Valentine options

IF the idea of coughing up big bucks this Valentine's Day has you breaking out in a cold sweat and fervently wishing Cupid's arrow had struck someone else, we've got you covered. Forgo the cliched candlelit dinner and delve into some other options this Valentine weekend - ones that won't break the bank, or your date's heart.

For the movie buffs out there, the first-ever French drive-in movie event titled P.S. I Love You (but not after the Hollywood movie of the same name) will be held on Feb 13 from 5.30pm to 11pm at the open field between Tanjong Rhu Road and Tanjong Rhu View (www.psiloveyou.sg). It will be free to attend.

Organised to celebrate the 10 years of partnership between Citroen and Cycle & Carriage, the event will feature a food fair, games and activities, and a picnic, as well as a screening of French movie Priceless.

The Pierre Salvadori-directed romantic comedy which stars Audrey Tautou and Gad Elmaleh is said to be inspired by the classic 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Dave Wong, Citroen sales & marketing manager, said: "We chose to do this as a drive-in show because cars aren't just an experience on the road, and this helps us convey that message by getting Singapore drivers to spend time with their loved ones under the stars."

For the homebodies out there who can think of nothing better than curling up with a good book at home, BooksActually have specially curated three-book bundles on sale at 9 Yong Siak Street on Feb 13 and 14 from 11am to 7pm (www.booksactuallyshop.com).

There are five bundles priced at S$69 apiece, with a variety of titles on offer. For example, one of the bundles, each of which also includes a glass bottle filled with saga seeds and a typewritten note, contains Sexus by Henry Miller, Making Love with Scrabble Tiles by Joshua Ip, and The Lover's Inventory by Cyril Wong.

Qingyi Kiu from BooksActually said: "In curating the book bundles, we sought to look at the theme of love from various angles.

So on top of picking out books for the over-the-top romantic, we tried to cater for those jaded by love; those who venture into its uncharted waters and those who simply need a big literary hug."

For literary lovers who'd rather someone else do the heavy-lifting, Speakeasy by Artistry is back for its third edition on Feb 12 at 17 Jalan Pinang at 8pm (www.speakeasy.peatix.com). For S$10, you can listen to 12 Singaporean artists, writers, teachers and more like Joshua Ip, Jason Wee and Verena Tay share their favourite love poems. And they guarantee it won't be all Shakespeare, either.

Pooja Nansi, curator of the event since 2013, said: "We normally feature one or two poets or writers at Speakeasy events, but for this Valentine's Day edition, we've invited many more. Instead of original work, they'll be reading other artists' works about love, or even anti-love. I think someone's even reading something written by Snoop Dogg!"

If you'd like a little more involvement and a greener thumb, you could check out the Miniature Garden Workshop for Couples held at Singapore Botanic Gardens' Botany Centre (www.nparks.gov.sg).

There are two sessions on Feb 13 and 14 from 10am to 1pm, costing S$100 per couple. The workshop focuses on the basics of garden design and plant selection for a miniature garden, but all skills acquired are fully transferable to a more sizeable one too.

And for music lovers - a free concert at the Singapore Botanic Gardens called Valentine's Day 2016: A Bandstand music series, on Feb 13 and 14 from 6pm to 10pm promises to be a crowdpuller.

Held at the Bandstand, performances on Saturday will include The Lorong Boys, HubbaBubbas, and Diverse Attention while Ken Loh, Afterhours, and Jack & Rai will take to the stage on Sunday.

With the wealth of activities out there next weekend, there's really no excuse not to spend time (but not money) with your special someone.