Dinner and (Ballroom) Dancing with your Valentine

Valentine’s Day is Monday. (Pause while men everywhere scramble to make plans.) And since the national day of romance is on that day this year, most couples will likely celebrate it over this weekend. But for those of you wishing to do something fun and romantic on February 14 proper, you’re in luck.

The second Monday night of each month, Grand Central features live music by Bill Hanna’s Vintage Dance Band. This twenty-piece orchestra, which will feature vocalists Renee Ebalaroza and Vic Plati, will play the tunes that are perfect for ballroom dancing. Grab your dance partner and do the foxtrot, waltz, cha cha, rumba, salsa, and more.

I went to one of these events at Grand Central a little over a year ago and had a ball. (Pun intended.) The cool part about it is that the organizers offer complimentary dance lessons from 7 to 7:45 p.m. My girlfriend and I, along with about ten other couples, took advantage of this to try to right our two left feet. So by the time the event formally started at 8 p.m.—and the place had filled up with couples of all ages—I had memorized “one-two, step” and had learned just enough to not trip over my feet.

There’s a cash bar and you can also order food. This Monday features a special Valentine’s Day menu that includes shrimp cocktail, chicken tenders, vegetable spring rolls, mini crab cakes, oven roasted chicken breast with rice pilaf and sautéed vegetables, grilled chicken tomato Alfredo penne pasta, and more as well as a dessert sampler. So you can enjoy a night of dinner, drinks, music, and dancing all under one roof. Grand Central is a beautiful place, if you’ve never been.

Bill Hanna’s Vintage Dance Band: Monday, February 14 (and second Monday night of each month), 7 p.m. dance lessons; 8 p.m. showtime. $10 admission. Grand Central, 1000 Central Ave., grandcentralevents.com. RSVP to deborah@grandcentralevents.com or 704-373-1699.