VALENTINE’S DAY ADVICE BOYS, DON’T CALL HER A BATTLE AXE

WE’RE not trying to do a hatchet job on Valentine’s Day, but as Daniel Allen and Sophie Madeville suggest times are changing on the most romantic day of the year and creating a memorable experience such as “timber dating” seems to have replaced the traditional flowers and chocolates ... unless you forget altogether.

THE traditional and tired Valentine’s Day of flowers and chocolates is dead as businesses look to capitalise on unique experiences that can be remembered long after the servo flowers have wilted.

From throwing axes, to solving escape room puzzles, sailing the canals on a gondola or indulging in nostaglia with a drive-in movie, making memories is proving more important than the typical commercialised Valentine’s Day fare.

Enjoying a shared “experience” with your loved one is all the rage, so this February 14, forget Tinder dating, and get into “timber dating”.

Lumber Punks are holding an axe throwing speed dating night for Valentine’s Day, where co-owner Tyson McMillan says you can cut the tension with an axe.

“It’s speed dating with axes,” he said. “Everyone’s done roses and chocolate before.

“One of the things we found when we started Lumber Punks is we got a lot of first dates happening.

“Instead of the awkwardness, the shared experience takes the pressure off and the focus is put on to them throwing axes instead.

“When you put an axe in someone’s hand their true personality comes out.”

For couples after something more slow paced, then perhaps floating down a canal on a Gondola is a more appealing idea of romance.

Throw in a bottle of sparkling wine and a selection from an A la carte menu then you’ve got some memories in the making.

If you want to really get to know your date, then consider locking yourself in a room together with some friends.

Escape Hunt at Southportare a relatively new and interesting way to get to know your partner. Essentially, you are stuck in a room and must figure out clues to escape.

Or go for some old chool romance at Yatala Drive-In and see the new Fifty Shades Freed movie from 7pm.