Valentine’s Day, Franklin Style – Great Places and Ways to Celebrate Locally
Article by Jessica Wayman
Originally published in Franklin Lifestyle
When we think about Valentine’s Day, most of us think of the traditional date night with a significant other, but that’s not how everyone celebrates the day of love. Sometimes, we throw together a group of girlfriends and good times and call it Galentine’s Day. Maybe the gist of your holiday involves a 25-count box of Valentine’s Day cards featuring cartoon characters based on underwater crustations. Or perhaps you like to blow off February 14th altogether and treat yourself to a little pampering the following day on Singles Awareness Day. It all depends on who and what you love.
Deciding what to do is always the challenge, so planning ahead is almost necessary. Nobody wants to be the one who turns up empty-handed on Valentine’s Day. Flowers and chocolates are a given for anyone dear to your heart, but a spa day is a wonderful way to treat a significant other, a family member, or just yourself. Cocktails are a fine way to enjoy the evening, whether you’re on a date or out with your galentines, but a café is a great place to start if your Valentine happens to be someone new in your life. A romantic dinner between lovers is another obvious option; sometimes a candlelit table for two is everything you’ve ever dreamed of. Or you may be more successful in showing your love just by ordering a heart-shaped pizza for the whole family.
Whatever you need to make your Valentine’s Day special, you can find it in Franklin. With tons of great restaurants, florists, and spas, you might need a little help picking out the ones that suit your needs.
Frothy Monkey – 125 5th Avenue South – Frothy Monkey makes a cozy date-night spot that offers a huge menu of pastries, sandwiches, entrees, and locally roasted coffee. They serve cocktails, wine and beer as well if you’d rather wind down with your Valentine.
Kilwins – Don’t forget to stop by Kilwins for chocolate-covered strawberries in your choice of dark, milk, or white chocolate or a heart-shaped box of truffles. They even sell boxes made of chocolate to fill with your strawberries and chocolates!
Laurel & Leaf – 1143 Columbia Avenue, Suite C10 – Laurel & Leaf has a beautiful selection of flowers and will have some options available to purchase in-store on Valentine’s Day, but it’s best to order ahead of time. You can even throw in a small gift to accompany your bouquet while you’re at it.
A Moment’s Peace Salon & Day Spa – 9050 Carothers Parkway, Suite 108 – A Mini Spa Day is a great way to get a little taste of everything, including massage, manicure and facial. But if you’re looking for something a little more romantic, the couples package includes a massage and pedicures. Spaces fill up, so book ahead!
O’Be Joyful – 328 Main Street – a quaint, little tavern in the middle of downtown Franklin, O’Be Joyful features an extensive whiskey selection in addition to their other libations. They’ll be serving Valentine’s Day cocktails February 11th – 14th.
North Italia – 4041 Aspen Grove Drive, Suite 100 – What’s more romantic than Italian food? Exciting and fresh, North Italia will feature special menu items on Valentine’s Day. Nothing says I love you like pasta made from scratch.
