Where To Avoid Valentines Day in New Zealand

"You cannot be cute at Ponsonby International Food Court. You just can’t. Whether you’re chowing down on ramen noodles or demolishing a pad thai, you’re guaranteed to get sauce on your face, coriander in your teeth, and yes, you will start heaving from an overzealous chilli courtesy of the friendly Malaysian. And let’s be honest, no one orders a curry and stays cute throughout a date night and gets away with it. This is why the food-court can be declared a Valentines Day free zone. Come Saturday afternoon and you’re starving from dodging the all-day couple brunches at local cafes, head to the food court for some seriously good kai and a breath of valentines-day-free-air."

"Whether (most) people like to admit it or not, they often work out to impress other people. If they are willing, this ‘impressing’ usually lands them a Valentines date. This means that on Valentines Day the gym can be considered a lovers free zone. You can work on your abs, glutes, and other body bits and bobs with ease, no fear of stumbling across a loved up pair hovering by the treadmill. Les Mills will be a top pick for you come the 14th, with plenty of training sessions and dance classes on offer, which you can top of with a sauna or a deep tissue massage. Who says you need a spouse to pamper yourself, Less Mills will do it for you."

"There’s nothing like good food, good people and a great local vibe to distract you from Valentines Day. The Pakuranga Night Markets brings all of this and then some to you, making it the ideal escape on that particularly soppy Saturday. Couples will be lost amongst the crowd and there will be little time for romance as the vendors hustle and bustle between hungry customers. You can wander around without a care in the world, with not a single trace of Valentines Day paraphernalia catching your eye. Visit your favourite stalls, try a little something out of your comfort zone, perhaps the grilled octopus skewers, who’s stopping you?"