14 Unpredictable Date Ideas in London
Ok so we originally wrote this article to give you fine folk some alternative ideas for the big V day but it got such a good response that we thought we’d recycle it – because romance isn’t just for Valentine’s day! So without further ado here our 14 alternative and unpredictable ‘any-Day ideas to help you eat, drink and be be sexy in London.
1. A rose by any other name: Instead of buying an over-priced red rose, have a love tea potion hand-blended with rose buds by master tea taster Alex Probyn. A unique blend based around your partner’s personality traits cost £27 for 125g. Blends for Friends website
2. Gone with the wind: Thinking of taking a stroll down the windy Southbank along with every other couple in London? Show off your athletic aptitude by power kiting in Richmond Park instead. Richmond Park / Kite Vibe review
3. Chick flicks: Don’t rent the Titanic! Head over to Riverside Studios or The Institute of Contemporary Arts and lose yourself in Casablanca, one of the most romantic movies ever made. Riverside Studios / ICA
4. Shake what your mama gave ya: Ditch the salsa class and try tango by candlelight! Tango by Candlelight Review
5. Follow the rabbit: For a real adventure by night, talk to rabbit! Find out more here
6. Tropical paradise in London: Don’t buy a cheap bunch of flowers, treat your sweetheart to a trip to Kew Gardens. Tickets cost £13. Kew, TW9 3AB (8332 5655/www.kew.org).
7. Cut and Thrust: don’t get angry, get even with private Sword Fencing Lessons! Sword Fencing
8. Pages of love: Don’t waste your money buying “the little book of love poems” as a throw away Valentine’s prezzie. Adopt a book from the British Museum. If you’re lucky you’ll be able to pick up St Valentine’s pocket book from 1867. Prices range from £25 to £500. Adopt a Book
9. The way to a man’s heart: Forget the candlelight dinner at home routine (yawn..zzzz) take a passionate Italian cooking course together at Cucina Caldesi
10. Chocolate indulgence: Replace the standard box of chocolates - celebrate Valentine’s Day in true style with the chocolate lovers afternoon tea at the Chesterfield in Mayfair, £23.50 per person. Chesterfield Mayfair website
11. Comfort food: Sundays are all about taking it easy. Book a table at the Orange Pub in Pimlico for a hearty Sunday lunch next to an open fire. Trust us the food is delicious, you wont be disappointed. The Orange review
12. A room with a view: Don’t be predictable by booking the London Eye, book a table at the unforgettable Bingham Restaurant in Richmond instead. Be sure to ask for a table over looking the manicured lawns and glistening river. The Bingham website
13. ilove: Prove the intensity of your love with this new super iphone application; Lovetricity
14. Love potion: Don’t end up in the hoi polloi of Soho, instead abandon your inhibitions over sexy cocktails at Lounge Lover.Lounge Lover review
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5 ways of keeping your relationship fresh
We often think dating is for singles looking for love but that’s exactly where lots of couples go wrong. Dating is essential at every stage of a relationship. Whether you’ve been together three weeks or three years you should never stop making an effort to spend quality time together.
The sad truth is that after a week of endless meetings and tight schedules, thinking of imaginative ways to spend time with your sweetheart takes effort.
Go somewhere new: don’t just go for supper. Meet at a gallery, go to a concert or watch a foreign film. New experiences inject energy into a relationship and create an immediate bond.
Take turns: don’t leave it up to one person to arrange a date every week. Alternate when organising outings for each other to make sure you’re both making the effort.
Surprise: show your date you really care by arranging something you know they will love; something they’ve been talking about for ages and never got round to, perhaps? Or something they’ve never thought of doing but you know they’d love.
Get out of town: book a train ticket to Brighton or South-end on sea, for example. There are lots of places you can go for the day, if you don’t have a whole weekend to spare.
Introduce some old-fashioned romance: don’t be scared of doing something a little bit cheesy like watching the sunset together over Primrose hill or cooking a candle-lit dinner. We all need a bit more old-fashioned romance in our lives.
