VALENTINE’S DAY IDEAS

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

Stumped for ideas on where to take your spouse, partner or significant other on Valentine’s Day? We’ve compiled a list of ideas that takes some of the guesswork out of the most romantic date night of the year.

young love gone wrong. Fernbank (fernbankmuseum.org) is hosting a special Martinis & IMAX on Feb. 14 with live music, cocktails and the chance to see a movie on the city’s biggest screen. Films showing now are Journey to the South Pacific and Jerusalem

A Night at the Theater

Don’t Forget the Gift

Jewelry, flowers and candy are the traditional gifts for the day, but rather than running to the mall or the supermarket, try these local shops. Ten Thousand Villages (tenthousandvillages. com/Atlanta) at 1056 St. Charles Ave. in Virginia-Highland has some of the most unique gift ideas in the city. The fairtrade shop has gorgeous, inexpensive jewelry, bags, scarves, wall art and much more. Items in the shop are made by artisans and crafters all over the world. Retro favorite Greene’s Fine Foods (greenesfinefoods.com) at 141 E. Trinity Place in Decatur will make your sweet tooth throb with delight with its selection of candies and treats. For the flowers, drop by Candler Park Flowers (candlerparkflowers.com) at 1395 McLendon Ave. to find the perfect bouquet.

Dining Out

If taking your loved one to dinner is part of your special Valentine’s Day, Atlanta restaurants have got you covered. According to OpenTable.com, 80 restaurants are offering Valentine’s Day specials, including prix fixe menus with four courses and more. See the list we compiled in our News You Can Eat section on Page 34.

Now Showing

After dinner, a movie is another great date night option. Some of the films opening for Valentine’s Day include Winter’s Tale, about torn-apart lovers who meet again in another lifetime and Endless Love, a remake of the 80s tearjerker about

Keep it classy by taking your partner or spouse to a theatrical production, such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at The Fox Theatre (foxtheatre.org) Feb. 13-16. On the boards at the Alliance Theatre (alliancetheatre. org) is the aptly titled In Love & Warcraft, about a relationships “expert” who uses strategies learned in videogames to help her clients. At Horizon Theatre (horizontheatre.com) in Little Five Points, the hilarious The Book Club Play continues and follows a group of book lovers whose secrets are revealed during the making of a documentary.

Romance Blooms

The Atlanta Botanical Garden (atlantabotanicalgarden.org) is hosting Valentines in the Garden on Feb. 14 from

7 to 11 p.m. with an evening of cocktails, dancing, desserts and live entertainment. Court in the candlelight and, of course, stop to smell the flowers. Admission is $35 per person.

Love & Marriage

Cupid at the Castle will return to Rhodes Hall in Midtown for Valentine’s Day from noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 15, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Couples will be able to say “I do” during intimate 30-minute wedding ceremonies. The cost is $500 per ceremony and the proceeds benefit the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. Couples can opt to exchange vows under the home’s granite arches of the front porch overlooking Peachtree Street or in the Victorianstyle Reception Hall. To register, visit georgiatrust.org.