So, you dropped the ball on Valentine’s Day. It’s OK, we’ve got you covered.
There’s a lot going on this month, so we get it. Between Black History Month celebrations, the Lunar New Year and getting ready for the Rams vs. the Bengals, it’s just possible you may have neglected to notice the day after your annual football party in your living room is a notable one.
Yes, Valentine’s Day is on a Monday — and the day after Super Bowl LVI — so the timing is a bit strange. (Pro tip: Drink a glass of water between every Roaring Riot, especially after halftime, if you want to avoid a Sweetheart’s Day hangover.)
In Charlotte, by the time you read this — the prime reservation spots for a bougie Valentine’s dinner have likely been taken. Flowers should have been ordered already, and let’s not even start on the nationwide supply chain issues and how that’s put a wrench in things.
Before you take the easy route and go for the Amazon gift card (because nothing says love like I bought this just before getting in line at Harris Teeter), here are a few local ideas to consider instead:
Channel your artistic side
- Nothing says I love you like looking at some love-themed art together. Art Walks CLT has created a self-guided Lovers Art Trail. Take selfies in front of your favorite murals in East Charlotte, NoDa, Plaza-Midwood and South End.
- Speaking of murals, Camp North End now has 50+ murals on its campus. Sign up for a free 30-minute tour of the adaptive reuse space on Wednesdays or Fridays, or wander the 76-acre campus on your own as a couple. We recommend HEX Coffee in hand.
- Become the artist: Get tickets to the Gantt Center’s upcoming Photography Masterclass with Featured Artist Jamel Shabazz. The virtual event is from 2-3 p.m. on Feb. 19 and is $10 to attend.
- Plan ahead: Book tickets to the Monet & Friends – Light, Life & Color exhibit in Asheville — and make a weekend of it using our guide to the artsy mountain town.
Wine always works
Put down the bottle of Yellow Tail — this is a special occasion, not a host gift. Pick out a bottle at a local wine store with the help of an expert. Charlotte boasts several good wine retailers. Here are a few:
- Arthur’s, located in the basement of Belk at SouthPark
- Assorted Table Wine Shop on 7th Street
- Bond Street Wines on Providence Road
- Vintner Wine Market at the Arboretum.
[Related: CharlotteFive’s full guide to Charlotte’s local wine retailers]
EVEN BETTER: Make this gift idea interactive by buying tickets to Roots Catering and Cafe’s annual Wines Around The World event at The Collector’s Room in Charlotte. It’s not happening until Friday, Feb. 18, so you won’t even look like you forgot until the last minute. , you’ll get 20 wine tastings and 10 small plates from five regions of the world. Tickets come with a bottle of your choice and a special rate on additional wines. Rootscafesouthend.com to purchase tickets (click on events). You’ll get your choice of 5 p.m., 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. arrival time.
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Sweets for your South End sweet
Rather than presenting the standard box of Russell Stovers in the red heart, let’s put a local twist on the old chocolates standby. Create a Sweets Walking Tour of South End, draw it on a map (even cuter if you can’t draw very well) and then hit the Rail Trail. Here are a few places to stop:
- Start by walking .3 miles from Bland Street Station to BW Sweets and order a Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheesecake.
- Then walk .2 miles to Golden Cow Creamery for its Valentine’s Day-inspired ice cream flavor (a new one is released each Thursday during February).
- Then walk .5 miles to Lincoln’s Haberdashery for a sour cream doughnut.
You’ll probably be full by then, but if you still have room (and want to walk more), you also have Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Krispy Kreme’s vending machine doughnuts or Sunflour Baking Co. all within walking distance. You could even finish your journey with a full meal at 300 East (followed by dessert, of course, created by the restaurant’s pastry chef, Laney Jahkel-Parrish).
And if you need a coffee break, make sure to stop by Charlotte’s best coffee shop — as voted by you in our coffee shop bracket — Bitty & Beau’s.
PRO TIP: The more places you go, the less you’ll want to order at each spot, so we recommend splitting one item per stop. And if our South End tour made you think of Twenty Degrees Chocolate, just know that it’s closed on Mondays (and you needed to have your order in for shipping already). Save that one for a birthday gift!
