16 Out-Of-The-Box Valentine’s, Galentine’s & Palentine’s Date Ideas
In this week’s blog post we’ve shone a light on a few wacky and wonderful ways that we can all celebrate love in London.
Whether you are doing Valentine’s, Palentine’s or Galentine’s this year, read on for some fun, quirky and out-of-the-box, London date ideas.
Scroll to the bottom of the article to win a luxury lingerie gift worth £100 courtesy of Simone Pérèle.
Explore Naked Life Drawing With Neon
Join Neon Naked for a unique life drawing class at Toulouse Lautrec, Elephant & Castle. Expect an evening of vibrant, artistic fun like no other, where reactive art materials and colourful life models are utilised to create experimental and radiant works on paper. Move away from the perfectionist teachings of traditional life drawing and come and try out different mark-making techniques, from continuous line drawing to pointillism. Watch as your drawings come to life with neon pastels under blacklight and take home your glowing masterpieces.
Enjoy Paint Mate Sip n Paint - Valentines Edition.
Celebrate the day of love with your best pals at Paint Mate's Valentine's edition of Sip N Paint. Not only will you enjoy a fun, guided art workshop held by a professional, but you'll also be treated to a welcome drink, bottomless bubbles and exciting giveaways.
Play ‘Would you Rather ‘At The Chocolate Cocktail Club
The Chocolate Cocktail Club in Farringdon are hosting a ‘Would you rather…’ themed night. On the table will be 20 'Would you rather...' Valentine's themed questions, to start new conversations, ice breakers, getting to know your partner more and give you a little giggle.
Guests will start the evening with a choice of ‘Chocolate Heartbeat’ which is a Chocolate lovers dream, with rich flavours of Chocolate, Baileys Lux and Vanilla Vodka, rimmed with Chocolate sauce and garnished with a little treat, ‘Beloved Black Forest Espresso Martini’, which is a dark blend of Coffee, Kahlua, Vodka and Black Forest to tickle those romantic taste buds or a Cupids Cotton Candy Prosecco and Gin Fizz, which is a combination of Prosecco, Chocolate Bitters, Cherry and Gin, garnished with Cotton Candy and edible glitter. Tickets include one cocktail for each guest, table service and 1.5 hours slot and there will be light bites, cakes and sweet treats available to purchase if you're feeling peckish.
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Find The Ping To Your Pong At Bounce
Bounce Shoreditch, the home of ping pong, are helping you find the 'ping to your pong' this Valentie’s, offering up a traffic light wristband night, ice-breaking welcome cocktails and a fun tournament with prizes. Do you like long walks on the beach, snuggles on the sofa, and a hot cup of cocoa? Or have you got your sights set on a competitive companion with a mean serve – someone that you can rally the night away with? The first drink is free for guests.
Go Off The Grid At A Cocktail Infused Escape Room
Take your mates or dates to the Southbank Arches where there’s a secret undercover operation going on to learn and operate Artificial Intelligence tools, drink futuristic sci-fi potions (yes, cocktails!) and eventually defeat the system for the betterment of humanity's future. On arriving at Neosight, the AI corp's HQ, you'll not only scramble your brain with various puzzles and rooms, you'll be helping to scramble the system in a bid to defend humanity against machines. The Grid have brought along 'bespoke tech and futuristic tonics' to come up with a selection of sci-fi cocktails. The experience is £32 per person which includes 2 drinks.
Learn About The Science Of Sex
If you want to drop your date a not so subtle hint then taking him to a talk about reproduction should do it! In this illustrated talk at The Century Club in Soho, Simon Watt (biologist, writer, science communicator, comedian, TV presenter, trainer, consultant and artist as well as a regular contributor to TV, radio and the web. He is perhaps best known as a presenter on the BAFTA-winning documentary series, Inside Nature’s Giants, the IFTA-winning Wild Cities and the Channel 4 special, The Elephant: Life) will explore the devious tricks used by cells, organs and bodies to win the race to fertilisation. From infidelity, to homosexuality, to the female orgasm, Simon turns on every light in the bedroom.
Take Part In The Bucket Race Valentine's Day Scavenger Hunt
This Valentine's weekend why not wear your heart on your sleeve and fall in love with London all over again by taking part in Bucket Race's Valentine's Day Scavenger Hunt . Bucket Race's seasonal scavenger hunts are packed full of fun, themed challenges and tasks that will put you to the test at every time of year. In their special Valentine's edition, participants can couple up, or play in teams during a scavenger hunt which celebrates all things love. Compete against other couples in a four-hour scavenger hunt that’ll take you all over London. The prize for winning is a three-course meal for two at the Paternoster Chop House, (which is featured on Channel 4’s First Dates).
Eat, shoot, drink, dance and play at Clays
For a date with a difference give Clay a shot! Think Virtual clay target shooting, cocktails and food sharers, all in one place. What’s not to love! You can spend the 14th Feb practicing your aim, enjoying cocktails and small plates, with 30 minutes of game play and a bottle of signature champagne all for £70.
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Go Bouldering at Substation Brixton
If you’re not familiar with bouldering, let us bring you up to speed. It is effectively rock climbing, but at Substation Brixton, there’s an upbeat twist. One Friday a month, they transform the area for vibe and climb sessions, with a DJ spinning the tunes; and to celebrate Galantine’s day, the London climbing centre will be blasting disco music, and serving disco-themed cocktails post climb on Tuesday, February 14.
Share A Gaming Experience
Spend February 14th at Platform, the home of social gaming, and experience a unique and fun way to celebrate with your mates or dates.
There is an expertly curated library of the best multiplayer games which you can enjoy whilst sipping on delicious cocktails and munching on pizza! Whether you are a competitive couple or just looking for fun with friends, this is a great option! During February only you'll get two pizzas, two cocktails, and 90 minutes of video gaming, for just £60.
Watch A Valentine's Variety Show
Be entertained this Valentine’s Day at E17’s enormous community-focused hospitality venue, Big Penny Social, with a night of live performance, food, wine and romance. Bring your special someone, or someones, and enjoy a specially curated menu of small plates, which include dishes such as Roasted Butternut, Burrata, Truffle Oil and Long Horn Beef Bavette, Chimichurri, served with with a glass of bubbles. While you dine, watch outrageously talented acts in an informal, fun and romantic variety night.
Entertainment on the 14th includes comedy from Vice's Hate Thy Neighbour host Jamali Maddix and Taskmaster champ Lou Sanders, music from rising soul star Zach Said, close-up magic and a special Valentine’s magic routine from the incredible Tom Brace, 'Demonic David Bowie' Cabaret star Aidan Sadler and an aerial circus performance from West End stars Lucius & Emma. Doors at 5pm, show at 8pm. Food served throughout. Plus you can order special Valentine’s small plates straight to your table before or during the show.
Belt One Out At Lucky Voice Karaoke
Because nothing says I love you like screaming, ‘IF YOU WANNA BE MY LOVER, YOU GOTTA GET WITH MY FRIENDS’. Celebrate Galentine’s Day with a cosy karaoke night at Lucky Voice Soho and sing the night away London style. Their private rooms can fit up to 30 people for 2 hours and range from £8-£14 per person, depending on if you’re visiting during peak or off-peak hours.
Learn How To Make Mean Macaroons and Martini’s
Oh La La! Macarons IN 5 Kirby Street, EC1N has teamed up with Slingsby Gin to offer a wonderful macaron making workshop coupled with – wait for it – unlimited Martinis. This event is all celebrating female friendship. The evening will kick off with a live baking demonstration teaching you how to achieve the perfect French-style macaron. Accompanying the culinary masterclass, there will be an in-house bartender to serve guests unlimited martinis with a menu featuring Slingsby’s delicious rhubarb gin. Oh La La! Macarons is dedicated to abundance, meaning that there will be no limit to the macarons and martinis for you to feast on during the evening. It’s the perfect way to spend Valentine's Day!
Design a Bespoke Perfume
Discover the secrets of perfume making and create your own perfume with an experience for two. A made-to-measure perfume offers the ultimate luxury and this experience provides that indulgence. Create a personalised perfume each during this perfume-making session as fragrance experts provide insight into the whole realm of perfume making. As they reveal 21 exclusive perfume blends, learn what makes scents differ and use new skills to denote top, middle and (long-lasting) bottom notes. From musk, spice, amber, fruit and more, pick favourites to create a unique perfume blend. Both one-off fragrances are hand blended on the day by a consultant so that they can be taken away in two 20ml atomisers. The unique blends are registered in The Perfume Studio's fragrance library so that the formulas are retained for future orders.
Explore Kew Orchid Festival - At Night
Want to make Valentine’t hot and steamy? Head to the tropical Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew Gardens, which is Kew Gardens’ much-loved annual orchid festival is back, bigger and better than ever. Inspired by the beauty and biodiversity of Cameroon, Orchids 2023 is a vibrant celebration of colour and warmth to brighten up the winter months. From lush rainforests and volcanic mountains to arid desert plains, Cameroon’s huge variety of plants and wildlife are supported by varied habitats, reflected across the ten unique climatic zones.
For an even more intimate Valentine’s Date immerse yourself in a celebration of Cameroon after dark at ‘Orchids After Hours’ — an exuberant evening of live performances, cocktails, and cooking demonstrations. Enjoy exclusive access to the tropical paradise of The Princess of Wales Conservatory and wander amongst the vibrant displays of colourful orchids. Listen to live music curated by DJ SHEGOTSOUL and learn about the wonder of orchids from Kew experts while sipping a Cameroonian themed cocktail
Choose Love Live at Jazz Cafe
On Tuesday 14 February at 7pm, the Jazz Cafe in Camdon are hosting Choose Love. Since it was founded in 2015, Choose Love have supported over 4 million people. 100% of profits from this night will go to Choose Love's Turkey and Syria emergency earthquake response appeal. This will enable them to continue to provide life-saving search and rescue, urgently needed medical care, food, water, blankets, tents, heating and much more for those whose lives have been devastated by this disaster. The event will feature unique performances from major artists including Graham Coxon with his new project The Waeve, Nadine Shah and more.
THE BIG PINK shot to international mainstream success with a multi-platinum single gaining multiple prestigious awards, tours with TV On The Radio, Wolf Alice & Muse while securing slots at Coachella, Glastonbury and many more.
GIA FORD finds her feet as the stylish, shadowy narrator in a world of dark longings, complex feelings, and of the profound, bittersweet twang of life – all in a classic velvet voice.
NUHA RUBY RA’s releases gained critical acclaim cementing Nuha as one of the most exciting and provocative new acts in the country with her pulsating and dark avant-pop music.
Classically trained pianist, singer and songwriter CIARA HAIDAR’s finely crafted songs are delivered with a mix of power and raw emotion, guaranteed to quiet the noise of any room.
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