Love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is upon us yet again. Last year we spent the holiday organizing the first-ever LA Street Food Fest (get excited, another one is on its way!) so we understand the pressure of creating a memorable weekend. When it comes to Valentine’s Day, we’re not the kind of girls who get our kicks from watching our sweeties sweat the details of candy-colored balloons, over-priced flowers, and a prix-fixe dinner date out with the masses. Instead, romance means spending some quality time together that doesn’t break the bank, takes us somewhere fun and unexpected in this city we adore, and lets us enjoy each other’s company without the pressure of a waiter needing to turn a table. If you’re nodding your head in agreement, read on for some of our favorite off-the-beaten-path Valentine’s Day ideas.

Sunset Ranch’s Nighttime Horseback Rides
Okay, okay; Sunset Ranch doesn’t advertise their sunset horseback rides across the Hollywood Hills as a tequila filled romp, but it’s that small detail that hooked us. The Ranch has a $105/person ($75 each add’l person), four-plus hour round-trip “Dinner Ride ” (cost of din at Viva Fresh in Burbank not included). Grab your sweetie and stash a favorite bottle of tequila (or mezcal) to craft a perfect margarita at dinner and you won’t even remember your sore saddle come morning. If you’re worried about getting an RUI (riding under the influence), the Ranch also has a $60/person, two-hour horseback “Sunset Ride” up to Mt. Hollywood that gives you a spectacular 360-degree view of the City of Angels. To up the romance ante, they offer private rides, too. Win-win, either way.

A Romantic Ride Under the Iconic Hollywood Sign (Credit: Flickr/Casey McKinnon)

Al Fresco Dinner at The Malibu Café at Calamigos Ranch
Forget about stuffy prix-fixe dinners. At The Malibu Café at Calamigos Ranch, you and your special someone can paddleboat out to the center of a lake and dine on an island under the stars, or, hideaway in a daybed or cabana while enjoying a complementary champagne split and house-made Bourbon Caramel Bread Pudding with Malibu’s Beachy Cream “Hot” Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream. (Beachy just happens to be another of our fave Artisanal LA vendors.) If you’re not a fan of water sports, order a gourmet Valentine picnic basket to enjoy anywhere on Calamigas’ Ranch property for $100/couple. The picnic basket includes a large blanket, shared appetizer, two entrées, and dessert, as well as a champagne split and a bottle of wine from neighboring Saddlerock Vineyards. Just make sure to return the basket and blanket before the end of the night.

Candlelight Dining at Calamigas Ranch (Credit: The Malibu Café)

The Rock Star Treatment at El León or The Raven
Want to end Valentine’s Day with that special glow (minds out of the gutter)? Book a couple’s version of the two-hour Rock Star Treatment ($185/person) at one of the sexiest spas in El Ay. Therapists start with the “Extremity Remedy,” washing and massaging your feet and hands with dead sea salts and lavender oil. From there you’ll experience a one-hour, award-winning traditional Thai massage; a rigorous yet relaxing rubdown. Finally, finish with “The Facelift,” a half-hour head, neck and face massage, followed by an organic mask they make on the premises. Afterwards you can linger to bask in your glow over tea and fruit on one of their fountain dotted patios. For the west sider’s there’s El León on Beverly and for the east side lovers, check out Silverlake’s The Raven under the same ownership. Both ethereal spas will transport your spirits to somewhere far, far away.

Luxuriate with The Rock Star Treatment (Credit: The Raven)

Esotouric Tours’ “Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles“
Want to uncover the (mostly) undiscovered secrets of Los Angeles? Esotouric Tours offers five eclectic explorations of LA’s underbelly in its February “Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles” tour series, inspired by the works of prolific architectural critic Reyner Banham. Choose from five geographically-focused tours: South Los Angeles, The New Chinatowns, Boyle Heights, The Lowdown on Downtown, and Route 66. Added bonus: you can totally take food and drink (ahem, a great bottle of wine) on the bus.

Discover the Underbelly of Los Angeles (Credit: Esotouric Tours)

Love Is in The Air at Descanso Gardens
The La Cañada-Flintridge Descanso Gardens celebrates Valentine’s Day by offering sweethearts a garden “Tram Tour of Love,” mini backyard farming lessons, and a couples cooking class. On Saturday, Feb. 12 and Sunday, Feb. 13 at 4p, the tram tour gives couples a toast-worthy view of Descanso’s lush gardens, complete with two glasses of champagne or cider ($20/member couples, $35/non-member couples). During “Backyard Chicken and Bees” on Saturday, Feb. 12 from 10a to noon, farming expert John Lyons shares tips and tricks to beekeeping and raising chickens, essentially giving you the tools to turn your backyard into a mini-farm love-fest ($15/members, $25/non-members). Finally, Patina chef Ben Rios hosts the gardens’ “Cook Up Some Romance” class on Thursday, Feb. 10 from 1 to 4 p.m., teaching couples how to prepare the perfect roast chicken with veggie side dishes ($60, members only). Don’t worry if you’re not a member of Descanso Gardens; the tax-deductible annual membership is a reasonable $70 and only the cooking class requires it. And don’t miss the camelias that are in bloom this time of year.

Love Is In The Air At Descanso Gardens (Credit: Descanso Gardens)

Spend Some Time At FIG’s “Meat Market”
Too many of us have this problem: he wants a prime, aged piece of meat, and you’re craving the equivalent of a farmers market on a plate. A stuffy prix-fixe menu isn’t going to remedy that, but FIG’s Valentine’s Day Meat Market menu will. Chef Ray Garcia has put together a half-meat, half-market driven menu that will no doubt appeal to just about anyone’s sensibilities. The “Meat”-minded can choose between a selection of “Charcuterie,” “Snacks” like buffalo turkey wings with house-made blue cheese, California prime aged “Steaks,” “Bacon” dishes (careful, the bacon tacos are addictive), and “Offal and Tasty Bits” like braised tongue, chicharrones with hot sauce aioli, and duck heart tartare (because nothing says Valentine’s Day like literally sharing heart with your loved one). The “Market” side of the menu  plays to FIG’s traditional menu strengths with “Snacks” like young beets with Santa Barbara pistachios; “Starters” like Blistered County romaine salad, scarlet quinoa with butternut squash and Marcona almonds, “Entrees” including vegetable curry, warm Parmesan and avocado tart, and “Accompaniments” such as Weiser Farms‘ Romanesco with sage and hazelnuts, braised chestnuts with Kohlrabi, and eggplant with mint pesto and Sumac. Call (310) 319-3111 for reservations.

Finally, A Meat Market We Dig (Credit: Huffington Post)

Have A “Bad Ass” Valentine’s With The Magnum Crew
No time to plan something over the weekend or even on V-Day itself? No problem. On Tuesday, Feb. 15 and Wednesday, Feb. 16, chef Joseph Mahon (Bastide) and restaurateur/sommelier David Haskell (Bin8945, Le Cirque) are serving a $48/person, four-course ‘Pal Cabron’ (translation: “for the badass”) menu and optional (must have) $27/person wine pairing. Dishes include Pozole with romaine, lime and herbs; squid with chorizo; flank steak with cactus salad and chiles; and flan with pineapple and vanilla caramel sauce. If you’re still hungry, four additional courses are available for $8/each; or just pony up $72/person for the full eight-course meal and go crazy. Reservations are accepted starting Jan. 31 (today!) by emailing magnumdh@gmail.com or calling (323) 798-4648.

Fried Chicken at Magnum's Biergarten Dinner (Credit: Flickr/MyLastBite)