Unattached on Valentine's Day?

The BIG day is fast approaching and I know anxiety can run high.  New couples are wondering how big of a deal to make of it.  Veteran couples are wondering how to make this year stand out from year's past. But singles are either one of two things 1) glad to not have to deal with the drama or 2) painfully aware of their status.  The truth of it is though, it's just a Hallmark holiday.  And although I love the pink & red heart decor that comes with the big day (not to mention the candy) it really is just another day.  I would think of it like this - if you are in a relationship use it to celebrate that fact.

If you are "unattached" don't sweat it.  And remember it's on a Monday so you could blow it off all together. However, if the idea of going home to Spot and watching The Bachelor makes you want to pour rubbing alcohol in your eyes. Then get moving! Hit the gym after work, go for a run, meet a friend for tennis or golf. Go out for happy hour with friends or even dinner but skip the romantic restaurants. Whatever you do remember:
1) Look your best
2) Be bubbly, friendly and outgoing
3) Don't get sloshed and cry about all of your failed relationships
4) Flirt with strangers
5) Have a good time

A more active approach -

Run a 10k - The Valentine's Day 10k on Coronado is an inaugural event but I'm positive with 1500 runners an after party at McP's Irish Pub and your's truly as a sponsor it will most certainly be a success.  They say natural rush of endorphins is a sure way to attract a mate and wouldn't you want to meet someone who is active?

Volunteer - giving back always makes you feel better, boosting your confidence and thus making you more attractive. And what's better than delivering flowers and making other people's Valentine's Days special?
http://www.volunteersandiego.org/HOC__Volunteer_Opportunity_Details_Page?startURL=HOC__Volunteer_Opportunity_Details_Page%3FId=a0CA0000007zeSHMAYA@A&id=a0CA0000007zeSHMAY

Oh and give your friend or your mom a Valentine.  It just makes you feel good :)

Happy Valentine's Day!
Kim

Pub, ah Love Crawl for Valentine's Day? Why not...

Whether you're attached or unattached this event should be a good time!  This Sunday come join the East Village Business Association as they "walkabout" the neighborhood, decked in heart pins made by yours truly and sampling some East Village's finest food and beverages.  All restaurants will be offering complimentary Love Bites and Happy Hour pricing.  This event is sure to be a blast!

The Tour -

* 4-5pm Zanzibar
* 5-6pm Lotus Thai
* 6-7pm Wine Steals
* 8-9pm The Village @ 631

And the cost? Only $5.

RSVP - RSVP@eastvillagesandiego.com

Anthology's Weekend of Love...

What says romance better than live music? Guessing maybe the genre is important here -  metal rock and gangsta rap are not so romantic? But jazz or big band -  now we're talking!  Combine great music with incredible food and an amazing venue and you, my friend,  have planned the perfect evening for your date! It's my personal belief that Anthology is one of downtown's best kept secrets or maybe misconceptions.  When I hear people rattle off great music venues I regularly hear House of Blues, Belly Up and The Casbah but rarely do I hear Anthology. Folks I have to tell you, you are missing out.  They have one of the hottest chefs in town, an amazing multi-level venue and are booked with incredible talent almost every night of the week.  Perhaps it's their location that is their downfall - a bit off the beaten path of the rest of downtown's hot spots.  All that says to me is better parking!  Or maybe when people here "jazz club" they think stuffy suits, red carpet walls and a smoke filled room (although we are in California) - these are all sad misconceptions. 

View of stage & levels at Anthology

The Weekend of Love line-up:

February 11th - Michael Franks

February 12th - Motown Revue

February 13th - Taboo Band - A Tribute to Sada

Valentine's Day - Big Band Sinatra & a special Prix Fix 3 or 4 course menu which includes a champagne toast.

I truly believe that love is in the air this year at Anthology. 

For tickets and complete details , see Anthology's website.

Valentine's Day Idea - The Del

It's that time of year again and I'm happy to dish out some romantic ideas between now and the big day - Valentine's Day. No, not the SUPERBOWL, fellas...which is actually a bigger day in my world as well.

That's S'more` at Hotel Del

One of my favorite places in town The Hotel Del Coronado has some wonderful specials going on right now. My personal favorite is "That's S'more`"which includes a couples massage followed by a private bonfire on the beach with champagne and s'mores. And what girl doesn't love being indulged - massage, romantic fire, bubbly and chocolate, does it get any better than this?

Sunset at the Hotel Del Coronado taken by your's truly

And I personally have visited the Spa at the Del and can tell you the service is amazing, the view is spectacular and when not receiving one of their wonderful treatments you can lounge by the spa's private pool or relax in the hot tub. It is truly nirvana. You probably won't want the day to end so just go ahead and book one of the hotel's romance packages and stay the weekend.  My pick to compliment this wonderful day would be "A Night of Romance" which includes breakfast for two, a dozen roses, champagne, strawberries and valet parking.  A weekend she will remember forever and the Del does all of the work for you!

Foot Pop

I recently watched "The Princess Diaries" with Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway (the movie that actually make Anne Hathaway famous) and until now, a secret guilty pleasure. It's a wonderful little flick about a 15 year old girl who finds out that she's a princess and her transformation from tomboy to princess and from girl to woman.  She coins a term in it that I love! The "foot pop" - when a kiss that's so good, your foot just naturally pops up in the air. 

Sometimes its hard to get excited to go out on dates with new people.  There's the pressure...what if we have nothing in common, what if I like him and he doesn't like me, what if she's completely insane. The list of "what ifs" of all of thie things that could go wrong is incredibly long.  So why do we keep doing it? What gets you out the door for the next one? Because there is there is the biggest "what if" of all. What if this is the last first date I ever go on?  

I would like to offer one more bit of optimism - what if, on your first kiss, your foot pops?

$20 for $50 worth of Dating - Acceptable or No?

A few years ago a bunch of girlfriends and I were having dinner at Indigo Grill and the conversation I remember most was one that has sparked many a heated debate since - is it OK to use a coupon on a date?

My answer: Absolutely not on the first date! However, there are tactful ways to do it from the second date and on (although, truthfully, I would wait for at least date three).

Groupon has done a lot to change the perception of coupons and make it much more socially acceptable. Thanks to what they've coined, "collective buying power".  And thanks to a dozen or more copy cats you can find something fun, exciting and affordable to do almost any night of the week!

Sites to check out -

Groupon
Living Social
Local Twist
DiscoverSD
SignonSanDiego's Daily Deal
San Diego Magazine's Deals & Steals

How do you broach the subject with your date - tactfully? My suggestion would be to casually mention that you grabbed the latest deal and see if she has any interest in checking out this new restaurant, gondola ride, art museum, hot air ballon ride, etc.

Depending on how adventurous your date is you may want to scope out your plan prior to the actual date...We all know how Date Night's can go awry.

International Love - Delivered.

This morning I caught a segment on The Today Show, "From Russia with Love" and was reminded of my neighbor growing up, Sam.  Sam had two teenage daughters when I was in grade school and we had a party line (multiple families shared one phone line and yes, I grew up in a really small town). This worked out great for me because it was a constant source of entertainment - I was really good at eavesdropping. The sad part was there was always something going on in that house, because Sam could not keep a wife to save his life. Life was so chaotic in his house the cat walked a mile down the road and moved in with us.

That is until Sam met his Russian bride.  This was clearly pre-internet and "mail order" was right. To his credit, it worked. Sam never divorced again and boy did he give fodder for my eavesdropping!

I'm aware that the dating industry is booming amid tough economic times but what I was unaware of is that this particular portion of the industry has more than doubled in the last decade.  Code name "international matchmaking". And so the debate begins - is this human trafficking as some would call it or is really just expanding the horizons of sites like Match.com? Both industries appeal to a similar client - men who might otherwise have trouble meeting women. And the appeal to women - perhaps the unfavorable female to male ratio in some Eastern European counties, the chance to come to the US or a wealthy lifestyle.  But if you read their testimonials they are simply looking for love, just like the rest of us.

And who am I to judge? The path to finding love is not always an easy one!  But buyer beware - there are scams galore.  Between hidden fees and the safety concerns alone this is not an option to take lightly. Not to mention you might want to check the return policy :)