Let’s face it: Valentine’s Day has just snuck up on us. After all the partying of Superbowl and Mardi Gras, the furthest thing from our minds was the most romantic day of the year. Valentine’s Day is that one day where the sappier you are, the better off you will be. After football and drunken revelry, can you be expected to have any sappiness left?
So how can you put together a perfect Valentine’s Day on short notice and achieve an intoxicatingly romantic date?
Sit back, put on a Barry White album and read on.
The most important moment in V-Day is spending time with that special person. If you’re lucky or broke, this may just mean some quality time talking, or perhaps renting a movie. More likely, though, you’re going to have to impress your Adonis or Aphrodite by going the extra mile on Cupid’s holiday. Remember, to make a lasting impression, and earn yourself some extra brownie points, the more original you make the date, the better.
So, be innovative. Sack the dinner and movie plans and create a feeling of love by taking a carriage ride through downtown St. Louis. Brookdale Farms offers carriage rides nightly from 6 p.m.-midnight, leaving from the Adams Mark Hotel or the Old Spaghetti Factory.
The rides can last from 15 minutes to and hour. The rides work as a date themselves or in combination with other plans.
What if you can only spend time with your sweetie during the day or maybe only this weekend? With the weather warming up for the next couple of days, perfect opportunities for romance exist outside. Looking for a full day of events?
Travel to nearby Forest Park, host to attractions such as the Zoo, the Art Museum, the History Museum and many more places. Explore one of the museums and then take a walk through the park; it will not only be romantic but also educational. Another great attraction is The Botanical Gardens at 4344 Shaw.
The Gardens offer the nature lover a stroll through some of the most beautiful floral arrangements in the area. The breathtaking Gardens also handle that rose-buying dilemma. You can tell her all those flowers are actually for her. For more information call (314) 577-4400.
A little farther from campus-but worth the drive-is Faust Park (out Highway 40 to Olive). The park is home to the Butterfly House and the St. Louis Carousel. The Butterfly House spreads open the wings of a unique adventure when butterflies of all sorts and sizes land freely all over you. After the butterflies, walk over and take a couple rides on the giant Carousel, it only cost a $1 a ride. Nothing opens up a relationship like showing your inner child.
Speaking of showing your inner child, why not explore the amazing and entertaining City Museum, which provides plenty of opportunities to explore. Across town, the Magic House lets everyone play the part of Harry Houdini or David Copperfield for the day. For information, call (314) 822-8900. The only thing you won’t learn at the Magic House is how to make a weird remark disappear.
If you still plan on the whole dinner and a movie gig, then try being resourceful. Take your date out to a restaurant that offers something different, even a little on the wild side. The nearby King and I offers creative Thai culinary delights with plenty of spice to at least heat up part of the evening. The same rules go for choosing a movie theatre. A few suggestions would be the Tivoli on Delmar or The Chase Park Plaza. Valentine’s Day is here, and it is up to you to come up with an original and creative date. By the end of the evening you’ll know that your date has been a complete success.
