From The Editors

Hey, look: it’s almost Valentine’s Day! Hallmark’s holiday, like New Year’s Eve and Christmas Day, is overrated and often depressing. (There are, of course, those that don’t disappoint: Thanksgiving is clearly the best holiday, and Halloween isn’t far behind.)

If you’re unfortunate enough to be in love, then you’re effectively turning your wallet over to Cupid—mixed-tapes with mixed-messages, bouquets of flowers, price-fixed dinners. If this is love, we’ve surely been cheated. It’s a scam, and an expensive one, too.

Singledom has certain costs, too, chief among them the profound loneliness of gifting yourself Russell Stover’s that are on sale even in the hours before Feb. 14, which, you’ve found, pairs nicely with a tall glass of Jack Daniels. (For other food-drink pairings, look to this issue’s scenes from the Senior Etiquette & Wine Tasting Dinner.)

Instead of celebrating solo, consider taking a ride down Hillsborough Road, and avoid the urge to stop at Cookout and turn around. Grab some eats at one of the taco trucks that line the street, and strike up a conversation. TOWERVIEW Associate Naureen Khan and Contributing Writer Christina Peña did just that.

Explore the myriad dining and nightlife options on the other end of Duke’s campus, on Main Street and in Brightleaf Square, under the shadow of the Lucky Strike tower that pierces the Durham skyline. No matter where you go—be it restaurant, bar or Western-themed saloon—you’ll notice a different scent in the air: one free of cigarettes. Because of a new state law, effective Jan. 1, smokers are forced outside to light up. Nathan Freeman, in his first TOWERVIEW cover story, finds irony in the fact that a city founded on tobacco money no longer allows smoking indoors.

Or, turn to our back page and soak up in the wisdom provided by the University’s Muslim chaplain, Abdullah Antepli, who shares his thoughts on everything from his favorite name (Abdullah) to his most treasured possession (his hybrid car). And yes, we asked about the greatest loves of his life. His answer: “My children, my wife and my iPhone.”

And who said Valentine’s Day had to be mushy?