8 awesome alternative Valentine's Day date ideas
Roses are red. Violets are blue. We have eight slightly outside-the-box dating ideas for you. Celebrate Valentine's Day in Shanghai without the mind-meltingly mushy nonsense and do something different come Tuesday 14 February.
Get hot and bothered
Talk about a hot date... Hot sauce speciality store Hot Box has a range of fiery products that are guaranteed to get your lips tingling. Try to impress your date by sampling the 'Diablo' Fresh Chilli, but don't blame us if it leaves you quite literally red-faced.
Hot Box Lane 273 Jiaozhou Lu, near, Xinzha Lu, Jingan district.
See how good their head is
No, not like that. The Camel's Tuesday trivia night is ten rounds of top-notch quizzing, with a 500RMB bar tab up for grabs. Put your brain to the test and dazzle your boo with your impressive grasp of European geography and rather worrying knowledge of '90s boy bands.
The Camel 1 Yueyang Lu, near Dongping Lu, Xuhui district.
Get them hitting the high notes
We're talking about karaoke, obviously... Nothing shows you're comfortable around a person like singing in front of them. The worse you are the better. While being a good singer is impressive, absolutely nailing your rendition of Aerosmith's 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing' will probably make your date more uncomfortable than smitten. Especially if they've got to follow your performance. Try Time Out favourite K Party.
K Party 618 Xujiahui Lu, near Rujin Er Lu, Huangpu district.
Draw them like one of your French girls
Nothing says romantic evening like watching 1,500 people die in a cruise ship disaster. Granted, that's not the intended pull of Titanic – there's the epic (if cheesy) romance between Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet – but the tragic crux must not be forgotten. With that in mind, why not go to The Pearl and relive the whole thing for yourself. There's dinner service throughout the movie, and if you play your cards right the ship won't be the only thing going down that evening...
Titanic The Pearl Theatre. Feb 14. 8PM. Free entry; dinner from 88RMB. Click 'read more' below for full event details.
Go 'toy' shopping
Perhaps not the best idea for a first date (it could end up being a bit awkward), but visiting a sex shop as a couple can be a highly rewarding experience. Pick out something you like together, or treat your partner to something that tickles more than just their fancy. Check out three great Shanghai adult stores worth perusing.
Shoot them
Not literally, of course - we're talking laser tag. Wow your date with your supreme marksmanship and hit them with knowledge (not just lasers) by telling them that laser is in fact an acronym for 'light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation'. Check out Big E by Dongchang Lu metro station, where as well as laser tag they have a bar, mini golf and KTV. You'll have a blast...
Big E B2, World Plaza, 855 Pudong Nan Lu, near Dongchang Lu, Pudong district.
Get pampered by a professional
While offering to give your partner a massage is a nice gesture, chances are you're not a professional and all you'll end up doing is clumsily rubbing their back for a bit – while simultaneously sitting on them for some reason – before unsuccessfully trying to turn it into foreplay. Why not try a couple's massage or spa day? The experience will bring you both closer together and you'll be so relaxed and satisfied that you'll never want a rub from your lover again, so to speak. Read '5 luxurious Valentine's Day spa offers for couples' for more information and inspiration.
Watch a dude shred it on the guitar
Forget romantic dinners or cuddling up on the sofa with a soppy movie, get down to Bandai Namco Shanghai Base (the new name for QSW) and watch axe master Joe Satriani unleash some serious riffs. A man who in his time has collaborated with Brian May and Mick Jagger, going to this show might not melt your date's heart, but it may well melt their face.
Joe Satriani Bandai Namco Shanghai Base. Feb 14. 8pm. 800RMB. Click 'read more' below for full event details.
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