Restaurants
Cheaper than a diamond ring (but only just). . .
I Rogano 11 Exchange Square. Glasgow. 0141 248 4055. They treat you like royalty in this shining example of art deco elegance. A must for those with a thing for seafood.
I Brian Maule at Chardon d’Or 176 West Regent Street. Glasgow. 0141 248 3801. Nothing less than exquisite. unpretentiously presented French dining.
I Number One 1 Princes Street. Edinburgh. 0131 557 6727. With a brand new Michelin star to its name and elegant. opulent gold and burgundy design. this is exciting. extravagant eating: foie gras. langoustines — the lot.
I Lafayette 9 Randolph Place. Edinburgh. 0131 225 8678 Fancy French in mock Tudor building behind Charlotte Square. Roaring fire. intimate turret tables and haute Cuisine
Can't buy me love. but /'// settle for a slap up meal
I Arigo 67 Kilmarnock Road. Glasgow. 0141 636 6616. An Italian gem secreted in the Southside that radiates old world charm. The waiters might even deliver those roses you bought to the table.
I Nairns 13 \NOOdSlde Crescent. Glasgow. 0141 363 0707. Bulging with crisp. fresh ingredients. Good for a wee treat and not as pricey as the name above the door might suggest. I North Bridge Brasserie 20 NOrth Bridge. Edinburgh. 0131 662 2900. Sneak upstairs from the glam street-level bar to the ornate balcony where it's immaculately dressed tables for two only. After that. settle for nothing less than the finest cocktails and sushi.
I Santini 8 Conference Square.
Edinburgh. 0131 221 7788. Good- looking Italian staff. sophisticated lighting. slick. modern deSign and lots of seriously seductive Italian food.
Purse-strings tighter than the heart- strings?
I Kama Sutra 331 Sauchiehall Street. Glasgow. 0141 332 0066. Worth it jUSI for the double entendres on the menu and being able to enjoy chicken chasni in what looks like someone's b0ud01r.
22 THE LIST ::i1.1;in 1Li l t?!) 11011::
I 13th Note Cate 60—60 King Street. Glasgow. 0141 553 1638. Maybe not the first choice for a romantic rendezvous but it's under new management and veggies are enc0uraged to linger over expertly and lovingly prepared platefuls.
I Blue Parrot Cantina 49 St Stephen’s Street. Edinburgh. 0131 225 2941. A dimly-lit and slightly quirky basement cantina with lots of lip-smacking cocktails and some of the best Mexican food in town.
I Songkran ll 8 Gloucester Street. Edinburgh. 0131 225 4804. A cute. old. stone building where you can indulge in the subtly sensuous. spicy and creamy wonders of Thai cooking.
Food suppliers
Oysters
I Loch Fyne Oysters 01499 600264. www.lochynecom. Will deliver 12 rock oysters to yOur home fOr £9.90 or £42 with a bottle of Josepeh Perrier Cuvee Royal champagne.
I McOaIlum’s of Troon 0141 204 44.56. Twelve Pacific oysters cost £4.20 inc delivery. See Food. page 107 for more.
Champagne
I Majestic Wines 123—146 North Street. Glasgow. 0141 204 4936: 34 Buckstone Terrace. Comiston Road. Edinburgh. 0131 445 5910. www.majesticco.uk. Savings to be had if y0u want to buy in bulk — its minimum shop is 12 bottles.
I Villeneuve Wines 49a Broughton Street Edinburgh. 0131 5:38 8441. The only accompaniment for oysters. Bottles of fizz from <37 to 5:760.
I Odbbins Various stores. see \.v\.vw.oddbinscom Over 60 champagnes to choose from. Efficient ordering service too.
Sat 8 Feb
I Salute to Romance Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. Edinburgh. 0131 668 2019. 7.30pm. 5‘15 1912.50). The Classic Romance Chamber Orchestra gives y0u tunes to swoon away to. including Barber's Adagio. Mozart 's Romance. Elgar's Sa/ut d 'Amour and Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings.
Fri 14 Feb
I The Road to Rhythm and Romance: A St Valentine’s Weekend of Jazz St Andrews in the Square. 1 St Andrews SQuare. Glasgow. 0141 548 6020. 8.30pm. Free. Snuggle up and chill out for a romantic Weekend of the smoochiest Jazz tunes.
I Royal Scottish National Orchestra Usher Hall. Lothian Road. Edinburgh. 0131 228 1155. 91 14:24.50. A programme of romantic clas3ics for lovers both prepubescent and pensionable. including works by Tchaikovsky. Rachmaninov. Mascagni and Ravel.
Sat 15 Feb
I Salute to Romance Henny Wood Hall. 73 Claremont Street. Glasgow. 0141 287 5611. 7.30pm. 8151212601. See 8 Feb.
I A Valentine’s Gala Royal Concert Hall. 2 Sauchiehall Street. Glasgow. 0141 353 8000. 7.30pm. 91260—82260. The RSNO Chorus and West End Singers jOlfl forces for a night of soaring romantic classics drawn from musicals and films.
I The Road to Rhythm and Romance: A St Valentine’s Weekend of Jazz St Andrews in the Square. 1 St Andrews Square. Glasgow. 0141 548 6020. 8.30pm. See Fri 14.
Sun 16 Feb
I My Bloody Valentine Tron Theatre. 63 Trongate Glasgow. 0141 552 4267. Dinner from 7.30pm. with music E20: music only from 9pm. $5. With tongue in cheek. singer Stephen Duffy is backed by Sandy Taylor and his trio in an evening in contrast to all this ridiculous soppiness with a musical repartee from the Jazz singer's naturally depressed perspective. enc0uraging torch burning. tear shedding and never falling in love again. Should be a hoot.
Books
Thu 13 Feb
I Poetry Salon The Arches. 253 Argyle Street. 0901 022 0300. 8pm. $5 193). To c0inCide with the launch of Kathleen Little's collection of poems. The Book of Love. an evening of words. music and VISUE‘lIS from Edwin Morgan, Lesley Benzie. Jenny Lindsay. Helen Reeves and Tranehousered.
Thu 13 Feb
I Brel Brel. 39—43 Ashton Lane. Glasgow. 0141 342 4966. 9pm. Free. DJ Frank Murphy plays Marvin Gaye tunes and tracks with a ‘twisted and tainted take on love'.
560w Mam a good time
Fri 14 Feb
I Abnormals Anonymous presents “AA-XXX” Glasgow School of Art. 167 Renfrew Street. 0141 332 0691. 11pm. $26—27. Free Valentine's Day Massacre makeovers. and a quirky. queer performance by David Leddy and his companions is just the start of it. with the Critical Mass DJs and the Abnormals DJs providing the aural pleasures. They say the dress code is 'fuck romance'. Nuff said.
I St Valentine’s Heart of Darkness Marco's. Grove Street. Edinburgh. 7.30pm. £20. Edinburgh's goth community converge for and evening of live leSlC. DJs and general fetishistic hedonism. See www.edinburghgothweekend.co.uk for more.
Fri 7. Sat 8 8 Mon 10 Feb I Casablanca GET. 12 Rose
Street. Glasgow. 0141 332 8128. 6.15pm 17 Febi. 8.30pm 18 Feb). 3.30pm (10 Febi. Humph and Ingrid get Sultry and pOLity in war-torn nonh Africa. Genius.
Fri 14 Feb
I In the Mood for Love GFT. 12 Rose Street. Glasgow. 0141 332 8128. 6.30pm. Wong Kar-Wai's emotive paean to repressed passion. I Breakfast at Tiffanys Cameo. 38 Home Street. Edinburgh. 0131 228 4141. 6.30pm. The Cameo plays both devil and angel with one movie on the ‘lurve' screen and one on the 'loathe' screen — that way everybody's happy. Here. Audrey Hepburn glows as Holly Golightly in this slight. if sugary classic. Ahh . . . I Natural Born Killers Cameo. 38 Home Street. Edinburgh. 0131 228 4141. 6.30pm. See above. Mickey and Mallory go on a killing spree in Oil\'8l' Stone's controverSial splatter flick. Arghl.
Theatre trips
I Express Events Ltd www.expresseventscom. 020 7439 2333. SpeCial Valentine's package ifor the day night of 14 Febi includes. a ride on the London Eye. great seats for Chicago — The ill/iiisical. and one night. fOur-star accommodation plus breakfast on 15 Feb. All for £75 each. Transport not included.