Throw Some Love Around. Better Ways to Spend February 14th. By Dish Stanley
You could go ahead and make dinner reservations for another night out on Valentine’s Day {sigh}. Or you could consider some alternatives – many taken from CRUSH Readers and contributors to previous CRUSH Letters – that might spark more joy, as they say, or at least throw some love out to the world.
Check into a hotel that allows dogs and get room service for the two of you.
Have dinner delivered instead of going out; spend the night with your partner making elaborate plans for your next trip together. Build the anticipation up by texting your partner reminders and snapshots of where you’re going to stay, and eat, and what you’re going to be doing together. A few suggestions for couples’ trips (hat tip to long-married CRUSH Readers K&J for the first two!):
- The Mario Andretti Racing Experience has locations in Miami, Charlotte, Michigan, New Hampshire, and other locations. A close friend said she and her husband loved it on a trip to Las Vegas.
- Fly along with Ace Combat Flight Experience
Reserve one of these New York hotels recommended by travel expert, Jeanne Bosse (from a previous Crush Letter) Five Great Boutique Hotels Around NYC and get spots in advance at one of these smoldering places recommended by fellow PrimeCrush Readers: The Box NYC, Duane Park Cabaret or the cocktail lounge Bergamos (booths in the back!).
Make Lauren Weinstein’s at-home facial mask (from a previous CRUSH Letter) The Comfort Face Mask You Can Try at Home. Then dive onto the couch and get your Get Your Spy Thrill On with one of Dish’s favorite spy thrillers, or learn How To Find Porn that Dish says is actually good.
Order a custom latex outfit, with tips from Jane Boon’s Reports from the Edge: Latex Stretches.
Make Evie Arnaud’s Shameless Quick & Easy Mac & Cheese while listening to our list of PrimeCrush crowd-sourced feel-good songs Songs That Make You Wanna F*ck. A Compendium from the Readers of The Crush Letter, or if you’re more in the mood for love Lady Verity’s A Turntable and a Candle: F-ing Classics.
Throw a BDSM costume party and serve Love & Mike’s Bad Girl Pasta. {Note: don’t invite anyone from the office, especially not that hunky CFO.}
Write a letter to a close friend (which could be yourself) telling them (you) what you love about them (you) and what they mean to you. Mail it!
Read an erotic short story aloud to your lover. Subscribe to Christian Pan Erotica’s Patreon membership and get new stories sent to you by email weekly. Or try one from A.K.A. Darla’s list of Stories to Read Aloud to a Lover.
Start your memoir. “It went out in an instant, a blaze of light the color of carrot cake. The blazing orange kind my Mother makes, not that dull auburn color of my former best friend’s hair …”
Research how to foster a stray from your local shelter.
Re-read Charlie Mackesy’s “Doing Nothing With Friends. It’s Not Really Doing Nothing. Review: The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse”. The movie is coming out …
And since you didn’t waste the night overspending on flowers, chocolate or dinner out, take that money and give it to your favorite charity. If you have a family, spend some time on Valentine’s picking out one together.
If you love me as much as I love you (and I really do love you!), then please help me grow by forwarding this {love} Letter to a friend! And I'd love to have you join us on instagram, facebook & twitter.
The Crush Letter
The Crush Letter is a weekly newsletter curated by Dish Stanley on everything love & connection - friendship, romance, self-love, sex. If you’d like to take a look at some of our best stories go to Read Us. Want the Dish?