 finalists in each category will duke it out for the title.

Please nominate and help us spread the word about the awards --give the best places in Manhattan get the recognition that they deserve.

Take your sweetie to Times Square for Valentine's Day fun including a vow renewal ceremony, a "Love Truck" serving free hot chocolate, and an interactive art installation.

• Say "I do" again on Valentine's Day on the Red Steps in the heart of Times Square during a 6 p.m. ceremony, which will be broadcast live in Times Square on the American Eagle Times Square Digital Billboard and webcast live at TimesSquareNYC.org. Participating couples will also have a chance to win a second honeymoon to Antigua by sharing their story. Pre-register for the vow renewal and get more details on how to enter the giveaway.

• Couples can also step inside the BRIDES "Declare Your Love" Truck to share their personal stories and lessons of love, which will be streamed live on brides.com/love.  The love truck will also offer free hot chocolate and the chance to win jewelry prizes from noon to 5 pm.

• Continuing a four-year tradition, Times Square has selected an architect to design an interactive heart sculpture to celebrate Valentine's Day. The 2012 Times Square Valentine heart sculpture is "BIG♥NYC" by BIG, a 10-foot tall sculpture consisting of 400 transparent, LED-lit, acrylic tubes that form a cube around a suspended red heart. The transparent tubes refract the lights of Times Square and the heart glows brighter as people touch a hand-shaped sensor. The glow intensifies and the heart beats faster as more people interact with it. The sculpture will be on display in Duffy Square from February 6 -2.

More 2012 Valentine's Day Activities in New York City

• Valentine's Day activities for couples in New York
• Valentine's Day activities for singles in New York
• Top 25 Valentine's Day Dinner Restaurant Picks
• Cheap Valentine's Day gifts to pick up in NYC
• Most romantic New York City restaurants

The country's top dogs will be at Madison Square Garden on February 13 and 14, 2012 for the annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

The famous Westminster dog show has been a tradition since 1877. This year, more than 165 breeds will strut their stuff.

Which breed will take home the title of Best In Show for 2012?

What could be a better Valentine's Day outing for a dog lover? See the 2012 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show live.

And if you're a New York City dog owner, please don't forget to submit your nomination for the Best Manhattan Dog Run in our 2012 About.com Manhattan Readers' Choice Awards.

Only a few more days until Valentine's Day, that magnificently overhyped lovefest.

If you're feeling amorous, now's the time to firm up special plans for you and the one you love this February 14th (and if you'd rather boycott the hearts and flowers routine, check out our anti-Valentine's day events and reject the commercialized love frenzy or find somebody new to love or lust after for at least one night).

Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner

Many of New York's most ridiculously romantic restaurants are already booked for Tuesday night, but there are still plenty of cozy, candlelit options available.

And if you can't get your fantasy table for Tuesday, try booking for Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday (you could even snag a New York Restaurant Week deal on Friday).

Avoid the magic February 14th date and you'll have less competition for the best tables (slightly) and many restaurants are also offering special Valentine's Day deals throughout the weekend. After all, romance can be made whenever good food, good wine, and a hot date are involved.

Check out my Top 25 NYC Valentine's Day Deals list for a range of great options -- from discount deals on dumplings or oysters to a $295 per person splurge night with wine pairings at Daniel. We've also got 20+ other choices -- many in the $50-$75 per person range.

Romantic Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

Check out our fabulous Valentine's Day gift ideas. Yes, flowers are always appreciated (and generally affordable at your local bodega, though your corner merchants do like to inflate their prices on Valentine's Day). But why not buy your sweetie something more personal that you know they will savor -- like an iTunes gift card (starting at $15), a sexy toy, or a harbor cruise.

We also have sweet but budget-friendly Valentine's Day gifts for your New York schmoopie.

A Romantic Valentine's Day Engagement

Thinking about popping the question over Valentine's Day champagne and oysters? Find inspiration on our list of the most romantic spots to propose in New York City.

You're strong, you're buff, you're ridiculously flexible. But how did you get that way? Give some credit to the gym or yoga studio that helps you stay sleek.

We're taking nominations for the 2012 About.com Manhattan Readers' Choice Awards through February 15th and we're looking for your picks for the best fitness destinations in Manhattan (among other categories including beauty and dining). After February 15th, we'll tally up the nominations and choose finalists for a final vote for the Best of Manhattan titles.

• Nominate for Best Manhattan Gym -- Do you love your gym? Tell us about it.

• Nominate for Best Manhattan Yoga Class -- It seems like there's a yoga class on every Manhattan corner. Which studios and instructors are the best of the best?

• Nominate for Best Manhattan Fitness Class -- Are you a devoted follower of a specific fitness class? Do you live for the spin at Equinox, the Pilates at Crunch, or the sculpting at Chelsea Piers?

See all of the nomination categories for the 2012 About.com Manhattan Readers' Choice Awards.

New York City is throwing a ticker-tape parade tomorrow to celebrate the New York Giants' Super Bowl victory.

The parade will begin at Battery Place and Washington Street in Lower Manhattan at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 7 and proceed northbound on Broadway, ending at Worth Street.

Afterward, Mayor Michael Bloomberg will present the Giants with keys to the city at a ceremony at City Hall Plaza.

A public giveaway of tickets to the ceremony will be held today from 9 to 11 a.m. through nyc.gov, 311 and the mayor's Twitter page at twitter.com/NYCMayorsOffice. A total of 250 winners will get two tickets each, and will be notified by 2 p.m. today.

If you plan to attend the parade or live or work in the area, here are a few tips for a safe celebration from our friends at the New York City Mayor's Office.

• Large crowds are expected to start gathering along Broadway early on Tuesday morning to view the parade. NYPD may begin street closings on Broadway several hours prior to the 11:00 a.m. start of the parade.
• Pedestrians will be able to cross Broadway at the following locations: Exchange Alley, Wall Street, Cedar Street, Cortlandt Street, Fulton Street and Reade Street.
• You probably shouldn't have to be told this, but those in buildings along the parade route should not throw any items other than ticker tape and confetti from building windows. You have been warned.

Super Bowl Sunday is this weekend. Where will you go to eat, drink, and cheer on your beloved New York Giants?

We've got a list of top New York City spots for Super Bowl Sunday -- the best New York City sports bars, Fox 5 sports anchor Duke Castiglione's top picks, and spots that cater to Giants fans (free shots!).

New York City has inspired many songwriters and artists -- from Frank Sinatra to John Lennon to Jay-Z.

But which is your favorite New York song? Which song captures that perfect New York energy, New York attitude? We have ten worthy contenders -- from the classic to the current.

Of course, the list is anything but comprehensive. What other great New York songs deserve to be recognized?

Have you taken advantage of New York Winter Restaurant Week yet? Restaurant Week runs through February 10, and then you'll have to wait until summer if you want to eat for cheap at New York's hottest (and priciest restaurants).

Then again, why not make it dinner and a show? During Winter Restaurant Week this year, you can also save big on seeing a Broadway or Off Broadway show after dinner. In the spirit of New York Restaurant Week, you can get a special two-for-one ticket deal during Broadway Week (through February 4) and Off Broadway week (through February 12).

Celebrate the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Dragon all weekend long in New York City.

• Holiday Walking Tour of Chinatown -- The Museum of the Chinese in America (MOCA) will lead a Lunar New Year tour of Chinatown on Saturday at 11AM. Learn more about the holiday traditions and customs observed by Chinese households and see how Chinatown transforms itself for the celebration. Tickets are $20 per adult, $15 for students and seniors, $8 for MOCA members, and free for kids under 5. You must book in advance.

• Lunar New Year Festival at World Financial Center -- The New York Chinese Cultural Center is hosting a free festival at World Financial Center on Saturday afternoon. Enjoy arts and crafts workshops and live performances.

• Family Festival at Children's Museum of the Arts -- Visit the Children's Museum of the Arts on Saturday afternoon for a celebration of the art of China for the hwole family. Guest folk artists will teach calligraphy, paper cutting, and grass animal making. The Chinese Theater Works will perform "Tiger Tales", a shadow puppet show, and the day will be capped off by a special performance of the Chinese Lion Dancers of PS124. Free with museum admission ($10).

• Year of the Dragon Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade & Festival --  Celebrate the Year of the Dragon in Chinatown on Sunday. The Chinese believe the spectacular Lunar New Year celebration will bring luck and prosperity to the neighborhood and all who attend. Sunday's parade and festival will feature marching bands, dragon dancers, acrobats, floats, and more. The procession begins on Sunday at 1PM at the intersection of Mott Street and Hester Street.