Here at Mixmaster we don't do things the normal way. You can wine and dine us all night on Valentine's Day and we'll still be waiting for the good stuff. You know, the creative stuff. We've compiled a list of activities that might make acceptable celebrations of Valentine's Day. Maybe. Sorry, it's just that we're picky.
Disguise Yourself at Carnivale Masquerade Ball Valentine's Day lands on a Saturday this year, which means one of two things: You will be stuck at home with your sweetheart while all of your single friends are out drinking beer, or you are that single friend and you're still unsure what you are doing that night. Luckily for you, there's the Carnivale Masquerade Ball that night, which means you totally have an excuse to dress up, drink, eat from a buffet, dance and possibly make out with a stranger -- all while wearing a mask to cover your face. No one even has to know about your Valentine's Day adventures. It kicks off at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Kessler Theater (1230 W. Davis St.) Tickets are $60. More info at thekessler.org. -Paige Skinner
Send Your Lover a Tuba Valentine's It might seem difficult to make a case for the tuba as one of the world's sexiest instruments. But think about the low, deep tones or the strength it takes to even hold the damn thing up. We don't need to make the case for you. They'll find a way to say I love you to that special someone when you send a Tuba Valentine's this week. Prices start at $25. More information here.
Pledge Your Eternal Love at the Love Locks Picnic Out at Santa Fe Trestle Trail, we're stealing a French tradition with a love locks bridge. And if you've yet to visit and lock your love in, there isn't a better day to do it than Valentine's Day. Join in on a public picnic hosted by RAFT Saturday afternoon, and pledge your love. Information here.
Dream about having Kids at Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet If we're honest, no one wants their love affair to play out like Romeo and Juliet's. I mean, they both end up with eyelids closed, arms crossed, six feet underground. But the ill-fated, star-crossed romance is certainly a thing of legend. It's performed everywhere, but almost always acted by people far too old for the characters. They were teenagers, after all. Thank goodness for Fun House Theatre and Film -- the wonderful theater group out in Plano that does quite the opposite, casting teenagers and children in any and every role. Their choice to mount Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet might be the most age-approriate one they've ever made. Spend your Valentine's Day with the Bard, and a compressed, musically accompanied version of his world-famous tragedy. Performances take place at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Plano Children's Theatre (1301 Custer Road, Plano). Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. More information at funhousetheatreandfilm.com.
Shakespeare's Tragic Love Story Without all His Words While some of us prefer our tales of romance a little more ride-off-into-the-sunset-y, there's no denying that the gold standard of love stories is a rather depressing account of teen suicide. For 400 years, Romeo and Juliet has been inspiring us to seek a love worth dying for -- whether that's a healthy thing to aspire to or not, Shakespeare's play has enjoyed longevity and cultural relevance that few other works of art can claim. It's also informed countless other pieces of art, moving musicians, playwrights, screenwriters and authors to create tribute after tribute. The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will show love to one of the most iconic paeans in classical music, Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet. Op. 64, when they perform selections from the ballet composition with Italian flair. This romantic concert in the Bass Performance Hall (525 Commerce St., Fort Worth) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday-- or various times throughout the weekend -- will up the ante for a star-crossed Valentine's weekend. Tickets are $20 to $85 at fwsymphony.org. - Jennifer Davis-Lamm
Relive Prom Night at Doublewide So you didn't end up with your highschool sweetheart, and you can't fit into your prom dress anymore. Who cares? This Valentine's Day, you can do it all over again, as the more sophisticated, less insecure adult you grew up into. $7 in advance/ $10 at the door. More info.
Laugh Your Way Into Love at Backdoor Comedy Club This Valentine's Day, Backdoor Comedy Club wants to celebrate with the three c's of love: "Champagne, Chocolates & Comedy." Sure, your main squeeze might not laugh at your jokes, but you can be the one that paid for the $35 tickets into his/her heart. Shows at 6:30, 8:30, and 10:30 p.m. Make him/her take you to dinner before or after the show, because if laughter doesn't brew love, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Now, I'm mixing up all my idioms. I'm silly on champagne!
A Cheap Spanish Getaway Spain beats all other European destinations in the romantic flair category. Great Britain is hospitable and lovely, to be sure; Italy has monuments that awe; and France has pastries to make a man weak in the knees. But Spain has a devil-may-care appeal that sets it apart from its neighbors. Plus the Spanish basically invented naps and late dinners. Enough said. Spanish music is especially adept at evoking the country's warm, lively culture -- the symphonic works of 18th century Spain are lush, optimistic and melodic. The Orchestra of New Spain will create an atmosphere of Madrid-inspired fantasy during their performances of Villa Y Corte at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the Dallas City Performance Hall (2520 Flora St). With a program that includes vocal performances from Jendi Tarde, Patrick Gnage, Anna Frederika Popova, Eugenia Ramirez and tenor Sergio Cepeda, contrasted with orchestral works from Boccherini and Brunetti, this beautifully produced tribute to all things Spain is a ticket to global romance without the airfare. Seats range from $25 to $75; visit orchestraofnewspain.org to purchase. - Jennifer Davis-Lamm
Nothing Says Love Like old Blue Eyes... or Ricki Derek If your chickadee fancies herself a vintage beauty or laps up the velvety notes of Dean Martin, then you'll want to take that fly lady to the Granada Theater for an unforgettable set by the always cool, always smooth, always debonair Ricki Derek. They'll follow up his old school crooning with a screening of Casablanca. It all starts at 7 p.m. More at granadatheater.com.
Listen to Some Bold & Beautiful Music at the Symphony Dallas Symphony Orchestra, in something of a reverse sequel to last year's performance of his Piano Concerto No. 2, presents Brahms' grand Piano Concerto No. 1. Undoubtedly, the composition deserves a mighty player, and in the robust Yefim Bronfman the work finds a fitting suitor. Beautiful and subtle one moment, fierce and thundering the next, Brahms first large-scale orchestral composition is an elegant, variegated goliath from volcanic start to sweeping finish. Intermission's silence is broken by Richard Strauss' oft-sneering Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life), a glowing exhibition which celebrates Strauss' own genius as much as the glory--and tribulation--of archetypal heroism. Performances take place February 12-14 at 7:30 pm, and Sunday February 15 at 2:30 pm. Jaap van Zweden conducts. Tickets start as low as $19. More information at mydso.com. - Jonathan Patrick
Sex Up Your Weekend at the Burlesque Festival You wouldn't want to spend Valentine's Day at the strip club, there it's all reveal no reward. But burlesque is all about the tease, which is why it's the perfect thing to do with your honey. If you're into that kind of thing. And this weekend the Burlesque Festival takes over the House of Blues. At 9 p.m. on Valentine's Day, there will be trapeze acts and more. Information here.
