There's something vaguely panic-inducing about Valentine's Day, the "Hallmark holiday" that prompts a spike in chocolate sales, flower purchases and dinner reservations -- but ends up leaving some of us a tad cold.
Here's the thing: It doesn't have to be that way. Seattle is bursting at the pink-and-red seams with V-Day options that don't involve five courses, a boutique feeding frenzy or anything related to the cocoa bean. Below you'll find a six-pack of 'em to get you started.
Comedy of Love [0]
From the days of Shakespeare to our "Knocked Up" era, it's a well-established fact: Love is damn funny. And the good people of Unexpected Productions will pay tribute to the unbearable lightness of being enamored with a Valentine's-themed improv comedy performance scheduled for Feb. 14 itself.
David Crowe's Laugh Lovers Ball [0]
Yes, my friends, the V-Day laughter has only just begun. If you prefer your comedy in stand-up format, you'll likely roll in the aisles during this Paramount Theater performance by Caroline Rhea and four other renowned comics.
Relentless Heartache: Love Plays of 14/48 [0]
When you don't have a valentine lined up, sometimes you need a sympathetic friend, not one who tries to distract you from your angst and woe. If you're in that kind of mental space, this night of short plays about the folly of romance -- culled from 10 years of the acclaimed "14/48" festival -- should hit the spot. You know, insofar as anything ever will again. <sniff>
Dvorák's "New World" Symphony [0]
You know what's romantic? The music of 19th-century composer Antonín Leopold Dvorák, that's what. Actually, Dvorák's oeuvre (of which "New World" is arguably the pinnacle) is technically Romantic -- that is, not Classical or Baroque -- but it also happens to be a beautiful, sensuous, thoroughly breathtaking body of work. And what could be better than a night at Benaroya followed by a little night music of your own?
Valentine's Day Dash [0]
Contrary to its name, this 5K run around Green Lake happens Feb. 10. But maybe that's for the best -- especially if you've been looking pretty good in those running duds lately. Who can say if a sporty new valentine is in your future?
100 Heartbreaks [0]
There's sad, and then there's country-music sad. Writer-actor Joanna Horowitz's twangy one-woman show about "hooking up, breaking up and drinking up" promises to deliver the latter, and with plenty of wit and panache to boot.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
