Happy Valentine's Day 2014

Hope you all are doing something special. Even if it's just an extra treat for yourself.

Today is our 1st Valentine's Day as Mr. & Mrs. so I can't help but think we should be doing something fabulous. But really, as of this morning, we still haven't decided what we're doing! I did get woken up by a shower of kisses and surprisingly, they weren't from Buffy this time! The Mr. is notoriously bad at holidays so my expectations are low but he is known to surprise the hell out of me sometimes so we'll see what the day holds. I'm thinking if I play my cards right, I can milk a weekend of romance outta him...

Here's some ideas for all you folks who are like us and refuse to be tortured with a prix fixe menu at a crowded restaurant but still want to go out.

1. Grab a couple hot dogs and some tator tots at Happy Dog then head to the Capitol Theater. Girl on a Bicycle sounds like a perfect date night movie (go ahead, embrace the subtitles!) Then stroll over to Sweet Moses to split a Gordon Square sundae. If you don't want the night to end, you can pick one of the many cool places in the area and grab a cocktail. Some of my favs are Toast, Battery Park Wine Bar, and Luxe.

2. Another great spot in Gordon Square is Stone Mad. Battle your sweetheart on the bocce court and quench your thirst with a cold one. You can also snuggle up by the fireplace.

3. At Miega Korean BBQ get your sizzle on by trying bi bim bob served in hot stone pot. When you order BBQ, they bring a grill to the table so you and your sweetie and cook together without having to worry about doing dishes. They are located inside Asian Town Center on the 2nd floor so you can walk around afterwards and check out all the cool artwork. The grocery closes at 8pm so if you time it right, you can explore all the unique items and grab a bag of goodies to go.

4. Grab a group of friends and head to Empress Taytu. The food is like no other cuisine you've probably ever tried and eating with your hands is the norm. The food comes out on these really thin large pancakes called injera. You tear a piece of pancake and use it as your utensil.

photo credit: Cleveland Rocks, Cleveland Eats

They have combo platters that are perfect to share. If you can handle some coffee in the evening, you must try the Ethiopian coffee ceremony. This year Valentine's Day is on a Friday so it's worth taking the chance of getting a caffeine buzz.

5. Snuggle up on a toboggan and hit the slopes with your sweetie! The Metro Park Toboggan Chutes in Strongsville are open until 10:30pm. One ride is $4 and a pass will only set you back $10. Afterwards head to the snack bar for some nibbles and hot cocoa and warm up by the fire.

For some homemade ideas, click here.