The New School Free Press’ Guide to a Successful Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day can spark a variety of emotions. For some, it’s a day filled with love and excitement, being able to celebrate your relationship with your partner. For others, it’s a day that can provoke feelings of loneliness. But not to fear, no matter how you feel about Cupid’s day, we have you covered with 6 activities to help you mark February 14th as one you’ll never forget. Valentine’s Day can spark a variety of emotions. For some, it’s a day filled with love and excitement, a time to celebrate your relationship with your partner. For others, it’s a day that can provoke feelings of loneliness. But not to fear, no matter how you feel about Cupid’s day, we have you covered with six activities to help you mark Feb. 14 as one you’ll never forget.

For the Couple (or Single) Who Loves to Cook

The Union Square Greenmarket offers all of the local artisan glory you need to indulge in a great meal with someone you love, including yourself. On a sunny day, strolling through the market is not only a great way to pick up some special ingredients for a meal, but also functions as a date all on its own. Open Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the market has a wide variety of produce, dairy products, bread, pastries, flowers, specialty mushrooms and more. 

Under a huddle of tents in the northwest corner of Union Square Park, vendors eagerly welcome market-goers, ready to share their homegrown and homemade products from all around New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and other surrounding states. For instance, Nemeth Orchards offers a tempting spread of baked goods and pastries for those with a sweet tooth; She Wolf Bakery sells the perfect bread for a french toast breakfast in bed; Lani’s Farm is stocked with seasonal vegetables (this week’s special—baby broccoli raab); and the list goes on. 

Some vendors, including Beth’s Farm Kitchen, will even have some Valentine’s Day specials. During the week of Feb. 14, the preserves-makers will sell two new love-themed jam flavors including a sweet and spicy jam as well as gift bags at discount prices. 

Others, like the inevitably romantic Andrew’s Honey, have some wonderful festive items year round—no specials necessary. The beekeeper/business owner, Andrew Coté, maintains multiple beehives on rooftops throughout all five boroughs, giving lovebirds the option to pick up a customized jar of honey from their own neighborhood as a gift. 

“The honeycomb is a classic. It’s great for a date night charcuterie board,” said Emilia Escobar, who helps run the stand. “That and tupelo honey. It’s really sweet—no pun intended—because there’s a Van Morrison song about it, so I think it’s romantic.” (Get the full experience by listening to the song while you stroll around.) 

No matter your relationship status or stance on Valentine’s Day, you can always count on your favorite foods—and if you’re lucky, a smile from your favorite vendor. 

For the Haters and Loners: Axe Marks the Heart 

February in New York City is cold —well freezing. You may luck out with a couple of pretty snow days when the streets are covered in freshly fallen snow. But a lot of the time, you are trying to avoid slipping on the dirty slush. Throwing Valentine’s Day in the middle of one of the coldest months can either make you feel warm on the inside or just the opposite. For those who prefer to avoid this love-filled holiday, why not try a new activity which helps relieve some of your deepest frustrations? Axe throwing at LiveAxe in SoHo could be the perfect solution. 

What could be better than going to a fun bar with your fellow singles, drinking happy hour-priced beer, and throwing an axe at a target (perhaps imagining it was your ex)? This concept may seem a little deranged, but it is a great release of any built-up negative energy. Colin Grams, the manager at LiveAxe, explained how they have fun events dedicated to singles on Valentine’s Day. 

“For Valentine’s Day, we like to do a singles discount for booze along with random pair-ups. The concept is basically to have strangers be put into different axe cages where they can mingle and potentially spark a flame,” Grams said. 

However, if you’re more interested in hanging out with your friends that night, you can absolutely make some long-lasting memories with the people you love. 

Valentine’s Day can be a hard day for many, but that does not necessarily mean that you have to write off the whole day. Try seeing Feb. 14 as a potential awakening and make it about you! 

For the Couple on a Budget

A dozen roses are around $12 from Wegmans. A box of chocolate is around $4 from Target. And a romantic date plus a delicious meal… even if we split it… how much would that cost?!

Valentine’s day is stressful, especially with a limited budget. But not to worry, we’re here to help! 

A romantic date in Tompkins Square Park is the perfect way to spend time with your partner. Tompkins Square Park is located in the culturally vibrant East Village. It’s only a 20-minute walk from the University Center, or even less if you live in the Loeb, Stuy, or 301 dorms. The park has something for everyone. You can find quaint benches, a playground, a skate park, and a large field of green spaces perfect for picnics. 

The park also has a diverse range of wildlife. Dennis Edge, a retired graphic designer and a birder of over 10 years, photographed 92 bird species in the area in 2012. Bird species here include Blackburnian, Purple Finch, American Robin and even Red-tailed Hawk. Imagine sitting in the park with your partner, bathing in the warmth of the sun while identifying those soft, colorful, little fluff balls. Isn’t it romantic?

Maybe you are not a bird person. Tompkins Square Park also has a large population of chunky squirrels. There is something peaceful about sitting in a beautiful environment, having a delightful conversation with someone whose company you enjoy, while watching those squirrels create chaos. And if you start to get hungry during the date, a cheap yet delicious food option nearby is Two Hands Corn Dog. Located between 9th and 10th Streets on Avenue A, Two Hands Corn Dog serves crispy and cheesy Korean corn dogs for as low as $3.49!

For the Single Who is Tired of Dating Apps

Yeah, you could take the basic route, choosing from an array of swipes–  Tinder, Hinge, Bumble. But there are far too many options, some with more cons than pros. Pick the wrong one and you might just spend the special night having to listen to Ted explain this “super indie” movie called “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” or Chad explain why we can’t just print more money. So why not try taking a blind leap of faith (literally) and buy a ticket to Updating– a blind date with a live audience. This comedy show meets IRL dating app, hosted by Brandon Berman and Harrison Forman, will be having a V-Day special on Feb. 11 at City Winery. For $20 a ticket, you will be able to experience an honest, unfiltered dating experience. Though you have to apply beforehand to be selected for the blindfolded stage date, Berman and Forman encourage the audience to pitch themselves to the crowd, or even interject the daters on stage. Though pitching yourself to a room full of a hundred strangers sounds like something out of a naked nightmare, Berman believes witnessing the vulnerability that naturally comes with a first date allows the crowd to be more confident. 

The stand-up comedian co-creators birthed the idea for Updating out of absurdity, and a lack of patience for dishonesty. Partially inspired by Forman’s Facebook Livestreams of dates — which included “half time reports” in the bathroom, and during the date too — the show is formatted so anything could happen. If you do happen to find love, which according to Berman, “happens all the time,” in the crowd, they’ve got your back with their partner Lola for a giveaway of free condoms and lube. If you can’t make it to the live show (tickets are selling fast), make sure to check out the live stream on Instagram and TikTok. 

For the One Who’s Still Salty about their Ex

Some of us are simply over the whole concept of Valentine’s Day; the sparkly pink hearts, the nonstop love songs, and of course, Cupid! For those who find Valentine’s Day to be more of a plague than paramour or are just looking to let off some steam, the San Antonio Zoo has the perfect solution for you. Cry Me a Cockroach, a three-year-old worldwide fundraising event, allows people to donate money while providing the zoo animals with a tasty snack. But the kicker is that those food sources such as a cockroach or leafy green can be named after a problematic ex, a cumbersome boss or even a best friend that did you wrong. 

Donations start at $5 for a veggie option, $10 for a rat and $25 for a cockroach. The veggie options include lettuce, cabbage and a variety of other greens. In terms of the rodent options, all of them are pre-frozen and a part of the regular feeding schedules for the animals. The roaches are sourced from a professional breeder that is maintained by the Reptile Department in the Reptile House.

On Feb. 14, the food sources will be fed to the animals and all donors will be sent a video and customizable print or to share on social media.

All donations go towards “helping the zoo continue to secure a future for wildlife”. The zoo is certified by American Humane and is “the first zoological facility on the planet to be accredited by the AZA, and ZAA along with their Humane Certification.” If this event strikes you as a first-rate Valentine’s Day activity, be sure to check out the San Antonio Zoo’s website to donate or this direct link for international donors.

For the Long Distance Couple

To help you get in the Valentine’s Day spirit, we gathered some of The New School community’s favorite love songs – check it out!