The Twenty-Something New Yorker’s Guide to Valentine’s Day

Instead of seeing Fifty Shades of Grey with your friends or going ice-skating in Bryant Park with your significant other, check out one of these fun, unique activities this Valentine’s Day. 

The City Bakery’s Hot Chocolate Festival

The City Bakery

3 West 18th St. & Fifth Avenue

The City Bakery’s Hot Chocolate Festival has remained a Manhattan staple for the better part of two decades.  Each February, New Yorkers and tourists alike crowd into the 18th Street bakery for a scrumptious cup of flavored hot chocolate.  Flavors alternate each day and include favorites such as Vietnamese Cinnamon, Ode to the Polar Bear, and White Chocolate Waltz.  This February 14th, warm up with a cup of “Love Potion” Hot Chocolate and a pretzel croissant!

Eataly’s Nutella Bar

Eataly NYC Restaurants

200 Fifth Avenue & 23rd St.

While most people primarily associate Valentine’s Day with romance, I’ve always described it as Halloween with a different color scheme. Whether you’re celebrating with your significant other or your best friend, Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to indulge in chocolate and, more importantly, Nutella.  Stop by Eataly’s Nutella Bar for a decadent dessert this Valentine’s Day! You can keep it simple with a classic Nutella crepe or try something a bit more gourmet, like the Baccio di Dama con Nutella (aka: two hazelnut cookies sandwiched together with Nutella or, as I call it, heaven).  No matter what you order, you’ll leave full and happy.   

MoSex Steamy Valentine’s Weekend

Museum of Sex

233 Fifth Avenue & 27th St.

If you’re looking something less food-focused (God knows why), swing by the Museum of Sex, which has remained dedicated to the display of erotic art, media, and artifacts since its founding in 2002.  This Valentine’s Day, the museum will stay open until midnight as part of the MoSex Steamy Valentine’s Weekend.  Check out one of the museum’s erotic exhibitions with your significant other or grab some fruit-infused vodka shooters with your gal pals.  This outing can be fun regardless of your relationship status!

Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

UCB Chelsea

307 West 26th St. & Eighth Avenue

Drown your sorrows in laughter this Valentine’s Day at one of Upright Citizens Brigade’s improvisational and sketch comedy shows. Although UCB East Village’s 10:00 PM Valentine’s Day show, “What I Did For Love,” sold out a while ago, you can still purchase tickets to comedian Andy Rocco’s monthly midnight variety show.  For only five dollars, you can watch performances by fresh-faced comedians and UCB veterans alike at UCB’s Chelsea location.

BOOKForum Presents: Foreign Affairs

New Museum of Contemporary Art

235 Bowery & Stanton St.

This event is perfect for all you Valentine’s Day haters out there.  Located at the New Museum on the Lower East Side, this event includes disdainful readings about love by authors such as Paul Beatty, Laura Kipnis, and Clancy Martin.  If you want to forget it’s February 14th, RSVP immediately to foreignaffairs@bookforum.com because this annual reading fills up quickly!

New York Transit Museum’s Missed Connections Mixer

New York Transit Museum

Boreum Place & Schermerhorn St.

You know that really hot guy you made eye contact with on the subway for about forty-five seconds that one time?  Well, thanks to the New York Transit Museum, you may get to see him again.  This Thursday, the museum will host its fifth annual Missed Connections Mixer for all you Ted Mosbys out there.  From 6:30 to 8:30 PM, you can explore a decommissioned subway station, write love poetry inspired by anonymous Craigslist posts, and indulge in beer from Brooklyn Brewery. What’s not to love?

Louis 649

Louis 649

649 East 9th St. & Avenue C

This long-standing Alphabet City cocktail bar showcases local musicians from all five boroughs seven nights per week.  This Valentine’s Day, slide into a secluded booth with your significant other or perch yourself at the bar with your girlfriends for an unforgettable night of live jazz.  Because there’s no cover charge, you can afford to spend twice as much on cocktails (at least according to my math). 

Dominique Ansel Bakery

Dominique Ansel Bakery

189 Spring St. between Thompson St. and Sullivan St.

Since its invention in 2013, Dominique Ansel’s cronut has quickly become a Manhattan staple.  On February 14th, the SoHo bakery’s entire pastry case will turn pink for a day! Last Valentine’s Day, chef Dominique Ansel debuted the Lobster Linzer, a raspberry jam-filled Linzer cookie inspired by Friends.  Stop by this year and choose your Valentine’s Day-themed treat of choice or stick with the classic cronut. (This month’s flavor is Cherry Blossom Ganache and Sour Cherry Gelée!)

SoulCycle’s Fifty Shades of Grey Soundtrack Ride

SoulCycle West Village

126 Leroy St. & Greenwich St.

Pasticceria Rocco

243 Bleecker St. between Carmine St. and Leroy St.

This activity is perfect for those of you who have actually been to a gym in the past six months.  Reserve a bike at SoulCycle’s West Village location at 5:00 PM for a themed ride to the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack. After you’ve burned some calories, walk east on St. Luke’s place and head to Pasticceria Rocco for a well-earned chocolate chip cookie.

• activities
• february
• galentine’s
• new york
• valentines day