One hundred forty-three reasons why — assuming you’re single — you should cram for Valentine’s Day by checking out Progressive Daters’ Fourth Annual Valentine’s Week Speed Dating: The romance agency reports its clients have produced 83 marriages, 53 engagements, and 8 babies in its four-year history. We don’t have the exact odds, but that sounds like a better bet than standing around the bar at Mercury and buying drinks for strangers. This year, the parties run two nights: Tuesday the 12th, Anatomy hosts dates for age groups 25-40 and 40-55. Wednesday the 13th, they’ll have sessions for 21-35 and 35-49. And if the dice roll right, you won’t have to spend V-Day alone, drinking wine, listening to too much Smiths and Amy Winehouse. Good luck to you.
This article appears in Feb 6-12, 2008.