Quirky Valentine’s Date Ideas

What did you do last Valentine’s Day with your other half? Can’t remember, or perhaps you just went for the generic dinner in a mediocre restaurant followed by two hours stuck behind a row of teenagers frantically shifting instead of watching The Lego Movie? Make 2015 a V-day to remember and do something a little bit different that compliments the kind of relationship you and your partner have. Instead of the one Hollywood created for everyone to adhere to.

Pucker up to one of these alternative date ideas.

All aboard the trivia love train
Is your beau is a history nerd, sorry enthusiast? Knock his socks off (and then some, as the evening progresses) with a specialised trivia tour of Dublin, scripted with the most eyebrow raising tidbits imaginable. Take him to the streets you’ve probably walked down hundreds of times together, and impress him with your knowledge of Parliament Street being the first bus lane in Ireland, and prepare for his jaw to drop. (Believe me, I have real life experience of this.) After you’ve flourished your love with these invaluable facts why not finish the evening with a pint in Dublin’s oldest pub, The Brazen Head.

(Photo Credit: Fatti Burke)

You love your beau because he brings out the kid in you
Relive the years when you thought love was yucky, and believed boys got you pregnant by touching your bellybutton. That’s right your awkward preteen is about to emerge for one night only. Gather the things you and your partner remember fondly about your childhoods – games, sweets, and of course, angel delight. You may despise his Xbox, but you’ll definitely love a Super Nintendo, the console your older brother wouldn’t let you near when you were younger. Now you can pick up your very own Super Nintendo from The RAGE along with a host of the two-player games that shaped your summer holidays. We recommend Donkey Kong Country if you feel like monkeying around.

Expose yourselves to some culture

If you have just finished your trivia tour of town, then stroll over to IMMA and catch the Mobile Encounters exhibition before it finishes on the 15^th February. This exhibition documents the early years of performance art in Ireland, focusing on the period from the 1970s right up to the 1990s. Enjoy the various ephemera and artworks on display throughout the exhibiton. It’s always nice to share the experience of a nice exhibition with the one you love, it’ll inspire you to be even more creative in your daily lives. The date that keeps giving.

Go to a play, a live action movie

Everyone goes to the cinema on Valentine’s day regardless of the listings. Avoid the queues for popcorn and your view being obstructed by awkward pre-teen smooches in the row in front, and go to see The Caretaker by Harold Pinter in the Gate Theatre. What’s great about going to a play, apart from getting your glad-rags on, is that you can also avail of pre-theatre dinner which will save you a few euro to put towards a thoughtful present for your other half, i.e. a packet of Jelly Tots to guzzle as you enjoy the show.

Follow Zara on Twitter at @Zara_Hedderman