February 2016

Sophie's world
Photo: Claire Lawrie
Sophie at her East End club, Vout-O-Reenee's
Forget Valentine's Day cards, red roses
and expensive restaurants. Spread the
love like Sophie Parkin
February is the month of
Valentines, as if you didn't know,
and should be celebrated... but
differently.
I am sick of watching my
cleverbeautifulsingle friends
consumed by a marketing
ploy that sneers,"if you're so
successful how come you
haven't got, or worse, kept, a
lover? Failure!" So years ago I
started sending anonymous
cards to give them what, hope?
No, love. (Sorry, it was me.)
It's hell for us all, because
apparently if you are lucky
enough to have a lover, you
must buy roses, chocolates and
dinner at a fancy restaurant at
double prices, for one day only.
Each way we're all losers.
Why don't we change the
meaning of a day that excludes
so many, to include everyone?
Make it a day when we
celebrate our ability to love
in the true sense – whoever,
whatever. Don't just declare it
on social media, have a love-in,
tell friends and family, do a
public recital of Walt Whitman's
Leaves of Grass, a love poem to
the Universe.
This year at Vout-o-Reenees
(Saturday,13 February) we're
staging an anti-romance
evening of nudity, comedy
poetry and performance art that
will blast its way into Valentine's.
It's called HUSH. All singles
welcome and I promise to do no
match-making, for one day only.
The next day, the Dutch
husband and I will do the
things we love. This may or
may not include a walk along
the river; a cycle to Pellicci's,
my favourite café; the Bethnal
Green Museum of Childhood
for the dolls houses. Or... a walk
up Brick Lane for a new vintage
hat; to Chez Elles for a Kir
Royale brunch with my grownup
kids and mum, followed by
The Carpenters Arms, Cheshire
Street, for a drink with friends,
and a movie at Rich Mix in
between.
Or we may go for a swim and
before lights out, I'll whisper
one of the poems I wrote to
my husband when we first met,
thereby fitting in all the things I
love most.
So forget about cards this
Valentine's. Fill your day full of
love, with things you love and
people you love. Be happy,
practise random smiles at
strangers, and love yourself in
doing what you love most.
Sophie Parkin is an author and
owner of vout-o-reenees.com
14 LOVEEAST