There are varying definitions of romance for the perfect date night. Chances are, if you’re the parent of small children, the best date night in the world might involve dropping the kids at the sitter’s while you return home with you husband and hit the sheets for… sleep. Parents of older kids might simply need some alone time, while the single woman’s perfect date probably requires some thoughtful, quiet getting-to-know-you time.
The biggest must-have for date night, IMHO? It must happen!! No matter how busy you are, how hectic, how over-scheduled, overwhelmed or overtired you are, you need to make date night happen. Often.
I think it’s necessary for a few reasons. It forces communication in a way that the dinner table at home may not. I love dinner with my kids, don’t get me wrong. All of them calling out events from their day between requests for more potatoes or extra gravy is part of the warm fabric of the family home. But those meals don’t really help me connect with my husband. We spend most of our dialogue figuring out who can pick up who from which sports practice the next day. So we go out—away from home, away from the kids, off to remember why we love each other.
When I’m the date night plan-maker, I have to say my preferences run toward quaint, candlelit restaurants or eateries with sprawling decks overlooking the water or something pretty. I’m all about atmosphere, good food and good wine. When the surroundings are beautiful, I feel happy. But I can be just as content with a chili dog and a cold beer at a baseball game.
Still my favorite date recently was a trip to the local ice cream spot and a drive to the local lake to eat our cones on the shore. It was unplanned, unexpected and just perfect.
So what’s your idea of a perfect date night? Leave your answer below to be entered to win an autographed book from the author!
About the author
Three-time RITA nominee Joanne Rock turned a passion for writing into a career when imaginary characters kept her awake at night, demanding she tell their stories. The author of over thirty romances in a variety of subgenres, she enjoys writing medieval historicals and sexy contemporaries along with the occasional romantic suspense. Joanne traces her passion for all things medieval to an early brush with John Keats’ poem “The Eve of St. Agnes” and a rapt fascination with the Pre-Raphaelites’ depiction of medieval themes. As a writer, she enjoys supplementing her more research-intensive trips to the Middle Ages with faster-paced contemporary stories sparked by the characters she meets in real life. The move back and forth between very different story styles keeps her Muse singing happily.
Visit Joanne online
http://myspace.com/joanne_rock
http://blogs.myspace.com/joanne_rock
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=feed&id=618780915
About the book – click cover to purchase
They play the field… but can they play for keeps?
Rookie Brody Davis has all the right moves. But will they be enough to tempt sexy Naomi back into his bed?
Shortstop hero Lance Montero must prove to a bad-girl heiress that he’s good at everything he does. Very, very good…
Superstar Javier Velasquez is getting a hot ’n heavy workout with Lisa, the team’s trainer. But who’s healing whom?
First baseman Rick Warren is on a winning streak… with the owner’s daughter!
What a nice topic !!
Well being married with small children, I admit I almost never date. Which is aweful, I know. Married or not, every woman needs an amaurous tete-a-tete from time to time with her boyfriend or husband.
My idea of an ideal date includes good food of course and a gorgeous setting. I remember a trip with DH in Holland. We had dinner one night in a restaurant on the sea shore. The whole restaurant was made of wood and was lit at night only by candles. We were seated right by the window with a gorgeous vue of the sea. I had one of the best salmon filet of my life this day. It was very romantic and both Dh and I had a great time. Wish we could do it more often…
I love candlelight! So warm and flattering. Sounds like you had a lovely time!!
I love candlelight also. It just makes everything so romantic. I don’t have any kids at home anymore, so a perfect date night to me can just be dinner at home and watching a movie in bed together. Or it can involve dinner and a movie out. My needs are simple and my wants are few. I just like being together.
My perfect date night is a quiet night at home.
That doesn’t happen often enough here! But with winter coming, sometimes the weather imposes those “stay-at-home” days whether we’ve planned them or not. I always enjoy when that happens
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My date is an all day thing , we take the 3rd Saturday of each month, drive to some place , eat lunch , breakfast, see a movie, or whatever. Get a hotel room wpend thenight return home on Sunday ready for another month of work before we do it again. We have been doing this for a year or so, I have seen the marriage blossom, less stress at home and work for me.
How nice! That’s so wonderfully wise of you both to make that date a priority. And nice to have something built into your schedules that you can always look forward to. I can think of ten places off the top of my head close enough to make for a fun daytrip… I’ll bet we all could! Why aren’t we all doing this??? You’ve inspired me, Toni
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I agree! That is so nice Toni! I’m going to borrow that idea.
Hmmmm…. perfect date? I actually enjoy simply going to a coffee shop with my husband where we can talk, talk, talk uninterupted. (We have four kids who love to talk, talk, talk too, so there’s not much chance for time alone to chat.) Hubby and I also enjoy browsing through a book store…. even after 22 years of marriage, we still find out new things about each other when we go through a book store pointing out things that snag our interest.
Great blog/topic Joanne!!
I’ve learned that no matter how long you are married to someone, you still learn something about them all the time. Or you rediscover something about your spouse or significant other that you may have forgotten. Those quiet times together, no matter where you are, are special and oh so needed!
Mmmm… Starbucks
. My husband and caffiene don’t mix, however, so I have to keep the coffee to myself! (Dean and coffee is a combination like kids and sugar ) But I’m with you on the bookstore. It always spurs fun and different conversations. I especially like to hit the travel section so we can see pics of new places and play that game of “maybe someday…” We’ve gotten some great vacation ideas that way!
The perfect date night is spending time with the man I love–whether it’s dinner, movie or just hanging out.
I agree Shelia!
Joanne, it was a pleasure to have you as a part of this tour! I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule and helping make this tour a success!
Thank you to everyone who stopped by and shared your perfect date night!
Joanne, you are a very WISE woman!! And I agree with you 100% when you said, “The biggest must-have for date night, IMHO? It must happen!!” Making time for each other is key and it certainly can be done. Thanks for this great article!
a nice baseball game in the stands with the one u love yum
congrats onteh books