Love Actually
simply chennai CURATES A LIST OF EXPERIENCES FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO CELEBRATE THE DAY OF LOVE WITH A DIFFERENCE
Fun ways to spend the Valentine’s Day in the city.
On
special occassions such as Valentine's Day, a regular candlelight meal just won’t do, Prego introduces an aphrodisiac meal for couples with a simple yet romantic table setting. The intimate meal will have a pianist or crooner act to add to the mood. “We saw our regular list of supplies and picked out the aphrodisiacal ingredients from it. Then we set out to create a menu that uses at least one of these in each of the preparations," explains Sujan Mukherjee, executive chef.
The four course meal is available exclusively on Valentine’s Day and features creations like gamberoni verde arancio, pan seared king prawns in brandy and orange sauce, Risotto Agli Asparagi with fresh asparagus, Sicilian lemon sorbet and panna cotta appassionata, a passion fruit panna cotta with strawberries and chilli chocolate ganache. The evening ends with the couple taking away hand-rolled spiced chocolates to let the flavours linger for long after.
Eat a Three-Course Chocolate Meal
Couldn’t find the time to plan something special on Valentine’s Day? It isn’t too late yet and you could cosy up with your special someone over a threecourse chocolate meal. Fabelle, from the ITC Foods Division that has an outlet at ITC Grand Chola has created a special couples' platter to end the day of love on a sweet and sensual note.
Begin with strawberry cups encased in 64 per cent dark chocolate, crunchy on the outside but filled with a smooth and dark chocolate cream filing.
The Madagascar chocolate mousse with passion fruit confit quite literally explodes in your mouth to reveal fruity flavours. The meal has small portions—just enough to give you a fulfilling sweet bite without overwhelming you. Finish this up with a smores milk chocolate beverage that is smoky, sweet and comforting all at once. The platter comes with a portion for each of you and varies only in presentation, so you share your evening but not your dessert. ÜAT Fabelle, ITC Grand Chola, Guindy ÜTEL 22200000 ÜPRICE Rs 750 for a platter
Go on a heritage food trail together
If you are the type of couple that doesn’t want to spend Valentine’s Day cooped up in a restaurant, here’s a way to sample some street food together with a side of history. Conducted by the ten-year-old Storytrails, the special Food Trail for couples takes you through Mint Street in George Town. The culinary tour brings to you a lesson in history of the region and food practices through stories of residents and travellers. “We use a bit of humour in our stories and our trails are designed for both locals and visitors,” explains Vijay Prabhat Kamalakara, managing director, Storytrails.
As a special package for couples, the second person gets a 50 per cent discount on the trail. ÜTIMING 4 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. ÜTEL 9940040215 ÜEMAIL chennai@storytrails.in ÜPRICE Rs 1,950 per couple
Dine in a boat under the stars
This is for those who like to go the conventional way, with flowers, candles and rose petals. Picture an open-air setting, a coracle for seating and a lavish dinner spread. A dinner on a boat at Lydie's is easily one of the most romantic dining options in the city. A designated couples area on the day ensures you aren’t interrupted by large noisy groups and the table setting for your dinner will include the perfect romantic props—rose petals and candles. Choose from continental and South Indian
a-la carte options as there is no special menu for the day. “We’ve tried that before and realise people make the drive all the way here for what we already have on offer,” explains Lydie Abdulla-Vranker, owner of Lydie's.
However, as a special treat for you and your partner, you will be treated with two desserts for the price of one. Their Belgian chocolate desserts are famous for tasting like a little piece of heaven. ÜAT 2/196, Ruby Garden, East Coast Road, Muttukadu, Between Mayajaal and MGM ÜTEL 27472602 ÜCOST FOR TWO Rs 2,000
Indulge in Vino Therapy
Take some time out to destress together with Spa Influence’s signature Vino therapy. Loaded with the goodness of wine and conducted in a dedicated couple’s rooms, the session gives you the unique opportunity to bond and relax together. It begins with a foot ritual and a welcome drink which is followed by a gentle organic wine scrub session. A 60-minute wine cream massage which has both relaxing and anti-ageing properties follows. A body wrap after, ensures that the goodness of the cream seeps in and you get a moment of calm. You can even opt for a face or head massage based on your preference. In line with Valentine’s Day, the spa is also offering a 25 per cent discount on all couple’s services. ÜAT all Spa Influence branches ÜPRICE Rs 17,800
Explore the East Coast Road
What’s the month of love without a stroll along the beautiful sandy beaches that the city has on offer. If the Marina and
Elliots Beach are getting too crowded for a private moment, take a spin along the East Coast Road. Here is where you will find, pristine and untouched beaches and where you can hear the waves away from the chatter of people. While many resorts offer a private entry to beaches, there are some that are accessible otherwise like the Pebble Beach. Quite like a wellguarded secret, the beach is full of surprises, starting with a patch of vines leading you up to clear white sands. Watch the sun go down as you spend time reminiscing the past or planning your days ahead. ÜAT Near Injambakkam
Work Out Together
Here’s another way to spend some more time together as you motivate each other to get healthier. The city’s well-known yoga studios 136.1 Yoga are celebrating Valentine’s Day with a free membership for your partner when you register. And celebrating love here isn’t restricted to a spouse, you could also have a friend or a relative avail the offer. The studio offers various classes on hatha yoga, sivananda yoga, power yoga and yoga for the lower back. ÜAT 136.1 Yoga branches ÜPRICE Rs 5,500 per month onwards
Let a Parrot Tell Your Fortune
Give in to clichés and spend a day like in the movies—strolling along a beach and treating yourself to some cotton candy. While you do, look out for local astrologers who claim a parrot can tell your future. While we would take their readings and advice with a pinch of salt, the experience is quite worth it. Once you are made to sit down, a mat is spread in front of you with what look like tarot cards. The fortune telling parrot is let out of its cage and it hops across to pick up a card and hands it over. Based on the image on the card, the fortune teller will read and talk about what's in store for you in the near future. The parrots are trained to repeat a few words with the fortune teller and the experience can be rather entertaining. You never know when you will hear something that can make your day. ÜAT Besant Nagar beach
Enjoy a Spa Day for Two
Looking to spend a luxurious day together? Oryza Spa with its many outlets is one of the few in the city to offer a range of couple treatments. Choose from the aromasoul elements massage for a full sensorial experience or opt for a volcanic scrub that conditions your skin while providing you a relaxing experience together. You can also choose from other body polishing and anti-ageing rituals and in fact have a whole day at the spa with your loved one. ÜAT all Oryza Day Spa outlets ÜPRICE Rs 2,000 onwards
Explore the Sea on a Yatch
When something ordinary just won’t do to express your love, you could actually hire a yacht to take you and your loved one out to the sea. Accretion Aviation offers multiple private charter options including micro-light planes and yachts of different sizes to turn your celebration into a truly special occasion. “We have two kinds of yachts—the smaller sized sailing yachts are often used by couples for birthdays, anniversaries and proposals. The larger ones can accommodate 15 to16 people and have all the works aboard including cabins, fishing equipment and barbecue grills. These are often used for parties and engagements,” says Rahul Mucchal, 32, owner. The yachts set sail along the cost and are available for a minimum of two hours. You can also throw in a few extras like cakes and flowers on request while the larger yachts come with snacks and cold drinks.
ÜDETAILS ÜTEL 9575340786 ÜPRICE Rs 7,000 onwards for sailing yachts and Rs 30,500 onwards for larger yachts
Go Star Gazing with the Chennai Astronomy Club
Once every month, on a new moon day, a group of people from the city set out to go the outskirts, to an open ground where a clear night sky is visible. Armed with telescopes, binoculars, cameras and other gear, this is the Chennai Astronomy Club’s monthly meet-up. This one's for couples looking to spend some quiet time indulging in a common hobby and learning something new. The club isn’t all for fun, if that is what you are looking for. The meet-ups have a mix of professionals and amateurs and an agenda of objects in the sky that they are looking to
observe. “We setup telescopes by about 8 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. and start observing after a quick dinner. This can last till about 4 in the morning after which we drive back or catch a nap at the open ground,” says Subramanyam, founder. The costs for the trip are shared and the club has no fee but requires you to register in advance. ÜREGISTER on facebook.com/ ChennaiAstronomyClub/ by February 15.
Bond over Ice Cream
The relentless heat in the city might be back to play havoc with your love-filled day, but here’s a way you can cool off with your partner. Head to Roll Over, where your frozen dessert is made fresh in front of you, over a cold stone and presented as rolls. These rolls come placed in a waffle basket and topped with sauce. “The ice creams aren’t blast frozen and made at higher temperatures, reducing your vulnerability to sore throats,” explains Mahadevan, 32, partner, Roll Over. Their signature dessert, Chocolate Karma replicates the chocolate sphere crumbling experience that has been filling our Instagram feeds. ÜAT No.338/3, Ground Floor, New Sunshine Apartment, Ranganathan Garden, Anna Nagar ÜCALL 45556466 ÜPRICE Rs 99 onwards