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Tampa Valentines Day Guide
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Special Edition February 2013
2 • INSIGHT TAMPA - A FRESH LOOK INTO THE PULSE OF TAMPA • WWW.INSIGHTTAMPA.COM • FEBRUARY 2013
By Courtney DiFonzo
A few weeks ago I was doing my usual midnight shop-ping at WalMart (old habits die hard) when I noticed a crescendo of red and pink in one of the aisles. Drawn to the glittering colors like a moth to a flame (or like a writer to cliché metaphors), I recognized to my absolute horror that the candy isle was now stocked with a mul-titude of red-foiled chocolates, heart-shaped candies with creepy text-message style sayings, and bags upon bags of assorted treats.
Even though it was only a few days after Christmas I had to accept that Valentine’s Day was fast approach-ing.
Never being a fan of the “love” holiday, in my home Valentine’s Day was usually treated like any average Wednesday; getting out of work late and crying into a glass of moscato as I watched Shakespeare in Love for the umpteenth time. Sometimes I lit a candle, depend-ing on how sassy I felt that day.
Even on the extremely rare occasion I had a boyfriend for the month of February, I never saw Valentine’s Day as anything more than a filler holiday mass-produced and covered in pink confetti.
So if you’re anything like me, or perhaps this year you’re just over it or newly single, here are a few things you may want to do on February 14th (I promise none of them include red glitter and tiny hearts… unless you want there to be).
• If you’ve recently gotten out of a relationship or are just feeling particularly vulnerable that day, avoid any and all sit-down restaurants. Seeing cou-ples share a meal will definitely tip your internal scale of bitterness, and I think I can safely assume no one needs that.
Along these same lines, if you decide to go to a bar to get your mind off the Cupid-infested holiday, be cau-
Hearts and TartsNot Your Thing?
Other Way to Spend Valentine’s Days
INSIGHT TAMPA - A FRESH LOOK INTO THE PULSE OF TAMPA • WWW.INSIGHTTAMPA.COM • FEBRUARY 2013 • 3
tious: I am friends with a few sleazy guys who have informed me Valentines Day is their favorite time to pick up lonely women at bars.
• Go out with your friends. This seems like an obvious choice, but if your friends are in relationships it may not be an easy task. Try getting coffee early in the evening or do something the day before. For the adventurous ladies out there, Vertical Ventures in Tampa is letting women rock climb for half the price on February 13th; make it a girls night!
• Go see the latest slasher flick. Even though the newest Texas Chainsaw has gotten so-so ratings, who really cares? Personally I’d rent a copy of “My Bloody Valentine.” Come on, Jensen Ackles AND a serial killer on Valentine’s Day? Win-win.
• Spend the day on self-improvement, both mental and physical. Hit the gym especially hard that day and dedicate it to all those exes, or better yet buy a Grou-pon for a relaxing massage and spend the evening cen-tering yourself.
LivingSocial has mega-deals on spa treatments and some spas in the area are having Valentine’s Dayspecials-I suggest you call around and make an appoint-ment. I promise you that your friends who just went to dinner and movie will be jealous.
• Give into a guilty pleasure. Even if you’re guilty plea-sure is crying into a glass of moscato while watching your favorite chickflick or TV show, make the day about what you want. Maybe you will finally see what all the
buzz around Fifty Shades Of Grey is all about. (Honestly, I think Kresley Cole does it so much better, so if you’re feeling a little bold, and maybe a little sexy, look into one of her four amazing series).
• Don’t want to make Valentine’s Day into anything more? Than be productive. Pick up a shift at work and know you’re making money while everyone else is wast-ing theirs on flowers and candy. Start writing that novel you keep saying you’re going to get around to. Spring clean early. Keep yourself busy and get stuff done at the same time, it’s a good feeling to cross things off your to-do list.
According to Buddha,
“He who loves 50 people has 50 woes [while] he who loves no one
has no woes.”
4 • INSIGHT TAMPA - A FRESH LOOK INTO THE PULSE OF TAMPA • WWW.INSIGHTTAMPA.COM • FEBRUARY 2013
Mangroves208 S. Howard Ave, Tampa, FL
$75 dollars per personfour-course meal, Top 40 dancing and club night after-hours
Oxford Exchange 420 West Kennedy BoulevardTampa, FL
Special Valentine’s Day Dinnerin the Conservatory$100 dollars per person
The Columbia2117 East 7th, Tampa, FL
$54.95 per person, includes showseating and 3 course dinner and drink
Bernini’s1702 E 7th Ave Tampa, FL
½ off regular entrees and $2 Martini’s until 7 p.m. Valentine’s Day premium entrees are available as well
Timpano1610 W. Swann Ave, Tampa, FL
3 course couple’s meal $79 for both, appetizer and glass of champagne included
The Brick’s Ybor1327 E. 7th Ave, Tampa, FL
½ off bottles of wine (including cham-pagne). Drink and food specials all day. Music and party starts at 9:00
Taco BusTampa Location:913 East Hillsborough Avenue Tampa, FL.Downtown:505 Franklin StreetTampa, FL 33602USF: 2320 E. Fletcher Avenue Tampa, FL 33612
If you’re keeping it low key (or you’re straight up broke) it’s hard to beat this Tampa original.
Valentine’s Day Restaurant Guide
INSIGHT TAMPA - A FRESH LOOK INTO THE PULSE OF TAMPA • WWW.INSIGHTTAMPA.COM • FEBRUARY 2013 • 5
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HAPPYVAlENTINE’S
DAY!
Dead CelebrityPUB CRAWL
on Davis islands
FEBRuARY 23RD, 2013
Visiting 6 bars onbDavis Islands,with drink specials, costumecontests, raffles and more!
Check in starts at 1:30pm atRick’s Italian Cafe, continuing to Yoeman’s Road
Pub, Fountain Square, Anchor Bar and MORE!
Brought to you by:Tampa Pulse Marketing / INsight Tampa
Tampa, Florida
To pUrchaSe YoUrDead celebrities pub crawl vip Tickets visit
www.insighttampa.com
8 • INSIGHT TAMPA - A FRESH LOOK INTO THE PULSE OF TAMPA • WWW.INSIGHTTAMPA.COM • FEBRUARY 2013
