By Debbie Gardner
debbieg@thereminder.com
How do you handle Valentine’s Day? Are you a planner – the kind who scopes it out and shops way before the big day? Or are you like the rest of us, scrambling to buy a card and candy and flowers the night before (or morning of)? What about dinner? Do you make plans, or just wing it?
However you celebrate the big day, it’s a good guess you spent about $140 in 2015, at least that’s the figure arrived at by U.S. News and World Report (www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2015/02/11/valentines-day-spending-to-approach-19-billion). Guys, you spent a bit more – closer to $190 in some cases. Gals, you came in around $96.
Regardless of what you spent, do you remember last year’s Valentine’s Day? Does your significant other?
Maybe it’s time to change that.
To help you out, PRIME has done some research, coming up with a list of six different “experiences” you can give your love this Feb. 14 – all coming in at about the $100 you probably spent last year.
Hit the Dance Floor
If your love is a “Dancing with the Stars” fan, you’re in luck – you can feed the fantasy at a local dance studio. Check out these offers:
The American Ballroom Dance Center at 469 Sumner Ave. in Springfield, Massachusetts, is offering four dance lessons at the special price of $59. Owner Richard LaBrie, who has been teaching ballroom dance to area residents for weddings, anniversaries and other special occasions for 35 years, said he’s always ready to help would-be gift-givers share the magic of dance.
“They would call us and ask [for the special] and they would get it as a gift certificate that they could put in a card,’ LaBrie explained. Call 413-733-2232 or visit www.americanballroomdancectr.com for more info.
Ballroom Fever, located at 608 Enfield St. (in the Enfield Plaza), Enfield, Connecticut, has three options: a sweetheart special – two 45-minute private dance lessons for $99 per couple; a Feb. 14 “Dances of Romance” on-hour group lesson – rumba, tango and bachata – for $30 per couple; and a combo special – the two private lessons and the Feb. 14 group class – for $125 per couple. For more info call 860-698-1955 or visit www.ballroomfeverdance.com.
Embrace Winter … Gently
Is your love the outdoors type? Here’s some suggestions for a day of activity he or she will remember:
Hilltop Orchard in Richmond, Massachusetts, offers six miles of groomed cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails, plus the Barrel Room where owner John Vittori said skiers can “come in, warm up, get something to eat and go back out again.” Whole day equipment rental and ski pass is $35 per person; group lessons – which must be booked ahead – are $25. Gift certificates available. For conditions visit www.hilltoporchards.com.
Canterbury Farm in Becket, Massachusetts, boasts 22 km. of groomed trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing and skating (conditions permitting) on the farm pond. Equipment and trail pass is $35 per person per day, group lessons are $25. Gift certificates available. For conditions visit http://canterbury-farms.com and click current ski conditions on left hand side.
Zen Out Together
For the gift of relaxation, book a spa experience at East Heaven Hot Tubs and Paradise Spa in Northampton, Massachusetts. A half-hour soak in an indoor or outdoor Japanese wooden hot tub followed by a half-hour couples massage in a candlelit room for two is $135. You can book just an hour soak (no massage) at an indoor tub for $70 per couple, an outdoor tub for $80 per couple. A 30-minute massage only for two is $100. Gift certificates available. Call 413-587-0000 or visit http://eastheaven.com.
Hot tub soaks and couples massages are also available at Elements Hot Tub Spa in Amherst, Massachusetts. Here an hour soak in one of their five themed rooms is $120; a couple’s massage in a candlelit room is $150. Gift certificates available. Visit www.elementshottubspa.com.
Go Artistic
Are you a creative duo? There are plenty of local craft and art classes where you can indulge your inner artist together. Here three ideas, priced around $100:
Potterville Pottery in West Springfield, Massachusetts offers private adult pottery lessons, scheduled at the convenience of the student and teacher, for $28 per person plus $2.90 per lb. for clay, glaze and firing. Call 413-739-9998 or visit www.potterville.com (group classes are also available).
Figure Drawing Fridays at 71 Bradford St. Northampton, Massachusetts. This is for accomplished artists; there is no instructor, but model, some easels and music are provided. BYOB and materials, there may be snacks. Cost is $12 to $15 per session, depending on how many artists attend. RSVP required, contact ehoartguy@gmail.com with questions.
Feb. 13 Stained Glass Class at Holyoke Creative Arts Center, Holyoke, Massachusetts. This one-day seminar, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., includes window catchers and other projects. Cost is $40 per student. Call 413-532-0465 or visit www.holyokecac.org.
Get Vertical
If you’ve been itching to try a new sport together, PRIME suggests checking out one of the local indoor rock wall facilities.
Central Rock Gym in Hadley, Massachusetts, is a full-service indoor climbing facility offering opportunities for both bouldering – a low wall (10-16 feet) that uses large mats to fall on for protection instead of ropes and a belay system – beginners belay lessons and on the weekends, staff belay appointments for first-timers. Waivers are required of all climbers. The cost for a staff belay is $30 per climber per hour, including equipment rental. The cost of the beginners belay class- which you must take before climbing unaided – is $20 per person, not including equipment rental or additional wall time. Call 413-584-7625 or visit www.centralrockgym.com/hadley.php for reservations or info.
The Springfield Jewish Community Center (JCC)on Dickinson Street in Springfield, Massachusetts, has an indoor rock wall that is open for all-ages (e.g. family) rock wall climbing on Mondays from 6 to 7 p.m. This staff-supervised experience costs $10 per climber for the general public. Call 413-739-4715.
Try Your Luck
If a trip to the Connecticut casinos – Mohegan Sun or Foxwoods – with your own “Lady Luck” might be the thing, here are some suggestions:
Take the bus. This is a worry-free, very affordable option; both King Ward and Peter Pan Bus Lines offer locally based daily trips to one of the two major Connecticut casinos, with tickets including a $25 food/betting package courtesy of the casino. Cost is around $40 per person for Peter Pan’s Foxwoods bus, about $35 per person for King Ward’s service to Mohegan Sun. For King Ward schedules:www.kingward.com/mohegan-sun.html, for Peter Pan schedules, http://peterpanbus.com/bus_travel_destinations/foxwoods-casino-ct/
Spend the night. This will take you over the $100 budget, but there are several hotels in the Mohegan Sun/Foxwoods area that include a courtesy shuttle to the closest casino in their room rate. For example, the Cristata Inn in Norwich, lists a room rate beginning at $119 per night (without AARP, AAA or other discount applied) for a check-in of Feb. 12, departure of Feb. 13, through the Mohegan Sun Partner Hotel site. Priceline (Priceline.com/Uncasville-Hotels) offers select rooms for even more affordable prices.
If you want to go for the day, do it in style and have a larger budget, a spokesperson at The Limo Connection, West Springfield, Massachusetts, (www.thelimoconnection.com)said you can book a limousine to the casinos at a cost of $75 per hour. The limo would wait for you, and drive you back when your luck runs out.
