Dating suggestions

On the cheap (under $40):

Grab your sweetie and go to one of Oak Lawn’s best take-away delis. Hit Eatzi’s sandwich and salad bar and order up a custom meal to go. Grab a bag of Zapp’s and a bottle of Nantucket Nectars, all for under $10 each.

Take your picnic to the Dallas Museum of Art and have dinner for two under the stars in the sculpture garden. Pack a jacket, it could get chilly! DMA admission $6 each.

Too cold? Have your picnic in the Meadows atrium before heading to McFarlin Auditorium for the Russian Winter Festival. Watch Ukranian dancers and Russian Ballerinas twirl onstage or enjoy the photo and art exhibits in the lobby. Doors open at 6:30 and the event is free for students.

End the night on a sugar high with dessert from Paciugo’s. Try the gelateria’s newest flavor, Chocolate Swirl, a mix of Italian chocolate, hazelnuts and American peanut butter. Grande, $3 each.

Total: $38

Taking the middle road (under $75):

Impress that special someone with a dinner delivery of the exotic kind. Izmir Market and Mediterranean Deli offers a dinner special for two that includes entré#233;e,tabouli, hummas, Turkish salad, Russian chicken salad, saffron rice and pita bread for $15.50 each. Add on two orders of Baklava at $2.50 each, and you’ve got a unique meal for under $40.

For those of drinking age, your next stop is on McKinney Avenue for an early glass of wine. The Cork Wine Bar offers one of the most extensive wine lists in Dallas. A half bottle of wine will cost you around $12.

If theater is your thing, take a seat at Hughes-Trigg for the SMU production of “The Vagina Monologues.” It may not be the Great White Way, but at $7 each for students, it’s a steal.

The “v-word” not your idea of romance? Trees in Deep Ellum is playing host to Sound Tribe Sector 9. Tickets for the melodic rock/jazz hybrid are $12 a pop.

Total: $62 – $72

High-roller style (over $100):

If you’re looking to ‘wow’ your Valentine, make some last-minute reservations at York Street, one of Dallas’ most intimate restaurants. The tiny restaurant near the intersection of Live Oak and Skillman is one of those unknown gems buried in a residential neighborhood. It’s one of those places where people go all the time but don’t like to tell their friends about in hopes of keeping it a secret. The food is impeccable, the service divine, with personal touches like a warm, damp cloth for your hands and a complimentary shot of dry sherry to clear your palate. In addition, for the 21 and up crowd, each dish on the menu comes with a wine suggestion (by the glass). Dinner will set you back a minimum of $60 per person, but expect to pay more.

Following a three-hour dinner, you might not be up for much else. But if you really want to go out in style, treat your date to a martini 1920s style at the Mansion on Turtle Creek Blvd. Price on this one? If you’re going to the Mansion, you shouldn’t have to ask.

Total: Why bother counting?

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