Zach and I have been together for 14 years, so sometimes it is difficult to come up with new and creative ideas for Valentine’s Day. Once I started brainstorming, I came up with some great (non-routine) ideas.
For the Couple who Loves Culture
I have always loved walking around a museum with someone I love. It is great to see what pieces they are drawn to, I love the romance of catching each other’s eyes from across the room, plus it is an excuse to wander around holding hands.
This VDay, check out the exhibitions at the Denver Art Museum. Head over to the Fire Lounge in ART Hotel (just down the street) after walking around the exhibit and discuss your favorite pieces over a cocktail.
For the Couple who Loves Food
Many restaurants force a prix fixe menu on you for Valentine’s Day with inflated prices and mediocre food. Plus, you’ll have to fight for a reservation and be surrounded by other couples. Better idea is to stay in! Buy a nice bottle of wine, put on the “Evening Chill” playlist on Spotify, and make dinner together.
Here is a meal that Shannon and Marcos recently made together:
Hand-cut pasta alfredo with pink edible flowers.
And, this idea is great because you can buy a cookbook as your VDay present, and have the ingredients for one of the recipes ready to go. (This pasta recipe is from the cookbook Ratio.) We always go to Tattered Cover for cookbooks – they have a great selection. Last-minute Valentine’s day: DONE.
For the Couple who Loves Sports
Activities are always fun for dates – especially first dates when you are trying to get to know someone new. Zach and I just went to Top Golf in Centennial. I would describe it as a three-story bar/driving range. You stand at the edge of the building and hit golf balls into a large open field that has targets in it. The golf balls have microchips in them so you can see where the balls are hit and you compete to get points by either hitting the ball into a certain target or a certain distance. You have your own little area with couches and TVs and tables to enjoy food and drinks. It would be a great place for that couple that loves sports and is a little bit competitive. Don’t forget to wear a sweater if you go in February!
For Friends Hanging Out Without Dates
I have seen a lot of advertisements for the movie How To Be Single with Rebel Wilson, Dakota Johnson, Leslie Mann, and Alison Brie. These women are great comedians, but again, seeing a chick flick with single girlfriends on Valentine’s day is another cliche. If you are going to do a “Galentine’s Day” why not model it after the founder of Galentine’s Day, Leslie Knope (from Parks and Rec). On Galentine’s Day you celebrate female friendships over brunch. Because Valentine’s Day falls on Sunday this year, brunch would be a perfect way to celebrate.
We just met for a girls’ brunch at Revelry Kitchen on 38th in the Highlands/Tennyson neighborhood.
If you go to Revelry Kitchen, you have to share an order of the churro donuts for the table – AH-mazing!
Churro donuts at Revelry Kitchen
If you are really feeling the Leslie Knope vibe, you could make homemade heart-shaped sugar cookies with empowering messages on them, just like Leslie did!
What are YOU doing for VDay? Whatever you do, I hope your day is filled with LOVE!
#datenight #dating #ToDoinDenver #relationships #ValentinesDay