romantic type date stuff

[entitled]

OK, since i've never been on a romantical type date, and not prone to enjoying dime store novels, i need help. Help meeee!

Without necessarily going into specifics unless you want to, what happens? Flowers? Chocolates? Dress up nice and go out? Put on jammies and stay in? Have food delivered? Make it yourself?

What's fairly 'normal' for a romantic evening?

 

[hugo_sam]

OK, since i've never been on a romantical type date, and not prone to enjoying dime store novels, i need help. Help meeee!

Without necessarily going into specifics unless you want to, what happens? Flowers? Chocolates? Dress up nice and go out? Put on jammies and stay in? Have food delivered? Make it yourself?

What's fairly 'normal' for a romantic evening?

Granted I have not been on a 'romantic' date in far longer than you but I would think that:
Nice clothes, not evening but nice
Go out to eat on your dates dime
Maybe a movie or interesting amusment like dancing, museum, etc.
Beyond that is up to you and what you want......
Best Wishes and Good Luck

 

[zeb1094]

OK, since i've never been on a romantical type date, and not prone to enjoying dime store novels, i need help. Help meeee!

Without necessarily going into specifics unless you want to, what happens? Flowers? Chocolates? Dress up nice and go out? Put on jammies and stay in? Have food delivered? Make it yourself?

What's fairly 'normal' for a romantic evening?

This might depend on the age and what era the couple had grown up in. For my wife and myself a Romantic Evening (Date) would be dinner at a nice place with good food. The restraurant choosen determines the dress. Maybe a movie, but definatly not back home! Maybe a moderate Hotel / Motel room. A side trip to the lounge for a little dancing and a few drinks and some conversation, you know the things you can't talk about at home 'cuz the kids have their ears pressed against the wall. Then retiring to the room where a dozen roses have been delivered with a bottle of champange. Then...well you can fill in the blanks from here!

 

[Liar]

Writing about one, or going on one?

The clché "perfect date" in movies and books seems to involve dressing up (a little, not too much), a fair amount of flowers (provided by the courting party), a secluded table at a quaint little restaurant, a walk on the beach in the moonlight (check a calendar and time it right), and a not quite chaste goodnight kiss by the door (but nothing more than that, you randy minx).

The real life romantic date can be just about anything, depending on the two people involved.

 

[entitled]

Thanks, guys.

Liar, i was looking for what happens on a real date, not a written one. In this day and age. An anniversary, or Valentine's Day, or the day somebody's going to ask somebody else to marry them, or something along that line.

 

[logophile]

Back when I had a girlfriend a few weeks ago, we did tons of romantic stuff all the time. One thing that's always really sweet is taking your date to one of your favorite places and showing them a little peek of yourself that way. My ex and I loved to bring each other the best of something - best fresh squeezed orange juice, best Dutch chocolates, prettiest orchid in the shop, best tiramisu in the city, etc...

As a matter of fact, speaking of tiramisu - we once did the most romantic thing ever. I had missed Thanksgiving because I was at a birth and then she was out of town for a couple of days. On Saturday night when she came back, she invited me over to spend the night. I stopped on my way and picked up the best artichoke forna and the best ever tiramisu. When I got there she had made me a mini-Thanksgiving dinner with some of my favorite holiday foods. We shared dinner off a big plate, including the forna but were too full for dessert. We went to bed and watch a romantic movie and she held me while I slept. In the morning we got up and had fresh coffee and tiramisu for breakfast and then we went back to bed again. On that trip back to bed we made sweet sweet love and laughed and played for hours.

I know it's not exactly a date like most people think of, but it's one of my favorite "date" memories ever ever ever.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Thanks, guys.

Liar, i was looking for what happens on a real date, not a written one. In this day and age. An anniversary, or Valentine's Day, or the day somebody's going to ask somebody else to marry them, or something along that line.

Depends on the people invovled Ent. Romantic is really in the eye of the beholder. As far as writing, you just have to have the date fit the perceptions of the character. I have a freind who would consider tickets to a bowl game romantic, provided her beloved Gators were playing (and winning). Most women would not consider that romantic.

Make the scene fit the character and if it's a little "off" from the "norm" it really only enchances the realism of the story

 

[entitled]

Make the scene fit the character and if it's a little "off" from the "norm" it really only enchances the realism of the story

But see, this is a part of what will be happening. i don't really want to tell what the whole thing is going to be, since this is for the contest story, but part of it is taking the 'norm' and the 'off' running commentary in somebody's mind and... well... It's hard to explain. *L*

The thing is, i need to know what the 'norm' is before i can even get started. You know?

logo?

 

[zeb1094]

But see, this is a part of what will be happening. i don't really want to tell what the whole thing is going to be, since this is for the contest story, but part of it is taking the 'norm' and the 'off' running commentary in somebody's mind and... well... It's hard to explain. *L*

The thing is, i need to know what the 'norm' is before i can even get started. You know?

logo?

Ok, like I said in my previous post:
1. What age?
2. From who's POV?
3. First Date? If no then how long have they been go out?
4. What part of the country or what country for that matter?

My preception of what is romantic has changed through the years. What I thought was romantic when I was young is not so today and visa versa. I you want I could list all my most romantic dates through my life and you can pick the one that is closest to your need?

 

[entitled]

Ok, like I said in my previous post:
1. What age?
2. From who's POV?
3. First Date? If no then how long have they been go out?
4. What part of the country or what country for that matter?

My preception of what is romantic has changed through the years. What I thought was romantic when I was young is not so today and visa versa. I you want I could list all my most romantic dates through my life and you can pick the one that is closest to your need?

Mid twenties to early thirties
either or
no... been going out for a while. Almost a year, maybe?
anywhere in the US

Not much help, but... all i need is really general type stuff

 

[zeb1094]

Mid twenties to early thirties
either or
no... been going out for a while. Almost a year, maybe?
anywhere in the US

Not much help, but... all i need is really general type stuff

Ok, now I have something to work with!

POV - Male 25 - 35

Show up to pick my date up with a small bouquet of flowers or candie, dress pants, business type shirt, no tie, sport coat, nice shoes. No tennies, no boots!

My lady would have on a nice dress, skirt and blouse or dress slacks and sexy top (not trashy). A light wrap or coat depending on the weather.

First dinner at, say a romantic Italian or Greek restaurant, (you pick the meal if your going to go that far indepth of a description, food was never sexy to me, just something to fuel the machine).

After dinner we would then go to a fairly nice club for drinks and dance, maybe the club has a terrace to which we could retire for a few special moments alone and away from the bussle of the dancers.

Or

Maybe to a nice romantic movie where they can both get lost in the feelings of the characters on the screen which would then carry over to the next place.

Then depending on our mood back to my place or hers (you pick, guess it depends on the liveing arrangements of each or are they living together?)

Her POV would most likely be about the same here with the feminine touches.

Hope this helps!

 

[LadyJeanne]

Mid twenties to early thirties
either or
no... been going out for a while. Almost a year, maybe?
anywhere in the US

Not much help, but... all i need is really general type stuff

It really depends on the people and what they're like, what they do. For example, one person I dated for many years hated going to restaurants, so it would never occur to him to plan a romantic evening that included dinner at a restaurant. But he liked live music, so we would go to a lot of concerts.

But you're looking for 'normal', so yes, anniversary evenings usually include a special restaurant, rarely a movie, often flowers and a gift.

 

[entitled]

Ok, now I have something to work with!

POV - Male 25 - 35

Show up to pick my date up with a small bouquet of flowers or candie, dress pants, business type shirt, no tie, sport coat, nice shoes. No tennies, no boots!

My lady would have on a nice dress, skirt and blouse or dress slacks and sexy top (not trashy). A light wrap or coat depending on the weather.

First dinner at, say a romantic Italian or Greek restaurant, (you pick the meal if your going to go that far indepth of a description, food was never sexy to me, just something to fuel the machine).

After dinner we would then go to a fairly nice club for drinks and dance, maybe the club has a terrace to which we could retire for a few special moments alone and away from the bussle of the dancers.

Or

Maybe to a nice romantic movie where they can both get lost in the feelings of the characters on the screen which would then carry over to the next place.

Then depending on our mood back to my place or hers (you pick, guess it depends on the liveing arrangements of each or are they living together?)

Her POV would most likely be about the same here with the feminine touches.

Hope this helps!

EXACTLY the type of thing i'm looking for!!!

 

[zeb1094]

EXACTLY the type of thing i'm looking for!!!

Your welcome Ent good luck with the story!

 

[English Lady]

Weeelllll I'lll let you know a few romantic evenings I've endulged in with my husband (we're mid twenties now) and see what you think

1, dressed up just a little and went to a lovely indian restaurant then rented a video and went back to his to watch it, snuggled up on the bed in his room (this was when we'd been going out a bit but he was still living at his parents)

2, on an anniversary, actually we do something similar on most anniversaries, I will cook us a lovely meal (usuually steak based) and a desert, (often pavalova, as it has a secret meaning to us relating to anniverseries) or sometimes Hubby will do the cooking. We'll enjoy it leisurely (after the daughter is in bed these days) then snuggle and watch a film for a bit, then we'll get romantic -often with massage oils or a new sex toy or something...and just enjoy each other and being with each other, often then we'll cuddle and reminisce about things from our past.

3, go to the cinema. We don't do it much now, so it's kind of a special occassion when we do. then maybe a meal or a walk or a drink in a pub just to chat and be together.

 

[rgraham666]

Can't help you, ent.

Last date I was on ended when I mentioned it was a date.

She regarded that as putting too much demand for a relationship on her.

(Not joking)

 

[dr_mabeuse]

For me, the main thing is that you be together, able to communicate all the time. That means you don't go to the movies, which is a way of being together without having to be with each other. You might go to a concert if it requires that you dress up to the point where you're slightly uncomfortable. Dressing up and being slightly uncomfortable is important. You want to always be reminded that this is special.

I'd probably just go out to dinner, maybe the opera first. The opera's nice and fancy and uncomfortable. Builds erotic tension. The dinner brings you together over the sensual experience of sharing food and wine.

When I was dating, afterwards we'd usually go somewhere, maybe drive out to the Planetarium from where we could see the lights of the city, or walk down to the plaza of the Standard Oil Building downtown, where they had the most marvelous wind sculpture and waterfall where you could be alone in the heart of the city.

I've had some very romantic dates going to museums or galleries. The intellectual stimulation, the ability to discover each other as you walk around and talk. Of course, I usually know her pretty well before I'll ask her to go to a museum with me. A lot of women would just balk, but forget them. Museums are sexy.

The whole idea is the atmosphere, the setting for what transpires between you. Because of that, I've had romantic evenings spent in fancy restaurants, or parked beneath a viaduct with a couple of hotdogs and a half-pint of booze. Just remember that she's the most important thing you're doing.

 

[Penelope Street]

The venue isn't that important. I want him to show some confidence and make a decision, or at the very least a suggestion, rather than asking what I want. A place we can talk is a must, so movie and dinner, in that order, works fine for me. He better know me well enough to not think a sporting event is a good first date. I agree with Dr. M about museums being a good place for an early date, though maybe not the initial one. I view candy and flowers on early dates with some suspicion, but he better get the door for me. For later dates, surprise treats are the best. And he better figure it out who it is if I call him and say, "Guess who?"

 

[Weird Harold]

... i was looking for what happens on a real date, not a written one. In this day and age. An anniversary, or Valentine's Day, or the day somebody's going to ask somebody else to marry them, or something along that line.

What happens on a "real date" is often "disaster" -- All too often what is planned as a "romantic evening" falls prey to Murphy's Law; The restaraunt with the romantic reputation turns out to have lousy overpriced food, the romantic walk on the beach is cold, windy and results in hypothermia, The "must see" movie withthe good reviews sucks.


An Anniversary or Valentine's date is most romantic when it involves revisiting a place or situation that just turned out to be romantic in the past -- a favorite resuarant, a favorite park or sight-seeing tour -- especially someplace where the couple likes to be whether it's romantic or not.

A planned "Surprise Romantic Evenings" usually involve dressing fancier than normal, Flowers, Special Events (Opera, Concerts, Movies,) Fine Resaurants, Expensive Hotel Rooms, Moonlight and Dancing. They also usually only involve one person's idea of what is "romantic" and that's why they so often turn into disasters.

Dr M. has the right formula for ture "romantic" evenings:

The whole idea is the atmosphere, the setting for what transpires between you. Because of that, I've had romantic evenings spent in fancy restaurants, or parked beneath a viaduct with a couple of hotdogs and a half-pint of booze. Just remember that she's the most important thing you're doing.

The best romantic dates are those that are "something special" but not so special they push anyone out of their comfort zone. That makes real life romance different for every couple.

but part of it is taking the 'norm' and the 'off' running commentary in somebody's mind and... well... It's hard to explain. *L*

I get the impression that you're working on a story that reveals somone's discovery of what everyone has been saying -- romance isn't about the stereotypes, it's about the people involved. For that, you need the stereotypes about flowers, fancy clothes, expensive resaurants, high society, et al.

For me, I'm more likely to find a "romantic moment" watching a sunset, or watching a DVD at home with someone I want to be with than I am dressing up and spending money on a planned attempt to "be romantic."

 

[Belegon]

I've done movies on a first date before, but I tend to agree with Zoot in that they are difficult for talking and getting to know one another...

Personal preference is a decent restaurant (not TOO nice, that could create a perception of expectations), a walk after dinner of indeterminate length in a public place that is sufficintly private so that she doesn't worry about not being able to talk freely or about getting jumped by anyone (including me)...

and then I would have a couple options in my mind for what's next...continue the walk, or take it somewhere more private...maybe go somplace that specializes in desserts if we didn't have it at the restaurant, maybe coffee or a beer...live music is certainly a possibility here.

I've walked on the beach in the dark, I've gone to a bookstore with someone and we each picked out a book for the other to read (admittedly, that person may have been a first "date" but we were already acquaintances), I've sat by a fountain and just talked, I've ended up going to a club and dancing. And I've ended up at the movies.

Of course, I've also ended up saying goodnight early (rarely) and even just going to bed (even rarer).

the easy thing about a concert, show or movie is that it creates an event to plan the date around and gives an instant topic of conversation.

 

[entitled]

You guys are all wonderful. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

And all this praise pre-caffeine...

 

[hugo_sam]

Ent
I hope all of this advice from eveyone is beneficial.
I know you are so looking forward to this 'date'.
Best Wishes and good luck
I hope it exceeds all your expectations.

 

[entitled]

Ent
I hope all of this advice from eveyone is beneficial.
I know you are so looking forward to this 'date'.
Best Wishes and good luck
I hope it exceeds all your expectations.

Course i'm looking forward to the date, but that's not what this is for.
Silly ol' bear.

 

[entitled]

Anybody else? Please?