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EVERY TIME FEB. 14 rolls around, it's the same old, same old: If you're a lady in a relationship, you can bank on chocolates (mmm, Hershey's Pot of Gold); flowers (roses, if you're lucky); and possibly some vaguely inappropriate undergarments (after all, Valentine's Day is probably the only holiday when an offering from Frederick's of Hollywood is totally socially accepted, and even expected).
And if you're a dude ... well, you don't really get anything if you're a dude. For men, Valentine's Day is more about giving than getting — kind of like a more sexually charged Christmas, but with more delicious treats (chocolates > eggnog any day). And if you happen to be a guy who needs to get his girl a gift, yet also wants to break out of that whole yum-yums/plants/lingerie thing, we don't blame you.
Instead, we lovingly embrace your free-thinking spirit and outside-the-box ideology — so much so that we assembled a handy-dandy list of some of the wackiest Valentine's Day gifts available on the fine World Wide Web, all for your buying pleasure. Be warned: They're all pretty ridiculous, but hey, every girl wants a guy who can make her laugh, right?
Continue Reading "The Serious Guide to Wacky Valentine's Day Gifts" »
PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS complaining about how much they hate Valentine's Day. New Year's Eve is overrated, Thanksgiving can be volatile, and Passover or Ramadan fasting can provoke crankiness, but no holiday is as universally disparaged as Feb. 14. Single people feel conspicuous, and those in couples feel obliged to somehow materially demonstrate their affection.
One option is actually skipping it. If both you and your loved one can mutually agree that your relationship doesn't need to be symbolically confirmed with the purchase of socially mandated gifts on a particular day, by all means liberate yourselves. This will free up funds for meals out on less crowded nights, gifts you might actually want or even, God forbid, mundane daily expenses.
If you have to celebrate Valentine's Day, however, at the very least you shouldn't have to spend much money. Below, you ll find some inexpensive Valentine possibilities that just might convince your loved one to agree to a no-gift policy next year.
Continue Reading "The Cheapskate's Guide to Valentine's Day" »
IT'S NEARLY SPRING, when a young man's fancy - and plenty of young women's as well - turns to thoughts of films. (Because, frankly, they're a bargain compared to what the young man will spend on Valentine's Day gifts for the young woman.) An international array of flickers is coming our way over the next few months, as well as many delightful homegrown treats, and
you don't have to either break the bank or learn the language to enjoy what's onscreen.
If you want to keep the Valentine's spirit for a little longer, the AFI Silver is offering "Screen Valentines: Great Movie Romances" through March 5. "Moulin Rouge" is more of a valentine to color than anything else, so if you want an actual romantic comedy, opt for something timeless like "Breakfast at Tiffany's" or "Say Anything." (No danger of remaking these today - Lloyd Dobler blasting "In Your Eyes" outside a window while holding up his iPod isn't exactly an iconic image.)
For a more twisted, NC-17 take on romance, wait until mid-April for "In the Realm of the Senses," Nagisa Oshima's 1976 true-story-based tale of a obsessive couple keeping the miseries of war at bay in their own violent way in 1930s Japan. And while it's not romantic, Oshima's 1983 English-language debut "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence" is more mainstream, featuring David Bowie in a dramatic turn as a WWII POW and soundtrack by Ryuichi Sakamoto (who also plays the POW camp commandant).
ROMANTIC BOOKS, PLAYS or movies inspire many courting rituals. Guys seeking lady-impressing moves might pore over "Don Juan"; girls on the prowl seek solace in "Sex and the City" reruns. Still, we think some of fiction's starriest — and most star-crossed — lovers could benefit from a bit of V-Day gift advice. And if you give the sort of presents that'd be ideal for suitors from the Bride of Frankenstein to Mr. Darcy, you might write a happy ending of your own.
Carrie to Mr. Big
OK, sap, maybe you call Carrie Bradshaw's coerced-into-marriage sweetie John. We call him Mr. Big Jerk and think he could benefit from seriously studying some classic literature about the foibles — and vices — of men. Tank mini-books are small enough that he can read one while riding around in his town car, not calling you (1430 K St. NW; 202-783-0022).
Continue Reading "Page Struck: Fiction's Perfect Valentine's Gifts" »
FEB. 13 IS the best date night of the year. After all, the only other couples you'll run into are people having torrid affairs who have to reserve the 14th for their legit significant other. So, go out on the 13th and do something romantic, even if you're alone.
Remember that time you swore not to think about your ex-boyfriend, but then your dreams were so full of rage that you awoke to find yourself chewing on your pillow? That's what happens when you deny Valentine's Day too vehemently.
This doesn't mean that you have to go see romantic dreck such as "He's Just Not That Into You." The AFI Silver (8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring; 301-495-6720) is showing "Say Anything," which is not only one of the most romantic movies ever made that avoids cloying sweetness, but it's also a "Breakfast Club"-level '80s classic. If you have the Valentine's Day blues, take a bunch of friends and try not to think about how old you were when this movie came out.
Continue Reading "Night Out: Luckier Valentines Count on the 13th" »
IT'S APPROPRIATE THAT the newest location of Vida Fitness is in the Renaissance Hotel . Where there was once a lonely pool surrounded by outdated exercise equipment has arisen a beautiful 10,000-square-foot gym outfitted with top-of-the-line cardio equipment — all with iPod hookups and cable TV — and weights. Lap lovers, don't fret: There's an endless pool so you can still do your water workouts.
While most of the users are bound to be hotel guests, anyone can join as a member. However, if you want group exercise classes, you'll be out of luck. Space constraints left no room for an empty studio, so the closest you can get are one-on-one private yoga tutorials in the Aura Spa, which also happens to offer waxing services, massages and an array of body treatments. But there is personal training, and with an all-access membership, you can take advantage of the classes a few blocks away at the Verizon Center Vida.
If you might be open to starting an exercise relationship, the new Vida is hoping to woo you this Saturday with a Valentine's Day open house. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., everyone's invited to swing by for free fitness consultations, mini-massages and refreshments (chocolate!). Be sure to take a sniff of "Love Potion #9," an aphrodisiac aromatherapy formula available in a wrap, scrub and massage for the holiday. And don't leave without product samples and a coupon or two.
Photo courtesy Vida Fitness
BORED OF THE of the chocolate-versus-flowers debate? This year, there's a new Valentine's Day decision: The blue spandex tights or the black ones with reflective sides?
Whether you're a single cyclist or an already paired pedaler, it's possible to put a fresh spin on Saturday's holiday.
Single Romeos looking for cycling Juliets, meet Jody Bennett. When she's not racing across America for charity or running Conte's bike shops in Clarendon and Bethesda, she's adopted another role: matchmaker. "I get tired of customers coming in who are single saying, 'How do I meet other cyclists?' It's always the guys who ride together or the women that ride together," she says.
Her solution: the Singles Only Valentine's Day Ride. Would-be wooers can arrive at the Clarendon store at 6:30 p.m. for a free 15- to 20-mile group ride that kicks into gear at 6:45 p.m. (3924 Wilson Blvd., Arlington; 703-248-9600, jodylbennett@gmail.com). All levels of riders are encouraged to join this "no-drop" excursion (meaning no one will be left behind). The only requirement besides one's singledom? Front and back bike lights, explains Bennett, as this loop along Arlington streets (Quincy Street to Military Road to MacArthur Boulevard) takes place after sundown. What awaits at the finish — aside from a love connection, of course — is free appetizers, beer and wine. "I've had 150 phone calls about it. People are, like, 'Are there going to be cute guys there? ... Any cute women?" laughs Bennett. "It's, like, 'You know what? It's not any commitment. It's a one-hour ride. Come check it out. You're single for a reason!'"
Continue Reading "Getting Sweet on Cyclists: Rides for Valentines" »
V-Day Cooking Class
Do you and your boo like to get hot and heavy in the kitchen? The Oz in the Doubletree Inn in Bethesda is featuring a couples cooking class taught by executive chef Timothy Jones this weekend, with a focus on preparing healthy, simple foods using local ingredients. Learn how to work with aphrodisiacs like oysters, figs, asparagus and chocolate. The class includes complimentary refreshments, recipe cards and a special gift.
» 8120 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda; Sat., Feb. 7, 2-5 p.m., $50; 301-652-2000. (Bethesda)
Continue Reading "Eat It Up for Valentine's: Feast On Flirting" »
EVERYONE'S HAD HIS OR HER heart broken at least once (if you haven't, curse you to hell), so it's no surprise that one of the most anticipated romantic comedies of the year is "He's Just Not That Into You."
The best-selling book by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo — which is a phenomenon among women and similar to the runaway successes of "The Secret" and "Skinny Bitch," both of which are pretty much a waste of your time — was inspired by a "Sex and the City" episode and referenced in a "Gilmore Girls" episode, so you know it's got some firm roots in female pop culture.
And with a film adaptation starring Jennifer Connelly, Scarlett Johansson, Drew Barrymore and Jennifer Aniston out on Feb. 6, it's pretty much a definite that women everywhere will be flocking to the theater to simultaneously sob and laugh over the mysteries of love during the month of Valentine.
But before you spend your $10, take a trip down failed-romance lane by reading about our favorite on-screen breakups in both film and television, complete with our pick of musical accompaniment. Try not to cry too much.
[SPOILER ALERT: Shows and movies are discussed in detail, so skip an entry if you'd rather watch it than read about it.]
Continue Reading "Doomed Romances: Five Favorite On-Screen Break-Ups" »
As Valentine's Day gifts go, candy hearts can lack a personal touch. Spa retreats do not. Massages, body scrubs and steam baths relieve muscle tension, increase circulation and reduce anxieties, key components of stress management programs. Such treatments also rehydrate and soften winter skin, benefits that can make you only more irresistible to your partner. With Presidents Day falling on Feb. 16, consider a road trip to a spa-velous spot.
The Inn Spa at Poplar Spring
The spa at this boutique hotel offers a select menu of treatments, including the Heart and Soul package ($280). Couples receive simultaneous 85-minute massages concentrating on their feet — yes, hands, shoulders and neck are also attended. Chunks of rose quartz are placed along chakras ("energy centers" along the spine, according to New Age principles). The service aims to promote the "energies of love."
» Casanova, Va., 540-788-4600.
Atasia Spa
Established by master masseur Frankie Tan in 1988, Atasia has a reputation for top-notch services at wallet-friendly rates. The full-service spa sits in the center of Berkeley Springs, a laid-back town once known as "Bath" for the hot springs in the national park a few miles from the casual studio. Most guests ache for a one-on-one session with Tan ($68 for 45 minutes of deep-tissue massage). Through March 31, the Highlawn Inn is offering a Winter Escapes package with Atasia. In addition to a bed and breakfast in a Victorian-era mansion, sweethearts receive a pair of therapeutic massages, herbal steam baths and facials ($462).
» Berkeley Springs, W.Va., 304-258-7888.
Continue Reading "Rub Affair: Indulge in Spa Retreats This Valentine's Day" »
Addison Road