Love is in the South Philly air . . . and windows, too

I FOUND LOVE in South Philly yesterday.

How could I not? Rowhouses were decked out with pictures of me. And with hearts, roses, hugs and kisses.

In fact, Roseberry Street near Front, where 14 houses were decorated for Valentine's Day, could even have been called the Street of Love.

Well, some Roseberry residents were reluctant to open their doors, let alone share secrets of the heart. Maybe they were more interested in celebrating the Chinese New Year yesterday, or Presidents Day today.

But at one house adorned with big and little hearts, a man and woman were only too happy to share their love story:

Michelle Moore was a 14-year-old eighth-grader when she fell in love with Shaun Moore, a 16-year-old high-school sophomore.

Shaun, now 32, waited until Michelle was 18 before asking her to marry him. They waited to marry, until she was about to graduate from college.

"He was handsome and athletic," recalled Michelle, now 30.

What she didn't mention, as she was laughing, was her husband's wisecracker sense of humor - evident as he made smart remarks behind the front door.

"He's just tormenting me," she said.

"Now, 15 years later, we'd like to wring each other's neck," she added, with a laugh.

In their chaotic, fun-loving home, they now have three children, Shaun 5, Taylor, 3, and Joey, 1, and two dogs, Pudgy and Bailey.

Across the street, a man in his late 20s with a shaved head had a simple love story to tell:

"This is it," he said, putting one hand on the head of his 2-year-old son and the other hand on that of his 3-year-old daughter.

Roseberry was hardly the only South Philly street with hearts in the windows yesterday.

One of the most-decorated houses was on 21st Street near Ritner, in Girard Park, where Sue Salvati, 40, outdoes herself every holiday decorating the exterior.

"It gives a little hope to everyone," said Salvati, a dental assistant who gets lots of kisses from her small black English Labrador, Sam.

Her sister, Phyllis, 37, added: "With everything so bad, you have to have a little cheer every now and then."

Meanwhile, their dad, Santino Di Bruno, nearly 70, was celebrating his 47-year love affair with his wife, Marie, 63, whom he met as a teen at an aunt's house in 1963.

"I was attracted," he told me. "She caught my attention very fast" with her no-nonsense style and devotion to her family.

After Marie graduated from high school, the couple had their first date, at Dunkin' Donuts, where the future baker bought her a nickel donut.

Asked whether he kissed her yesterday, he replied: "I always do. I don't need Valentine's Day."

His prescription for a happy marriage? "Keep it simple: 'Good morning. How do you feel? What do you want to eat?' If you go overboard, they want to know why."

"If you find true love, go for it," he advised. "But if you can't make it, stay away from each other. Why have the headaches and divorce?"

Hey, what do I know about love, anyway?