| Have you ever noticed that Valentine's Day has | | | | 5. Play with the animals at the MSPCA |
| the ability to make people really belligerent? It | | | | If you and your date are animal lovers (it |
| doesn't matter whether someone is a first date | | | | probably helps to ask them first before planning |
| expert or whether they have been coupled for a | | | | this one!), I can recommend a great activity for |
| long time - Valentine's Day can bring out some | | | | you. The MSPCA-Angell Animal Care and Adoption |
| strong, often negative opinions! While it's obvious | | | | Center is a wonderful facility full of dogs and cats |
| to more than just the cynical among us that this | | | | that would love to play with you! This is especially |
| "holiday" was created to manipulate money from | | | | a great activity if you both live in small |
| our pockets, it is still hard to avoid the romantic | | | | apartment(s) in the city and can't have pets of |
| expectations of the day. Now, I'm as romantic as | | | | your own. During adoption hours, you can usually |
| the next person, and I don't think that anyone is | | | | just walk right in and visit all the animals. What a |
| advocating throwing away romance all-together, | | | | fun way to give love on Valentine's Day! |
| but I do think that most people resent being told | | | | MSPCA Animal Care and Adoption Center, 350 |
| that they have to spend all sorts of money to be | | | | South Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02130 |
| considered romantic. There are plenty of people | | | | (617) 522-5055 mspca.convio.net (Thursdays, |
| who boycott Valentine's Day, and not necessarily | | | | Open 2pm - 7pm) |
| because they can't stand public displays of | | | | 6. Go on a photo scavenger hunt downtown |
| affection, but because they don't equate | | | | together |
| hyper-consumerism with romance! | | | | When you meet up after work, separately create |
| This year, on Valentine's Day, you have three | | | | lists for each other of funny/cheesy things that |
| choices, as I see it. You can avoid the day | | | | you and your date must capture with your |
| all-together; you can call around frantically and try | | | | cameras. Spend the evening combing the city |
| to snag a reservation at a fancy, run-of-the-mill, | | | | together and taking turns finding items on each of |
| EXPENSIVE restaurant, or you can get a little | | | | your lists until you have completed both lists. |
| creative. You can celebrate true romance without | | | | Celebrate your accomplishments by taking the |
| hurting your budget or de-railing your long term | | | | cameras back home, printing off the photos and |
| goals. We need to get past the thinking that | | | | creating an album of your memories over an |
| money equals love. That is a dangerous mindset, | | | | inexpensive bottle of wine. |
| and furthermore, it is simply not true! | | | | 7. Tour Fenway Park |
| However, as we all know, it can be difficult to get | | | | You have probably both been to Fenway Park |
| creative in Boston, since it is such an expensive | | | | many times to enjoy a game, perhaps you have |
| city. Especially in the winter time, when it is more | | | | even been together, but have either of you been |
| difficult to find free or inexpensive, outdoor | | | | "behind the scenes" at Fenway? If the Red Sox |
| events, it's tempting to decide to take a break | | | | are the First Love of either you or your date, or |
| from dating and romance until the spring. I argue | | | | both of you, this would be a great way to |
| that there are plenty of creative solutions to this | | | | celebrate Valentine's Day! During the winter |
| problem so that you can go on fun, romantic | | | | months, there is construction going on, so your |
| dates all year long and not worry too much about | | | | tour will include the Press Box, State Street |
| your budget. We all deserve a chance to | | | | Pavilion Box, Red Sox Hall of Fame Plaques and |
| participate in the cheesiest day of the year | | | | the oldest seats in Major League History. Also, |
| without emptying our bank accounts, or (worse) | | | | Pitchers and Catchers report today to Spring |
| maxing out our credit cards! | | | | Training, so you'll be celebrating two "holidays" |
| I've compiled several great ideas for fun, | | | | with this tour! |
| romantic, creative and low-cost ways to enjoy | | | | Info: |
| each other and our great city! | | | | Tickets are $12pp. Hours are 9am - 3pm. |
| 1. Ice Skate and Cuddle over some Hot Chocolate | | | | Reservations are not accepted and walk-up sales |
| There are several wonderful options in the area | | | | are encouraged. |
| for ice skating. You could go the more | | | | 8. Enjoy a night at the theater! |
| well-known, traditional route and go skating at the | | | | There are inexpensive ways to enjoy more |
| Frog Pond on Boston Common (which is a lot of | | | | traditional dates in Boston. I have not found a |
| fun!), but there are a couple of other great rinks | | | | better website than for theater and event tickets. |
| in the area worth considering. The Charles Hotel in | | | | It is free to sign up for the website and each |
| Harvard Square has a small rink outside its front | | | | week, they will e-mail you the best deals around. |
| doors. The best part about ice skating in Harvard | | | | offers tickets to most of the local hot shows and |
| Square is that you could head around the corner | | | | events for half-price or less. I have not seen |
| to L.A. Burdick's cafe afterwards for their highly | | | | better prices anywhere, and for such a variety of |
| acclaimed hot chocolate! Additionally, Kendall | | | | events. I have not gotten around to ordering |
| Square has a community skating rink. This | | | | tickets from the site personally yet, but I hope to |
| Valentine's Day, it might be fun to check out the | | | | in the future. It's worth exploring, if you are |
| Kendall Square rink as they are offering a free ice | | | | interested in a date at the theater this Valentine's |
| skating show partway through the evening. | | | | Day! |
| Whichever one you choose, be sure to bundle up | | | | 9. Surprise your Date and take them out to |
| - you are sure to have a good time with your | | | | Lunch |
| date! | | | | You may have noticed that none of my |
| Info for this Valentine's Day: | | | | recommendations include dining out at restaurants. |
| Frog Pond Skating, Boston Common - open | | | | The easiest way to avoid spending lots of money |
| Thursday 10am - 9pm (Admission $4pp, Skate | | | | during your date is to eat at home before you |
| Rental $8pp and Locker Rental $1) | | | | meet and then spend your time together focusing |
| Charles Hotel Ice Skating, Harvard Square - open | | | | on activities not related to food. However, if you |
| Thursday 2pm - 8pm (Skates $5, Skating Fee $5) | | | | and your date would really enjoy having a meal |
| L.A. Burdick's Harvard Square Cafe, 52D Brattle | | | | out together, there are ways to do so less |
| Street, Cambridge - Thursdays 8am - 9pm | | | | expensively. My first recommendation would be to |
| Kendall Square Community Skating, 300 | | | | surprise your date at work and take them out to |
| Athenaeum St., Cambridge - open Valentine's Day | | | | lunch. Most of the time, restaurant lunch menus |
| 12noon - 10pm (Admission $4pp, Skate Rental | | | | offer very similar fare to their dinners for half the |
| $5pp and Locker Rental $1) | | | | cost. Additionally, neither of you will be tempted |
| 2. Borrow a classic movie from the library and | | | | to order multiple alcoholic drinks (which can get |
| make your favorite meal together | | | | very expensive) if you are headed back to work |
| Sometimes, there is nothing more romantic than | | | | after your date. Also, there is something very |
| a relaxing night at home together. First, be sure | | | | romantic about escaping from your busy |
| to shut off both cell phones, turn off the | | | | workplaces to steal some alone time, especially if |
| computers and make a promise to pay attention | | | | you don't often see each other during the day! |
| exclusively to each other for the evening. Decide | | | | 10. Go out to Dinner |
| on your favorite meal and then go shopping | | | | I know, I know - I just finished saying that going |
| together to get the ingredients. Go back home | | | | out to dinner in Boston is the easiest way to |
| and prepare it together. Light a couple of candles | | | | spend lots of money during your date! However, |
| and enjoy your masterpiece! Then, snuggle up on | | | | there are a few creative ways to dine less |
| the sofa and enjoy a classic romantic movie | | | | expensively. Also, I'm sure there are still a few of |
| together. If you enjoy books more than movies, | | | | you who have gotten to the end of this list and |
| this idea would be equally romantic with a classic | | | | feel that you can't get through Valentine's Day |
| novel or book of poetry. | | | | without taking your date out to a nice dinner, so |
| 3. Go Roller Skating! | | | | this last item, #10, is for you! There are a few |
| Travel back together to the time when there | | | | things that you can do. First, why not celebrate |
| was nothing greater than taking a turn around the | | | | Valentine's Day on the following night? This year, |
| roller rink holding the hand of your crush! Enjoy | | | | this strategy is very convenient, since the night |
| some great music and a break at the snack bar | | | | after Valentine's Day is a Friday. On Valentine's |
| together. You can show each other all your roller | | | | Day, many of the restaurants downtown are |
| skating moves from back in the day! | | | | running an expensive, pre-fix menu. The following |
| Info for this Valentine's Day: | | | | day, they will most often return to their regular |
| Chez Vous Roller Skating Rink, 11 Rhoades St. | | | | menu, which is generally less expensive. Secondly, |
| Dorchester, MA 02124 phone 617.825.6877 ($4 | | | | you and your date can decide ahead of time to |
| cheap skate on Thursdays includes skate rental) | | | | eat your meal at the restaurant and then you can |
| Roller World, 425R Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906 | | | | have drinks and dessert at home afterwards. A |
| 781-231-1111 ($6 on Thursdays 3:00-5:30 - unclear | | | | bottle of wine is much less expensive from the |
| whether skate rental is included) | | | | liquor store than from the restaurant. Finally, visit |
| 4. Visit a Museum Together | | | | the website to purchase a discounted gift |
| It is a little known fact that there are some easy | | | | certificate to your favorite restaurant. The deals |
| ways to visit some of our local cultural institutions | | | | on the website are amazing. You can often get a |
| for free. Spend Valentine's Day enjoying some | | | | $25 gift certificate for $10 or a $10 gift certificate |
| local art, scientific exhibits, or checking out some | | | | for $3! Additionally, as a new customer to the |
| marine wildlife (penguins are very romantic | | | | site, you can usually find a coupon code online for |
| creatures, after all, as we learned in March of the | | | | half-off your first gift certificate. You can only use |
| Penguins). Showing off your cultural side could be | | | | one certificate at a time, but the site is very |
| very attractive to your date! | | | | convenient as you can pay online with a credit |
| Some tips: | | | | card and print the certificate off your printer |
| Most local public libraries allow you to borrow | | | | before you head to the restaurant. |
| passes to the MFA, Science Museum or Aquarium | | | | With a little creativity, romance lives in Boston and |
| for free! I recommend calling your library as | | | | it doesn't cost much at all! |
| available passes will vary by location. | | | | I'm interested to hear your creative ideas for |
| The Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) is FREE | | | | inexpensive dates in Boston, especially during the |
| for all from 5 to 9 pm every Thursday for | | | | winter months. Please share your favorites! |
| Target Free Thursday Nights | | | | |