Ah, Valentine’s Day. With origins in ancient Roman martyrdom and a present-day reputation as a holiday rooted in consumerism, you either love or hate February 14.
Unfortunately, your mood toward Valentine’s Day generally depends on your current relationship status. If you’re planning on snuggling up to your significant other this year, New York City’s endless options for wining, dining and general romancing are at your feet. For all you bachelors and bachelorettes out there, it turns out technology can be a pretty great distraction on the annual day of love.
We’ve put together a chronological breakdown of the perfect Valentine's Day for all the single people in New York, utilizing a few of our favorite local startups so you can take the day to love yourself.
10 a.m.
Valentine’s falls on a Sunday this year, so sleep in and ruminate in your lovely single life.
Women: Once you’re awake, start the day by getting some endorphins using
. Whether you're in the mood to kickbox, spin or unwind with a yoga class, the fitness subscription will let you take unlimited classes across multiple gyms and studios.
Men: Guys, you can use ClassPass too. Before you write the service off as a company catered towards yoga mat-bearing women on the subway, you should know that the company is actually gaining a lot of traction among your kind. Today, get your workout in by taking a rowing class or train with actual Marines at a high-intensity bootcamp.
12 p.m.
You’re back from the gym and feeling great. As you get ready to face the hand-holding couples sprinkled around New York, take a few minutes for some extra grooming.
Women: Using
, a subscription box service that provides monthly deliveries of five personalized beauty samples, you can easily try and learn about and purchase new products. If you’re feeling this Valentine’s Day turning into a “treat yourself” situation, we also recommend testing out , the app that makes it easier to book last minute blowouts at top salons.
Men: On Valentine’s Day, or any day, you should try out
2 p.m.
While couples around the world are giving their significant others chocolates and flowers, why shouldn’t you get a gift? Buy yourself a present, you deserve it.
Women: There’s a reason the flash-sales site, 
, is so successful—the company offers amazing deals on designer labels. Once logged in to Gilt’s website, you can peruse today’s top brands and order yourself something special.
Men: If you’re over six feet tall, you’re going to want to buy yourself a piece of clothing from
as soon as you can. While I’m sure you’ve struggled with finding suitable clothing since you hit puberty, RFM has created a non-linear sizing model to provide menswear that actually fits tall dudes. While the company’s inaugural garments are fairly pricey, we promise it will be worth the cost.
4 p.m.
Alright, you’re starting to feel a little lonely and in need of some immediate validation. Luckily, New York is home to one of the country’s most popular dating apps.
Women: Check
Men: Check Hinge.
6 p.m.
Okay, so the matches (and passes) on Hinge (and Tinder, Bumble, Happn, The League or whatever you’re in to) were less than stellar. Who needs a drink? While you may run the risk of finding high densities of star-crossed duos at local bars, we suggest having the alcohol come to you.
provides wine, beer, and spirits on-demand. Here are some of our favorite Minibar options this Valentine’s day.
Women:
Men:
7 p.m.
One of the best aspects of being single on Valentine’s day is the ability to eat at home. Whether you decide to make a gourmet meal or order-in this year, avoid pricey prix fixe menus and crowded restaurants using these startups.
Women:
is a great option for you and a fellow single friend to indulge in this Valentine’s Day. The company is a grocery delivery service company that will bring recipes and the required ingredients (enough for 2 servings) to your doorstep.
Men: You may have used last night, but today is as good a day as any to use the beloved food delivery service.
8 p.m.
Valentine’s day is winding down, and now you can either choose to go out or stay in depending on how this day has made you feel.
Women: If you’re just feeling like curling up for the night, I recommend some comedy to put this holiday to rest. There’s no better outlet for this than SeeSo, the streaming comedy channel which solely exists to make you laugh. Whether you’re in the mood for The Office, 30 Rock or some classic SNL gold, we guarantee you’ll love SeeSo.
Men: Want to catch the Rangers game this Sunday?
will help you score tickets. The service aggregates event tickets from sellers across the web to help consumers find the best deals for live sports, music and theater.
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
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