Romance is All Around

9 creative Valentine’s dates around Dallas that don't involve dinner

Valentine's-themed events like a live painting at Samuel Lynne Galleries offer great alternatives for romance-seeking couples.

Photo courtesy of JD Miller

Going out to dinner on Valentine's Day is a tried-and-true tradition, but why deal with the masses - on a Saturday night, no less - when you can spend some quality time with your significant other at a fun event?

We've gathered together nine great Valentine's-themed events taking place on around the actual date to show your partner that you know how to think outside of the box. Click each link for ticket prices, reservations, and more information. (And by the way, if you do want to add dinner to the mix, here is a long list of restaurants doing something special for Valentine's.)

Thursday, February 12

Perot Museum of Nature and Science presents Valentine's on Tap
The Perot Museum of Nature and Science will present a vibrant, Valentine’s-themed night out as a special edition of their "Thursdays on Tap" series. Guests can spend the evening exploring the museum after hours, enjoying live music, food and drinks, sweet treats, and full access to the exhibit halls without the daytime crowds.

Friday, February 13

Tribute Masters presents Sinatra and Bublé
The concert Sinatra and Bublé will be a night of romance, nostalgia, and timeless music as the special Valentine's tribute show features the legendary sounds of Frank Sinatra and Michael Bublé as performed by Dave Halston and Michael Nugent. The show will feature Sinatra's classic hits like "Fly Me to the Moon" and "My Way" and Bublé's modern favorites like "Haven't Met You Yet" and "Everything." The concert takes place at Eisemann Center for Performing Arts in Richardson.

Saturday, February 14

Richardson Community Chorale presents Love Songs
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, the men and women of the Richardson Community Chorale will celebrate romance by sharing some of their favorite songs of love. The afternoon concert will take place at First Presbyterian Church of Richardson.

Samuel Lynne Galleries presents JD Miller's Valentines Day Live Painting
Renowned Reflectionist artist JD Miller will return for the 10th Annual Valentine’s Day Live Painting Event at Samuel Lynne Galleries. Miller will create a live masterpiece beginning at 6:45 pm, reimagining a McShan Florist arrangement into a one-of-a-kind painting, capturing the essence of love through movement, texture, and light.

Grapevine Vintage Railroad presents Sweetheart Wine Train
In celebration of Valentine's Day, Grapevine Vintage Railroad will present the Sweetheart Wine Train, on which guests can celebrate with a leisurely train ride from Grapevine to Fort Worth and back. Two glasses of fine Texas wine will be served in a souvenir wine glass, along with individually portioned savory bites and dessert. All women will receive a single red rose, and additional wine will be available for purchase.

Avant Chamber Ballet presents Rhythm and Romance
Avant Chamber Ballet's Valentine's Day production will feature three inspiring ballets. Valse Fantaisie, choreographed by George Balanchine, is a ballet with a whirl of perpetual motion set to Glinka’s swooning melodies. In Paul Mejia’s hands Astor Piazzolla’s famous tangos come to life in Cafe Victoria, a cheeky, sensual story ballet set in a smokey “barre.” Katie Puder’s Sisterhood closes the evening with a celebration of the bonds of friendship beyond blood and our interwoven community featuring music composed by Dallas native Quinn Mason. There will be performances on February 14 and 15 at Moody Performance Hall.

Timeless Concerts presents Valentines Special and Fundraiser
Timeless Concerts' annual Valentines Special and Fundraiser showcases a variety of music performed by violinists LeeAnne Chenoweth and Keyreel Raskolenko, cellist Alice (Jeong-A) Lee, and pianist Heejung Kang. They will play spicy tango music of Astor Piazzolla of Argentina, plus selections of the great romantics. The hour-long concert at Holt Hickman Center will be followed by a post-concert party with pianist Erik Barnes, who will take requests. Guest can enjoy charcuterie style bites, desserts, wine, and soft drinks.

Uptown Revue presents The Hot Mess Heartbreaker Show
The Hot Mess Heartbreaker Show is a late-night, no-holds-barred popcorn-throwing comedy burlesque variety special crashing into Valentine’s Day, because romance is better after dark and a little unhinged. Guests get automatic entry into a raffle, themed food and drink specials, and popcorn projectile privileges. The performance takes place at Pocket Sandwich Theatre in Carrollton.

Sunday, February 15

Bodies Race Company presents Couple Shuffle
For those who like to work off their Valentine's Day indulgences, the annual Couple Shuffle offers races in 2-mile, 5k, and 10k distances. At the Valentine's themed race, participants will enjoy a course sprinkled with photo ops, and a finish line filled with sweet treats and high-fives. Swag includes a designer shirt & custom medal, chip-timing with live results and awards, and treats. Taking place at Audubon Park in Garland, there will also be a kid's dash, an untimed dash for children ages 10 and under. Registration includes a mini bib, youth-sized shirt, and a specifically crafted medal for kids.

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Movie Review

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie chases nostalgia for shiny but shallow sequel

Photo courtesy of Nintendo and Illumination

Yoshi, Mario, and Luigi in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

When The Super Mario Bros. Movie came out in 2023, it had two big things going for it. Audiences had little experience with a fully-animated video game adaptation, and certainly not from a property as revered as Super Mario Bros. And coming from Illumination Entertainment and featuring an all-star cast, the massive budget for the film was on the screen, showing how much effort the filmmakers put into at least the visuals.

Three years later comes the sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, passing over a massive number of Mario games to go straight to 2007’s Super Mario Galaxy, originally put out for Nintendo’s Wii system. This time, the returning Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), now joined by Yoshi (Donald Glover), are sent on a mission to save Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) from the evil clutches of Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie), who’s trying to prove his worth to his dad, Bowser (Jack Black).

And that is about as much actual story there is to be found in a film that feels like a slog even at a brief 98 minutes. The filmmakers - directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, co-directors Pierre Leduc and Fabien Polack, and writer Matthew Fogel - have lots of fun inserting references from a bunch of different Mario games, but they pay little attention to giving the characters anything to do that makes sense.

Instead, small groups are shuttled around different points in the galaxy - sometimes using game mechanics, sometimes not - to accomplish minor goals that are forgotten almost as soon as they’re named. Nothing they do rises to the level of exciting or even interesting; everything is merely an excuse to showcase another part of Mario lore for the masses.

It’s impossible to call the filmmaking lazy, as the visuals remain top notch and it’s clear the entire crew put a lot of effort into making every scene as appealing as possible. But the film is certainly cynical, throwing out empty treats like Fox McCloud (Glen Powell) or Bowser Jr.’s magic paintbrush to give Nintendo mega-fans a rush of serotonin without attaching those elements to anything substantial.

I have long railed against using big-name actors in voiceover roles, arguing that few people know or care whose voice they’re hearing in animated films. Somehow, this film makes the idea worse, as the voices of people like Key, Glover and Safdie are changed so that you would never know it’s them, something that’s especially strange for Glover since Yoshi only says one word - “Yoshi.”

Even stranger is that, after making a joke in the first film about Mario not having an Italian accent, Pratt goes in and out of an accent in this film. At least he and Day feel like they’re having fun. Bowser is sidelined for a good amount of this film, giving Black not much to do overall. Taylor-Joy and Larson might as well be anonymous actors for all the impact they make on their roles.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is the worst kind of fan service, delivering a shiny product that might make some people feel good in the moment, but something that is forgotten the second they step out of the theater. If Nintendo is to continue adapting their properties, they’d do well to give their fans a film they want to see more than once.

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The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is now playing in theaters.

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