With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, men around New Bedford will be squirming to satisfy their lady’s need to be loved on 14 February. There is a good chance that some men will forget Valentine’s Day and suffer the consequence of sleeping on the couch. Most men will make a feeble attempt at declaring their love by simply going through the motions by taking their lady out to dinner at the same tired places.

Guys, here are eight great date ideas to ensure your Valentine’s Day not only goes smoothly, but ensures your lady throws you into bed instead of the couch.

1. Carabiners Indoor Rock Climbing (website) – Rock climbing can be fun date. Since opening in 2004, Carabiners has been offering New Bedford residents a fun way to exercise. It also provides a great venue for an active date.

2. Ice Skating – Ice skating can be a fun, romantic time. The only problem is Hetland Ice Skating Rink in New Bedford (310 Hathaway Blvd, 508-999-9051) is only open to the public from 12:30 to 2:30pm on 14 February. If you are having a lunch date this may be the place for you.

3. Spend the day Downtown for AHA! – AHA! (Art • History • Architecture) is one of the best events each month in New Bedford, and this month’s “Ha Ha on AHA!” falls on Valentine’s Day. Their full schedule of events can be found at: http://ahanewbedford.org/calendar.html.

4. Visit a Museum or Art Gallery – New Bedford offers outstanding museums and galleries. Here are the places you should consider:

• Gallery X – 169 William Street – (508) 992-2675
• Artworks! – 384 Acushnet Avenue, (508) 984-1588 ‎
• Arthur Moniz Art Gallery – 22 William Street, (508) 997-8644 ‎
• Judith Klein Art Gallery – 752 A Purchase Street, (508) 965-7396 ‎
• New Bedford Museum of Glass – 61 Wamsutta Street, (508) 984-1666
• TL6 the Gallery – 100 William Street, (508) 992-8100
• UGLYgallery – 246 Union Street, (508) 264-5747
• Crowell’s Fine Art – 382 Acushnet Avenue, (508) 992-5231‎

5. Couples Massage – You can’t go wrong with a couples massage. The best location for a couple massage is Gloria and Company on 211 Alden Road in Fairhaven. It costs $160 per couple for 1 hour.

6. Wine Tasting at Crush Fine Wines – Enjoy a FREE wine tasting and discount on your wine orders at Crush Fine Wines on 801 Purchase Street! The “Battle of the Sexy’s” Wine Tasting is from 6-7:30 pm. You must be 21 years old to attend and RSVP at events@crushfinewine.com.

7. Chocolate Primer & Sampling at the New Bedford Whaling Museum – It’s no secret that women love chocolate, even more so on Valentine’s Day! The event is from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m at the Whaling Museum on 18 Johny Cake Hill. The free public event will feature talks by two chocolate historians and sampling of authentic colonial chocolate beverage recipes. Full details here.

8. Dinner at a Nice Restaurant – If you don’t have a reservation at one of these restaurant, you may be too late. These places offer some fine dining and the perfect atmosphere for your date.

• The Candleworks Restaurant – Outstanding atmosphere and quality food.
• Cork Wine and Tapas Bar – Romantic atmosphere and unique menu items.
• The Waterfront Grille – Outstanding atmosphere and quality food.
• Cafe Balena (24 North Water Street) – Romantic atmosphere
• The Pasta House (Fairhaven) – Outstanding atmosphere and quality food.
• The Urban Grille – 774 Purchase Street, New Bedford- Ken Richards will be playing live.

9. Charter a Private Scenic Air Tour – Guys trying to pull out all the stops can charter a scenic flight with Atlantic Aviation at the New Bedford Airport. The cost is $195/hour or $135 per 1/2 hour. They offer three tours:

• Route # 1. Newport Mansions – Newport Bridge
• Route # 2: Cape Cod Bridges – Woods Hole
• Route # 3. Gillette Stadium – Boston – Providence

Contact info: (508) 979-7878, (774) 226-5189 or (774) 226-6434 (Mobile) ‎

10. Make a Reservation at a Nice Hotel – Here is a list of excellent hotels and bed and breakfasts in the area:

• Fairfield Inn & Suites New Bedford
• Hampton Inn Fairhaven
• Davenport House Bed & Breakfast
• Orchard Street Manor
• Captain Haskell’s Octagon House
• Melville House Bed And Breakfast
• Wayfarer Bed & Breakfast
• Baggins End Guest House
• The Mattapoisett Inn
• Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast

Extra Credit: Order Your Netflix or Redbox Movie Early – Don’t be a buffoon and wait until the last minute to order a romantic movie. I recommend Shakespeare in Love, The Notebook, Moulin Rouge, Casablanca, Ghost or Sixteen Candles. Here is a good Top 50 list.

Plan your Valentine’s day early and take your date out somewhere special. It’s up to you whether Cupid’s arrow strikes your lady in the heart…or you in the groin.

Quite a few people recently asked me if I read the New York Times article, “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body.” As a yoga instructor and practitioner, it was a tough article to ignore. In the wake of this article many people have written about its inaccuracy. Although it does give some over the top examples of yoga related injuries, it also brings up a good question: when is yoga harmful?

The article discussed various injuries that people suffered while doing yoga, but like all physical activities the risk of injury is real. In fact, walking into my living room is a risk when the light is off and if I forgot where I left my shoes (whoops). The point being, with mindfulness I won’t trip over my shoes. In a yoga class we ask students to be mindful; every day brings different thoughts, ideas, and even different levels of flexibility and strength.

In yoga philosophy, the term “ahimsa” means “non-violence” and is part of the 8-limbs of yoga in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Ahisma can be interpreted in many ways including non-violence to animals, the environment, others, and/or one’s self. You should bring the idea of not harming yourself into every one of your practices. Listening to the cues that your body is signaling to you is a way to keep yourself safe. While in a yoga class wanting to take the pose to the next level can be overwhelming, but with mindfulness and the thought of ahimsa you can take it to a place that can be a challenge, while at the same time keeping you from pain or injury. Looking inward and really defining your practice is a healthy way to keep you on your mat and advancing. Yoga is not just about getting into arm balances and crazy twists, but creating a healthy balance physically and mentally.

The most important part of a yoga class, for me, is to have a fun and safe practice. A yoga practice is something that is on going, so enjoy the journey and have fun. Otherwise, what’s the point?

Please join me for classes on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 5:45pm at Synergy Physical Therapy (17 Sarahs Way, Fairhaven), and for more details please check out www.southcoastyoga.net.

The Dock-u-mentaries film series continues Friday, February 17th at 7 PM with two silent films. The Sailor’s Sacrifice is a short (13 minute) romance drama by the Vitagraph Company shot in 1909 southern Maine. A sailor leaves his family to go to sea and is thought lost when his boat sinks. The family loses its home and the young woman has to dig clams with her dog Jean. Our evening feature is the ever popular Down to the Sea in Ships (83 minutes long). This whaling drama is most famous as the screen debut of Clara Bow. Besides that, it is also solid entertainment, offering both the best (documentary-like scenes of a whale being gutted) and the worst (some scenery-devouring histrionics) that silent film had to offer. Shot on location in New Bedford and New England in 1922, the intertitles are sprinkled with quotes from Moby Dick and other whaling books.

Dock-U-Mentaries is a co-production of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park and the Working Waterfront Festival. Films about the working waterfront will be screened on the third Friday of each month beginning at 7:00 PM in the theater of the Corson Maritime Learning Center, located at 33 William Street in downtown New Bedford. All programs are open to the public and presented free of charge.

On Sunday, February 12, from 1 – 4pm, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park will mark the 150th anniversary of the Civil War with a day of talks on the Stone Fleet, discussion of Melville’s poem on the Stone Fleet, and a special appearance by the park’s 1850s ladies. All of the day’s activities are free and take place at the Corson Maritime Learning Center located at 33 William Street in downtown New Bedford, Massachusetts. The program is as follows:

1:00 PM – In December of 1861, the federal government purchased twenty-one New Bedford whaling ships with the purpose of sinking them and blockading Charleston and Savannah Harbors. The project, now known as the ―”Stone Fleet”, has been called a debacle and a failure. But was it truly a failure? Find out the full story when graduate student, librarian and former park ranger George Ripley V provides the details about this story that bring it to life.

2:00-3:00 PM – Dr. Mary K. Bercaw-Edwards will give a talk entitled, ―Herman Melville, the Stone Fleet, and the Judgment of History.‖ Dr. Mary K. Bercaw Edwards is an Associate Professor of English and Maritime Studies Faculty at the University of Connecticut. A Herman Melville scholar, she spends a great deal of time in New Bedford, where the Melville Society Archive is located. She also works at Mystic Seaport, where she spends her days climbing aloft on the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan. In addition, she holds a Coast Guard captain’s license and has accumulated 58,000 miles at sea, all under sail.

3:00 -4:00 PM – Ruth and Abby, the 1850s ladies, will discuss the Lincoln-Douglass debates. Hear out what made these debates so important to our country over 150 years ago, and discover how these issues resonate with us to this today. Their presentation is a part of an entire schedule of events leading up to the stage performance of The Rivalry at the Zeiterion Theater, New Bedford, on Sunday, February 12 at 8:00 PM. The Rivalry is a riveting depiction of the Lincoln-Douglas debates, using dialogue from the original debate transcripts to bring to life the fierce competition between the future President and the incumbent Senator as they tackled the day’s most controversial issues. The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center, The New Bedford Civil War Round Table, The Fort Tabor Military Museum, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, and the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick together commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the American Civil War.

For more information on other Civil War related events, visit www.nps.gov/nebe or www.nbhistoricalsociety.org.

Have you ever wondered what the Seamen’s Bethel really is? Have you wondered why it was built to begin with? The Port Society, in conjunction with New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, is proud to announce special Seamen’s Bethel tours each Monday afternoon.

The tours start at New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park visitor center, 33 William Street, downtown New Bedford, where, beginning promptly at 1:00pm, a Port Society volunteer will offer a guided tour of this historic and much-photographed New Bedford building. No tickets are required, and admission is free.

You can also read more about the Seamen’s Bethel here.

The Buzzards Bay Coalition will present the first Buzzards Bay Film Festival (BBFF) on Sunday, November 11, 2012, at the Zeiterion Theater in New Bedford.

The BBFF will consider entries from all film makers, from first-timers, professionals, students and hobbyists. All film types are eligible, including features, shorts, dramas, documentaries, animation, and smartphone videos, as long as some portion of them were shot on the Bay or in its watershed, have the Bay as their subject, or promote the Bay’s preservation and restoration.

The Festival will feature a crowd-sourced film, “The People’s History of Buzzards Bay,” assembled from the public’s contributions of pictures, slides, and videos that depict important historic or personal places and events in the Bay’s history. Video submissions must be between thirty seconds and three minutes long. Festival editors will assemble the entries into a film that will premier at the Festival.

“The Festival is part of our year-long celebration of the Coalition’s 25th anniversary, and ‘The People’s History’ will ensure this will be a festival about Buzzards Bay, by the people of Buzzards Bay,” said Festival Director Tom Gidwitz. “Entries can be serious or funny, and the potential subjects are virtually limitless. For example, a film maker could describe the disappearance of the glaciers, the arrival of Bartholomew Gosnold or places and events in their own families’ lives.”

Festival judges will award a cash prize for Best Film of the Festival and for the best films by college, high school and middle school students.

The BBFF is also holding a cash prize contest for the best 30-second Public Service Announcement about nitrogen pollution. “Nitrogen pollution is an insidious threat to our bays and coves, but people’s eyes often glaze over when they hear about it. We’re looking for new, inventive ways to get the message out,” Gidwitz said.

Festival sponsors include New Bedford’s Jay Lanagan’s restaurants, mediumstudio, and First Priority Media of Cranston, Rhode Island.

Submissions to “The People’s History of Buzzards Bay” are free, but for all other films submitted there is a $10 entry fee. All entrants will receive a membership in the Buzzards Bay Coalition and a link on the film festival’s website to their own website or Facebook page.

Deadline for entry is October 10, 2012.

For more information, see the festival’s website at www.buzzardsbayfilmfestival.org.

Last March, New Bedford Guide featured a bone marrow drive for Baby Chloe, who at 4-months years-old was the youngest child in the state of Massachusetts with Acute Lymphatic Leukemia (ALL). By April a bone marrow match was found, thanks to thousands of people registering with the bone marrow registry. Now there is another young girl that needs our help.

On April 14, 2008, Somerset’s Scarlett Isidoro was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Scarlett spent the last three years in remission, but unfortunately relapsed on January 5th, 2011 and immediately began chemotherapy on January 7th, 2012. She currently resides in the hospital at the Tuff Floating Hospital for Children, and her only hope for a cure is a bone marrow transplant. Please join us in the fight to help the thousands of patients like Scarlett. You have the power to heal the power to save a life by joining the bone marrow registry.

On Feb 4th, 2012 there is a Bone Marrow Drive at St. Louis de France Parish, Church Hall (56 Buffington Street, Swansea, MA) from 10am-2pm to register to become a donor, or visit BETHEMATCH.org to receive your free home kit. Registering is painless and is a simple cotton swab rubbed against the inside of a cheek.

Please feel free to stay update with Scarlett at: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/scarlett

There is also a bone marrow drive from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm at:

Dartmouth Town High School
555 Bakerville Rd
South Dartmouth MA, 02748

On Saturday, February 11, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park will celebrate the 194th birthday of New Bedford’s most famous orator and abolitionist, Frederick Douglass. The park will celebrate Douglass and his legacy, from Civil War to civil rights, by showing films, hosting a panel discussion, and showcasing a poetry slam and live music . All of the day’s activities are free and take place at the Corson Maritime Learning Center located at 33 William Street in downtown New Bedford, Massachusetts. For a complete schedule of activities, stop by the National Park Visitor Center or visit the park on the web at www.nps.gov/nebe.

• 10:00 a.m – 12:00 noon – Exploring the Home Port: The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass, and videos by YAP! (Youth Ambassador Program)
• 1:00-2:00 PM: Satellite Panel Discussion on Frederick Douglass hosted by Dr. Edna Medford of Howard University with representatives from New Bedford and Maryland, in collaboration with Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Maryland.
• 2:30 – Poetry Slam featuring Jibreel Khazan, Erik Andrade, Raena Camacho, and Frederick Douglass-Knowles II, Live music by Afrika Rainbow and YAP! (Youth Ambassador Program)

Frederick Douglass escaped slavery and made his first home in freedom in New Bedford. He was one 300-700 escaped slaves who called New Bedford home between 1840 and 1860. To learn more about New Bedford’s Underground Railroad history visit www.nps.gov/nebe or www.nbhistoricalsociety.org.

On Sunday, February 5th at 6:20pm EST, the New England Patriots will take on the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, Indiana.  New Bedford bars are gearing up to provide patrons the best experience possible. Here is a list of the best bars in New Bedford to watch the Super Bowl based on HD TV inventory, food/drink specials and capacity.

Rose Alley Ale House | 94 Front St. | New Bedford MA 02740 | (508) 858-5123
Number of TV’s: 9 HD
Food Specials: All-you-can-tenders for $6.50 per person
Drink Specials: Beer Pitcher Specials
Capacity: 149
Win a $100 Rose Ally Gift card by playing our Super Bowl contest.

Knucklehead’s Bar & Grill | 85 MacArthur Dr New Bedford MA 02740 | (508) 984-8149
Number of TV’s: 15 HD, 5 Big Screen
Food Specials: Half Time Buffet, prizes and give-aways. 9-12pm late night pub menu: 25 cents wings, 50 cents flavored, $2 Cup of Chili with Chips, $1.50 Homemade Onion Rings, $3 Bacon Cheese Fries, two Chili Cheese Dogs for $3, and one topping pizza for $4,  two topping pizza for $5.
Drink Specials: Bucket of beer and cheese pizza: Domestic: $16, Foreign: $19. 50 cents extra toppings. Absolute Vodka Mountain Due for $3.
Capacity: 95

Strikers Sports Bar and Grille (Wonder Bowl) | 66 Hathaway Road New Bedford, MA 02746 | 508-993-1746
Number of TV’s: 14 HD, including 115” Projection
Food Specials: Daily specials
Drink Specials: Beer specials every month
Capacity: 120

Hibernia Irish Pub | 109 William Street, New Bedford, MA 02746 | (508) 984-4423
Number of TV’s: 16 HD
Food Specials: 25 Cent wings, all-you-can-eat
Capacity: 99

Pier 37 | 37 Union Street, New Bedford, MA 02746 | (508) 990-0117
Number of TV’s: 4 HD
Food Specials: FREE half-time buffet
Capacity: 90

Endzone Sports Pub | 218 Coggeshall St. New Bedford, MA 02746 | (508) 997-7309
Number of TV’s: 7 HD
Capacity: 100

Miller’s Homeport | 24 Cove Rd New Bedford MA 02744 | (508) 992-1311
Number of TV’s: 12 HD
Capacity: 99

Other Cities:

Ice Chest Bar & Grille | 136 Huttleston Ave. Fairhaven MA 02719 | (508) 992-BEER.
Number of TV’s: 6 HD
Capacity: 196

Rasputin’s Tavern | 122 Main St. Fairhaven MA 02719 | (508) 858-5490
Number of TV’s: 8 HD
Food Specials:  Scallops and Steak $15
Drink Specials: $1 drafts, $3 shots
Capacity: 99

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell announced that the City of New Bedford Office of Housing and Community Development and the Fall River / New Bedford Housing Partnership, will host a no-cost, Credit 101 Workshop. This workshop will provide valuable tips for setting goals and planning for your financial future. It will offer guidance on such topics as the meaning of a credit report to your financial future, how to obtain and re-establish credit, and the amount of debt you can comfortably afford.  Mayor Mitchell said, “I encourage area residents to take advantage of the opportunity to become more effective managers of their personal finances.  The skills they will gain at the workshop can make a huge difference to their financial security over time.”

The workshop will be held on Wednesday, February 1st at the Fort Taber Community Center at 1000 Rodney French Boulevard, New Bedford, MA 02744. Registration begins at 5:00 pm and a presentation will be held at 5:30 pm. In addition, Credit counselors will be on hand beginning at 5:00 pm to meet one on one with individuals until 7:00 pm. Informational packages will also be available for anyone who attends.

Prior to the event, anyone attending is asked to obtain a “Free” annual credit report from https://www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling 877-322-8228.

Participating agencies for the Fall River/New Bedford Housing Partnership include BankFive; BayCoast Bank, Bristol County Savings Bank; Bristol Elder Services; Catholic Social Services; Fall River Affordable Housing Corporation;

Fall River Community Development Agency; Fannie Mae; First Citizens’ Federal Credit Union; MassHousing; Mechanics Cooperative Bank; Money Management International; Neighborhood Housing Services of the South Shore; City of New Bedford Office of Housing & Community Development; Rockland Trust; South Coastal Counties Legal Services; South Shore Housing; and St. Anne’s Credit Union.

The Fall River/New Bedford Housing Partnership, founded in 2007, was formed to address the housing and foreclosure crisis.  The partnership looks to provide assistance to individuals and families facing a risk of foreclosure by providing foreclosure prevention counseling, as well as educate consumers about financial literacy, credit worthiness and innovative loan products, including purchase and rehabilitation programs.

To pre-register for the Credit Workshop please call 800-643-2272 or for additional information, please contact the City of New Bedford Office of Housing and Community Development at 508-979-1500.