A day reserved for heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, red roses and teddy bears, soon approaches as the month of February progresses. It is on this day that restaurant reservations are placed well over two months in advance and lovers profess their undying love for one another. This day marked by sex, love and passion inspires committed men to propose to their girlfriends and married couples to renew their wedding vows. Yes ladies and gentlemen, it is soon Valentine’s Day again.
But where did all of this originate from? The answer lies deep within a legend that has been told for many years now. Supposedly, it all began because of Saint Valentine, a martyr and patron saint of the Catholic Church. He willingly went against the law and married love stricken young men in a time where it was illegal for young men to marry their girlfriends. Marriage was forbidden at the time because the Roman government saw that an unmarried, young man was a better fit in the army than one that was married and had children. Saint Valentine was arrested and put to death for going against the law, but before he was murdered, he sent a letter to the love of his life, the jailor’s daughter. In his note to her, he professed his love for her and signed the letter: ‘From your Valentine.’
The celebration has long taken place on the 14th of February. A day many have come to follow. Is it all really in the name of love?
South Beach has a different outlook on Valentine’s Day. The city, known for its seductive and enticing ways, leaves little room for true love. What it does, in fact, make way for is a whole lot of lust.
It is easy for one to get caught up in the “smoke and mirrors” that is South Beach, from the perfectly-designed physiques roaming Ocean Drive to the self-centered attitudes that come along with every other individual. Here, a relationship has no deeper meaning; it is solely based on the physical attraction between two individuals who use each other for personal gain. A kiss is just a kiss, and lies build the foundation that later break up a relationship.
But whether we are into the festivities of Valentine’s Day or not, we all engage in the act of asking someone the iconic question: will you be my Valentine? Because lets face it, no one likes to be alone. So we take Valentine’s Day more as a day of passion and lust than anything else. It’s the chance to go out and connect with someone for one night, and if you are on South Beach, you do this by going to a nightclub.
This year, nightclubs, including LIV, Louis, Klutch, Space, and Mansion, just to name a few, will be the entire rave. But not falling too far behind are hotels such as The Betsey, The Victor, and The Mondrian, which are sure to draw crowds in for their ultra relaxed, lounging experiences.
Yet one must eat before heading out to dance the night away. South beach is a major hot spot for premier dining. One restaurant to keep a look out for is STK at the Gansevoort Hotel, Miami’s newest addition to the lineup. With its chic décor and over-the-top service, STK is sure to be a happening spot for Valentine’s Day dinning.
The Beach is the ideal scene for singles who just want to go out and have a good time without having to focus so much on the idea that is love. Valentine’s Day on South Beach will be all about sexy, chic females with drinks in hand, flashing bulbs from camera to camera deriving modelesque poses, tailored-looking gentlemen popping bottles and throbbing speakers supplying the crowd with the melodies that transform them.
