When one usually thinks of Valentine’s Day, it’s thought of as a day of poetry, wine, candy and roses, or candlelight dinners. Here are some other alternatives that will bring back fond memories for years to come.

Bosco’s has a couple’s dinner with a specialized menu that is priced at $75 a couple, or at $10 per item a la carte. The couple’s dinner menu starts out with shrimp martinis. The main courses are New York Strip Carpaccio, Bourbon pecan chicken, pesto cream shrimp and a center cut filet mignon. Seafood choices include grilled diver scallops or grilled lobster tail. Dessert choices are the Meyer lemon or triple chocolate cake. Reservations are required and need to be made in advance to ensure that there is a table available.  To make reservations, please call (785) 232-6726 Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. or from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Bosco’s is located downstairs at 435 Kansas Avenue.

Release your inner zombie at the Zombie Valentine Massacre and Masquerade Ball at the Boobie Trap featuring C-Fouric Acid, Pirahna Gang, Evil Intensions, Kloud Sity, Mental Breakdown, Wazteland Warriors, Twisted Freak and Kansas Prairie Killaz on February 3 and 4 from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Boobie Trap is located at 6th and Washburn. Prizes will be awarded at the masquerade ball as well.

Another Valentine’s Day twist is to go on a historic ghost tour in North Topeka where you could walk about and possibly see some paranormal activity. At $17 per person, is a two-hour tour that starts at the North Star Restaurant at 1100 North 25th Street. Some of the sights that are listed on the tour include the Great Overland Station, the Moose Lodge, and the Rochester Cemetery, where one could find one of Topeka’s most famous local urban legends, the ghost of an albino woman. To purchase tickets or to find more information about other ghost tours, please call (785) 851-0856, or visit their website at www.ghosttoursofkansas.com.

If romance, wine and roses are more one’s style there are many places to obtain these items.  Porterfield’s Flowers at 3101 SW Huntoon, not far from Washburn’s campus, have plenty of fresh flowers. Matrot Winery at 6424 SW Huntoon provides free wine tastings on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Local wine and fresh flowers could be the perfect addition to anyone’s Valentine’s day.