Do your plans for your valentine just make Cupid yawn? The following suggestions might help you resuscitate your Valentine’s Day celebration while injecting a touch of class in the process.
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s ‘A Valentine’s Romance’
Want to give a music lover an audible valentine? Jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli teams up with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for a bouquet of love songs in honor of the holiday. Michael Krajewski conducts and Jessica Molaskey provides guest vocals. A trio of performances take place across the weekend. The ASO offers a special pre-concert dinner at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 14 in the Robert Shaw Room. The $175 package for two includes a three-course meal, a glass of bubbly and tickets to the show.
8 p.m. Feb. 12-13; 7 p.m. Feb. 14. $20-$65 plus Ticketmaster fees. Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. 1-800-653-8000, ticketmaster.com.
Valentine’s Night Out at Center for Puppetry Arts
This puppetry mecca hosts a special evening for those ages 18 and older, celebrating history's famous puppet couples. Think Kermit and Piggy, Punch and Judy, and oodles of others. The bash includes entry to the new Worlds of Puppetry Museum. Don't miss a photo op with your significant other next to the stop-motion puppets used in the 2005 Tim Burton film "Corpse Bride." Beer and wine will flow from a cash bar, and desserts are on the house.
7-11 p.m. Feb. 13. $20; $15 for members. Center for Puppetry Arts, 1404 Spring St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-873-3391, puppet.org.
The Love Stories of Oakland Cemetery Tour
So maybe celebrating Valentine's Day at a cemetery sounds like something reserved for the Addams family. Yet there's no denying the exquisite beauty found in this historic Victorian garden cemetery. Join a guide for a one-hour tour of more than 25 stops throughout Oakland, and hear about the passionate relationships had by an array of its departed denizens. "Gone With the Wind" scribe Margaret Mitchell, who's buried at Oakland, may have penned a timeless love story, but the occupants of her family plot have romantic backgrounds that rival fiction. No Big Whoop Bakery offers baked goods to help sweeten the deal.
3:30, 4, 4:30 and 5 p.m. Feb. 13-14. $16; $10 students and seniors age 65 and older; $6 for members. 248 Oakland Ave. S.E., Atlanta. 404-688-2107, oaklandcemetery.com.
‘Valentines in the Garden’ at Atlanta Botanical Garden
Instead of giving yet another bundle of flowers, consider opting for an entire garden. This festivity invites guests to visit the lush grounds, giving them the only nighttime opportunity to experience its annual Orchid Daze exhibit. A live band provides the soundtrack for slow dancing. Bite into sweet delicacies and chase it with a specialty cocktail from the cash bar. Everyone scores a long-stemmed rose, while supplies last.
7-11 p.m. Feb. 13. $35; $30 for members. Atlanta Botanical Garden, 1345 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta. 404-876-5859, atlantabg.org.
An Evening of Silly Love Songs with Yacht Rock Schooner at Park Tavern
Just when you thought all of the blood had been drained from the local yacht rock scene, it still keeps thumping. Both couples and lonely hearts may opt to come sail away with Yacht Rock Schooner for its Valentine’s concert in Park Tavern’s Piedmont Room. Who needs Cupid when you have the music of Michael McDonald, Hall & Oates, Kenny Loggins and others?
8 p.m. Feb. 12. $15 advance; $20 at the door. Park Tavern, 500 10th St. N.E., Atlanta. 404-249-0001, parktavern.com.
Valentine’s Day Love Songs at Michael C. Carlos Museum
Having trouble finding the right nighttime Valentine’s event? Well, who says it can’t happen during your lunch break? This free concert takes place in the museum’s Reception Hall, located on the third level. Listen as tenor Bradley Howard and soprano Abigail Santos Villalobos croon love songs while Erika Tazawa accompanies them on piano.
Noon Feb. 12. Free. Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University, 571 S. Kilgo Circle, Atlanta. 404-727-4282, carlos.emory.edu.
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