Library Hack: How to plan the perfect Valentine’s Day date
Posted on February 9, 2016 at 6:00 am
By Gwendolyn Haley
Valentine’s Day is not a big deal for my husband and me. As two working parents with three kids at home, we usually don’t have the time or the energy to go all out on a romantic date. This year, I’m going to plan a low fuss, low stress date night using my library card.
First, music to set the mood. hoopla is a great source for free, downloadable music you can borrow at the touch of a button. I picked out a few albums from the Jazz and Classical selections: a little Etta James, a little classical guitar, and for my beloved, the Star Wars Suite; the love theme from Episode II is a gorgeous piece of music, even if the love story was horrible.
Second, a little poetry to share with each other. I searched OverDrive and found one of my favorite collections, Love Poems by Pablo Neruda. I also spotted 100 Best-Loved Poems, which includes some perennial favorites by Shakespeare, Byron, and more. I love watching romantic movies, and Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to indulge. 
Looking to hoopla again, I found a couple of gems that might be just right. An American in China is an award-winning film about a young man who finds himself, and love, while traveling in China. For those who prefer love stories with a gothic twist, I suggest the Masterpiece adaptation of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, but you also can’t go wrong with a classic like The Palm Beach Story, starring the wonderful Claudette Colbert.
With music and entertainment settled, the third and final element is food. I love to eat, but who wants to spend their evening cooking and washing dishes? One Pan, Two Plates by Carla Snyder, available both as an eBook through OverDrive and in print at your library, offers the perfect solution with over 70 simple and quick recipes for one pan meals.
Thanks to the library, we’re all set for a lovely romantic evening (provided we can get the kids to bed early).
