Cook In

While I might not earn restaurateurs’ love by making this suggestion, my advice to you for Valentine’s Day is to cook in. Everyone eats out, service is brisk, menus are shortened (I mean, feature specials), the staff wishes they were on their own dates, and you get hustled out the door before you know it. But at home you make what you want, bring it to slow simmer together, and eat it peacefully alone, and then you’re already home for, uh, dessert. No tipping involved, and you can wear whatever you want. Even some of dinner, if that’s appealing.