Haven’t planned anything for Valentine’s Day? We offer some ideas for simple, romantic dates.

Option #1

The National Opera Theater will present Tchaikovsky’s wonderful three-part “Swan Lake” ballet on Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. Tickets start from just Hr 10 and top out at Hr 100. The show should be done before 10 p.m., at which time we recommend dinner and drinks at Italian chef Franco Bettoni’s Mille Miglia restaurant in the Radisson SAS (22 Yaroslaviv Val, 492-2255). Though further away from the opera than another good Italian eatery, Pantagruel Osteria (1 Lysenka, 278-8142), Mille Miglia is likely to be less crowded and quieter.

Option #2

Russian-language lifestyle magazine Afisha will be presenting the quirky romance “Match Point,” starring Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and Emily Mortimer, in English for one night only at Kyiv cinema. The first show is at 7:30 p.m., but a second show only for Kyiv Post/Afisha cardholders will follow at 9 p.m. Tickets go for Hr 20 to Hr 40. The movie will last two hours. If catching the early show we recommend heading out afterwards to either Chocolade restaurant (39/41 Shota Rustaveli, 289-0194) or Belle Vue (7 Saksahanskoho, 289-8780). For those going to the late show, we suggest an earlier visit to Joel Frantz’s warm and cozy French restaurant Gorchitsa (10 Shovkovychna, 253-3008) in the Lypky district.

by Paul Miazga, Kyiv Post Staff Writer