It's incredibly easy to get caught up in a routine. Ya know, the routine that involves coming home, eating dinner together, maybe watching a show/movie together, and just doing the same thing repeated. We've caught ourselves falling in this autopilot mess a couple times.
Dates are so important because it gets you both doing something different and focusing on being with each other. Focusing on being you two as a couple.
Well, we decided to take a little date this weekend. Something different and fun.
Sidenote: don't over-plan dates. We tend to do this quite a bit, i.e. plan to do a lot of things or plan out each hour of the night. It tends to get stressful and not fun. We've learned this. Don't do it.
I picked up Nick from work and we set off to explore the area of Fairhaven.
We grabbed a cup of coffee* and cruised around the boardwalk and a couple of shops in the area.
*I'm putting this footnote here, sue me. The coffee shop we went to was disappointing. There were two girls there that did not once smile at us. We came up to the counter and one girl asked us what we wanted. The other girl (taking our money) didn't say anything until the very end when I said "thank you". It was even a cool coffee/wine bar that looked like a nice place to hang out, but with people working there that weren't even nice enough to say "hi" with a smile? Sheesh. Even I can do that when I'm in an awful horrible mood. #endrant
Nick got a tip from a coworker about this hidden-ish restaurant in downtown Fairhaven. It's called Le Chat Noir (The Black Cat). It was awesome. The food was fantastic and it was a nice cozy place. My only critique was that the waitresses all wore "skimpy" clothes and cat ears, but whatever. The food outweighs that anyday.
We explored a few record stores (bought 4, woohoo hipsters!), played some Mario Kart 64 and ping-pong with our friends C & J before getting some AMAZING Italian sipping chocolate and salted caramel gelato from Chocolate Necessities in Bellingham. Oh. My. Word. So good.
Later we went to a local comedy club called the Upfront (cool story: Ryan Stiles owns the Upfront). Hellingham was the show that was going on. Bellingham + Hell = Hellingham.
It was a really fun because it is a fairly small club that houses shows put on by local improv students/people. The show was basically an improv zombie apocalypse set in Hellingham (Bellingham) and the audience had to guess which one would die (only the person who lives and the zombie actors know this. No one else).
It was a super successful date night. Who can go wrong with an awesome dinner, chocolate, gelato, friends, and improv?
We definitely supported everything local that night.
What's your opinion on date nights?
What a fun date! I'm with you - even when I'm in a horrible, horrible mood I can manage a smile and hello if need be.
ReplyDeleteI'm a terrible, terrible wannabe hipster. I don't own a single record. Which ones did you get!?
And would you believe I have never had gelato...?
Date nights are the best! I do agree with what you said about not over-planning. Sometimes it's best just to let things happen and play out on their own. :) Glad you guys had a fun date - improv shows are SO fun!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fun night! Cant wait to have someone in my life to have regular date nights with again!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you - Iz and I tend to overplan our date nights. And then it gets all lame. We need to leave it more open.
ReplyDeleteAnd that coffee shop is such a let down! I've had that happen to me and it keeps me from coming back. I used to work in a coffee shop and one of the number one things was to be happy and peppy and to really interact with and get to know the customers. Plus it makes work more fun!
We don't plan out our dates and I miss that. I mean we go out, but I miss getting dressed up and heading out with somewhat of a plan that doesn't include "swing by the store and pick up milk"
ReplyDeleteDang, that food looks gooood! I totally agree, dates are very important to a relationship. You gotta put in the effort and spend time together outside of the home.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of both dates and supporting local businesses--it's really fun when they're combined!
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