The Importance Of Date Nights

I remember the first date Ian and I ever went on.  It was a chilly December night.  He picked me up from my apartment where I'd just been getting ready, listening to music and experimenting with my best makeup.  Not drinking a glass of wine as I got ready, as I typically like to do, but who wants to be that girl who has one too many glasses of wine on a first date?!

We had dinner reservations at 300 East in the Dilworth neighborhood of Charlotte.  It was Ian's choice, and he truly knocked it out of the park with that one.  It fit all of the perfect criteria: local (please don't take me to Applebee's on a first date), not huge (quaint and cozy is the perfect atmosphere for getting to know someone), and not extremely expensive (please don't take me out to the nicest restaurant just to try to prove that you CAN.  Ugh.). 

As dinner was coming to an end, we were having such a great time, and I was secretly sad at the prospect of going home.  Ian then asked if I wanted to choose a place for us to go for one last drink.  YES!

See, this was my perfect night.  A languid time getting ready -- special makeup -- an inspired restaurant with delicious dinner -- sharing dinner and drinks -- a nightcap drink.

And this Saturday, we did it again.  Not only did we have a fantastic time together, but we were perma-smiling the whole next day about what a great and relaxed evening it was. 

We began our evening with music on the stereo -- Damien Rice.  Perfection.

I whipped out the good stuff -- my Chanel eye makeup that I only wear on special evenings out.  (This, if you are interested.)

I enjoyed a glass of sauv blanc as I got ready for the evening.

We drove to the restaurant and pushed back our reservations to enjoy a drink together at the bar.

We devoured the most delicious dinner at Zink. and talked and laughed the whole time.

We decided we weren't ready to end the night, so we stopped in to Bricktop's for one last drink together.

And we took silly kissing photos in the big mirrors above the bar.

It's not so often anymore that we do date nights like this ... but it was the perfect refresher for how fun a night like this can be, and how great it is for keeping your relationship strong.  We have made a vow to have nights like this more often!

PS - On our first date, Ian let me choose the glass of wine for each of us, he let me take a sip of his before he even tasted it, and he made me a big fork-full of his delicious hangar steak and mashed potatoes.  A sharer.  A good trait in a man, methinks.