Is there any holiday with more pressure on it than Valentine’s Day? I think not. Whether you’re deeply committed to the LOYL, just settling into dating someone new, or freshly single like Bravo’s Southern Charm star, Craig Conover, planning how to spend the celebration of love can be, well, daunting. If you’re a loyal viewer of the Bravoverse (and, um, why wouldn’t you be?) then you’re probably very familiar with Craig and his crew, who have become famous over the last 12 years (“I know there’s only 10 seasons, but we’ve been filming for 12 years,” Craig reminds me) for living “in Charleston, trying to figure out life,” and “doing their best.”
As Craig told me, this year will be his “first Valentine’s Day as a single person in a long time and so [he’s] just been staying busy.” Just because Craig is single and “keeping it simple” these days, doesn’t mean he plans to spend the day home alone. “In the last few months, action has really helped me from overthinking stuff,” Craig explained. That and “writing it down in my notes app.”
So this year, part of Craig’s busy Valentine’s Day Agenda is to spend the evening at Ocean Casino Resort because he’s “all about an all-in-one hotel where [he doesn’t] need to leave the property to enjoy anything.” After I learned gambling, tapas, and an early bedtime were on Craig’s agenda, I still had to find out what advice Craig has for singles trying to “keep moving,” and keep “a positive outlook” after a breakup. My chat with Craig Conover about how to be single on Valentine’s Day is the perfect guide to keeping it cute in Cupid’s backyard.
Betches: What are your plans for this Valentine’s Day?
Craig: I am recording Tamron Hall in the morning in New York City, which I’m excited about, and then drive out to Atlantic City and meet up with friends and family at Ocean. And I like it because we don’t have to make a plan once we’re [there]. I’m really excited, I get to bring my little brother and his wife (someone who’s like a little sister to me).
Andy Cohen recently asked you if your DMs are flooded. I suspect they probably are. Any advice for ladies who are trying to shoot their shot with their crush in the DMs on Valentine’s Day?
Just do it. You’re not going to make all the shots that you take, but what I mean is instead of ruminating over whether you should message someone or not, just do it. Life is short and you’re not ruining your shot by messaging them because what is there to ruin? The advice though is don’t overthink it and just use the DM as a text you would’ve sent in college. Just be like, “Hey, do you want to grab a drink?”
I love that. It’s very Nike coded.
Yeah. I know we went through an era of pickup line DMs and trying to be funny and creative and stuff. To me, then I’d have to come up with something to say back and I’d overthink it. If it was me, I would just propose an action. It’s like, “Hey, do you want to meet up and do this?” That’s what I would recommend.
For all the people who are single out there, maybe even newly single out there, what’s the best outlook to have going into a day that’s very centered on love?
For me, my perspective is just evolving into gratitude. I’m so fortunate to have had a wonderful relationship for three years, and sure it ended eventually, but during those three years, it was awesome. And I think obviously it takes a little bit of time to get to that point, but just look forward to the next time.
Pivoting just a little bit, I know you’re a little bit of a foodie. What is your ideal Valentine’s Day meal?
When I sit down at a restaurant, my family laughs, but I like to order all of the appetizers because I like to try a little bit of everything. And I worked in food and bev. I was always a server and bartender and I loved tasting all the chef’s food. But then I fill up before my main meal. I actually love a tapas-style restaurant and I know that Ocean has one. I really like the restaurant experience. I love going out to dinner. It’s one of my favorite things to do.
Same. It’s my number one hobby.
Yeah. Go to dinner, walk around, have a late-night drink. And then I think there’s nothing better than those silly adventures you find yourself on when you’re just walking the streets at night with someone.
Absolutely. Separately, what has been the best part and the worst part of this season of Southern Charm and are you happy with it overall?
The beekeeping was my favorite. I’m really sad that they didn’t show how great Paige was. She had the bees all over her at one point, and it was actually her idea to get them at home because it was so relaxing to her. I sent a not-so-nice note to the production like, “Come on guys. You should have given her that. She was all in on the bees.”
I think my worst part was just getting sucked into a lot of other people’s drama because in my life I had been on this path of trying to find peace and calm my nervous system. And sometimes if you’re not careful, you’ll get pulled into other people’s stuff to the point where you’re in the shower at night or something and you’re like, “Why am I letting this get me worked up?”
You might not be able to share much, but is there anything that you can tease for the rest of the season for Southern Charm?
It’s my favorite cast trip we’ve ever gone on. We go to The Bahamas to find Shep’s girlfriend and it’s incredible. I personally like the second half of the season better, so I think the viewers will too.
