CAPRICORN (Dec. 21-Jan. 20): You are still on a roll, trying to catch up with things that have turned your life into a runaway train. It might be wise to slow everything down and lay low until you see what’s going on. The idea that you need to be all business could be illusory; it all depends. This time around, it is the energetic component that may have more to say about where your plans wind up than how good you are at goose-stepping around. Big deals could easily show up out of the blue. Will they come to pass? Remain vigilant. The who, what, when, and how of all of that is entirely up to you.
37. Rush down the street in your underwear with Cupid’s Undie Run
Dash through the streets of downtown Detroit in nothing but your skivvies during this 1-mile charity run. Red and pink underoos are encouraged, of course, but plenty of people also sport skimpy superhero costumes. It’ll be fucking freezing — that’s part of the fun — but needless to say, you might need some booze to get through this one. Plus, all the dough you raise to run the raise goes toward the Children’s Tumor Foundation to help end neurofibromatosis. The whole thing is a four-hour affair with a party taking place inside the Fillmore before and after the run. Noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; cupidsundierun.com; registration fee is $45-$55.
MACOMB COUNTY — Luigi’s 3661 Jefferson Ave., Harrison Township, 586-468-7711, luigisoriginal.com. This old-fashioned, romantic Italian joint is famous for marriage proposals. In fact, countless lovers have popped the question at the Harrison Township establishment over the years.
36. Get right with Jesus at the Winter Jam Tour Spectacular
Here we have the largest tour of contemporary Christian bands, not a show to miss if you like your pop and rock music sanctified and holy. Headliners include For King & Country, Matthew West, RED, Sidewalk Prophets, NewSong, Trip Lee, and Lauren Daigle. This isn’t your dad’s Christian rock; no one here will sound like Amy Grant, weird hillbilly stuff, or DCTalk. Doors at 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 31, at the Palace of Auburn Hills, 6 Championship Dr., Auburn Hills; $10 at the door.
FERNDALE — Valentine Distilling Co., 161 Vester Ave., 248-629-9951, valentinedistilling.com. Because what would Valentine’s Day be without some Valentine Distilling libations. The Ferndale cocktail lounge will expand its Sunday hours until 11 p.m. and offer a special menu.
35. Split the difference between the casino and the kiddie arcade
Want to go to a casino, but are unwilling to lose big bucks? Head to your nearest Dave & Buster’s to spend those saved dollars eating, drinking, and playing. Purchase a Powercard, load it up, and win enough tickets to walk home with a giant stuffed animal. Basically a giant, grown-up arcade, Dave & Buster’s offers plenty of games, tasty food, and good drinks, for both kids and adults. Three locations at 45511 Park Ave., Utica (586-930-1515), 19375 Victor Pkwy., Livonia (734-452-4600), and 3660 28th St. SE, Kentwood (616-224-8800); see daveandbusters.com for weekly deals and hours.
33. Have a good, hot soak in a garden setting
The appeal is obvious: It’s freezing cold outside and has been for way too long; how the heck does a cash-poor soul get into an immersive, tropical-style environment? Oasis Hot Tub Gardens in Ann Arbor lives up to its name. It is very clean, affordable, and each area is designed to resemble its own little garden. You have your own multichannel audio system and — oh, man — wouldn’t you rather be in a giant hot tub, right now? Open daily noon-1 a.m., at 2301 S. State St., Ann Arbor; oasishottubs.com; one hour rates start at $34. Photo courtesy of Yelp.
ROYAL OAK — La Dulce, 115 S. Main St., 248-268-1719, ladulce.com. Open for brunch, this is the perfect place to relax in the cushy seating, sip on vino, and have an orgasmic experience with your lover, with indulging in Spanish tapas.
RIVERTOWN — Rattlesnake Club, 300 River Place Drive, 313-567-4400, rattlesnakedetroit.com. This award-winning fine-dining staple sits right on the river front, has an immense wine list, and one of the most celebrated menus in the city… A true love match for V-Day.
32. Show how tough you are by leaping into the frigid Detroit River
Polar Plunges take place all over metro Detroit from January through March, so if you can’t make this one, there’s likely another that will fit into your schedule. But why would you want to take a dip into icy waters during the coldest time of the year? Other than getting bragging rights for being a total badass, you’ll be supporting the Special Olympics’ Michigan chapter by raising money for over 21,000 athletes to help participate in the year-round programs the nonprofit offers. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, at Cheli’s Chili Bar, 47 E. Adams Ave., Detroit; firstgiving.com/polarplunge.
CASS CORRIDOR — Harry’s Detroit, 2482 Clifford St., 313-964-1575, harrysdetroit.com. Valentine’s Dinner x Chef Marcus Ware x Dine Drink Detroit. Go all out and treat your Valentine to a 4-course dinner during a special chef takeover event by Chef Marcus Ware. Advanced ticket purchase ($45, plus $4.50 service fee; another $40 gets a bottle of Champagne) required.
31. Explore the ancient sport of curling
Want to try out the “second-coolest game on ice”? Get in touch with the Detroit Curling Club and ask about their “individual curling experience.” You don’t have to know a handle from a hog line to ease into the 500-year-old sport that helps build finesse, balance, and strategy, all with a good amount of yelling, teamwork, and fun. See detroitcurlingclub.com. Photo via Creative Commons.
WOODBRIDGE — Woodbridge Pub, 5169 Trumbull St., 313-833-2701. Does a burger (or veggie burger) and beer do it for you honey? Get that, plus a range of of vegetarian-friendly bar food with a twist and keep your Valentine happy.
30. Go urban snowmobiling on a snow-covered freeway
OK, we’re kidding, but other people aren’t. They are serious as hell. Perhaps you saw the video called “Urban Sled’n” on YouTube, featuring a crew of people on snowmobiles riding up the Lodge Freeway at 3 a.m. during the biggest snowstorm of the year, blasting past slow-moving car traffic. Seriously, folks, this is a bad idea: The track and skis will get harmed by the pavement under bridges. Also, this may not be entirely legal.
29. Be this year’s naked cowboy
Have all of the troubles of this modern world got you down in the dumps? Do you feel lost and confused? Are you capable of walking along the side of a freeway without any clothes on in the freezing snow? Then grab your cowboy hat and roam. Please be safe, of course, and also be sure to immediately monetize the event for your gain. Our coverage of last year’s naked cowboy gave us the most “clicks” we might ever have gotten; imagine the possible T-shirt sales alone if you orchestrate it properly! (Call our marketing team today.)
EASTERN MARKET — Detroit City Distillery, 2462 Riopelle St., 313-338-3760, detroitcitydistillery.com, Butcher’s Cut Bourbon Tasting
28. Ice skate with Olympians
Want to learn from the best? The metro Detroit area is known for a number of ice rinks boasting coaches who have trained Olympians or skated on a national, international, or Olympic level themselves. You can expect to see some of the finest skating in the world on its ice. The Detroit Skating Club is at 888 Denison Ct., Bloomfield Hills (248-332-3000; dscclub.com), and the Arctic Figure Skating Club is at 46615 Michigan Ave., Canton (734-487-7777; arcticarenas.com). (Photo via Creative Commons)
INDIAN VILLAGE — Sindbad’s Restaurant and Marina, 100 Saint Clair St., 313-822-7817, sindbads.com. Enjoy old-school seafood dining with a view of the Detroit River.
27. Roll a strike at the Garden Bowl
Is there a more charming throwback of a sport than bowling? Believe it or not, the campy pastime at the center of The Big Lebowski was serious sport back in the days of polyester pants and wide collars, with Earl the Pearl throwing boomers on the TV. And we still have a bunch of bowling lanes in metro Detroit, from old suburban standbys to Punch Bowl Social downtown. But the oldest continuously operating bowling center is the Garden Bowl at the Majestic Complex, with a wide range of beer at the bar and Sgt. Pepperoni’s pizza. There’s a reason the bowling alley has been called “the poor man’s country club” — this winter, you might find it’s right up your alley. Garden Bowl is at 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit; majesticdetroit.com.
PALMER PARK — La Dolce Vita, 17546 Woodward Ave., 313-865-0331, www.ldvrestaurant.net, Whether you’re looking for a romantic dinner or lovely Sunday brunch, La Dolce Vita has you covered.
26. Feel the noise at Berserker Fest
Berserkerfest is a three-day punk and metal fest held for the first time at the Masonic Temple. If you like your music as loud as a jet engine, your faces pierced, your jean jackets emblazoned with the most illegible of all possible band logos, then you’ve probably already bought a limited-edition advance pass, which comes with a free badge and silkscreen poster. The almighty Voivod headlines, along with Antiseen, Stnng, Child Bite, Cannibal Corpse, and more. This year’s lineup has really upped the ante; this is going to rule. See berserkerdetroit.com for the latest updates on ticket prices and show times. Runs Thursday-Satuday, March 3-5, at the Masonic Temple, 500 Temple St., Detroit; berserkerdetroit.com.
HARMONIE PARK — Vertical Detroit, 1538 Centre St., 313-732-9463, verticaldetroit.com. The gorgeous surroundings in this high-end wine bar and restaurant are enough to get the sparks going, for sure.
GREEKTOWN — Santorini Estiatorio, 501 Monroe St., 313-962-9366, www.santorinidetroit.com. Your sweetie will fall in love with this upscale Greek dining experience.
25. Rip it up on the slopes
Northern Michigan has some of the greatest hills in the Midwest, but just an hour or two north of Detroit are some great and inexpensive hills for skiing or snowboarding. Mount Holly has a fantastic ski school and all you need is a valid school ID. And if you’re looking to get into ski racing, hit up the slopes at Pine Knob. See skipineknob.com or skimtholly.com.
WEST VILLAGE — Detroit Vegan Soul, 8029 Agnes St., 313-649-2759, treat your sweetie to a decadent, yet healthful brunch to show him/her you care.
24. Blow out the winter blues with Hamtramck Music Fest
Kerfuffle about its origins aside, this might be the best-run and most fun affordable music fest the Detroit area has to offer. The three-day event is smartly contained — it’s basically walkable. There are no big corporate sponsors to bum your trip. There are tremendous showcases each night, and daytime all-ages shows and other events. Plus, it is all for a good cause; festival proceeds go to Ben’s Encore, a nonprofit that provides instruments, music lessons, and scholarships to inspired young musicians and underserved school music programs. Fest runs Thursday-Sunday, March 3-6; for venue and show information see hamtramckmusicfestival.com.
Downtown Rochester
Main Street, Rochester
Each year since 2006, downtown Rochester’s Big Bright Light Show decks storefronts in color. This year features more than 1.2 million lights.
NEW CENTER — Cuisine Restaurant, 670 Lothrop Road, 313-872-5110, cuisinerestaurant.com. Check out Chicago the musical at the Fisher Theatre and then stop in for French wining and dining at Cuisine (open Sundays whenever there’s a theater show playing).
23. Drink Belgian beer and try your hand at feather bowling
Roll a giant wooden cheese wheel down an alley toward a flimsy feather sticking out of the ground to earn points? Add a couple of beers and your most competitive friends and you’re about to have the time of your life. A mix of curling and bocce, the point is to knock the other team’s balls away from the feather while your team gets its balls closest to the feather. They do it in Mount Clemens at Bath City Bistro, and, most famously, at Detroit’s Cadieux Cafe, 4300 Cadieux Rd., Detroit; 313-882-8560; cadieuxcafe.com.
Detroit Shipping Company
474 Peterboro St., Detroit; 313-462-4973; detroitshippingcompany.com
Detroit’s favorite food hall constructed from shipping containers has launched a cozy Winter Lodge on its second floor with a special holiday cocktail menu including “Jingle Juice” and “Christmas Cookie” shots.
HAMTRAMCK — Yemans Street, yemansstreet.com. The popular Hamtramck pop-up venue will feature a special dinner on Feb. 13 prepared by Brandon Hutcherson, but tickets are almost sold out so hurry up. Check with yemansstreet.com for more details.
Sylvan Table Holiday Pop-up Bar
1819 Inverness St., Sylvan Lake
This restaurant just opened a new pop-up bar with a holiday-themed cocktail and food menu, plus showings of holiday movies and music.
CORKTOWN — Sugar House, 2130 Michigan Ave., 313-962-0123, sugarhousedetroit.com. The craft cocktail bar with the romantic dim lighting will host Be Mine, Detroit Valentine, at 5 p.m. on V-Day, during which lovers can take in a decadent dessert menu designed by Wright & Co’s pastry Chef Hailey. Highlights include Fernet fudge tarts with almond brittle, smoked bourbon caramels, and Chartreuse mousse with dark chocolate ganache and almond brittle.
SOUTHWEST — El Barzon, 3710 Junction, elbarzonrestaurant.com. Spice up your Valentine’s Day at El Barzon’s Cena Romantica, featuring tequila tasting and pairing. Dinner starts at 7:30 p.m. and includes five courses with craft cocktail pairing. For reservations, call 313-894-2070.
MIDTOWN — Chartreuse, 15 E. Kirby Suite D, 313-818-3915, chartreusekc.com. Open special for Valentine’s Day, dinner and drinks here are accompanied by an air of romance, thanks to the lush living wall.
