Valentine’s Day is only a few weeks away (14th February, don’t forget boys!), and The Date Night Diaries is here to help you prepare. I have ideas for the mates, ideas for the dates and may even let you in on my own plans (I hope my partner’s not reading this).
First and foremost, whether you have a partner, an almost partner or a hot crush, the girls need to come first. Valentine’s Day is a highlight to some but may be a negative reminder to others. So here are some ideas for the students based here in Leeds.
To begin with, here is a date for the arty ones. Or the not so arty ones, depending on how good you are at painting. Up towards Roundhay there is a lovely little shop called Jackrabbits Pottery. Here, there are 130 different pottery items to paint, with the cheapest being just £8. The paints are included and aren’t those childish primary colours you used as a child. They’re different shades of pastel tones which, along with the variety of brownies and biscuits, are very aesthetically pleasing for the Instagram story. Pottery painting is a fun activity to do as a group of friends, and even funnier to see what designs are painted by the end. For those friend groups living together it may be a heartwarming idea to paint coasters, mugs or plates which can be used in your current flat or your future house. Or, alternatively, you could paint a romantic design for each other, to share the love on Valentine’s Day.
Alternatively, this idea could also be done as a couple. My boyfriend and I chose to paint a coaster for each other, him attempting to paint a photo of us on holiday, and me going for a more simple design with little pictures representing each of our dates. In all fairness to him, he showed me up on this one in the end. His was definitely more on the abstract side, actually looking artistic, compared to my “Hey Sexy!” In massive letters. Now that was fun when it came to picking them up a couple of months later. This would also be the perfect, not too expensive student date night in Leeds, and perfect for Valentine’s Day, where you can keep your painted item for months after to remember the date.
If your Valentine’s Day leans towards a meal out in the evening, I can only suggest the restaurant where I have tasted the most exquisite food. Mowgli is an Indian restaurant on Boar Lane, with swinging chairs and a lit-up tree in the centre. This food breaks the stereotype of your typical Indian curries. Each dish was unusual, like nothing I had tasted before, and loaded with flavour. It was founded by the British chef Nisha Katona MBE who has featured on TV shows such as This Morning and Masterchef. I didn’t know that fact when I first visited and was amazed by the unusual choices on the menu and the perfect flavour combinations. If I could recommend anything, I would strongly suggest the Treacle Tamarind Fries for £6.75, as even the menu describes them as “lip smacking”. The restaurant offers a gluten friendly and vegan menu as well as different set menus. As for the price, it is a little more expensive than the average restaurant, not because of the price of each individual dish, but because it is the perfect place to try multiple different curries, sides and flavours. It is the perfect treat for that Valentine’s Day meal.
Finally, we’re students. We don’t always have lots of money to splash on date nights, and who says that money is what’s needed to make a perfect date night? For a cheap, easy stay at home date which is not too overpriced, I have an idea. To my boyfriend, please stop reading, as this is the plan for our Valentine’s Day. I’ll set the scene; the bed is made nicely, 2 plates laid out as well as two canvases, paint and brushes. To eat, we are going to make our own pizzas. Pizza dough itself only requires 4 ingredients, 2 of them being water from your tap and salt from your shakers, the others being plain flour and dried yeast. This recipe is easy to Google and quick to make, just make sure you allow a good hour for the dough to rise before using it. Making pizzas together, heart shaped for Valentine’s Day, is a scene only watched in rom coms and written in books, but it is actually so easy and quick for students to do. After, we’ll bring the pizzas upstairs for a bed picnic and pop open a bottle of our favourite fizz. As for the canvases, I bought two A4 canvases from a charity shop for £1 each, although these and some paint can also be ordered online or bought from The Works for not much more. I have no set plan for what we shall paint, but will probably paint our own canvas, and swap them every now and again for a bit of fun.
This Valentine’s Date night is easy, fun and inexpensive – perfect for students!
Written by: Madeleine Brooks
Edited by: Amarachi Ibanga