Top 7 To-Do’s for the Single Ladies on V-Day

If you’re like me, then there is only one thing you would like to avoid being on Valentine’s Day….

Cliché.

No, not single…just cliché. I mean that.

At the beginning of 2009, I entered a new part of my life known as singledom. What a way to enter into the new year! Since I haven’t really been in this “single” world in six years, I shouldn’t be looking forward to Valentine’s Day at all, right?

Wrong. Repeat after me, girls: “’Tis better to spend Valentine’s Day alone than to spend it with Mr. Wrong (or with Mr. Right Now, Mr. Never Calls You Back, Mr. Booty Call, Mr. Commitment-Phobe, etc.).”

I’m not dreading Valentine’s Day whatsoever. I no longer have to waste 100 plus dollars on someone I’m not going to marry anyway, pretend to like the unimpressive gift he gives me and then wait for the utter disappointment that ensues when I find out where he’s taking me out to dinner. No, I’d say I’m making out pretty damn good this year!

In fact, just like every other Saturday night, I think it’s very important to have a plan of attack. I always aim to enter the weekend with some general plans, and Valentine’s Day is certainly no different.

I’ve created a list for myself of seven potential ways I’d like to spend my first single Chicago Valentine’s Day in six years. Ultimately, though, the most important item on my to-do list this Valentine’s Day is simply celebrate me, because I’m single and fabulous!

1. Hit up the club scene – Do NOT feel pathetic heading out to the clubs on Valentine’s Day. Embrace it! And look on the bright side, you won’t have to worry that hottie over by the bar is taken, because most likely, if he’s out on Valentine’s Day, he’s single and ready to mingle…with you. Here are some clubs that I’ve been eyeing for this Valentine’s Day:

· Enclave; 222 W. Chicago Ave.—

You know that guy who is Chelsea Handler’s sidekick, Chuy? Well, he’ll be dressed as cupid at this “can’t miss” Valentine’s Day extravaganza. Free admission before 11 pm, so get there early and stake out your man.

· I Heart UG at Underground; 56 W. Illinois St.—

Have some drinks to benefit the Children’s Heart Foundation. Hey, it’s for a good cause! Appetizers will also be served. Since this is one of Chicago’s hottest nightclubs, I’d say it’s a sure bet for finding hot, single men.

· Heartbreak Hotel at RedNoFive; 440 N. Halsted St.—

With cocktail specials galore and a guest DJ, this is sure to be a hot spot for the singles on Valentine’s night! The club is open until 5 am on Saturdays, so you’ll have ample time to find your man.

2. Arrange a group dinner – Yes, you CAN go out to dinner on Valentine’s Day without a man. Don’t feel the need to arrange one of those cheesy girlie dinners either. I have both male and female friends who are single. We go out to dinner all the time and I don’t feel the need to exclude my male friends just because it’s Valentine’s Day and I’m apparently supposed to embrace the “single sisterhood.” I prefer BYOB for group dinners, so that I can enjoy a nice, cheap bottle of Champagne. So here are a couple of places I’m considering:

· Sabor a Cuba; 1532 W. Montrose Ave.—

Why not get a little adventurous? Head up to this Ravenswood hot spot to enjoy some authentic Cuban cuisine. Bring a bottle of Bacardi, some mints, sugar, lime and soda water and you will have your very own table-side mojito bar!

· Butterfly Sushi Bar and Thai Cuisine; 1156 W. Grand Ave.—

Located in West Town, this is the perfect venue for your Valentine’s Day group dinner. It fits everyone’s taste buds with both sushi and Thai food. PLUS, there is a wine store located across the street where you can purchase your very own bottle of sake (or cheap Champagne). Sake bombs, anyone?

· Adesso; 1156 W. Grand Ave.—

It’s Valentine’s Day, so you might as well indulge in some carb-filled Italian food. This Boystown restaurant is perfect for a large group of people, and after you indulge in a few of your BYOB drinks, you can hit up the neighborhood bars!

3. Kick some @#* - Please, please do not feel sorry for yourself on Valentine’s Day. There are plenty of worse things in this world than being single on Valentine’s Day. So, get to the gym and take care of you! I plan on hitting up my favorite spinning class, per usual. Do whatever makes you feel hot and sexy, whether it’s yoga, running, kickboxing or just taking your dog for a stroll (Note: It’s very easy to pick up men with a dog).

4. Rock Out – Nothing cures the V-Day Blues like some good music, right? And I’m not talking about those sappy love songs. Why not head out to one of the many concerts going on in the Chicago area on Valentine’s Day? You’re guaranteed to find a nice, “tortured” artist just waiting for you to be his sweetheart. Here are some good concerts to check out on February 14^th:

· Rock Candy at Joe’s Bar; 940 W. Weed St.—

Enjoy this popular cover band with hundreds of other single Chicagoans! Take in good music, drink specials and some exciting give-aways! And, hopefully, take home a beautiful new sweetheart.

· Delta Spirit at Double Door; 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave.—

Venture over to Double Door in Wicker Park and check out the sexy ,indie San Diego rockers, Delta Spirit. Show starts at 8:30 pm and tickets are only $10 day of!

· Love Sux at Howl at the Moon; 26 W. Hubbard St.—

If you’ve never seen the dueling pianos at this River North hot spot, then you are in for a treat! This music isn’t like Billy Joel’s “Piano Man”, so get ready to rock out. The bar is also hosting an “anti-Valentine’s” party for your enjoyment.

5. Plan a last minute vacay! - It’s never too late to plan a vacation! If you’re recently single and just don’t feel like being in the city on Valentine’s Day, there are some great nearby options for you and any of your single friends to make a quick getaway:

· Alpine Valley Ski Resort

Located in Southeastern Wisconsin and only a short two-hour drive away, find your inner snow bunny and hit the slopes with the girls. Don’t forget to take some skiing lessons, so you can spend the weekend with your hot ski instructor.

· Potowatomi Casino in Milwaukee

You didn’t gamble in love, so you might as well gamble in real life. Get a big group together and head to the casinos for the night!

· Canada

If Valentine’s Day has really got you down, go ahead, leave the country and head to our friendly neighbor, Canada! Just don’t forget to take your girlfriends with you (and your passport). I would suggest Windsor, if you’re in the mood for a good time, but you can do some online research to find other desirable Canadian locations.

6. Go “anti” – While I do not support the whole “Woe is me, it’s Valentine’s Day” routine, I do find some local Chicago hot spots’ anti-Valentine’s Day parties very intriguing:

· Screw Cupid Pub Crawl—Lincoln Park

You’re never too old to bar crawl, especially on V-Day. For 20 bucks, you get a meal package that includes buffets, domestic draft beer and Love Punch at all the bars from 8-11pm. There’s also a free trolley to and from the bars! You’re bound to find some single gentlemen at this event.

· Love Hurts Anti-Valentine’s Day Party—Fat Cat; 4840 N. Broadway

Enjoy some anti-Valentine’s cocktails and a DJ at this comforting Uptown bar. Themed drinks include “The Cheating Bastard” and “The Break Up Martini.”

· Anti-Valentine’s Day Bash—Old Town Pub; 1339 N. Wells St.

This endearing “hole in the wall” is the perfect spot for your “anti” partying. With drink specials like $4 bombs and $3 Jell-O shots, I can promise you’ll kill those Valentine Blues.

· Cupid’s Funeral—Blue Line Lounge and Grill; 1548 N. Damen Ave.

Keep the anti-Valentine’s festivities going all day long; day-long drinks specials including $5 martinis, $3.50 Stella Artois bottles and $5 glasses of Champagne. Take that, Cupid!

7. Have a “secret Valentine” party – If you have a lot of single friends, get together and have some fun at Valentine’s Day’s expense. And, if you’re really depressed about not getting a gift on February 14^th, then this is the perfect party for you! It works much like a Secret Santa party, only the gifts must be “anti-love” oriented. For more fun, you might suggest the people purchase cheesy Valentine’s Day cards and then re-write them to make them a little more fun.