Valentine’s Day can be a fun holiday for couples everywhere, but for the single folk, V-Day can feel a lot like you woke up and went to an all-day party that you weren’t invited to. Awkward. Luckily, Art Mart in Urbana has an artsy Valentine’s Day date idea that works for couples, friends and anyone in between (a.k.a the friend zone).
For starters, Art Mart has an unbeatable chocolate selection. The case is lined with shelves of exotic treats, from chocolate-dipped Oreos to banana pudding truffles, and one dubbed the “Hot Damn Truffle,” because of its cayenne-infused flavor.
Photo by Kristen Yang
Photo by Kristen Yang
After buying your babe (or, let’s be honest, yourself) some chocolates, stroll over to the cheese department. The employees of Art Mart are well versed in the art of pairing the right wine with the right cheese. Some cheeses, like the New York Herkimer, can even pair well with chocolate. If you stop by on a Saturday (when the shop does cheese sampling) and sample some creamy, smoky Delice de Bourgogne, make sure to ask what kind of wine would go best with it.
Photo by Kristen Yang
Photo by Kristen Yang
“Cheeses and wines from the same region usually go together,” said Art Mart employee and cheese-lover Christina Ruiz. Ruiz is a senior in community health, and said she found herself going into Art Mart so often to buy cheese that she finally just applied for a job.
After stocking up on chocolates, cheese and wine to make your Valentine’s Day special (or just a more special gorge-fest with the girls), catch a bus and head to the Art Theatre in downtown Champaign. While you can’t open and drink the wine you just bought, you can buy wine (or beer) by the glass to sip while you catch a flick. Yep, that’s right, a movie theater where you can drink.
So, even if you’re typically a “Scrooge” about Valentine’s Day, or you don’t have a date, try out this date idea with some friends. Maybe the cheesy, chocolate-y adventure found at Art Mart can change your mind about the holiday.
Photo by Kristen Yang
Photo by Kristen Yang