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Finding your spouse’s favorite perfume can be a challenge unless you visit Parfumerie Nasreen. Located in the Alexis Hotel, this 20-year-old boutique boasts of over 520 fragrances. For this reason, you have access to a range of products found in both discount and high-end stores. Some items are even rare. The employees at Parfumerie Nasreen are friendly and believe in providing visitors with excellent customer service. Shoppers at Parfumerie Nasreen also enjoy complimentary gift-wrapping, fragrance sampling and free shipping within the United States.

Does your lover need extra encouragement in the bedroom? Give this special individual a box of chocolates. When eaten, this dark, sweet stuff acts as an aphrodisiac helping increase the consumer’s sex drive. Get a special concoction of this treat at Marie & Freres, one of the best bests for last minute Valentine’s Day Gifts in Seattle. They work with growers, artisans and chefs to bring locals show-stopping chocolates. The origin of their cacao is from Mata Atlantica, a World Biosphere Reserve that is inhabited by a large number of endangered species. As a result, as you support these chocolatiers, you help protect the planet.

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The practice of sending someone a bouquet of roses on Valentine’s Day is a popular practice in America. Why? The various colors of this woody perennial have different connotations. White is a sign of purity, yellow indicates friendship and red symbolizes love. Obtain a special arrangement of roses this year from Trudy’s Floral Design. The owner is an implant from Switzerland who brings a unique flair to all of her creations. She also carries other items in her store such as gift baskets and decorative glass pieces.

Do you plan on proposing to your steady on February 14? If so, one of your best bets for last minute Valentine’s Day gifts in Seattle is EE Robbins. These jewelers specialize in engagement and wedding rings. This is a family-owned business that cherry-picks each diamond in order to offer patrons exclusive cuts. EE Robins also carries a large selection of items in its store. Therefore, those of you struggling with the decision to pop the question can wait longer to select a commitment rock.

Live, lounge, play and feel beautiful is the motto of Bellefleur. This lingerie maker crafts chic apparel for women. You can find a variety of products in the boutique that fit a woman’s taste. Purchase a sexy, lacy set or a simple, sporty bra and panty. Either choice will be comfortable and alluring for the receiver to wear.  Bellefleur satisfies its patrons, which is why they have been featured in magazines such as People, Lucky and Men’s Health.

Visit one of these best bests for last minutes Valentine’s Day gifts in Seattle and impress your lover. Also, complement your token of love by taking your date to a best free Seattle museum or best of the Pike Place Market spot. Your efforts will be dearly rewarded.

Stephanie Modkins is a freelance writer living in Seattle. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and reservation lines at restaurants are buzzing off the hook. Sure, you can always grab a quick bite or carry out and a catch the latest blockbuster at your local Cineplex to commemorate this special night but if you are looking to make it a memorable evening, a memorable meal is definitely in order. Seattle has its fair share of foodies in love and fortunately it also has some of the best restaurants in the Pacific Northwest.

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Valentine’s Day is a holiday where you want to show the ones you love just how much you care. While sending flowers or candy may be a nice gesture, these kinds of gifts are a bit plain and outdated. Instead, visit one of these independent shops in Seattle and find your sweetheart a gift that says, “I went out of my way to find you something unique and perhaps even, one-of-a-kind.”

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Whether looking for a romantic hideaway or outdoor activities, the greater Seattle area is filled with wonderful places to spend Valentine’s Day or a weekend. Enjoying nature is a great way to reconnect with a partner and spend quality time together. The mountains have many ski areas (downhill and cross-country) and hiking trails. Local small towns give access to romantic inns and restaurants and art galleries. Plan a memorable Valentine’s Day this year with any of these options.

Artusi
1535 14th Ave
Seattle, WA 98122
206.251.7673
http://www.artusibar.com

In its short life in Seattle, Artusi has been given kudos from the likes of the Cooking Channel, Bon Apetit and Food and Wine magazine. This contemporary, Italian inspired hangout has also entertained celebrity visitors like Michelle Williams and Jason Segel. Try their Hearts on Fire cocktail with Ransom Old Tom Gin, Cynar, Maraschino and Lemon and toast the evening!

Canlis
2576 Aurora Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98109
206.283.3313
http://www.canlis.com

For over 60 years, Canlis has been the ultimate in Seattle dining. Historic and iconic, Canlis is known for its outstanding service, and Northwest cuisine. Start off a special Valentine’s Day with the Celebration cocktail. A specialty of Canlis’, it’s made with Pyrat XO rum, grapefruit, Tanqueray 10 and Groseille syrup. Reservations are highly suggested.

BOKA Restaurant and Bar
1010 First Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
206.357.9000
http://www.bokaseattle.com

BOKA serves up award winning cocktails, so if you’re looking to add a little spice to your Valentine’s Day this year, why not surprise your sweetheart and head to BOKA? Their Spontaneitini cocktails are a mix of Jean Marc XO and Tattinger Champagne. Want to make it a spontaneous evening? Book a room next door at the chic Hotel 1000 for an impromptu Valentine’s celebration.

Luc
2800 East Madison Street
Seattle, WA 98112
206.328.6645
http://www.thechefinthehat.com/luc/

Luc is a warm and cozy French American café and bar in the heart of the Madison Valley. Owner Thierry Rautureau is a James Beard Award-winning chef, who can make everything at Luc, from burgers to bourguignon, soufflé to soup tantalizing. Bring in your main squeeze for a Kiss Me cocktail: tequila, chambord, muddled raspberry and lime.

Dinette
1514 East Olive Way
Seattle, WA 98122
206.328.2282
http://www.dinetteseattle.com

Dinette is a sweet, cozy neighborhood restaurant on Capitol Hill. The food is inspired by regional Italian, French and Spanish traditions featuring handmade pastas, braised meats and seasonal toppings. Down home, simple and soulful, you’ll often have live piano music to dine by. Bring your secret (or real) crush in to try the Rosemary Lemon Crush cocktail. A bright and tasty cocktail with fresh sweetened lemon juice and vodka, served on the rocks with a rosemary sugared rim. Perfect for your sweetheart.

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Valentine’s Day is a special holiday mostly celebrated by couples. With several Valentine’s events scheduled annually, it can be a fun and exciting time for singles too. Seattle’s Valentine’s Day events for singles range from social dance parties to women’s-only events to masquerade balls. Check out these cool singles parties happening in the Puget Sound area for the 2013 Valentine’s Day holiday.

Couples Massage
Ananya Spa
2810 Elliott Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121
206.217.1744
http://www.ananyaspaseattle.com

Spend the day or hour with Ananya Spa on Valentine’s day and enjoy special packages, champagne, cheese and fruit between Thursday, Feb 14 and Sunday, Feb 17. How about a couples’ massage? Enjoy Swedish, Sports, or deep tissue massage with a friend or loved one in a unique treatment room just for couples. $190/60 minutes, $260/90 minutes. Call for details.

Couples Fireside Chocolate Massage
Salish Lodge & Spa
6501 Railroad Avenue SE
Snoqualmie, WA 98065
800.2.SALISH
http://www.salishlodge.com

The two best things on Valentine’s Day – chocolate and the one you love. Your Valentine will fall in love with you all over again as you enjoy 50 minute chocolate massages together in the Salish Lodge’s romantic Spa Fireside Room. Lie side by side taking in the warmth and crackling of the fireplace and the scent of warm chocolate, surrounded by rose petals. Complete the experience with two Salish house made Honey Truffles to take home with you. $270/couple.

Romance Celebration
Hotel 1000 Spahhh
1000 First Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
206.357.9490
http://www.hotel1000seattle.com

Commemorate romance with a luxurious duet 75 minute massage featuring chocolate cake or chocolate mint scented oils, made with rich oils and vitamins to nourish skin and tantalize the senses. Champagne and chocolate covered strawberries await you in the relaxation room, too. A perfect way to celebrate with the one you love. $245/couple. Or just for Valentine’s Day weekend, you can opt for the additional Valentine Bliss package. Enjoy Hotel 1000′s beautiful fireside library for your couples massage. Soft music, candlelight and the warmth of the fireplace will elevate your experience. $300/couple

Besos
Alderbrook Resort & Spa
7101 E State Route 106
Union, WA 98592
360.898.2200
http://www.AlderbrookResort.com

A cocoa infused skin refining glow for two that will leave your skin soft, smooth and ready for kisses. With the antioxidant power of chocolate combined with a skin smoothing exfoliation it will be a shame to cover your glowing skin with anything more than a bathrobe. $210/couple. This hour long treatment can also include an additional 30 minute massage for just an extra $65/person.

Pacific Duet
Four Seasons Hotel Seattle
99 Union Street
Seattle, WA 98101
206.749.7000
http://www.fourseasons.com

Unwind with a couple’s massage in the privacy of the Spa’s couples’ room overlooking Elliott Bay. The room features a private soaking tub and rain shower. Finish your experience with a eucalyptus steam. Choices of massage include Swedish, Alpine Deep Tissue, Aromatherapy, and Hot Lava. Prices vary. Contact the Spa for details.

The Dual Dash at Point Defiance Park is a unique race that lets you run and cross the finish line with friend. Kids ages 5+ can participate, too! There’s a 3 mile walk/run, and a 1.5 mile walk/run option. Sign up to run solo or as a couple and enjoy a refreshing February morning run along Five Mile Drive. Couples who enter together cross the finish line together and share a finish time. Sign up online HERE.

Love ‘Em or Leave ‘Em Valentine’s Day Dash
Saturday, February 9
9:30am
Green Lake Park
5900 W Green Lake Way N
Seattle, WA 98103
http://www.promotionevents.com/valentines/index.htm

Join in this festive Valentine’s themed 5K that runs on the city streets surrounding Green Lake. Wear your Valentine’s Day colors or costume. Run as an individual or as part of a two-person team, then celebrate in the finish line festival area that will have free food and drink, exhibitors and more. Plus, kids 10 & under can participate in the FREE PCC Healthy Kids Little Heart Beet Run that takes place at 9:10am just before the main 5K. All kids in this event will receive a free bib with the #1 to wear and a free ribbon when they cross the finish line. Register online HERE.

Run 4 Her Heart 5K
Saturday, February 9
9:30am
Emerald Ridge High School Campus
12405 184th St E
Puyallup, WA 98374
http://www.facebook.com/run4herheart

Run 4 Her Heart 5k benefits Go Red For Women, an organization that raises awareness about cardiovascular disease, and the Emerald Ridge High School Future Health Professionals Organization. Register online HERE.

Cupid’s Undie Run
Saturday, February 9
2:30pm
Ballroom
456 North 36th Street
Seattle, WA 98103
http://www.cupidsundierun.com

Cupid’s Undie Run takes runners on a 1 or so mile jog through the heart of Seattle’s Fremont district in their underwear! Pre- and post-run festivities are held at the Ballroom. Will the Lenin statue be wearing a pair of giant undies on the day of the race? Join in to find out! 21+. The run benefits the Children’s Tumor Foundation. Register online HERE.

Knock My Socks Off Singles & Couples 5K
Saturday, February 16
8:45am
AllianceOne
6565 Kimball Drive
Gig Harbor, WA 98335
http://www.databarevents.com/knockmysocksoff.asp

Run Solo OR as a team of 2. Spouses, parents & kids, friends… just remember, teams must finish the race together! Plus, the Little Hearts Kid’s 100 Meter Dash (ages 6 & under), and a Big Little Hearts 1000 Meter Run (9 & under). Kids runs are FREE. The run benefits Habitat for Humanity of Tacoma/Pierce County. Register online HERE.

Love ‘em or Leave ‘em Dash
Saturday, February 9
9:30am
Green Lake Park
7201 E Greenlake Dr N
Seattle, WA 98115

http://promotionevents.com/valentines/SEA_Home.htm

It’s a festive Valentine’s themed 5K that runs on the city streets surrounding Green Lake. Run as an individual or as part of a two-person team, then celebrate in the finish line festival area that will have free food and drink, exhibitors and more. Plus, a finish line beer garden where you can mingle. Your bib numbers will state if you are “single” or “taken”! Wear a costume and receive a free bon bon from Wow Chocolates, too. Register online.

Valentine’s Party for Singles
Saturday, February 9
9:00pm
Fadó Irish Pub
801 1st Avenue
206.264.2700
http://www.fadoirishpub.com

Fado is hosting a “Nuts n’ Bolts” singles party! Depending on gender, guests receive a nut or bolt and spend the evening finding their match. This is a great way to meet new people. Once the guests find their “match” they’ll receive a special prize! Live music from the Kennedy Brothers starting at 10:00pm will keep the party going all night, along with drink specials of “pink panty dropper punch.” This is sure to be the best Valentine’s singles party in downtown Seattle.

STG Presents Savage Love Live: Savage’s Valentine’s Day!
Thursday, February 14
8:00pm
Neptune
1303 Northeast 45th Street
Seattle, WA 98105
877.784.4849
http://www.stgpresents.org

Bored, rebuffed, or broken hearted? Rejoice! The Stranger’s Dan Savage is here to ruin and rescue Valentine’s Day! Join Dan at a very special recording of his podcast: Savage Love Live, co-starring other revered freaks and “sexperts.” Show is 21+ and contains adult content. Purchase tickets online or by phone.

Anti Valentine’s Day Party
Thursday, February 14
9:00pm
Rock the Dock Pub & Grill
535 Dock Street
Tacoma, WA 98402
253.272.5004
http://www.rockthedockpub.com

Unhappy in love? Hate the holiday? Join in the party at Rock the Dock with games, sweet treat and lots of laughs.

Library Bistro & Bookstore Bar
Thursday, February 14
92 Madison Street
Seattle, WA 98104
http://www.librarybistro.com

Not so sweet on Valentine’s Day? Head to the Bookstore Bar for their Anti-Valentine’s Day dinner. With small plates like Revenge, and drink specials like Love on the Rocks and Cupid’s Got a Broken Arrow, you are sure to leave feeling more satisfied!

Afrodisiac’s Valentine’s Day Erotic Poetry Show
Thursday, February 14
8:00pm
88 Keys Dueling Piano and Sports Bar
315 2nd Ave. South
Seattle, WA 98104
206.839.1300
http://www.ilove88keys.com

Join the ladies and gentlemen of Afrodisiac for an illustrious evening filled with music, poetry, and dance. This is a perfect evening for a girls or guys night out and singles too! Tickets available HERE.

Valentine’s Day Speed Dating
Thursday, February 14
8:30pm
Citrus
1001 Fairview Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98109
206.402.6364
http://www.dateanddash.com

DateandDash kicks off this Valentine’s Day in a matchmaking frenzy. A DJ will get you out on the dance floor, and there will be themed Valentine’s Day drink specials. Speed date your way through the evening, and skip the excruciating hit-or-miss first date experience. With DateandDash you can chat with a large pool of people, choose your favorites, and see if they choose you! Register online HERE.

The Mousetrap
Through Sunday, February 24
Village Theatre
303 Front Street North
Issaquah, WA 98027
425.392.2202
http://www.villagetheatre.org

Agatha Christie’s masterpiece and the longest running play in modern history, this murder mystery sparkles with suspense and cunning as it celebrates it’s 60-year anniversary. Stranded by a snowstorm within one guesthouse are the young couple who own the business, four single guests, one stranger who happened upon the house, and one detective. Eight inhabitants; one murderer; and one nameless target—but how many will get hit in the crossfire? Rich with excitement and mystery, you won’t be sorry you got caught in The Mousetrap. Purchase tickets online or by phone.

Jeeves in Bloom
Tuesday, February 1 through Saturday, March 2
204 N. 85th Street
Seattle, WA 98103
206.781.9707
http://www.taproottheatre.org

Peace. Tranquility. The English countryside. Ahhh … Then Bertie Wooster pays a visit. While ducking romance, fleeing a cleaver-wielding chef and burgling his uncle, Bertie’s trail of mischief and mayhem is set right by his unflappable valet, Jeeves. Based on characters created by author P.G. Wodehouse, this confectionary treat is a delightful respite from the daily grind. Tickets available online.

War Horse
Wednesday, February 13 through Sunday, February 24
The Paramount Theatre
911 Pine Street
Seattle, WA 98101
206.682.1414
http://www.stgpresents.org

England, 1914. As World War One begins, Joey, young Albert’s beloved horse, is sold to the cavalry and shipped from England to France. He’s soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary journey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man’s land. But Albert cannot forget Joey and, still not old enough to enlist, he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home. This powerfully moving and imaginative drama, filled with stirring music and songs, is a show of phenomenal inventiveness that is currently playing to packed houses in London and New York. Buy tickets online.

Photograph 51
Tuesday, February 1 through Sunday, March 10
Seattle Repertory Theatre
155 Mercer Street
Seattle, WA 98109
206.443.2222
http://www.seattlerep.org

An intriguing portrait of British scientist Rosalind Franklin and her—often overlooked—role in the discovery of DNA’s double helix structure. This complex tale explores how Franklin, a smart, stubborn, and courageous woman, operated in a field dominated by men. A balance of the historical, romantic, and scientific, Photograph 51 is a touching human play of ideas. Enjoy this play as part of the Rep’s 50th anniversary season. Purchase tickets online.

5 X Tenn (Or So)
Wednesday, February 13 through Saturday, February 23
Stone Soup Theatre
4029 Stone Way North
Seattle, WA 98109
206.633.1883
http://www.stonesouptheatre.org

Stone Soup is pleased to bring back 5 more one-act plays that are compiled from archives after playwright Tennessee William’s death and are seldom produced. The material ranges from the angst of living in a fictional distopian society with “The Chalky White Substance” to the universal feeling of loneliness in “Talk To Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen”. Purchase tickets by phone or online.

Celebrate! Seattle Women’s Chorus with Vicci Martinez
Friday, February 8
8:00pm
Benaroya Hall
200 University Street
Seattle, WA 98101
206.215.4800
http://www.flyinghouse.org

Seattle Women’s Chorus will take you down memory lane with highlights from seasons past — including Chely Wright’s “Like Me,” Lesley Gore’s “You Don’t Own Me” and more — and they’ll showcase some well-known divas like Melissa Etheridge, Tracy Chapman, and others as they Celebrate! 10 years together. SWC is thrilled to welcome Tacoma native, Vicci Martinez, to join them on stage. You know Ms. Martinez as one of the finalists from the first season of NBC’s hit series, The Voice. She’ll combine her talents with SWC for a curtain-to-curtain celebration that is sure to bring the house down! After the concert you can continue to CELEBRATE! in the lobby of Benaroya with a huge party! DJ Stacey Cooks (The Original Timberline, The Cuff, Hotflash, and Girl 4 Girl) will spin some of the most celebratory music from the ‘70s to present day! The party is FREE with your concert ticket and will last until 1:00am. There will be a cash bar and everyone is welcome. Tickets available online.

The Music Man
Thursday, February 7 through Sunday, March 10
5th Avenue Theatre
1308 5th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
206.625.1900
http://www.5thavenue.org

There’s trouble in River City, my friends, and Professor Harold Hill has the antidote — an all-boys marching band. But Marian the Librarian sees through his schemes, at least until she falls in love with the irrepressible con artist. Overflowing with a parade of tunes including “Seventy Six Trombones,” “Gary, Indiana,” and “Till There Was You”, it’s the perfect Valentine performance for the whole family. Buy tickets online or by phone.

Northwest Symphony Orchestra Valentine’s Concert
Friday, February 8
7:30pm
Highline Performing Arts Center
401 S. 152nd St.
Seattle, WA 98148
206.433.2292
http://www.northwestsymphonyorchestra.org

Northwest Symphony Orchestra presents their annual Valentine’s Concert featuring Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro Overture, Samuel Barber’s Concerto for Violin, Copland’s Appalachian Spring Suite and a world premier by local NW composer, Ben Thomas. Tickets available HERE.

En Vogue at Jazz Alley
Thursday – Sunday
February 14 – 17
Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley
2033 6th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121
206.441.9729 or 206.628.0888
http://www.jazzalley.com

En Vogue is Terry Ellis, Rhona Bennett and Cindy Herron-Braggs. The name rings more than a bell. It invokes memories of a long line of red-hot R&B and pop smashes. Songs like “Hold On,” “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It),” “Giving Him Something He Can Feel,” “Free Your Mind,” and “Whatta Man” featuring Salt-N-Pepa, are just a sampling of the mega hits made famous by the Grammy nominated, Pop/R&B super group. They’ll be performing four nights and six shows at Jazz Alley. Details online. Call for tickets.

Andre Feriante Celebrates 15 Years at Benaroya Hall with Words of Love
Thursday, February 14
8:00pm
Benaroya Hall
200 University Street
Seattle, WA 98101
206.215.4800
206.215.4747
http://www.benaroyahall.org

For this special anniversary Words of Love concert he will perform pieces from his new Beatles album including: Norwegian Wood, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, The Long & Winding Road, And I Love Her and Yesterday. He always delivers a musical mix of fiery flamenco, classical guitar standards and spoken poetry set to his original compositions. Andre will rotate among his stunning collection of classical, flamenco, steel string, electric and parlor guitars. Tickets are available by phone or online.

Teatro ZinZanni’s Dinner at Wotans
Thursday and Friday
February 14 and 15
222 Mercer Street
Seattle, WA
206.802.0015
http://www.dreams.zinzanni.org

It’s a special Valentine edition for two nights only at Teatro ZinZanni! Gain admission to Valhalla and sup on a feast fit for the gods. Make merry with our heros as they travel via hog to the Nordic Paradise, hula hoop the golden rings, and win the golden apples. It is like Wagner’s opera The Ring, only funny! Purchase tickets online.

Love Stories
Thursday, February 14
7:30pm
Saturday, February 16
8:00pm
Seattle Symphony
Benaroya Hall
200 University Street
Seattle, WA 98101
206.215.4800
http://www.seattlesymphony.org

Be swept off your feet in this Valentines’ weekend concert of sumptuous, romantic music. Enjoy pieces from Mozart and Bizet’s Carmen. Buy tickets online.

Juan-Carlos Formell
Thursday, February 14
8:00pm
Town Hall Seattle
1119 8th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
206.652.4255
http://www.townhallseattle.org

Romance is in the air—along with some of the most romantic music in the world—at this celebration of Cuba’s contribution to the love of love. Because if Cubans didn’t actually invent romance, they did create its most exquisite forms of expression: the bolero and its jazzy offshoot, el Feeling. And no one expresses that emotion better than Grammy-nominated Cuban guitarist, composer, and vocalist Juan-Carlos Formell, who performs a program called Un bolero que te salve la vida / A Bolero to Save Your Life. Tickets online.

For fresh couples or even those who have gotten past the seven year itch, an important part of staying in love is spending time together, doing things you both enjoy. The activities are limitless; you might just need a few ideas to spark your imagination. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, here is a short list of great couples’ activities that you can do year-round. 

Dining Together

Photo Credit Thinkstock

Become your own restaurant of the month club. Explore new dining-out ideas and pick the ones that sound most interesting to both of you, then make a reservation and get ready to have a night on the town. Stick to the same day every month to ensure you will always have time to dine together. This is a great opportunity to explore out-of-the-way places or new types of cuisine you’ve always been curious about but never tried. Build in a few romantic nights and feel free to embarrass other diners by making out shamelessly at the table.

Educate With Love

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Do both of you have an interest in do-it-yourself household projects or photography? Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to make sushi, wood working or Italian. Adult-education classes represent a great way for the two of you to expand your horizons and knowledge base together, plus acquire a practical skill of value. Make sure to choose an interest you both share and find ways of enjoying it outside of class, too.

Have A Breakthrough 

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Couples-only retreats offer you the opportunity to not only explore your relationship but also enjoy activities like hiking, boating, couple’s massage or yoga together. An added plus is being with other, like-minded couples and forming new friendships, which are healthy for any relationship. Look for weekend retreats in interesting locations either close to home or far away, then suspend your current reality and enjoy being together in a completely new environment.

Have A Ball 

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Pursue a sports activity together, such as golf, bowling, paddleball or running. Make time to go to the gym or take tennis lessons. Some couples enjoy friendly competition, while others prefer to play games together as if they were little, goofy kids. Whatever your sports style might be, find physical pursuits you both can share that will help you keep both your bodies and your relationship fit and healthy.

Have An Adventure 

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Become tourists in your own home town by visiting sight-seeing destinations and attractions, like boat or bus tours, museums and landmarks. Pretend you don’t speak the language and ask people to take your picture together. Re-visit your own personal landmarks, too, like the place where the two of you met or the houses you both grew up in.

Take Time Out 

Photo Credit Thinkstock

Make the world go away by closing the door, shutting off the phones and dimming the lights. Remember that the little, day-to-day moments you share are just as important as the time you plan around activities together. Be a universe of two and spend some time remembering what brought you together in the first place. Congratulate each other on how terrific you are and celebrate being a couple, in any way you choose.

For idea’s on what to get your loved one this Valentine’s Day shop at YourHolidayHints.com

Corey Whelan is a freelance writer in New York. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

Valentine’s Day can be stigmatized as a commercial holiday meant to help sell cards, flowers and candy. However, it’s interesting to know that the tradition of Valentine’s Day has vestiges that date back centuries before Christ and takes on various forms all over the world. While the notion of expressing one’s love on Valentine’s Day is basically the same, different countries have their own traditions for this beloved holiday.

Italy
 

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Italy has a long history when it comes to Valentine’s Day traditions, celebrating it as a Spring Festival. Couples would spend the day surrounded by the beauty of springtime in natural settings like tree arbors or ornamental gardens. Their time was spent listening to music, reading poetry or strolling through the garden. 

Another tradition in Italy’s Valentine’s Day history was the notion that the first man a girl sees on Valentine’s Day would be the man (or look like the man) she would marry within a year. Unmarried girls would wake up extra early to sit by their window to look for men who walked by. 

While the candy tradition in the United States usually consists of some sort of heart-shaped box of assorted candies, the traditional candy gift for Valentine’s Day in Italy is a chocolate-covered hazelnut called a Baci Perugina. The candy is accompanied with a small piece of paper that contains romantic poems in four different languages.

South Korea

Photo Credit JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images

Although the traditional Valentine’s Day is celebrated on Feb. 14, South Korea celebrates similar days of love on the 14th of every month. Each monthly celebration has its own significance and traditions depending on the corresponding holiday. 

The actual Valentine’s Day holiday tradition is meant for only women to be the givers of chocolate to their significant other and the following month it’s the men’s turn. March 14 is named White Day and men are meant to give their female counterpart a non-chocolate candy. April 14 is marked as Black Day and is geared towards those who are not in a relationship. The tradition for Black Day is for single people to mourn their single lives, hence the name of the holiday. Single people are supposed to eat jajangmyeon noodles, which are black in color, on April 14. While the tradition of women giving chocolate to their partners on Valentine’s Day is a widespread tradition in Eastern Asian countries, South Korea takes the tradition a step further than other countries with a bigger amount of chocolate given.

Great Britain

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Britain and Italy have a few similarities in their Valentine’s Day traditions: Both had similar stories about how the first man a woman saw on Valentine’s Day morning will be the one they will marry. However, Britain also has traditions all its own. 

While many countries’ citizens deliver handwritten notes and poems to their significant others on Valentine’s Day, paper Valentine’s were so popular in England during the 19th Century that they gave way to the production of mass-produced greeting cards we see today. In earlier times, a tradition for women the night before Valentine’s Day was to secure four bay leaves to each corner of their pillow before sleeping and to eat hard boiled eggs with salt while removing the yokes. This tradition was meant to provoke dreams of their future husbands on Valentine’s Day eve. Women would also write names on pieces of paper wrapped in clay balls to be dropped into water and the ball that rose to the surface first would be their future husband.

Denmark

Photo Credit Matt Cardy/Getty Images

People of Denmark referred to Valentine’s Day cards as “lover’s cards” and they were once made from transparent material that reflected a picture of a lover bestowing a gift to his or her significant other when it was held up to the light. Instead of the red roses many Americans associate with Valentine’s Day, Danish people give white flowers that they call “snowdrops.” People used to give pressed white flowers to their Valentines, but these days they have switched to bouquets. While love poems and romantic notes are given on Valentine’s Day, the Danish people also write unsigned, funny poems on neatly cut paper called “gaekkebrev.” If the girl is able to guess who sent it, she will receive an Easter Egg later in the year. Denmark takes its Valentine’s Day holiday pretty seriously and many people tend to take off work or book parties to celebrate this love-filled holiday.

France

Photo Credit FRED DUFOUR/AFP/Getty Images

 
France is often referred to as the most romantic place in the world but the country’s older Valentine’s Day traditions are anything but lovey-dovey. In the past, the French custom called “drawing for” or “a lottery of love” would gather single people in houses facing opposite one another and make them call out the name of their hopeful partner through the window. Women who were jilted by their hopeful Valentine would gather to burn the images of the ungrateful lovers in huge bonfires. The bonfire events would turn pretty ugly, with women yelling and hurling abuses into the fire. Because the ritual would turn into an ugly event filled with ridicule, the French government eventually banned this practice. The St. Valentin Village located in Indre has held a festival since the 1960s to celebrate Valentine’s Day every year from February 12th to the 14th.

Sara Lugardo is a Korean American who thrives in writing about Asian community news in Chicago. She has a Bachelor’s in Communication and is currently working on her Master’s. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.

Long-Distance Valentines
Saturday and Sunday
February 2 and 3
February 9 and 10
11:00am – 2:00pm
1:00pm – 2:00p,
Museum of Flight
9404 East Marginal Way S
Seattle, WA 98108
206.764.5720
http://www.museumofflight.org

Take a look at the early days of airmail, and then send your loved ones over the moon with a sweet valentine made by you!

Heart Week
Tuesday – Saturday
February 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9
Kids Quest Children’s Museum
4091 Factoria Mall SE
Bellevue, WA 98006
425.637.8100
http://www.kidsquestmuseum.org

Make a Valentine and learn about your body’s most loved muscle! Weekly activities are free with Museum membership or paid admission.

Date With My Dad
Friday and Sunday
February 8 and 10
American Girl Store
Alderwood Mall
3000 184th Street
Lynnwood, WA 98037
877.247.5223
http://www.americangirl.com

Spend a special day with your daughter! You’ll enjoy a delightful meal, make a paper craft, and even sign a “father-daughter promise” to keep having fun together. Includes a keepsake photo and frame, plus an American Girl book to take home. For girls ages 8+. Tickets $38/person, available by calling 877.247.5223.

Valentine’s Day Celebration
Saturday, February 9
10:00am – 3:00pm
Woodland Park Zoo
5500 Phinney Ave. N
Seattle, WA 98103
206.548.2500
http://www.zoo.org

Otters, red pandas, snow leopards, gorillas and other animals at Woodland Park Zoo celebrate Cupid’s holiday the wild way with heart-shaped ice pops made of fruit juice, honey, strawberries and cranberries, herbal bouquets, heart-shaped steaks and more animal favorites. The romantic treats are part of the zoo’s excellent animal care program to help enrich the lives of the zoo’s animals, promote natural animal behavior, keep animals mentally stimulated and engage zoo visitors. Free with zoo admission.

Valentine’s Day Kids’ Dash
Saturday, February 9
9:00am
Green Lake Park
5900 W Green Lake Way N
Seattle, WA 98103
206.729.9972
http://www.valentinesdaydash.com

Kids ages 10 and under can participate in the FREE PCC Healthy Kids Little Heart Beet Run that takes place at 9:10am just before the main Valentine’s Day Dash 5K. All kids in this event will receive a free bib with the #1 to wear and a free ribbon when they cross the finish line. Parents complete an entry form for their kid online HERE or onsite at the event.

Family Valentine’s Dance
Saturday February 9
5:15pm – 7:00 pm
Samena Swim & Recreation Club
15231 Lake Hills Blvd.
Bellevue, WA 98007
425.746.1160
http://www.samena.com

A special invitation for all dads and daughters, moms and sons! Wear your best evening attire and enjoy an evening of dancing, laughing, and making great memories. There will be several crafts, games to play, and appetizers to give you the energy to dance the night away. Cost per couple: $20/Members; $30/Non-Members. Call for reservations.

Valentine’s Day
Thursday, February 14
10:00am – 3:00pm
Seattle Children’s Museum
305 Harrison Street
Seattle, WA 98109
206.441.1768
http://www.thechildrensmuseum.org

Bring your kids to the museum to decorate cards for local retirement community residents. And learn some fun rhythm and rhyming along the way!

School’s Out Camp: Forgotten Valentine Party
Friday, February 15
9:00am – 3:00pm
The Moonpaper Tent
8503 Roosevelt Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
206.708.6741
http://www.moonpapertent.org

Celebrate Valentines Day one day late with the mismatched folks of the wayward Fairy Circus who slept right through yesterday! Kids ages 4 -12 will enjoy merriment, creative drama, a tea party, arts and crafts and Forgotten Valentine’s Day Pomp! Pack a lunch and a water bottle. $75/child. Call to register.

The Belltown Burlesque Revue
Saturday, February 9
7:30pm
The Re-Bar
1114 Howell St
Seattle, WA 98101
http://www.violetdeville.com

The raucous Lilith von Fraumench will be your host and guide through the evening. Make the revue the perfect addition to your romantic evening out or the decadent celebration of being single. Whatever your romantic status is, the Belltown Burlesque Revue is back! Tickets start at $13/person online HERE.

SPANK! The Fifty Shades Parody
Wednesday – Sunday
February 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17
The Moore Theatre
1932 Second Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
877.784.4849
http://www.stgpresents.org

Come witness the comedy-filled musical satire that captures all of the naughty fun of the book in this saucy and hilarious show. Part Chippendales, part Second City…all in one delicious package. This unauthorized parody is set to be the sexiest, funniest, and most exciting show of the year. SPANK! features an all-star cast of top comedic actors and improvisers. It is written and directed by Jim Millan, whose credits include: The Kids in the Hall, Spiderman on Broadway, Marijuanalogues with Tommy Chong, Larry King Standing Up and Mythbusters Live. Purchase tickets online or by phone.

J’ADORE!: A Burlesque Valentine
Thursday, Friday and Saturday
February 14, 15 and 16
7:00pm and 10:00pm
The Triple Door
216 Union Street
Seattle, WA 98101
206.838.4333
http://www.tripledoor.net

Come see Seattle’s Atomic Bombshells as they perform the 5th Annual revue of J’ADORE! Revamped each year, and featuring a parade of exhilarating new and classic acts, J’ADORE! is a burlesque, drag, and dance spectacular that celebrates romance with good humor, style, and a healthy dose of dazzle! Recently named “Seattle’s most venerable burlesque dancers” by The Stranger, The Atomic Bombshells are comprised of a cast of award-winning, title-holding, globe-trotting showgirls…catch them here in Seattle while you can! Tickets available online or by phone. $25/person in advance, $30/person at the door.

Hard Love: Valentine’s Day with Stripped Screw Burlesque
Thursday, February 14
8:30pm
Columbia City Theater
4918 Rainier Ave. South
Seattle, WA 98118
206.723.0088
http://www.columbiacitytheater.com

Make a date with Seattle’s Twisted Troupe this Valentine’s Day! Stripped Screw presents an evening of dark and comedic burlesque featuring brand new acts and timeless favorite from the Screws and our lovely guest. Walk the tightrope with Violet Tendencies, help Kutie LaBootie hit a hot note, taste some of Stella D’Letto’s honey, get swept away by Seraphina Fiero and enjoy the buzz brought to you by Lady Drew Blood! $20 pre-sale/$25 door. Tickets available online HERE.

Sweet & Spicy: A Valentine’s Day Burlesque
Thursday, February 14
7:30pm
Pantages Theater
901 Broadway
Tacoma, WA 98402
253.591.5890
http://www.broadwaycenter.org

A naughty (but nice) Valentine’s Day special event produced by EnJoy Productions who will bring together sexy, classy acts of bawdy and inspiring behavior. Your ticket includes a decadent dessert buffet. Perfect for a romantic date night or ladies night out! Age 21+ only. Reserved tickets are $50/person. Available online. Proceeds benefit YWCA of Pierce County.

Valentine!
Thursday, February 14
6:00pm and 9:00pm
The Can Can Kitchen & Caberet
94 Pike Street
Seattle, WA 98101
206.652.0832
http://www.thecancan.com

Can Can presents the Castaways in some of their favorite duets from past and present shows! Come to one of Seattle’s most romantic venues! Tickets online.

Love at First Bite: Valentine Cupcake Decorating Class
Tuesday and Wednesday
February 5 and 6
6:30pm
Trophy Cupcakes & Party – Party Room at Wallingford Center
1815 N 45th St
Seattle, WA 98103
http://www.trophycupcakes.com

Here’s a great chance to learn how to make fabulous Valentine-themed cupcakes, perfect for your Sweetie Pie! Join Trophy’s Founder, Jennifer Shea, for a night of hands-on decorating instruction in a party atmosphere — with cupcakes, prosecco, yummy hors d’oeuvres and lots of fun! For the February 5 class, register HERE. For the February 6 class, register HERE.

Cupid’s Undie Run
Saturday, February 9
2:30pm
Ballroom
456 North 36th Street
Seattle, WA 98103
http://www.cupidsundierun.com

Runners take about a mile long jog through the heart of Seattle’s Fremont district. Pre- and post-run festivities are held at the Ballroom. Will the Lenin statue be wearing a pair of undies on the day of the race? Either way, you’ll have lots of fun and proceeds benefit the Children’s Tumor Foundation. Register online.

Couples’ Nite at Pottery Northwest
Friday, February 15
5:00pm – 8:00pm
226 First Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98109
206.285.4421
http://www.potterynorthwest.org

A FUN, free event for couples. Always well attended and always even more fun than we thought it would be, Couples’ Nite is an opportunity to bring your partner, or someone perhaps you would like to be your partner to try out the studio. Come for a playful evening full of dirty fun! Call for reservations.

Date Night at Emerald City Trapeze Arts
Friday, February 15
8:00pm – 10:00pm
Emerald City Trapeze
2702 6th Ave South
Seattle, WA 98134
206.906.9442
http://www.emeraldcitytrapeze.com

The evening starts as you fly through the air with the greatest of ease! In ground school, you’ll learn the basics of what it takes to safely climb the ladder, grab the bar, (take a breath) and take the plunge. Do a couple of swings, maybe a trick, a big bounce in the net and then it’s off to the mats. Part two of the evening is all about trust and intimacy. Acrobalance combines elements of hand-balancing and partner lifts with endurance and strength. Couples learn acrobatic maneuvers wholly supported by each other’s hands, arms, legs and feet. And don’t be surprised when you end up in a compromising position. It’s kinda like Twister, for adults. Register online.

Unexpected Productions: Comedy of Love
Thursday, February 14
8:00pm
The Market Theatre
1428 Post Alley
Seattle, WA 98101
http://www.unexpectedproductions.org

It’s a special Valentine’s Day themed improv show! Explore the passions of Valentine’s Day through hilarious comedy. Watch veteran improvisers take on love, lust and everything in between, all based on audience inspiration! All ages are welcome. A lounge area will be open for those 21 and over. Tickets are $15/person. Available online HERE.

Couples’ Cooking Class
Thursday, February 14
6:30pm – 9:30pm
Efeste Winery
19730 144th Ave. NE
Woodinville, WA 98072
888.907.2665
http://www.efeste.com

You and your partner will heat up the kitchen as you listen to upbeat music, learn cooking techniques and work in teams to prepare 2 recipes from the evening’s tantalizing tapas menu. When the cooking is over, guests savor the ‘fruits’ of their labor hot from the oven! Two glasses of Efeste award winning wine are included. See the menu and register online. 21+ event.

Argosy Valentine’s Day Cruise
Thursday, February 14
1101 Alaskan Way, Pier 55
Seattle, WA 98101
206.623.1445
http://www.argosycruises.com

Hop aboard an Argosy cruise and take your sweetheart for a seaworthy trip around Seattle. Lunch cruises, dinner cruises, dinner and dancing cruises and Murder Mystery dinner cruises are all available on February 14. Cruises range from two to three hours, and take you and your Valentine around Elliott Bay, with fabulous views of the Seattle skyline, gourmet food and lots of champagne. Prices start at $69/person. Check details and make reservations online.

Cirque du Soleil: Amaluna
Through March 17
King County’s Marymoor Park
6046 West Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE
Redmond, WA 98052
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com

A really romantic story, live music and of course the impressive Cirque du Soleil acrobats! Amaluna invites the audience to a mysterious island governed by Goddesses and guided by the cycles of the moon.

Enumclaw Wine and Chocolate Festival
Friday and Saturday
February 1 and 2
4:00pm – 10:00pm
Enumclaw Expo Center
45224 284th Ave SE
Enumclaw, WA 98022
http://www.enumclawchocolatefestival.com

Featuring 28 wineries, over a dozen chocolatiers, many fine gift and specialties items. Two days of wine tasting, chocolate sampling, demonstrations, music, shopping and more. Every guest receives a commemorative wine glass and three wine tastings tickets. Tickets are $20 at the door. Each ticket is good for 2 day admission, a Riedel glass and 3 complimentary tasting scrips. Additional tasting tickets are available for $1 each.

Red Wine and Chocolate Weekends
Friday, Saturday and Sunday
February 8, 9 and 10
Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
February 14, 15, 16 and 17
11:00am – 6:00pm
http://www.wenatcheewines.com

Wenatchee Wine Country wineries offer two weekends for tasting their great red wines with decadent chocolate treats! This is the perfect date with your sweetheart or with friends! A nominal tasting fee may be charged at some wineries. 17 participating wineries, winery hours may vary.

Red Wine & Chocolate
Saturday, February 9
12:00pm – 5:00pm
Woodinville Wine Cellars
17721 132nd Avenue NE
Woodinville, WA 98072
425.481.8860
http://www.woodinvillewine.com

Enjoy a Saturday afternoon of wine and chocolate! $10/person, refundable with wine purchase.

Red Wine and Chocolate: Olympic Peninsula Winery Tour
Saturday and Sunday
February 9 and 10
Friday, Saturday and Sunday
February 16, 17 and 18
11:00am – 5:00pm
http://www.olympicpeninsulawineries.org

The Olympic Peninsula Wineries are taking the quintessential pairing of red wine & chocolate to new heights, featuring a host of never imagined sweet and savory combinations during the annual Red Wine & Chocolate Tour. Participants who visit all eight of their wineries will be entered into a drawing for an elegant wine-themed gift basket. The $30/person ticket and glass package entitles you to a special commemorative wine glass, complimentary wine tasting and delectable samples of chocolate at each winery during the Red Wine & Chocolate Weekend.

Celebrate the Month of Love with Artisan Wine & Chocolate Pairings
Saturday and Sunday
February 9 and 10; February 16 and 17
http://www.lakechelanwinevalley.com

For two weekends in February, the Lake Chelan Wine Valley hums with couples on romantic retreats and friends gather for a much needed winter getaway. Our tasting rooms fill with smiling faces and the sound of surprised delight at each taste of red wine and chocolate. Intimate winemaker dinners, cooking classes, romantic movies & wine, limousine rides, library wines… For nine days, immerse yourself in all things love! Details online.

Red Wine and Chocolate: Whidbey Island Vintners
Saturday and Sunday
February 9 and 10
Saturday, Sunday and Monday
February 16, 17 and 18
http://www.whidbeyislandvintners.org

It’s the 2013 Whidbey Island Vintners Association’s “Spoil Yourself” extravaganza. With four participating wineries all ratcheting up their pairings to perfection. February is the time to visit Whidbey and re-stock your wine cellar for the upcoming year with premium Washington State wines, many grown and all produced in the Puget Sound! There will be wonderful wines and fabulous chocolates waiting for you at each winery. Tickets are $20/person. Purchase online HERE.

Sip, Savor and Chocolate
Sunday, February 10
3:30pm – 5:30pm
Chateau Ste Michelle
14111 NE 145th Street
Woodinville, WA 98072
800.267.6793
http://www.ste-michelle.com

Come enjoy amazing wine with chocolate and cheese pairings. We are also welcoming back jazz musician Heather Sullivan. This is an opportunity to experience how delicious it can be to put just the right wine with just the perfect pairing! Event will be held in the Wine Shop Terrace. Additional wine by the glass will be available for purchase. Tickets are $25/person. Purchase online.

Red Wine & Chocolates Galore
Sunday and Monday
February 10 and 11
12:00pm – 5:00pm
William Church Winery
19495 144th Ave NE, Suite A100
Woodinville, WA 98072
425.482.2510
http://www.williamchurchwinery.com

An annual event where stellar chocolates and fine red wine come together for a taste sensation! Come taste artisan chocolates and hand crafted wines pairings, hand selected to showcase the best of both.

Red Wine & Chocolate: Sweet, Savory & Six Sexy Reds
Saturday, Sunday and Monday
February 16, 17 and 18
10:00am – 5:00pm
Whidbey Island Winery
5237 Langley Rd
Langley, WA 98260
360.221.2040
http://www.whidbeyislandwinery.com

Come to this decadent twist on the classic pairing of ‘Red Wine & Chocolate’. Step into the cellar, mingle with the winemakers and sample six critically acclaimed red wines along with exotic savory truffles made by local chocolatiers; Intrigue Chocolates of Seattle and Sweet Mona’s of Whidbey Island. Explore how salt and spice can elevate this truffle tasting experience!

Yakima Valley’s Red Wine and Chocolate
Saturday and Sunday
February 16 and 17
http://www.wineyakimavalley.org

Yakima Valley is inviting wine and chocolate enthusiasts to its annual Red Wine & Chocolate event weekend. As the oldest wine growing region in Washington state, wineries from Yakima, Zillah, Prosser and Red Mountain will be offering a weekend of divine decadence with the Premier Pass for $30, the only way to experience the depth of the Yakima Valley during Red Wine & Chocolate weekend. Tickets available online.

(credit: zinzanni.org)

Delight your Valentine with champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries and a tale “ripped from the headlines” at Teatro ZinZanni’s dinner theatre. Part vaudeville and part gymnastics show, the storyline for Caliente is that the dinner tent is threatened with closure but the kitchen staff will not go. It’s up to the artists to save the day. This is not a cheap date, but definitely a memorable one.

Neil Simon’s “California Suite” is comedy about four different stories that happen within the same posh Beverley Hills hotel suite. There’s the Manhattan workaholic mother trying to retrieve her teenage daughter who ran away from home, the conservative businessman from Philadelphia who wakes up with a surprise in his bed, an actress from London and her husband with a secret and two couples from Chicago who are best friends until one gets hurt playing tennis. This special performance includes a special wine tasting, bite-sized appetizers and desserts.

(credit: 5thavenue.org)

Ironically, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first collaboration together, “Oklahoma!”, is considered by many as the duo’s greatest work. Set just after the turn of the century in Western Indian territory, it’s a colorful tale of handsome cowboys and lovestruck farm girls featuring such well-known songs as “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” and “I Can’t Say No.” This special presentation is a collaboration with Spectrum Dance Theatre.

For those who live up north, you can’t beat the price of this version of “The Fantasticks” – the longest running theatrical production in the world. The romantic comedy set in an allegorical story is about a coming-of-age romance of two neighbors and the parents that try to keep them apart.

(credit: villagetheatre.org)

This just may be the perfect “Anti-Valentine’s Day” event. Whether you want to laugh with your sweetheart or enjoy the misery of others, “The Odd Couple” by Neil Simon will keep you laughing. It’s about a neurotic net freak Felix who is thrown out of his house by his wife and has nowhere else to go except for the apartment of his messy divorced friend, Oscar. The new arrangement isn’t much better than their former marriages.

Jeffrey Totey is a freelance writer living in Seattle. He has a love for the arts and is a student of pop culture. He covers stories about the performing arts, theater, museums, cultural events, movies and more in the greater Seattle area. His work can be found at Examiner.com.

Tutta Bella
4411 Stone Way North
Seattle, WA 98103
206.633.3800
http://www.tuttabella.com

With four Seattle locations, and one in Issaquah, Tutta Bella’s menu has something for everyone – wood-fired pizzas, calzones, pizzette, antipasti, soup, signature salads, hand crafted desserts, beer, wine and Italian espresso beverages. And this year, Tutta Bella is inviting you to bring the kids along for a festive and fun Valentine dinner! There are “Wiki Sticks” at each table to help keep the kids entertained!

Cafe Bonjour
7119 Woodlawn Ave. NE
Seattle WA 98115
206.985.6900
http://www.cafebonjourseattle.com

This sweet French creperie in Green Lake  is offering something special for grown ups on Valentine’s Day, according to My Green Lake. Enjoy dinner and they’ll keep your kids occupied with playtime while you dine. Call for reservations.

Ballard Firehouse Coffee
2622 NW Market St
Seattle, WA 98107
http://www.facebook.com/ballardcoffee

A cute little independent coffeehouse that’s been serving the Ballard area since 2001. Cozy seating, exceptional espresso drinks by a friendly staff, sandwiches, organic soups and salads, local art and craft exhibition, dog friendly, kid friendly, and laptop friendly with free WiFi! They are only open until 7:00pm nightly, so make it an early dinner and get your little Valentines tucked in!

Blue C Sushi
1510 7th Ave
Seattle, WA 98101
206.467.4022
http://www.bluecsushi.com

Locally owned, Blue C Sushi is the premier Kaiten Sushi restaurant in Seattle. With six Puget Sound locations, including three in Seattle, and Lynnwood, Tukwila and Bellevue, your kids will love watching their dinner come to them on the conveyor belt that rounds each seating area. They can choose which little plate they’d like, and also watch the sushi chefs work their magic! Come in for their special Valentine Rolls – heart shaped rolls with krab salad, tobiko, ebi and avocado, tipped with tobiko mayo and spicy tuna sauce and a cucumber garnish.

Papa Murphy’s Take ‘n’ Bake‎ Pizza
http://www.papamurphys.com‎

Want to just stay home and fire up the oven? From now through Valentine’s day, step into any Puget Sound Papa Murphy’s location for their Heart Breaker! It’s a heart-shaped pizza for only $7.

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

There are many rumors as to how exactly Valentine’s Day originated. Many people believe it is a holiday created purely by greeting card companies to sell flowers and chocolate. But my girlfriend assures me that is just not true, and if I believe it then I can get used to sleeping on the couch. Others murmur rumblings of Christian martyrs and Popes and love. Not together, or necessarily in that order.

When looking back historically, most people will cite Christianity as Valentine’s Day’s origins. There were numerous early Christian martyrs named Valentine, with a couple — Valentine of Rome and Valentine of Terni — honored on February 14th itself. No romantic elements arise from any of these Christian figures or their history, however.

Photo Credit: Public Domain

The first recorded instance of associating Valentine’s Day with romantic love comes from Geoffrey Chaucer in 1382, from his “Parlement of Foules“:

For this was on seynt Volantynys day
What euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.

The internet translates this to:

For this was Saint Valentine’s Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate.

Written to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II to Anne of Bohemia, Chaucer’s poem spread through England. So very romantic, even taking into account that both Richard II and Anne of Bohemia were a ripe 15 years old at the time.

On Valentine’s Day in 1400, the French established a “High Court of Love” to deal with love and betrayal, as well as violence against women. Judges at this court were selected by women based on a poetry reading. Some of these poems survive to this day, and many people consider them the first ever valentines. The oldest of which is from Duke of Orléans to his wife, which was in French and very short, so I didn’t include it here.

Fast forward a couple of hundred years to 1784. The first soon-to-be-cliché love poem is found in an English nursery rhyme compilation:

The rose is red, the violet’s blue
The honey’s sweet, and so are you
Thou are my love and I am thine
I drew thee to my Valentine
The lot was cast and then I drew
And Fortune said it shou’d be you.

Isn’t that sweet?

Photo Credit: Public Domain

The transition from lovely day of expression to capitalism at its finest kicked off around 1797, when a British Publisher came out with The Young Man’s Valentine Writer, a collection of writing and verses for men who couldn’t create their own. A giant was born. By the 19th century, paper valentines had become so popular in England that they were produced in factories. Lazy men rejoiced. The first mass-produced valentines in the U.S. were produced shortly thereafter, by Esther Howland of Worcester, Massachusetts, utilizing the resources in her father’s stationary store.

Fast-forward to modern day. In the United Kingdom, 1.3 billion pounds are spent annually on cards, chocolates, flowers and hopefully awesome hot air balloon rides. The U.S. Greeting Card Association, which is apparently real, approximates that nearly 200 million valentines are sent each year, yet somehow I only accumulated three Scooby Doo valentines in third grade.

Now, with the advent and flourish of the internet, love has become even easier and more passive. E-cards, flower delivery websites, love coupons and more have allowed men all over the world to procrastinate caring about their significant others until the very last moment.

Visit The Valentine’s Day Section At CBS Local.

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Valentine’s Day approaches each year like the monster from Cloverfield: quiet at first, but you know it’s there, and suddenly it is everywhere, wreaking havoc from all angles. Then before you know it, it’s all over, and you probably died (or didn’t die) kissing some girl in a park.

Maybe it isn’t that extreme, but Valentine’s Day is inevitable, and for those of us that fall into the “single” or “considering buying friends” or “lying about my relationship on Facebook to try and make my ex jealous” categories, Valentine’s Day is usually spent trying to distract ourselves from our loneliness.

If you are one of the millions of singles just counting the days until February 15th, this article is for you. Let’s take a look at some ways you can cope with couples coddling each other while you freeze your lonely butt off in your cheap peacoat and beanie, lacking any sort of human contact. I’ll discuss ways to distract, occupy and consume yourself while you suffer through this artificial holiday.

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Go Out With Other Lonely Coworkers: Remember, you’re not alone. Well, you are, but you’re not the only solo-Valentine. Everyone’s deeply hidden sadness can be cured with a few Jack and Cokes and some Dave and Buster’s skee ball. Or, better yet, Big Buck Hunter. Take out your rage on a few digital deer. With the proper mix of overpriced alcohol and shame you could be headed for an awkward morning after next to a coworker. All Vallow’s Eve (as we sometimes call Valentine’s Day) falls on a Tuesday, so embrace the morning after as a hungover hump day.

Just Play it Totally Cool: Thanks to social media, your ex(es) can track your one-person Valentine’s Day from afar, while they celebrate their newfound love aboard their significant other’s yacht. You must have a rebuttal. Photoshop yourself into some pictures with Rihanna, or on Maury for a paternity test with Beyoncé and Jay-Z. It’s much easier than ever to make yourself look busier and more popular than you actually are. Take advantage of fake retweeting a celebrity to make it seem as though they are trying to talk to you. Example:

RT @LadyGaga Hey @kyleayers, can’t wait for our Valentine’s date tonight. Kisses!

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Reconnect With Your Kids: If this option is even remotely a possibility for you, then I suggest you power down your laptop, get in your Civic and be a better parent.

Watch an Entire Television Series: Watching a single movie has too high of a probability of reminding you of that special someone, plus movies are about two hours long, which is more than 20 hours too short to consume your entire Valentine’s Day. I recommend The Wire or The West Wing, both of which avoid too many malicious relationships, and also have enough episodes to last you until Arbor Day (which I will now google to see exactly when it occurs).

There are numerous ways to make your Valentine’s Day as painless as possible. Find a way to distract yourself, and remember that Valentine’s Day is a competition. So make sure you’re having (or looking like you’re having) a better time than every single one of your exes.

Visit The Valentine’s Day Section At CBS Local.

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Hollywood is forever in search of the next big hit. Sometimes us movie-goers get something so fresh and exciting that we flock to theaters in droves. More often we get enjoyable retreads of last year’s enjoyable retreads. At least we know what’s coming, from the summer action blockbuster, the holiday family movie and, this week, the Valentine’s Day romance.

In our love letter to the love scene, we’ve gathered up the worst romance movie clichés. Maybe Hollywood will finally put these to bed — and start writing some fresh love stories.

Photo Credit: New Line Cinema

Kissing In The Rain

The rainy-day kiss is a romance classic, and cinematographers have all sorts of fun with it. Sure, The Notebook’s dock scene set millions of hearts aflutter. Sure, Spiderman and Mary Jane’s upside-down kiss was all the sexier with the cascading water and epic flashes of thunder. The device definitely works aesthetically. But the overuse makes it seem like most great romances occur only in Portland, during weather disturbances.

Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox

Fixing It All With A Stunt

We know that for the sake of a story, everyone’s romantic problems have to be solved in quick satisfying bursts. But since Hollywood also likes to make sure that couples hit huge roadblocks in their relationships, this can make for some utterly ridiculous solutions to big fights/character flaws. Did one of you make a huge mistake? Just hold a boombox outside of the window. Has one of you been a complete jerk to the other? Just sing a song from the rooftops. Or sing it on an airplane!

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Has Valentine’s Day got you down? Is meeting that special someone proving more difficult than you ever thought it could be? Maybe it’s time to change your approach to dating.

Dating websites have come a long way since Match.com launched in the mid-1990s. And the stigma of meeting someone online is all but gone. These days, dating sites offer many opportunities to make a good first impression without the pitfalls of the dreaded “pick up.” You can be sure that the person on the other end wants to meet someone too. With all the personalization features these sites offer and the traffic they receive, the right person is probably out there somewhere right now.

Here are the top 5 dating websites that can change your dating life with just a few clicks:

Photo Credit: Match.com

Match.com

www.match.com

Arguably the best known of the matchmaking websites, Match.com boasts a membership of over 20 million. The site uses your profile to personalize the matches that it delivers to you. It also offers a high level of search customization; the Mutual Match function, for example, allows you to find people who are looking for someone like you. While viewing member profiles is free, a subscription is needed to contact someone (member conversations happen via email, chat and instant messaging). Membership plans range from one to six months.

Photo Credit: Plenty of Fish

PlentyofFish

www.pof.com

POF (as it’s typically called) relies on profiles created through a “chemistry test.” This test tracks five personality dimensions, each of which contributes to building a romantic relationship. Members can view profiles and send messages to people who interest them. The heavily used and well organized forums are there for the viewing without even signing up. Video and audio chat capabilities are also available. The site is free to use, though a paid version may improve one’s chance at a love connection.

Visit The Valentine’s Day Section At CBS Local.

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Valentine’s Day, like New Year’s Eve and Independence Day, is a holiday that sometimes seems to let us down. It’s supposed to be fun — even magical — but we’re often left wondering why we were ever so excited. It just doesn’t live up to the hype. And it’s worse for those unattached types, who have to suffer through what might also be called “Singles Awareness Day.”

Instead of getting down and out about your Valentine’s Day situation, gather a group of friends and celebrate not having to fake smile when someone gives you a giant red stuffed bear! Here is a stellar menu for an “I Love My Friends But Hate Valentine’s Day” party!

Also Check Out Recipes For A Romantic Valentine’s Day Dinner.

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Roasted Tomato Bruschetta

Ingredients:

* 15-20 Roma tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped, plus 15-20 full basil leaves
* 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
* 1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
* 2 ounces goat cheese
* Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Mix together the garlic, chopped basil, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

3. Place the halved Roma tomatoes on a sheet pan and brush the tops of the tomatoes with the oil mixture.

4. Roast for about 40 minutes or until softened and the edges begin to darken.

5. Toast the bread slices in the oven until just lightly browned.

6. Spread each piece with goat cheese.

7. Top with a tomato half and a basil leaf.

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Baked Brie

Ingredients:

* One wheel of Brie cheese
* Honey
* Pumpkin seeds

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place the wheel of Brie on a small baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is oozing out from the bottom.

3. Place the baked Brie on a serving platter.

4. Top the brie with about 1/2 cup of honey and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.

5. Serve with pieces of crusty bread or crackers.

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Parmesan Popcorn

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 3 tablespoons melted butter
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

1. Pour the oil into a deep, heavy-bottom pan and heat briefly.

2. Add the kernels, cover the pot and shake it over the heat until the kernels pop.

3. Pour the popcorn into a large bowl and add the butter. Toss to coat

4. Add the grated cheese and garlic powder. Toss again to coat.

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Spiked Chocolate Fondue

This may not be a traditional Valentine’s Day party, but you can still have a Valentine’s Day-themed dessert! This one has a little liqueur to kick up the flavor and fun.

Ingredients:

* 1 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 4 tablespoons Grand Marnier liqueur
* Morsels for dipping (sliced banana, strawberries, raspberries, cubed poundcake, pretzel sticks, graham crackers, brownie bites… whatever your single heart desires)

Instructions:

1. In a double boiler over barely simmering water, heat the cream.

2. Add the chocolate and liqueur, stir until melted.

3. Once melted, serve with skewers and any your delicious accompaniments of choice.

Visit The Valentine’s Day Section At CBS Local.

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Every Valentine’s Day, people scramble for flowers, candy and restaurant reservations. It’s so stressful, so annoying… so anti-Valentine’s Day! In lieu of buying a bunch of love-themed stuff and shoving it in your sweetie’s face, woo them with a romantic, home-cooked dinner. It’s intimate and special. More than a phone call to a local restaurant, it shows that you care.

Cooking dinner at home can be stressful and time consuming. We’ve put together an impressive, but simple, menu for your romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. These three delicious courses are each brimming with aphrodisiacs; they’re guaranteed to put any couple in the mood. You’ve been warned!

Also Check Out Recipes For A Valentine’s Day Singles Party.

Photo Credit: Christine Hinrichs

Spinach And Arugula Salad With Goat Cheese And Figs

Arugula and Figs are the aphrodisiacs in this dish! It’s easy to toss this salad together while the rest of your dinner is cooking away.

Ingredients:

* Large handful of spinach leaves
* Large handful of arugula leaves
* 1/3 cup chopped figs
* 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
* Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
* Drizzle of balsamic vinegar
* Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Combine the spinach and arugula in a large bowl.

2. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add the chopped figs and crumbled goat cheese and toss to coat ingredients with dressing.

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Saffron Couscous with Roasted Vegetables

Saffron is expensive, but a little bit goes a long way. This “vegetable gold” adds the romance to your main course!

Ingredients:

* 1/4 teaspoon (a small pinch) saffron threads
* 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, use more if needed
* 1 cup pearl (Israeli) couscous
* 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
* 2 golden beets, peeled and diced
* 1 parsnip, peeled and diced
* 1 large shallot, cut into half-moon shapes
* Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
* Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Line a baking sheet with foil.

3. In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with about a tablespoon of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

4. Spread the vegetables on the baking sheet in an even layer.

5. Bake until softened and browned, about 35-40 minutes.

6. In a small saucepan, heat the vegetable broth with the saffron threads on medium low heat. Let the threads steep in the warm liquid for about 15 minutes.

7. In a larger saucepan, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil and add the couscous on medium heat. Toast until just browned.

8. Add the saffron liquid and cook couscous according to the directions on the package. Add more liquid if needed until the couscous is cooked.

9. Fluff with a fork. The saffron will give the couscous a lovely, yellow color.

10. Serve the couscous alongside the roasted vegetables and round off the meal with a piece of crusty bread.

11. Top with fresh parsley and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Chocolate Fondue

Chocolate is always a surefire winner. Extra points if you feed each other the dipped morsels.

Ingredients:

* 7 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
* 1 cup heavy cream
* Morsels for dipping (sliced banana, strawberries, raspberries, cubed poundcake, pretzel sticks, graham crackers, brownie bites… whatever your in-love heart desires)

Instructions:

1. In a double boiler over barely simmering water, melt together the chocolate and cream.

2. Once melted, serve with skewers and any your delicious accompaniments of choice.

Visit The Valentine’s Day Section At CBS Local.

Valentine’s Men’s Grooming Salon
7912 Greenwood Ave. N.
Seattle, WA 98103
206.706.6303
valentinesseattle.com

What could be more perfect than to have Valentine in the name? Voted Best Barber by Seattle’s Evening Magazine three years running, this exclusively men’s salon is a jewel in the Greenwood area of Seattle. Why not treat your sweetheart to the Presidential Treatment? A haircut is only the beginning to this particular experience. He’ll relax into a smooth leather club chair, feet up, drink by his side and settle into a state of bliss for a Valentine’s haircut, luxurious mini-facial treatment and hand massage. The Presidential treatment closes with a shampoo rinse, conditioning treatment and scalp massage. What could be a better or more relaxing gift?

Salish Lodge & Spa
6501 Railroad Avenue SE
Snoqualmie, WA 98065
800.2.SALISH
http://www.salishlodge.com

A Chocolate Fireside Foot Revitalizer for Two! Enjoy with side by side foot soaks, lower leg and foot chocolate exfoliation, paraffin dip and covering of chocolate body butter. All as you relax in front of a wood-burning fireplace nibbling on chocolate truffles with the one you love.

Queen Anne Healing Arts Massage
2461B Queen Anne Ave N
Seattle, WA 98119
206.285.8350
http://www.queenannehealingarts.com

Purchase your Valentine a Hot Stone Massage & receive a Hot Stone Massage for yourself for free. It’s the Buy one Get one Free Hot Stone Massage special for Valentine’s day at this tranquil Queen Anne spa. The Valentine’s Day Massage Special includes a Chocolate Facial with Sweet Dream pot de Chocolate, featuring Seattle’s Theo Chocolate. Or you might want to drop by to purchase Valentine’s Aromatherapy Aphrodisiac Spritzers & bath Salts containing Ylang Ylang, Sandalwood & Rose to take home. Specials are available through 2/15/12.

Pan Pacific Hotel
2125 Terry Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121
206.264.8111
http://www.panpacific.com/seattle

Pan Pacific’s Vida Salon and Spa is offering a Couple’s Therapy for $250.00 (regularly $325.00). It includes a 60 minute side by side couples Classic Swedish Massage, chocolate kisses to be enjoyed during or after your foot therapy, a sparkling beverage to be enjoyed while you relax pre or post therapies in Vida’s signature lounge, one bath and body oil per couple to take home and continue your relaxation.

Habitude Salons and Spa
2801 NW Market Street
Seattle, WA 98107
206.782.2898
http://www.habitude.com

Looking for love? Habitude Salons and Spas wants to help. Head into Habitude, they’ll get your look ready to go, and add your picture to their Habi-Dudes or Habi-Gals album online. You tag yourself in the picture and you’re all set. Look through the albums, find other Habitude fans looking for love and make a connection! You can also post your pics to Habitude’s Facebook page or tweet them to Habitude and they will add you to the HabiMatch database! Plus, you can let love BLOOM with a Habitude Spa Gift Card. Perfect for Mom, Wife, Daughter, Husband, no one is ever dissappointed with a gift to be pampered. And you’ll find Pure-fumes, jewelry and other goodies in their boutique.

Alderbrook Resort and Spa
7101 E State Route 106
Union, WA 98592
360.898.2200
http://www.AlderbrookResort.com

Joy for Two ~ Couple’s Massage. Take a deep breath and enjoy a relaxing treatment with a very special someone. Enjoy your private treatment room for two with skilled therapists to erase the stresses of the day. And if you’d like to stay the night, there are various Valentine’s Day packages that run from February 10 – 18.

Hotel Murano
1320 Broadway Plaza
Tacoma, WA 98402
877.986.8083
http://www.hotelmuranotacoma.com

Hotel Murano’s Love Is In The Air package includes overnight accommodations, champagne and a couple’s experience at the on-site Savi Spa with a side-by-side rose petal scrub and a warm bubbly soak followed by a massage for hands and feet.

Aquabar
305 Bell Street
Seattle, WA 98121
206.728.6583
http://www.acquabar.com

A special Valentine’s Day menu with a wonderful three course meal for $35/person. The menu includes vegetarian options and delectable desserts. Make it a fun and special night at Belltown’s newest casual dining bistro. Call for reservations.

Valentine’s Dinner Cruise
Saturday, February 11 7:00pm – 9:30pm
Tuesday, February 14 7:00pm – 10:00pm
1101 Alaskan Way
Pier 56
Seattle, WA 98101
206.623.1445

Step aboard the Royal Argosy on the Seattle Waterfront. You and your sweetheart will get whisked away on a beautiful cruise, listen to a live band with a vocalist and enjoy a special pre-set 5-course dinner sure to please all. $110/person. Be sure to ask about flowers at your table! Call for reservations.

Andaluca
407 Olive Way
Seattle, WA 98101
206.382.6999
http://www.andaluca.com

A fun, sexy Valentine’s Day menu has been planned at this Mediterranean inspired restaurant. Gluten-free options are not just available, they are part of the menu. Call for reservations. Want to make it an overnight? Step out of the restaurant and into Seattle’s Mayflower Park Hotel and enjoy their special Romance Package.

Sip
1084 NE Park Drive
Issaquah, WA 98029
425.369.1181
http://www.siprestaurant.com

Cozy up to your longtime lover, newfound admirer, or faithful friend for a Valentine’s Day dinner! Ignite romance with specialty love potions and wine flights, Chef Chris’s delectable 5 course menu, & candlelight. $150/couple. Call or go online for reservations and prepare to uncork your passion! Also available at Sip’s Seattle location, 909 5th Ave. Seattle, WA 98104.

Sushi Kappo Tamura
2968 Eastlake Ave E
Seattle, WA 98102
206.547.0937
http://www.sushikappotamura.com

Valentine’s Day Omakase dinner includes a 6 course meal made especially for you by Chef Taichi Kitamura and optional sake pairing. $100/person, reservations online or by phone.

Pimienta Bistro
34029 Hoyt Rd SW
Federal Way, WA 98023
253.838.2398
http://www.pimientabistro.com

An urban fusion of Latin American cuisine. Chef Blanca Rodriguez takes great care to create a delectable piece of art for every guest, appealing to every sense. Come in on Valentine’s Day for a lovely 4 course pre-fixe menu, including a glass of bubbly. $50/person. Call for reservations.

RN74
1433 4th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
206.456.7474
http://www.michaelmina.net

RN74 is an urban wine bar and restaurant featuring an expansive wine list that showcases the best expressions of the Northwest and Burgundy. To complement the wines, the menu features creative, modern but simple interpretations of regional French cuisine. Come in with your valentine for a fabulous 4 Course Pre-fixe Menu for $75/person. Reservations available online.

Sweethearts on the Slopes
Tuesday, February 14
9:00am – 10:00pm
Snoqualmie Summit
1001 State Route 906
Snoqualmie Pass, WA 98068
425.434.7669
http://www.summitatsnoqualmie.com

Buy one lift ticket, get your sweetheart’s free! (Ticket must be of equal or lesser value.) Bring your significant other to the ticket window with you. You’ll get the BOGO promotion and some good old fashioned Valentine’s Day chocolate!

Corks and Canvas
Tuesday, February 14
6:00pm – 9:00pm
The Local Vine
1410 12th Ave
Seattle, WA 98122
206.257.5653
http://www.thelocalvine.com

Unleash your inner Picasso while you sip some delicious bubbly with your sweetheart. Painting begins around 6:45. Receive your canvas, brushes, paints, and one glass of bubbly or wine. Additional wine available for purchase. $50/person. Register at http://www.corksandcanvasevents.com.

Wine and Chocolate Tasting
Tuesday, February 14
5:00pm – 7:00 pm
Volunteer Park Conservatory
1402 East Galer Street
Seattle, WA 98112
206.322.4112
http://www.volunteerparkconservatory.org‎

Four varieties of wines matched with chocolate will be available at tasting stations placed throughout the Conservatory. What could be more romantic than an evening stroll through the Conservatory with your honey, wine & chocolate? $10 per adult, 21+.

Learn a New Sport – Fencing with Your Valentine!
760 Harrison Street
Seattle, WA 98109
206.623.8357
http://www.salleauriol.com

Salle Auriol trains participants in the sport of modern Olympic fencing. Bring your sweetheart or someone you just met, either way, pay for class and your guest attends for free during February. Classes are Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 7:00pm – 8:30pm beginning February 2. Register online.

Valentine’s Dinner Cruise on Queen of Seattle
Tuesday, February 14
7:00pm
Lake Union Park
860 Terry Avenue N
Seattle, WA 98109
877.783.3616
http://www.queenofseattle.com

Surprise your sweetheart with a romantic and fun steamboat cruise aboard the paddle wheeler, Queen of Seattle. Savor a gourmet dinner prepared by their executive chef and served at your table along with a complimentary glass of champagne. Enjoy live music, and views of the city lights and shorelines of Lake Union and Lake Washington as you cruise into the evening. The boat departure dock is at the north end of Lake Union Park. Call for reservations.

Cavalia
Thru February 19
Marymoor Park
6046 West Lake Sammamish Parkway NE
Redmond, WA 98052
866.999.8111
http://www.cavalia.net

Is your sweetie an animal lover? Cavalia might be for you. Conceived by Normand Latourelle, a co-founder of the famed Cirque du Soleil, Calvalia is often labelled an equestrian ballet. In a fairy tale setting, under a big white tent, filled with poetry and emotion, the show innovatively integrates acrobatics, dance, aerial stunts, live music and equestrian arts.

On Valentine’s Day, you can choose between two exclusive packages, the Rendez-Vous, which includes dessert and bubbly in the VIP Lounge, a special entrance, gifts, up front seating and a chance to see the horses in their stable after the show. The Horse Lovers, which gives you a glass of bubbly, front row seats and a chance to meet the horses. Call or go online for ticket prices and information.

Most of us will never date a celebrity. And, in certain cases, that’s just fine.

Nightmare celebrities square off in a Valentine’s Day edition of Pick-A-Side. And you choose the, er, winner.

Select a category below and get started…

Most of us will never date a celebrity. But we can dream, right?

Hot celebrities square off in a Valentine’s Day edition of Pick-A-Side. And you choose the winner.

Select a category below and get started…

Annual Red Wine & Chocolate Tasting
Friday and Saturday
February 3 and 4
Friday 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Saturday 12:00pm – 5:00pm
Woodinville Wine Cellars
17721 – 132nd Ave. NE
Woodinville, WA 98072
425.481.8860
http://www.woodinvillewinecellars.com

Woodinville Wine Cellars’ award-winning red Wines, artisan chocolates and salted caramels from Forte Artisan Chocolates. There’s wine tasting for two, plus a bottle of award-winning red wine to take home, along with chocolate from Forte Artisan Chocolates. Regular Price $70/couple, but look for the upcoming Living Social Deal for $35/couple!

The 4th Annual Enumclaw Wine and Chocolate Festival
Friday and Saturday
February 3 and 4
Friday 4:00pm – 9:00pm
Saturday 12:00pm – 9:00pm
Enumclaw Expo Center
45224 284th Ave SE
Enumclaw, WA 98022
360.615.5631
http://www.enumclawchocolatefestival.com

Join the City of Enumclaw and Sip City Wines for a weekend filled with the finer things in life: great wines, delicious chocolate, shopping, food, and entertainment. Purchase tickets online.

Chelan Red Wine and Chocolate
Saturday and Sunday
February 11 and 12
February 18 and 19
800.424.3526
http://www.lakechelanwinevalley.com

Lake Chelan Wine Valley celebrates two romantic Red Wine & Chocolate-filled weekends in February. Fifteen local boutique wineries in Lake Chelan’s spectacular Wine Valley offer delicious pairings of wine and chocolate to tempt and delight your sweetheart’s senses.

Olympic Peninsula Red Wine and Chocolate
Saturday and Sunday
February 11 and 12
Saturday, Sunday and Monday
February 18, 19 and 20
11:00am – 5:00pm
Olympic Peninsula Wineries
800.785.5495
http://www.olympicpeninsulawineries.org

The Olympic Peninsula Wineries are taking the quintessential pairing of red wine & chocolate to new heights this year, featuring a host of never imagined sweet and savory combinations during the annual Red Wine & Chocolate Tour. Tickets are available online, however they are not required. A $5.00 wine tasting fee will be charged at each winery for non-ticketed visitors. While children are allowed in the tasting rooms, you must be 21 or over to purchase tickets and/or participate in wine tasting. The Olympic Peninsula Wineries encourage responsible wine touring and recommend that you have a designated driver in your group. Designated Drivers will not be served wine, they will be offered other beverages to drink and are invited to enjoy the food at each winery.

Red Wine & Chocolate at Snoqualmie Vineyards
Saturday and Sunday
February 18 and 19
10:00am – 5:00pm
Snoqualmie Tasting Room
660 Frontier Road
Prosser, WA 99350
800.852.0885
http://www.snoqualmie.com

A chocolate lover’s dream weekend! Enjoy pairing the wonderful flavors of red wine and chocolate.

Toast to Passion Weekend
Saturday and Sunday
February 18 and 19
10:00am – 6:00pm
Maryhill Winery
9774 Highway 14
Goldendale, WA 98620
509.773.1976
http://www.maryhillwinery.com

Photography Show by Gorge photographers John Clement and Darryl Lloyd between 11:00am and 5:00pm. See gorgeous photos and meet the artists. Live music, artisan cheeses and chocolates. Wine tasting all day.

Red Wine & Chocolate
Saturday and Sunday
February 18 and 19
12:00pm – 5:00pm
Prosser Tasting Room
2880 Lee Road
Prosser, WA 99350

A truly mouth-watering event not to be missed! Meet world-class winemakers and discover the true romance of the vineyard while sampling distinctive and elegant offerings of fine chocolate and fine wine.

Yakima Valley Red Wine and Chocolate
Saturday and Sunday
February 18 and 19
509.965.5201
http://www.wineyakimavalley.org

The natural affinity between dark chocolate and red wine is no secret. The Red Wine and Chocolate event weekend in the Yakima Valley provides a distinctive and elegant offering of fine chocolate and fine wine. Visit the more than 50 wineries in the Yakima Valley Wine country during this Presidents’ Day weekend. Each winery pairs sumptuous chocolate desserts with their very own remarkable red wines. The Premier Pass is $30/person in advance or $35/person at the door. Purchase online.

Chocolate on the Beach Festival
Saturday and Sunday
February 24 and 25
Pacific Beach, WA 98571
360.276.0009
http://www.chocolateonthebeachfestival.com

The Chocolate on the Beach Festival has grown so much that it has become its own entity. A weekend of family fun and activities, including: Chocolate Bake Sale, Chocolate Vendors and Crafts
Chocolate and Wine, a Chocolate Recipe Contest and much more. A percentage of the proceeds will benefit the Museum of the North Beach’s Moclips Depot Rebuilding Project.

Women Take Heart
Wednesday February 29
5:30pm – 8:00pm
Januik Novelty Hill
14710 Woodinville-Redmond Road
Woodinville, WA 98072
http://www.hopeheart.org

Red wine, dark chocolate and golf can be heart smart for women, and what better time for ladies to learn more than on Leap Year Day (Feb. 29)! During a special Women Take Heart™ program, women can sip wine, tour the winery, sample chocolates and discover ways to live a heart healthy lifestyle from a cardiologist and nutritionist. Cost: $29, Pre-registration required. Register online.

The Harvest Vine
2701 East Madison
Seattle, WA 98112
206.320.9771
http://www.harvestvine.com

A Basque/Spanish inspired cuisine with tapas (small plates) and delicious Spanish wines, head to the downstairs intimate dining room at The Harvest Vine. Lots of fish and pork, using Mediterranean ingredients like olive oil, fresh veggies and herbs and spices, the menu changes about twice a month, depending on what is in season. The intimate setting in the basement uses stone, brick and dark woods. You’re actually in the wine cellar, where the walls are lined with Riojas from various regions. Serving dinner nightly and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, it’s a quiet and delightful atmosphere that invites the feeling of old world Europe.

Elemental@Gasworks
3309 Wallingford Ave North
Seattle, WA 98103
206.547.2317
http://www.elementalatgasworks.com

Owned and operated by Phred Westfall and Laurie Riedeman, this couple has figured out what works for them, and it has delighted foodies from Seattle and beyond. The restaurant is simple and elegant. Their website states they cannot seat parties larger than six, so it’s designed for small, intimate gatherings. Phred is a master at pairing wines with Laurie’s ridiculously delicious dishes. Each course is beautifully presented. No fuss, no muss. In fact, there’s no menu. The evening’s meal is pre-determined by Laurie, and changes nearly every week, with what is fresh, local and organic, and in season. Phred finds the perfect wines to pair with each part of the meal, and the dinner is expected to be savored. Head for Elemental when you are ready for a relaxing, worry-free evening when you are ready to be presented with a tasty meal and drink, and can spend the time enjoying every morsel.

Tilth
1411 N 45th Street
Seattle, WA
98103-6706
206.633.0801
http://www.tilthrestaurant.com

In a cozy, Granny Smith green craftsman home, is the Tilth restaurant. With cozy dining inside, the happy yellow and green dining room flickers with candlelight. There are only eight tables inside, along with a few seats at the bar, and a few tables outside on the patio, weather permitting. Certified organic from Oregon Tilth, the restaurant prides itself on wild and certified organic and local ingredients, according to the restaurant’s website. In 2008, the New York Times named Tilth “one of the best new restaurants in the country”. With both Northwest and European wines, nightly dinner and weekend brunch, and under the watchful eye of its owner and award-winning chef Maria Hines, you are guaranteed that every bite will be mouth-watering, and the entire experience will be comfortable, warm and inviting.

Little Red Day Spa
1506 Franklin Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98102
206.963.0772
http://www.littlereddayspa.com

There are several packages at this warm and inviting day spa for couples. The Retreat Package includes a foot bath with essential oils, massages, either in the hot tub or on a massage table or a combination of both – body clay, paints and seasonal salt can be applied to make your skin shine. A large stone shower helps you refresh after your treatments. The Couple’s Getaway Retreat includes catered food from The Little Red Bistro. Or you can have a couples’ massage for two hours.

A Signature Spa
14044 NE 8th Street
Bellevue, WA 98007
425.213.7642
http://www.asignaturespa.com

The amazing Royal Romance two-hour couples’ package includes lavender-scented linens, rose pedals on the massage tables, couples’ 50 minute massage, a hot stone foot soak, and peppermint scalp massage. Bring your iPod with your favorite romantic music, enjoy champagne, sparkling water, chocolate covered strawberries and a swiss shower. Other couples’ packages include a Turkish or salt body scrub and eucalyptus steam room.

Salish Lodge and Spa
6501 Railroad Avenue
Snoqualmie, WA 98065
http://www.salishlodge.com

During the month of May there are some lovely couple’s specials. Ask about Queen For a Day – two 50-minute Tranquility Massages, two 50-minute Essential Beauty Break Facials and two 50-minute Salish Signature Body Scrubs. Also the Family Ties by the Fireside package includes enjoy pure relaxation by the fire, two 50-minute Tranquility Massage, a rose and chocolate covered strawberries. Or book any day spa package, and enjoy access to the soaking pools, steam and sauna.

Alderbrook Resort
7101 E State Highway 106
Union, Washington 98592
360.898.2200
http://www.alderbrookresort.com

A smattering of packages for two with names like Connect, Delight, Enchant and Enrapture, it’s worth the 2.5 hour drive from Seattle to this bit of paradise. Packages include aromatherapy bath soak, deep tissue massage, hot oil hair and scalp treatment, Signature or Gentleman’s facial, joy for two pedicures and a light spa snack. Couples’ treatments are not available on Saturdays, so plan to come and spend the night on Saturday, or make a Sunday drive turn into something absolutely fabulous.

(credit: tangorestaurant.com)

Tango Restaurant and Lounge

1100 Pike Street
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 583-0382
www.tangorestaurant.com

Located on Pike Street in the bustle of Capital Hill, Tango Restaurant and Lounge may be the perfect place for your first date. Housed in an 100-year-old brick building, this dimly lit restaurant serves some of the best tapas in Seattle. With just 23 tables, this intimate restaurant is the ideal place to strike up close conversation while sharing Spanish olives from the same plate. Save room for the El Diablo, a cube of rich dark chocolate, cayenne, spicy almonds, cocoa nibs and burnt meringue, finished with a tequila caramel sauce. Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to midnight.

(credit: stgpresents.org)

Paramount Theatre

911 Pine Street
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 682-1414
www.stgpresents.org

Grab a show at the historic Paramount for a unique first date in Seattle. Built in 1928, the Paramount Theatre was once Seattle’s most opulent movie palace. Today, this venue hosts comedians like Norm McDonald and Broadway shows like Hair, Riverdance and Stomp.

(credit: thepinkdoor.net)

The Pink Door

1919 Post Alley
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 443-3241
www.thepinkdoor.net

No signage, no advertising, merely word of mouth keeps The Pink Door resilient and thriving after 25 years. Enter off of the alley and behind the pink door to find a surreal experience awaiting you. A cultural oasis of the unexpected in a Bohemian loft-like space is what the pink door is all about. The restaurant serves Italian American fare with ingredients purchased from small organic farms and harvested in a sustainable manner. Tuesday through Saturday nights, The Pink Door provides lively entertainment in the main dining area; trapeze artists dangling from the 20-foot ceiling, jazz ensembles and even a tap-dancing saxophone player are some the talents you will find. Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.

(credit: thepurplecafe.com)

Purple Café and Wine Bar

1225 4th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 829-2280
www.thepurplecafe.com

Casual sophistication meets Metropolitan style in this Seattle restaurant featuring seasonal Northwest ingredients and a global wine selection. Purple Café and Wine Bar, located on 4th Avenue, is a swanky first date destination with soaring ceilings, polished concrete floors, and an abundance of steel and glass. Request a table by the two-story windows to watch the pedestrians passing by. Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight; Saturday, noon to midnight; Sunday, noon to 11 p.m.

- By Nicki Callahan