What: A Beginner Salsa Class
Where: Salsa Salsa Dance Studio,55 Fourth Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
When: February 14th, 7:30PM
Why: Valentine’s Day in New York can be a tricky affair. With a committed relationship, there’s pressure building each year to top whatever it was you did the prior V-Day. Usually something more expensive, clever, and well-planned. Then there comes a moment when you realize you don’t have to try as hard anymore. Now, you’re considering a prix-fixe dinner, a previously consulted gift exchange, and that’s about it.
OR, you could really spice things up. Even for the couple who met two months ago on the NYU campus, Match.com (do people still use this?), Hinge, Bumble, Grindr, Tinder, or Craigslist “casual encounters.” The last thing either of you want is an evening at the Lincoln Center or another night at the bar..
The solution for both pairs is just over the bridge to a place called The Salsa Salsa Dance Studio, which is conveniently located near Atlantic Terminal and, therefore most train lines. Here, Valentine’s Day coincides with their weekly beginner class so love birds can spend a night in each other’s arms, surrounded by expert instructors that know all about throwing down on the dance floor.
Forego the quiet meal, the awkward chamber music. Instead, sweat, get close to, and have fun with the current flame in your life. If the Latin groove stays with you after the 14th, Salsa Salsa Studio offers memberships and classes at all levels. That way you can live by the credo of all great lovers: “When in doubt, Salsa.”
How to get there: Take the 2,3, 4, 5, D, N, R, or W to Atlantic Terminal. More at salsasalsadancestudio.com.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
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Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram