By Marzia Ferraris
ROME, Feb. 15 - Valentine's
Day is a day for couples to display their love publicly, going out
for dinner, showering each other with gifts and, maybe, feel more in love than
ever.
What about people without a special someone?
Meet Massimigliano Pellegrini, co-owner of Forte e Chiaro, a Trastevere restaurant that created an occasion for singles and protesters alike. The idea? 'Anti San.Valentino' , for single men and women who desire to enjoy their evening. Alone.
Pellegrini, a 28-year-old Roman, has been running Forte e Chiaro for four months. The menu has few dishes, but the quality is guaranteed gourmet.
For ‘Anti Valentines day’ dinner there two menus, designated as "menu 1" and "menu 3". Basta "2" for this evening, Pellegrini explained. Forte e Chiaro is known to do things differently from the other usual restaurants in the ancient part of Rome. They like to be unique, and noticed for their originality.
As for Pellegrini, he says he believes in love, yet he finds it hard to consider a true relationship
real in this age. Pellegrini has fallen in love once, and only
then did he consider himself ‘fidanzato’. He does not consider
the other women he dates his girlfriends, he adds. Feb. 14
for Pellegrini is just like any other day of the year. He never had
the time nor desire to celebrate it, he says. The most he ever did was to buy his
girlfriend flowers and take her out for dinner, he adds.
Pellegrini believes Valentine’s Day is an excuse for people to sell and buy a lot of chocolate. He thinks it is too commercialized. Pellegrini is taking a bit of a risk by going against this day of love.
As for his love life?
Pellegrini says he would go out to dinner with his partner for Valentines Day. Only he is working. Somebody has to make cater to singles for 'Anti San Valentino'.
When everybody aim to a target (couples) it's a good idea to look at the opposite side :-) less competition but, in this case, a lot of people anyway..
Posted by: Valentine | February 02, 2010 at 12:51 PM