NOT YOUR PARENTS’ VALENTINE’S DAY
We’re now on the homestretch leading up to Valentine’s Day and if you haven’t managed to make plans yet, back away from the panic button because we have you covered. We sifted through all of the usual, greeting card fanfare — we’re talking candlelit dinners for two and red rose specials — that are taking place in town this week and we happened to pinpoint several unconventional and far less cliched ways to mark the occasion, regardless of your relationship status:
The matchmakers at Three Day Rule want you to leave the past in the past, as they play cupid during its Clean Slate: Not Your Average Valentine’s Party. The crew is taking over Alibi Bar inside the Liberty Hotel, where it will be hosting a V-Day bash filled with eligible singles looking to start anew in the dating department. And what makes this get-together truly special: Folks who are looking to wipe their romantic slate clean are encouraged to bring a photo of their exes, so they can toss that piece of trash into a “burning cauldron of love” and see their old baggage go up in smoke. Besides offering a sense of symbolic cleansing, the party will get you access to appetizers, cocktails needed to strike up conversation with any potential new flames, as well as some ice-breaking games of truth or dare. The event is running on Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. and tickets still up for grabs for $15 on Eventbrite.
Are you searching for a meetcute so epic that even Hollywood’s sappiest rom-com writers couldn’t conceive it? Well, the Revolution Hotel could be the key to your next romantic encounter. The South End establishment will be the site of Matched Up on the Mic, which is essentially a series of blind setups that will have you singing karaoke with a stranger — and potential new mate — in front of everyone. The lyrical display, which will be emceed by special guest Miranda Wrights, will ask eager attendees to choose a song from a curated list of Valentine’s Day-worthy tracks and belt out their tunes of choice with an unknown duet partner who’s assigned to them. To find more information about this Valentine’s Day party remix running from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. on Thursday and to purchase tickets, you can head to its Eventbrite page.
Everyone knows that the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach — which is exactly why Pauli’s is offering a uniquely juicy way to pop the question this Valentine’s Day. Skip the string quartet serenade and cascade of rose petals in the shape of a heart, because the North End sandwich shop has added a blinged-out item to its menu for the big day that would have anyone saying “yes”: a Big Boy Burger topped with onion rings, American cheese, bacon, barbecue sauce and … oh yeah, a real, ⅞ -carat diamond engagement ring. The $3,000 deal is available exclusively on Thursday, and customers looking to beef up their proposals with the restaurant’s help have to order it 48-hours in advance. For more info, go to paulisnorthend.com or call 857-284-7064.
Whoever said diamonds are a girl’s best friend never saw a woman giddily consuming a steady supply of chocolate and wine. Eataly Boston is harnessing the power of this perfect pairing as it premieres its event, 15 Shades of Red, on Wednesday. Our local Italian marketplace will be kicking off the Valentine’s Day — and Galentine’s Day — festivities with an all-access wine and chocolate party that will have its guests imbibing 15 types of crimson-colored vino, ranging from subtle roses to bold Tuscans, and noshing on cocoa treats crafted by artisanal chocolatiers. So grab your amore and snag tickets via Eataly’s website. And if you’re single, let’s just say that this is a socially acceptable excuse to eat and drink those feelings like you were going to do behind closed doors anyway, so get after it.