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Your ultimate guide to a COVID-19-friendly Valentine’s Day in Charlotte

Couples: COVID-19 is not an excuse to forego Valentine’s Day celebrations. In fact, it’s all the more reason to make sure you follow through with them.

Sure, it’s going to look a little different. You may not reserve an in-person dinner for two. You may feel like you’ve seen a lot of each other working from home. Or, maybe, you’re just burned out from the pandemic.

This year, think outside of the box to rekindle romance. Get dressed up and enjoy takeout by candlelight from a local restaurant. Long distance? Prep dinner or a charcuterie board via Zoom together. Need a gift? Look to local shops.

While it’s not the norm, you may find it’s even better than the run-of-the-mill holidates you’re used to. It’s time to plan — here are a few ideas to get you started:

Sweet surprises

Candles from Pretty Honest Shop

Online

Gift idea: Charlotte-themed candles ($24)

Details: This Black-owned, woman-owned business offers scents such as fresh coffee, lemon lavender, eucalyptus spearmint and Charlotte-themed Panthers and Hornets candles. These iconic “candles that don’t suck” are biodegradable and eco-friendly and have been featured in Buzzfeed, Travel Noire and Apartment Therapy.

Order: Online

New potted plant friend from Shades of Moss

2422 N. Tryon St.

Gift idea: DIY potted plant kit and virtual workshop

Make a DIY potted plant from Shades of Moss with help from a virtual class.
Make a DIY potted plant from Shades of Moss with help from a virtual class.

Details: Add new life to your home — and your relationship — with a potted plant kit from Shades of Moss that you can put together from the comfort of your home. Kits include a snake plant, black pot, black pebbles and soil. There’s even a Valentine’s Day weekend Love Language Virtual Workshop to enjoy together. Plant kits are $40, and the workshop is $75.

Special delivery from Homer the Dragon

Homer the Dragon will make gift package deliveries Feb. 11-12.
Homer the Dragon will make gift package deliveries Feb. 11-12.

Details: This year, Homer the Dragon will safely deliver a special gift package to your Valentine in person, including a flower bouquet from Flowers of Charlotte, a Homer the Dragon plush doll, a Charlotte Knights New Era hat (choice of black, pink or white), a Charlotte Knights face mask (choice of light blue, green, baby blue or red/orange) and three full-size candy bars all for $75.

Order: Online by 5 p.m. Feb. 9 for delivery Feb. 11-12. All deliveries must be within a 25-mile radius of Truist Field in uptown Charlotte.

Leather goods from olpr

1414 S. Tryon St.

Gift idea: Horween A5 Leather Journal ($54) or Custom Cross-Back Apron ($39), personalization available for both

Details: All products, including leather aprons, watch bands, journals and bags are handcrafted at olpr’s facility in Mooresville. Special attention is paid to the stitching to create the highest-quality leather products.

Order: Visit the olpr kiosk in the RailYard in South End or online.

Unpretentious Palate cocktail kits

Online

Make Moscow Mules for two with recipes from Charlotte’s best bartenders this Valentine’s Day.
Make Moscow Mules for two with recipes from Charlotte’s best bartenders this Valentine’s Day.

Gift idea: Moscow Mule Sampler Kit ($89.99)

Details: Unpretentious Palate is offering a Moscow Mule kit to spice up your home bar, featuring recipes from eight of the city’s best bartenders, including Ryan Hart from The Crunkleton, Britt Clark from Dot Dot Dot, JoAn Cook from Dressler’s, Brittany Kellum from Fin & Fino, Bob Peters from the Grinning Mule, Henry Schmulling (formerly of Merchant and Trade) and Kel Minton from Soul Gastrolounge. Each kit includes syrup and garnishes, and instructions, as well as two cans of The Unknown Brewing Co.’s ginger ale, limes and a copper mug.

Order: Online for pickup Feb. 7 between noon and 2 p.m. at Camp North End’s outdoor food hall.

Dining for two

Dine in for Art

Learn to prepare a meal for two with Chef Alyssa during the Dine in for Art virtual event.
Learn to prepare a meal for two with Chef Alyssa during the Dine in for Art virtual event.

Details: Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen partnered with the McColl Center for Art Innovation to teach couples how to prepare a three-course meal for two. Chef Alyssa will lead the virtual, on-demand cooking class, where she will share instruction to chop, roast, sear and plate ingredients. Couples will also receive two unique art prints as a sweet memory of the culinary experience. Each box includes access to the virtual cooking class, ingredients to prepare two portions of the menu, a sparkling wine pairing and two specially commissioned works of art. The class and art pairing is $150 plus tax.

Menu: Salad (roasted beets with raspberry vinaigrette, winter greens, roasted hazelnuts, creme fraiche), choice of Shipley Farms beef tenderloin or local organic tempeh (Moroccan spices with honey-coriander glazed baby carrots) and a truffle torte with whipped cream.

Order: Pre-order tickets on the event website by Feb. 7. Pickup on Feb. 12 at Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen (4001 Yancey Road).

Seafood from this iconic Charlotte couple

2400 Tuckaseegee Road

Jay and Miketa Davis are one of Charlotte’s cutest couples. Let their delicious food inspire romance via a casual dinner for two.
Jay and Miketa Davis are one of Charlotte’s cutest couples. Let their delicious food inspire romance via a casual dinner for two.

Details: This couple not only has the most romantic wedding story, but they also serve delicious plates to-go from Lulu’s Maryland Style Chicken and Seafood. Sample Jay and Miketa’s crab cakes, shrimp and more over a casual Valentine’s Day meal.

Order: At the drive-thru

Italian takeout from Little Mama’s

4521 Sharon Road

Details: Enjoy a Lady-and-the-Tramp-style Italian meal via takeout from Little Mama’s Italian (Mama Ricotta’s sister concept). From fresh pappardelle to chicken parmesan and the ever-popular penne alla vodka, you can’t go wrong. Oh, and there’s a mozzarella bar, because dates are always better with cheese.

Order: Online

Off the Block charcuterie to share

Details: Local charcuterie delivery company, Off the Block Charcuterie Co., will offer a special Valentine’s Day board. Board items are sourced from local vendors.

Menu: Charcuterie board includes a selection of NC-sourced meats and cheeses, all encased in a dark chocolate shell and accompanied by pastries from Wentworth & Fenn. Side items will complement main offerings.

Order: Online. Select a delivery window from Feb. 12-14.

Your Mom’s Donuts heart-shaped treats

Details: Your Mom’s Donuts is offering regular and boozy heart-shaped doughnuts this year. It’s also offering a Valentine bouquet through Herr Flowers for $24, available for pickup on Feb. 14.

Menu: Match Maker Valentine 4-Pack (raspberry white chocolate, chocolate-covered strawberry, lemon passionfruit with lemon herb sugar, espresso cheesecake with cocoa cookie crumbles) or Heart Breaker Valentine 4-Pack (whiskey creme brulee, Midori Sour, beer and bacon, Bellini). $16 each.

Order: Order online for pickup only on Feb. 14

Long-distance lovers

Charlotte-themed movie night

Details: Set up a Zoom call and queue up a movie filmed here in Charlotte. Catch a thrilling competition in “The Hunger Games,” filmed in Charlotte, Shelby and Concord), watch a heist via “Logan Lucky,” filmed in Concord or laugh through the entire “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” movie, filmed in parts of Concord and Lake Norman. View more Charlotte-themed movie ideas.

Sweet Spot at Home Baking Class

Sweet Spot Studio will continue to offer classes and will also include options to purchase memberships.
Sweet Spot Studio will continue to offer classes and will also include options to purchase memberships.

Details: In an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19, Jossie Lucacik is offering Sweet Spot at Home classes, perfect for long-distance couples to bake together via video call. All classes include dry ingredients and specialty tools needed to complete the treat. There’s also a recipe card and shopping list of the tools required for the class. Boxes can be shipped and do not need to be refrigerated. Current offerings include: Black Cocoa Cake Donuts, Swiss Meringue French Macarons, and homemade Twix and Kit Kat Candy Bars. Classes start at $45, and classes can be viewed prior to purchase. Order online.

Valentine’s cheese board class

Details: Locally founded company SkillPop is offering an online Valentine’s Cheese Board Creation class on Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. Plan to meet with your significant other during the class, where local cheese enthusiast and caterer Tori Tippin will teach you how to place, cut and pair to create an Instagram-worthy cheese board to enjoy together on a virtual date. The class is $20, and you can register online.

Zoom dinner with recipes from Slice of Jess

Local food blogger Jess Bentley has the perfect lineup of Zoom-date recipes for your Valentine’s Day meals.
Local food blogger Jess Bentley has the perfect lineup of Zoom-date recipes for your Valentine’s Day meals.

Details: Can’t enjoy a meal in person? Try your hand at preparing meals together throughout the day. Local food blogger Jess Bentley, the voice behind the Slice of Jess food blog, recommends beginning the day with the Fully Loaded Bo-Berry Biscuit, preparing Classic Maryland crab cakes with pepperoni tartar for dinner and finishing off the day with DIY chocolate bark.


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