7 Offbeat Dates for Valentine’s Weekend
Saturday, February 12, 2011
It’s that time of year again when love is in the air and couples all over America are planning the ultimate romantic rendezvous. But instead of the traditional candlelight dinner with rose petals and a wandering violin trio, try out some of these ideas for a fun, unique Valentine's Day dates in the Ocean State.
1. Best for Local Tastes
If you’re interested in the local food scene, the Wintertime Farmer’s Market at the Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket is just the place. While enjoying live music and the atmosphere of a restored 19th-century textile mill, you and your sweetie can browse what the various growers have to offer, including such aphrodisiac ingredients as fresh oysters and shrimp, fragrant honey, crunchy apples, bright rosemary, earthy mushrooms, and much more. Once you’re done seeing the best of what Rhode Island farms have to offer, you can go back home and cook a fantastic dinner together (and even add those ubiquitous candles if you like). Saturdays from 10am to 1pm, 1005 Main St., Pawtucket.
2. Best for Impressing the Guy
Although couples may not think of hunting as an ideal date, Addieville East Farm in Mapleville is a great spot to spend time outdoors enjoying nature together. It covers over 900 acres of natural habitat for hunting fast-flying birds, as well as sporting clays for beginners to advanced shooters. Men will be thrilled that their ladies are willing to come along and they’ll be more than happy to get close and show them the proper way to hold the gun. 200 Pheasant Drive, Mapleville, 568-3185.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST3. Best for Actually Learning Something
Before you head out for your big night on Valentine’s Day, why not learn something about the most romantic food in the world? We're speaking of course of chocolate, the gift no woman (or man) can refuse. On February 14, Anthropologist Patricia A. McAnany is giving a free lecture on the history and cultivation of cacao, the foundation of chocolate. She’ll be presenting new research on the bean that sheds new light on its origins and uses in Central America and Mayan civilization. To make things even sweeter, a chocolate tasting by Taza Chocolate will follow the talk, sure to put you in the right mood for a night of romance. Monday, February 14, 5:30-6:30pm. Brown University, Salomon Center Room 101, 69-91 Waterman St, Providence.
4. Best for Plain Old Fun
For those who lament the lack of snowy-weather activities in Rhode Island, snow tubing at Yawgoo Valley in Exeter is a great place to have a frosty fun time with your paramour. Relive your childhood as you speed down 12 trails with four lifts with a 245-foot vertical drop. No athletic ability is required to enjoy the fresh air and the accompanying rush of a high-speed tube ride, and what could be better than sharing hot chocolate after in the lodge? Tubing is dependent on snow conditions, so make sure to call ahead. 160 Yawgoo Valley Rd, Exeter, 295-2276.
5. Best for Theatergoers
If you can feel the love tonight, head down to the Providence Performing Arts Center to see their production of The Lion King. The story and songs are the same as those of the classic Disney movie, but with the addition of artfully designed masks and costumes intended to mimic the animals of the African Serengeti. You’ll marvel at director Julie Taymor’s creativity in bringing the pride lands to life on stage and get drawn into the romance, action, and heartbreak of Simba’s journey. Plus, who doesn’t like sitting next to his or her date in a dark theater? Running until February 20. 220 Weybosset St, Providence, 421-2787.
6. Best for Relaxation
In today’s world of high-stimulation and even higher stress, sometimes you just need to get away and be pampered for a few hours. And pampering is exactly what you’ll get at Victorian Rose Day Spa in Woonsocket, which offers luxurious couples massages. Among their options is the deluxe Chocolate Massage, which includes an hour-long massage with your choice of chocolate-flavored body oil, followed by a sea salt body scrub, an application of dark chocolate mud to your body, and a finish in a shower built for two. For other choices try SpaVana in Portsmouth, providing various couples therapies with heated stones and pads, full facials, aromatherapy, scrubs, and more. Both you and your partner will leave feeling refreshed and closer to each other than ever. Victorian Rose Day Spa,1271 Park Ave, Woonsocket, 762-1276. Spavana, 10 King Charles Dr, Portsmouth, 293-0920.
7. Best for Nature Lovers
Seeing humans dressed as animals in The Lion King not enough for you? Then a Seal Watch Tour on the Narragansett Bay may be just the thing for you and your date. From October to April, harbor seals migrate south from Maine and Canada and rest upon rocks and other “haul-out” sites in the bay, so Save the Bay runs these boat tours to give Rhode Islanders the chance to watch these cute marine mammals in their natural habitat. Besides the obvious appeal of getting to see the playful seals, the scenery of the bay can provide a wonderful backdrop for spending time on the water with your loved one. Tours depart from Bowen’s Ferry Landing, 18 Market Sq, Newport, 324-6020.
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