Last week, we gave the recipe to a perfect evening for Valentine’s Day. Of course there was an assumption that one had someone to share in the festivities. But, for those of you who think the best thing about Valentine’s Day is that tomorrow, the chocolates are marked down to half price, this post is for you!

Go to that really fun gym class that is always packed…

You know, the one that if you don’t leave work right on time and have complete karma with the traffic lights or the public transit schedules and change into your gym clothes faster than Clark Kent changes into his cape and tights, the spin class has no more bikes, or there are only 15 lb dumbbells left for that muscle conditioning class (I know, that’s like a feather for some of you but I am still on 8 lbs for my heavy weights!), or there’s only a tiny corner at the back of the room for you in the zumba class, or your feeling drops of everyone else’s sweat in the hot yoga class. This is the day to catch that class. It will be wonderfully empty because so many others will be getting ready to spend the evening with their significant other or their I-want-you-to-be-my-significant-other.

All You Can Eat Sushi (or other buffet)

Because really, what couple goes to an all-you-can-eat buffet on Valentine’s Day? (Full disclosure: that’s exactly the kind of significant other I am searching for… ) So grab your favorite friend(s) and hit the buffet line which for once, shouldn’t be out the door!

If all your friends are busy with their own Valentine, and you don’t like to eat out alone, hit your favorite bakery and have a carb-fest and finish it up with a dessert of a banana split sundae. Serve it up in a martini glass so you can feel like you are having a drink at the same time!  Pssssst….. chocolate ganache, our favorite version of hot fudge, is the easiest thing in the world to make. Scald 2 cups of heavy cream, add 1 1/2 lbs of chopped semi sweet chocolate, remove from heat and stir until melted. Voila!

Now for the Entertainment Portion of Your Evening

Put on your favorite Julianna Rae pajamas and settle in for the evening with a great movie. Two favorites you should definitely check out: The Adventures of Remo Williams and Tampopo.  Both are timeless, thoroughly entertaining, and are about sole practitioners that get better at their craft (Remo kills bad guys, Tampopo makes ramen) with the help of patient, eccentric mentors.

Okay – you would rather have a movie more appropriate to Valentine’s Day without it falling into rom-com territory (because we don’t really need that on a day we are paying homage to being single)? Here are two fabulous options for that: Ever after and Princess Bride.  Let’s just call them fun fairy tales.

Books more your thing? The new translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Simon Armitage is perfect for this day (there are attempts at adulterous seduction in this tale…). An epic poem written originally in Middle English is an eminently readable tale of a rather chivalrous knight on a journey and quest he takes on alone. Need something more modern? How about The Princess Bride in book form! It was actually a book by William Goldman before it was a movie and the book is just as good as the movie (if not better! Yes, those words are considered blasphemy by the die-hard fans of the movie…)

Nightcap Time

Our fabulous recent post featuring soul-warming drinks  featured Sleepy Time Spiced Apple Cider. That’s the perfect way to end this Valentine’s Day!

Have a fabulous day – and we mean that for singles and for lovers! Tell us what fun things you do to celebrate Valentine’s Day.