With ancient Roman, Christian and pagan roots, Valentine’s Day is now less about history and more about Hallmark. It’s a retail cash cow, drawing billions of dollars annually in chocolates, roses and sexy gifts. Many people share in the sentiments of Jay Leno, when he said: “Today is Valentine’s Day. Or, as men like to call it, Extortion Day.” In this spirit of romance, raunch and bitter cynicism, I bring you some weird and wacky eros-themed Valentine’s Day events to check out this year. From luchadore wrestling and burlesque strip shows in Hollywood, to the Museum of Sex in Manhattan, there are many titillating and provocative events in cities across the country that are sure to spice up your V-Day plans:
San Francisco
Nothing says “love” like smacking that special someone in the face. This Valentine’s Day, check out the Great San Francisco Pillow Fight, a free annual event that sees thousands of people in a public bedroom brawl of flailing pillows and feathers. This flash-mob type event will help you get out your aggression over a recent breakup, or, if you’re lucky, meet a new special someone. The Great San Francisco Pillow Fight takes place from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. in Justin Herman Plaza. Bring synthetic pillows (so the feathers don’t spew out everywhere), and get ready for a Valentine’s Day smackdown.
Los Angeles
Take your sweetheart to Lucha VaVoom, a two-hour show that blends authentic Mexican professional wrestling with campy comedy, burlesque striptease and rowdy audience participation. Picture luchadore wrestlers in skintight Spandex pants and Lycra masks flying around in the ring, performing acrobatic maneuvers and special holds. Between matches, sequined dancers with names like Kitten de Ville and Lacy Fur seduce the audience with erotic moves and leggy routines. This Feb. 13-14, head to the Mayan, an opulent Art Deco theatre in downtown Los Angeles, for Lucha VaVoom a fun kitschy way to celebrate the day.
Chicago
With clever saying like “Love Stinks, Let’s Drink” and “Cupid is Stupid” anti-Valentine’s Day Parties are tapping into the collective consciousness of single cynics everywhere. This year, the Windy City is hosting The Fourth Annual Anti-Valentine’s Day Party, presented by the Chicago Reader (Chicago’s largest free weekly newspaper). The party boasts DJs, spoken word dating disaster stories, dancing, drinks and roller derby girls. The Valentine’s Day event begins at 8 p.m. at the Logan Square Auditorium and the first a hundred people will receive a gift bag from The Pleasure Chest.
Photo credit: “Scott Beale / Laughing Squid” laughingsquid.com
This article was originally published on MSN. To see the complete version, visit: http://local.msn.com/travel/blogpost.aspx?post=55426ea6-d372-41de-9ed9-b0ef434b7a58
