Ah yes, Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching and you have to find something to do with that special someone. I thought I’d share my plan and expand on one of the Valentine’s Day ideas Scott shared earlier , because Opera Columbus has covered me for part of the weekend. I’ll be attending the opening performance of Romeo & Juliet at the Ohio Theatre with my girlfriend. Performances take place Friday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. Tickets are available here .

Tip: I was able to get my tickets on the cheap. As Opera Columbus shared on their Facebook page , if you use code FANS when buying your tickets, you’ll get a 20% discount.

And I’ll leave you with a fun fact -  the leads, Jonathan Boyd and Malinda Haslett, are a real life married couple. Brian Banion (Friar Lawrence) and Elise DesChamps (Stephano) are also a married couple. Love will certainly be in the air on stage.

Photo: CATCO

In Kelly’s last post about giving the gift of a Columbus experience, she mentioned a handful of local favorites.

One she didn’t mention, however, is one I had the opportunity to check out: The Santaland Diaries , presented by the Contemporary American Theatre Company (a.k.a. CATCO).

Last Friday, CAPA Columbus gave away tickets from their Twitter account . I was among a few participants who won, which made my day; I was excited to see this show.

The Santaland Diaries is a story by humorist David Sedaris about his time spent as a Macy’s elf in New York City, when he was also a struggling writer. Jon Putnam, returning for his fourth year as this character, gives a stunningly convincing performance as David Sedaris.

Filled with off-color humor and observations on how strange and deranged people can be during the holiday season, The Santaland Diaries is perfect for anyone looking for laughs. And if you consider yourself a bit of Grinch, chances are good you’ll enjoy it, too.

While I was at the performance I forgot it was theater, as the setting and encouraged participation from the audience made me feel as though a good friend was recounting a horrifyingly hilarious life experience.

The show runs through December 27. For details and tickets, click here .

Stay tuned for more on holiday experiences in Columbus. Up next, Irene will be here to share her recommendation.

Photo: CAPA Columbus

Recently, my day was made when I heard that No Reservations: An Evening with Anthony Bourdain will be at the Palace Theatre on November 21.

When I was in college, I discovered Anthony Bourdain through two books: Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly and A Cooks Tour: In Search of the Perfect Meal . I love to cook and I’m an avid reader, so I became hooked. I started looking into all things Anthony Bourdain - whatever I could find on YouTube, the Food Network, and the Travel Channel. I’ve been a fan ever since.

What I have come to expect through Bourdain’s writing and television programming is to expect the unexpected, and to be honest, I’m not exactly sure what’s in store for his performance at the Palace Theatre. Will he do a cooking demonstration or give a lecture on travel and the culinary arts? I’m not sure, but I do know it’s sure to be insightful, irreverent and brutally honest to the point of hilarity.

Tickets are still available for the show - click here to buy, and I’ll see you there.