Maybe you’ve forgotten till now the holiday known as Valentine’s Day, V-Day or Galentine’s. Or maybe you’re put off by the consumerism surrounding it and don’t typically celebrate. With options from these companies, which are largely owned by women or people of color, the day can be more about community, creativity and supporting local businesses. From cabaret and sweet scents to paint and sippin’ with your girls, here are some meaningful experiences to give or enjoy yourself.
For a sassy or adventurous Valentine’s
Twist and tease: a Valentine’s cabaret burlesque experience
Fri, Feb. 13 or Sat, Feb. 14, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Looking for an unconventional Valentine’s Day experience? Culture Lab LIC, Epicenter NYC’s frequent partner for arts and culture events, invites you to another partnership the nonprofit has: with The Cabaret Burlesque, a NYC-based company of “sassy experts in the art of Parisian strip tease.”
Step into a flirty world of feathers, sequins, Charleston rhythms and 1920s-inspired charm with this Twist and Tease performance. Think sultry solo performances, high-energy ensemble numbers, comedy skits and cheeky interactions with the audience. Tickets are $25 plus tax and processing fee for general admission, and $45 for reserved seats. The event takes place at 5-25 46th Ave. in Long Island City. Buy tickets here.
Culture Lab LIC is dedicated to supporting the efforts of local artists and community programming in Western Queens. Show some love and support its work outside of Valentine’s Day.
For candle lovers
Want to build or buy a handmade scent you’ll love? We’ve got plenty of options across these three candle businesses owned by women of color.
Aminta Freeman, the Brooklyn-raised Guatemalan American mom behind Moodie Vibes, started it as an experiment in self-care — blending oils to find a fragrance that suited her mood. Whether your V-day mood is romantic, friendly or self-caring, here are two limited-edition candles to match it or transport you.
Your purchase also helps care for others: Proceeds support Power of Two, an organization that helps families heal, children thrive and community strengthen.
“A Love Supreme” smells like “the blooming heart of a rose, jazz in the air and unconditional love,” according to Freeman. With scent notes of rose, green leaves and peppercorn, the mood this candle evokes is “having the courage, the appreciation and the growth to choose yourself.”
“Sweet Thing,” she says, is reminiscent of “early morning caresses and warm caramel chocolate coffee.” With scent notes of caramel, coffee and vanilla bean, this candle mood is for pillow talk, long embraces and wordplay. Full-sized candles are $36. As we go to press, only a few of each scent are left in stock. Sniff out more on Instagram.
Known as the first sustainable candle lab in the city, Lanterne offers the chance to make your own luxury candle. The brainchild of Indonesian American Tisya Siswanto, you can choose your vessels, scents and other customizations and take an hour and a half crafting your unique candle.
Lanterne Lab provides all the materials, so all you have to do is enjoy the process and have fun. You can also show the environment (and your wallet) some love and get a candle refill on a reused vessel: for returning guests who choose this, the experience costs $38. For new guests or returning clients who don’t wish to reuse, the cost is $52.
While your candles are cooling and setting, you can take yourself or your person out around Chinatown for the rest of the date.
If you or your loved one aren’t available for the full experience on Valentine’s Day, a gift card is also an option. The shop is located at 69 Mulberry St., on the corner of Mulberry and Bayard Streets.
If Brooklyn is your best spot for a candle-making experience, Nose Best Candles has got you. The best-friend duo behind the company invites you to pour luxury scented candles this Valentine’s Day: “Your partner will love the speakeasy ambiance, beautiful fragrances and DIY experience under the guidance of our pro-candle makers,” they posted recently on Instagram.
You’ll choose your own fragrance oil combination, blend your mixture into 100% soy wax and pour your creation into a luxury 10-ounce jar — and write a love note on your label. The cost is $75 per person. This includes a master class in candle making and fragrance education from owners Brittany Furnari and Cristian Abbriancati and a two-hour private session with high-quality supplies. It also comes with one complimentary non-alcoholic or alcoholic drink and, of course, a candle to take home.
Nose Best Candles is located at 96 Knickerbocker Ave. in Bushwick. You can join the waitlist for a class on Feb. 14 or book one a day before or after the holiday.
For paint, love and hip-hop
Alfredo Angueira, the Bronx native behind Beatstro, grew up loving and living hip-hop before deciding to open a restaurant that paid homage to the musical genre. You can find the soundtrack to your life — or love and friendship — there too.
On Thursday, Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m., Beatstro is hosting Galentine’s Paint (by Number) & Sip, a no-pressure night of art, music and laughs with your girls.
Expect the paint, drinks and flow to be flowing alongside a live DJ. No experience required — just show up, sip, paint and vibe.
$60 per person includes 90 minutes of bottomless drinks and all the supplies you’ll need. To buy tickets, visit Opentable.
For chocolate affairs and sweet tooths
Many wish they loved their jobs as much as Margie Schmidt. Schmidt is the owner of Schmidt’s Candy, a century-old handmade chocolate and confectionery shop in Woodhaven, Queens. Two Valentine Days ago, when we first met her, she was worried about how much longer she could keep the one-woman show running. But despite her arthritis and other health issues, Schmidt keeps the family legacy churning.
She wakes up early and stays late nights to hand-stir the chocolate, shape candies and cut caramel on the original marble counter in the store. Schmidt makes them alongside vintage apothecary jars, wooden furniture and the original door and photos of the shop.
Come pick your chocolate boxes and an assortment of creative candies to give to your sweet-tooth Valentine. The shop is located at 94-15 Jamaica Ave. Call before visiting at 718-846-9326. You can place an order at orders@schmidtscandy.com.
For loving your voice
If you find it too cold to be out this V-Day, it might be the right time to work on yourself — and your voice, whether you need a 2026 reset or have been waiting to try your hand at hosting a podcast. Miriam Simon, author of “Tattoos and Pearls,” host of “Latina Mic Drop” and owner of Mi Sí Coaching & Consulting, is co-leading a one-day virtual event: “Love Your Voice,” a mini-summit focused on how to quiet your inner critic and step into your power.
The free Galentine’s Day celebration on Friday, Feb. 13 will delve into mindset shifts, vocal techniques and emotional management tools to ease self-doubt and trust yourself. Simon will be joined by:
- Angela Briones, creator and host of “Thank You For Joining Me: Inside Indie Podcasting” and the award-winning podcast “The Gay Podcast for Everyone.”
- Success and leadership coach Heather Vickery
- Entrepreneurs Dr. Jenna W. Clack and Kat Lopez Shelby
