Even in the city that never sleeps, it’s easy to bunker down when you’re flying solo and the temperature in your bed is as cold as it is outside. Sometimes a fresh perspective is exactly what you need to stumble upon an unexpected romance. Valentine’s Day may come and go, but you should still make time for yourself this winter. Enjoy one of these five NYC area activities and who knows? Maybe Cupid’s arrow will sail across the river and find you.
What: Meditation Workshop
Where: Mala Yoga, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn
When: February 26th
Why: Quiet your mind for an evening with Ricki Jean Trink, who will guide you through breath work and imagery to recharge your Fourth Chakra (also known as the heart center). When you awaken, you may just have a bit more clarity about what direction your love life should be headed.
Cost: $29, click here to register
How to get there: F/G to Bergen Street, 4/5/2/3/N/R to Borough Hall
What: The Caribbean Garden
Where: The New York Botanical Garden, the Bronx
When: Through February 27th
Why: Lush foliage will transport you to a tropical paradise in the newly refurbished Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Every Saturday features a garden photography expert on hand to demonstrate some of the best techniques for shooting flowers and foliage. And who knows what else you may capture.
Cost: $10 for an All-Garden Pass, click here for tickets.
How to get there: By Metro-North Railroad: Take the Metro-North Harlem local line to Botanical Garden Station. Walk across Kazimiroff Boulevard to the Garden’s Mosholu Gate entrance. Just 20 minutes from Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. By Subway: Take the B, D, or 4 train to Bedford Park Blvd Station. From the station exit: Take the Bx 26 bus east to the Garden’s Mosholu Gate entrance, OR walk eight blocks down the hill on Bedford Park Blvd to the end (approximately 20 minutes). Turn left onto Kazimiroff Blvd and walk one block to Mosholu Gate entrance.
What: Wine 101 & 102
Where: Bin 14, Hoboken
When: December 12, 21, 26
Why: Feel like a corked bottle when your date orders a Gruner Veltliner and you say Gesundheit? Head to Hoboken for one of Bin 14’s introductory wine classes.
Cost: From $45, click here to register
How to get there: Take the ferry from Midtown/W38 St or World Financial Center to Hoboken/14th St. Walk west on 14th St for three blocks and take a left on Washington St. Bin 14 is at 1314 Washington St.
What: Feast of Good
Where: The Brooklyn Kitchen
When: March 14th
Why: Join one of the premier boutique destinations in the Northeast as they descend upon Brooklyn to present a one-night-only 4-course dinner with wine pairings, featuring a different chef taking on each course and a sommelier presenting off-beat pairings perfect for the super-hip Brooklyn Kitchen environment. An Uncommonly Good evening of food, friendship and community.
Cost: $75/per person, click here for tickets
How to get there: The Brooklyn Kitchen is located at 100 Frost St. Take the L to Lorimer and exit at Lorimer and Metropolitan. Go North on Lorimer, right on Meeker Ave., and right on Frost St.
What: Lisa Kudrow and The Comeback
Where: The Musuem of the Moving Image, Queens
When: February 23, 7pm
Why: Meet a fellow couch-potato for a pilot screening of the brilliant and short-lived series, The Comeback, followed by a talk-back session with Kudrow herself and Tod Lippy, editor of Esopus.
Cost: $10/Museum members, $20/non-members, click here for tickets
How to get there: Take the R/V train to Steinway
Photos in order: Courtesy of newbird1
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.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
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