Valentine’s Day: Do This, Not That

It’s that time of year again, and love is in the air.

Cupid is practicing his aim, and heart-tipped arrows are flying left and right.

Pink decorations adorn the stores and that can only mean one thing:

Valentine’s Day is almost here!

For many, that conjures images of chocolates and flowers and a dinner date.

While those are great ways to celebrate (who can say no to dinner or chocolate?), they are also quite clichéd.

So, to help make your Valentine’s Day special, we put together some things you could do near your new Atlantic Builder’s home and some better things you should do instead to make this day even more memorable.

1. A Night of Mystery

If you lived in one of our exceptional homes in Liberty Hall Estates in Fredericksburg or Orchard Hill at Fawn Lake in Spotsylvania County, you could always make a reservation at Fahrenheit 132°. Here, you’d enjoy the freshest ingredients, most sourced from local farms, combined to form delightfully delectable meals in a small menu that’s constantly changing to maintain its freshness.

And that’s great, but you could have a wonderful dinner here any night. To make this Valentine’s Day one to remember, we recommend taking a date to the Lucky Duck Speakeasy Escape Room. Here, the year is 1925, and prohibition is the law of the land. You’re leading the crackdown and attempting to take out the infamous (and fictional, of course) Muddy Waters Gang.

To do that, you must identify their boss and bring him to justice. Work together with your date to find clues, collect evidence, and solve puzzles before time runs out! Not only will you bring down this heinous empire of crime, you’ll also be able to escape the room.

This fun adventure will get your minds racing and your hearts beating as you work as a team to accomplish a fun goal. Reservations are required, so plan early. Should you go in costume? Well, that’s up to you, but we can tell you your Valentine’s Photos will be the bee’s knees if you do!

2. Chuck Some Blades

Living at Fleetwood at Slate Run in Prince William County is an extraordinary life. You’ll enjoy an innovative and spacious one- or two-level homes on your very own 10-acre sanctuary. Located closer to shopping, restaurants, golf courses, breweries, and major commuting routes, you’ll always be close to something fun.

Indeed, you could make your Valentine’s Day plans include dinner at the elevated-yet-traditional Portuguese and Italian fare of Carmello’s in Historic Manassas. Made-from-scratch dishes of the highest caliber (brought to life with herbs from their very own garden) are what sets Carmello’s apart. However, this is a dining experience you should celebrate any night. For Valentine’s Day, however, you need to do something a little different.

And that something is throw axes as you enjoy a bottle of champagne! The Farm Brewery at Broad Run 

is located a few minutes from I-66 in Haymarket, VA. Here, you can enjoy their 6-acre landscaped beer garden, Brewbarn, and a vast array of delicious ales, lagers, wines, and local handmade cider.

But back to the axes and champagne… The Farm Brewery is running a special for couples who want to test their skill with axes while enjoying a nice bit of bubbly. Plus, they also have a special stout you can enjoy called Text Your Ex with flavor notes similar to chocolate-covered strawberries. Definitely the recipe for a Valentine’s Day to remember!

3. Explore Your Inner van Gogh

From your new single-family home at Evershire North in Waynesboro or your innovative new townhome at Southwood in Charlottesville, Central Virginia comes alive. The vibrancy of Charlottesville and the proximity to Virginia’s natural beauty is unparalleled.

Valentine’s Day could be a meal at Charlottesville’s own Ivy Inn. This historic restaurant, whose story goes back hundreds of years, is a family-owned delight with a classically trained chef and professional staff that treat you like guests in their house. So, don’t just go here on Valentine’s Day, go more often.

Instead, make your Valentine’s Day a work of art with Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards’ Watercolor Painting Class on February 16. The world of watercolor awaits you with instruction by artist Amy Woods. You’ll learn the basics of watercolor mixing and brush techniques while painting flora and fauna commonly seen around the Pippin Hill Farm gardens.

All supplies are provided—including sparkling wine and a shared Pippin Hill Farm charcuterie board—and you will leave with a completed painting on premium watercolor paper to frame and remember this Valentine’s Day forever. No experience is necessary, just reservations and a willingness to unleash your inner Vincent!

4. Enjoy Valentine’s Day at Home

When you live in an Atlantic Builders home, every day is a celebration of the exceptional. So maybe this Valentine’s Day, it’s time to stay in. Decorate your dining room, cook a meal from the heart, and enjoy a romantic movie night. Play a game as a family and eat conversation hearts. Or just devour an entire box of chocolates all by yourself as you soak in a perfumed bubble bath.

It’s your Valentine’s Day, just make sure it’s a memorable one. And it will be, in or near your Atlantic Builders home—even if that home is built on your own land. Happy Valentine’s Day!