Romantic Places With Cultural Style
By Lucinda Anderson, Special to AOL BlackVoices

Don’t let the romance end after Valentine’s Day: Better deals and smaller crowds make the rest of February and pre-Easter March the perfect time to inject some excitement into winter. Try these easily accessible getaways where romance and culture mingle.

Renaissance Romance: Harlem
Experience Afro-Parisian chic at Manhattan’s Chez Josephine, 414 W. 42nd St., near Times Square. French food that’s not overly fancy, fiery red lighting, and a sultry singer/pianist duo create a romantic den. Host Jean-Claude Baker runs this culinary and artistic memoir to his famous mother, the classy entertainer Josephine Baker. Appetizers, drinks and entrées for two run about $100 with gratuity. Dishes range from delicious risotto with shrimp, scallops and collards to fried chicken with sweet potato fries, filet mignon and classic Boudin Noir. Reservations are typically a must, but worth it. You just might spot Jean-Claude’s “new (stage) mother” -- actress Lynn Whitfield, who starred in HBO’s 1991 TV movie ‘The Josephine Baker Story.’