Valentine's Day is rubbish. Ignore the smug couples and go out and do something weird.
1. Get yourself a sustainable meal that's good for you and the environment
Did you know one third of all food is wasted? Yep, bring that one to the table on your Valentine's Day date and watch the mood somber really rather swiftly. New West London pop-up Tiny Leaf make eating out part of doing your bit for the environment with their 'zero waste' ethos. All their food is sourced from suppliers who would otherwise have thrown it out and, due to this the menu changes daily meaning you'll need to be up for trying new things. Prices are pretty reasonable (around £12 for a main) and, after you're done eating, check out the two floors of cocktails bars above you. Oh yeah, they let you bring your dog too.
Tiny Leaf, 209 Westbourne Park Road, Notting Hill, London, W11 1EA. Book online here.
2. Round up all your single friends
If you're stuck for things to do while all your housemates head out the door on lovely lovely dates dressed up in silly fancy clothes, download Loose Ends and find your other mates who are in the same boat and looking for a drinking partner. Using you Facebook friends (to start off with - you can expand your contacts) the app allows you to create meet ups specifically at times when you've got nothing going on - it's basically the most efficient form of socialising to date. It'll even suggest stuff for you and your pals to do once you've decided to hang out.
Download Loose Ends here.
3. Eat junk food on a budget
Because, unlike one PR tried to tell me, £85 for three courses and and a glass of bubbly is not 'reasonable'. If you are strapped for cash there's still plenty of places to head. Melt Room (the eatery dedicated solely to melt sandwiches in London) has got a V-Day strawberry melt cheesecake sandwich for a fiver. Which is great. Up in Manchester, the Northern Quarter's Rosy Lee has got a deal on for two courses for £14.95 WITH a free love potion cocktail. Also - have a ganders at Wedge Issue Pizza in London's Clerkenwell who are doing a heart shaped pizza with as many toppings as you want, all for £8.50.
4. Ditch the booze and rave all night
Gin makes you sad and, with the addition of Valentines Day - whether you're single or attached - it's effect is threefold. Give booze a miss this weekend and head to the launch of LIK London - new booze-free events company that focusses on a 'healthy-minded, loving approach to life'. Basically - no hangover and all the bullet proof coffee you want? They might be onto something.
LIK Launch Party, Kachette, Old Street, London. Get tickets here.
5. Go hard on bottomless brunch
Take full advantage of the fact that Valentines' Day is on a Sunday and do a big old boozy Valentines' Day brunch. We've already got a few suggestions on where to head to get the most booze and food for your cash but, if you're looking for a special V-Day thing, head to The Well in Clerkenwell, London for bottomless brunch for just £15 WITH bingo. The prize? A £50 bar tab. Jeez go on then.
6. (Bonus!) Head for a gourmet cabaret experience
How's about a 17th century banquet for you and your loved ones this Valentine's Day? The Glam Clam is back with a this weekend only pop up restaurant where you dine on extravagant food whilst being entertained by extravagant performers. At £49, it's kind of pricey but almost certainly worth a punt.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.