Valentines day. A dreaded enemy of mine. A day dedicated to celebrate the love you have for someone you should be treating well every other day of the year. With shop fronts glittered with red stars and love hearts, the taste of love sizzles on my tongue like sweet venom. As you have probably guessed, Valentines day is not my favourite holiday, but hey, I’m not one to shoot cupid down so quickly! Ignore my cynicism, on the actual day I will be melting like honey with the other millions of women hypnotised or brainwashed by unrealistic fairytales of happy endings, and I become weak to the addictive haze of those rose tinted glasses.
However, I am for now unsure how I will be celebrating this over-hyped ‘holiday’; With last years highlight being hugging a pole for most of the night after a night out with as many of my single friends I could find, and the year previous to that walking to the supermarket with my then ‘sweetheart’ (eurgh, Valentines day lexis) so that I could purchase as much chocolate as I could possibly consume to Dirty Dancing (a girls best friend) whilst the guy in question went to play rugby instead. So, while I wonder if this years Valentines day makes history and is actually happily celabrated, I thought I would check out some events in Leeds that people of all relationship types could get up to on this magically romantic day (I’m trying). Whether you are a single pringle, or in a happy relationship, there are so many events prepared and waiting for you to enjoy in conjunction with the big old V day.
Tiger Tiger
For all you partiers:
If an eclectic mix of playful games, affordable prices, and one hell of a fun night is what you are looking for this valentines day, get yourself over to Tiger Tiger on Tuesday the 14th of Feb for the perfect celebration/distraction. With playful games such as a lock and key party, Traffic light stickers; Red for couples, Amber for maybe’s, and Green for you singletons wanting to have some fun, an excitingly competitive slave auction for you to choose the next hot victim to adorn you with attention, and not forgetting some classic speed dating. Tiger Tiger blends the perfect valentines day for everyone, not only do you have a chance to enjoy a three course meal, and entry to the club at £20 per person, but you get to experience a night that only happens once every year. When do you ever get a chance to buy that hottie you have had your eye on for months’ attention for the night? You can also get a free taxi to the event before 11pm! Get yourself down here and experience valentines nights at Tiger, it will have you growling with enjoyment!
Kendells Bistro
For the food enthusiasts:
So you are planning a romantic night out to treat your other half, or just yourself and a bunch of friends. You are wanting somewhere different with a relaxed environment, and exotic menu’s to cause your taste buds to bubble and burst with excitement. Take a journey to Kendells Bistro. This place has a massive focus on good quality of food, and not only does it have friendly and helpful staff (instead of all the awkward upper lip business in most posh restaurants) but it provides you with a beautiful french bistro atmosphere. The glimmer of the candles stretch over the chalked menus on the side of the restaurant, and beautiful paintings, tiles and decor adorn the venue to help you feel as if you have strolled into a restaurant in le paris! The bearer of many prestigious awards such as best European restaurant, and Best Leeds restaurant, it is a wonder that anyone would want to leave! This place is the ideal destination for those who want to experience good food, and a cosy Valentines, with a taste of something different in your mouth.
With the demand for this hugely popular destination extremely high, the Valentines menu is £55 per person, however, Valentines day is only once a year, and if you are looking to impress, as the menu says, Kendells Bistro is ‘the most romantic restaurant in Leeds’.
Take a dip in these rosy waters on their website: http://kendellsbistro.co.uk/index.html
Ice Cube
For all you thrill seekers:
Why not cool all this valentines day hotness with a little bit of ice? Ice cube has returned to the strikingly stunning Millennium square in Leeds, and it is even better this year! This time, not only is it a chance to bust out some moves you have taught yourself in the front room whilst watching Dancing on Ice (and lets face it, probably failing), you can now catch some wind sliding down the new 30 metre dry slope snow slide, AND experience what it would be like to be flying down an incredibly high mountain of snow in Ski’s, or a bobsleigh in the simulator. What better day to do all of these cool (excuse the pun) activities than Valentines day. It is a perfect excuse to hold your valentines hand under the pretense that you can not keep stable in your skates, and a great chance to snuggle up to them in order to keep warm. For more information check the website, don’t miss out on the chance to impress your date with your originality, and skating skills! Snow joke! (sorry, again).
Happy Valentines day guys, I am starting to feel like my ideal Valentines day would be all three of these.
Written by Charlotte Owen, Leeds Metropolitan University.
The Student Channel 