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Friday, February 11
French kiss at La Maison Française’s Le Saint-Valentin party. Singles and couples can enjoy a buffet with pastries and a chocolate fountain, open bar, live music, and a chance to win a trip for two to Paris. 8 to midnight. Purchase tickets ($80) through the Embassy’s Web site.
Indulge your animalistic side at the National Zoo’s Woo at the Zoo. Learn about sea-horse courtship dances and opossum pregnancies and everything else regarding animal mating and dating. Afterward, there’ll be hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Reserve tickets on the zoo’s Web site.
Saturday, February 12
Take it all off at the Second Annual Cupid’s Undie Run. The 1½-mile run around the Capitol benefits the Children’s Tumor Foundation. If you need a little liquid courage before stripping down, there’ll be drink specials at the Pour House, along with registration, starting at noon. The run starts at 2. Register at the Cupid Undie Run site; $40 in January and $50 in February.
Hear tales of true love, bitter heartbreak, and everything in between at the SpeakEasy party at Dance Place. In addition to the stories, dance to tunes from DJ Glowstik, and enjoy cupcakes and cocktails. 7 PM. Purchase tickets ($15) at the Dance Place site.
Health geeks can learn about the scientific side of the love organ at Exploring the Heart. Held at the National Museum of Health and Medicine, this two-hour seminar uses models and display specimens to teach you how hearts beat, grow, and more. Experts will also dissect hearts from a reptile, bird, and mammal and help you create an anatomically-correct Valentine's Day card. 10 AM to noon; free.
Saturday, February 12, and Sunday, February 13
Grab your significant other and role-play Watson and Holmes during scavenger hunts at the American Art Museum and the National Gallery. Go in search of nudity in Washington’s most famous works of art and answer other questions and trivia. Make reservations ($22.50) by calling 877-9-GO-HUNT or at Ovation Tix.
Saturday, February 12, and Monday, February 14
Spirit of Washington is offering two Valentine’s Dinner Cruises, each with a buffet, DJ and dancing, and heated decks for romantic strolls. Each couple also gets a rose and a glass of Champagne. $109.90 per person; book at the Spirit of Washington site.
Odyssey Cruises is also offering Valentine’s Day cruises. Each couple will receive a rose and complimentary glass of Champagne at boarding. $129.90 per person; reserve a spot here.
Sunday, February 13
At the Love the Run You’re With 5K, you can run as a team with your significant other, best friend, or just by yourself. Champps is hosting the post-race party, with a selection of adult beverages and yummy treats. You’ll also get a free long-sleeved T-shirt. Go to the Web site to find more information and register. 9 AM.
Monday, February 14
Looking to meet someone on the dance floor? Try the Black Cat’s Valentine’s Day Rock and Roll Dance Party. 8 PM; no cover.
Not in the mood for sappy romance? At Bar Pilar's Anti-Valentine's Day Party, you can sip on cocktails like The Hater, made with Cava and Campari, or The Pierced Heart, featuring brandy and Jagermeister. The restaurant will also be serving a menu of sour desserts, such as a lemon tart. Call 202-265-1751 to make a reservation.
I Street lounge Eden enables all sorts of bad decisions with their Singles Stupid Cupid Party tonight. Dance to top-40 hits in the Red Room while enjoying a drink from the $8 before midnight cocktail menu. Single gals also receive a complimentary glass of strawberry Champagne. Call 202-785-0270 to make a reservation. 10 PM.
With swordfighting, true love, and rodents of unusual size, The Princess Bride is a romantic classic. Catch a screening tonight at the Arlington Cinema 'n' Drafthouse, complete with wine tasting and stand-up comedy beforehand. Buy tickets ($8) at the venue's Web site.
What's funnier than love? Not much, according to comedian Roger Mursick. Get in on the joke at DC improv, where the comedian, who has appeared on Comedy Central and the Tonight Show, is performing at 8 PM. Buy tickets ($15) at the DC Improv Web site. 8 PM.
Chris Botti, a PBS standby and Grammy Award-winning jazz musician, is playing at the Kennedy Center. Very appropriate for a guy who released an album titled When I Fall in Love. Buy tickets ($20 to $85) through the Kennedy Center.
Againn restaurant is adding a special touch to its menu just in time for Valentine’s Day–“spotted dick.” This British Isles specialty is part of a special prix-fixe three-course dinner in honor of Anti-Valentine’s Day. Other bites include house-made sausage with sage dumplings, and maple-rum custard. $39 per person, excluding drinks, tax, and gratuity. In the background, the restaurant will play anti-love favorites such as The Break-Up and I Married an Axe Murderer to get you in the mood.
Professionals in the City is hosting a Mixer and Singles Party at the Greene Turtle. With $3.50 Bud, Bud Light, and Miller Lite drafts, you might not meet Prince Charming, but you probably won’t have to go home alone. $10 through the Professionals in the City Web site.
All Weekend and Beyond
After dinner, head to Dupont Circle's One Lounge for dessert. The Champagne-avec-Chocolat special ($50) includes a bottle of Piper-Heidsieck bubbly and Chocolate Decadence, a flour-less and gluten-free chocolate cake topped with raspberry sauce. Available from Thursday, February 10 through Monday, February 14. To make a reservation, call 202-299-0909.
Whether it's a solid, liquid or ganache, Co Co. Sala is offering two opportunities to taste chocolate in all its forms. The seated Chocolate & Champagne Tasting Class ($50/person) is Sunday, February 13 from 2:30 to 4:30 and features five decadent courses, plus sparkling wine and Champagne. The Chocolate & Champagne Savor event ($35/person) is Saturday, February 12 from 2:30 to 4 and includes three courses, plus drinks. Email events@coco-dc.com to purchase tickets.
The Willard InterContinental's afternoon tea is getting a Valentine's Day update. Sip a glass of Champagne along with your tea sandwiches, scones, and heart-shaped pastries while listening to harp music. $49 per person. Friday, February 11 and Monday, February 14 from 2 to 4:30 and Saturday, February 12 and Sunday, February 13 from 1 to 4:30. Call 202-637-7350 to make a reservation.
Dessert purists, rejoice! Finally, there's a reason to forget cupcakes and get back to basic chocolate. DC Metro Chocolate Tours gives two-hour walking tours of the creative shops, bakeries, and more in DC neighborhoods including Georgetown, Dupont Circle, and U Street. The Valentine's weekend tours feature a sampling of chocolate-covered bacon lollipops, crepes, and chocolate skincare products. Make a reservation ($48) on the Web site.
Love has been the inspiration for many great works of art. Del Ray Artisans current exhibit "Love Letters" showcases the work of local artists, accompanied by a letter to the person who inspired the piece. A perfect date for the muse in your life. The exhibit is on display through February 27 and admission is free.
Valentine's is the perfect excuse to ogle glamour shots—or maybe even pose for your own. Alexandria's The Full Cup (218 N. Lee St. #206; 703-836-9441) gives you the chance to do both—the lingerie store is hosting boudoir photographer Marjolaine of See Through Me Photography for an exhibit of her work February 11 to 17. If you purchase lingerie from The Full Cup, you will receive a free 8×10 photo when you book a photo session with See Through Me.
The dinner-and-movie combo is so old-school. Try an evening at theater instead. Woolly Mammoth is offering a 25-percent discount on tickets to its production of Oedipus El Rey opening February 7. After taking in one of the most famous incest stories, present your ticket stub at Oyamel and receive a complimentary Amor Ponche cocktail. Use the promo code 1113; reservations must be made over the phone. In Virginia, Signature Theatre is discounting pairs of tickets by 20 percent to Sunset Boulevard, and you get a free appetizer or dessert at Ali’s Bar. The deal is good from February 1 to 13—just mention “DATE” when booking. These deals are just some of the discounted romantic adventures offered through Date Nights DC.
Fifty artists present their definitions of love using photography, wood, metal, paint, and even water at Touchstone Gallery's new exhibit "Color of Love." Many have also included haikus they penned themselves. February 4 to 27.
Since nothing says romance like ropes, harnesses, and swinging through trees, try Terrapin Adventure’s (8600 Foundary St., Savage, MD) Romantic Adventure package. The ticket ($75/couple) buys three hours on the course—think zip lines, a ropes course, and a giant swing—plus free hot chocolate and Hershey kisses. To make a reservation, call 301-725-1313 or visit the Terrapin Web site.
One activity we never would have considered romantic is the ubiquitous Segway tour, but who are we to judge what turns you on? City Segway Tours is offering a Segway Date Night with a discount price of $55 (down from $70) per person for all 6 PM tours of the monuments.
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