Date Map: Dinner, Shopping, Movie

Kris’ Take: Last night Laura and I had a little date night. We knew that we were going to go shopping, go to a movie, and go to dinner. We didn’t know where and in what order, but that’s what we knew. As we made our drive we originally were going to go to Olive Garden, but her and I are very much against doing the “same old, same old” so we decided to go to:

The Dinner

Smokey Bones Was great! Seating was courteous and immediate! They made a wonderful first impression when you walk in. The inside looks like a very classy log cabin with stone work and thick beams of natural wood everywhere. If you’re worried about kids, don’t worry. They have a little speaker box on the table that allows you to hear the sound from any of the many different televisions they have there. Once seated it did not take long for the waitress to greet us and present us with menus. She promptly asked for our drink order, two Cokes. After reading through the appetizers Laura and I decided on the cornbread with honey pecan butter.

For our entrees Laura and I decided upon their Top Sirloin steak. The waitress brought the entrees and everything looked wonderful, but this has happened to me before. Laura seemed to be enjoying her meal so I cut into my steak and I must say they did great! They cooked it perfectly, the taste was great, and not over or under seasoned. The check was only $41.00 which pales in comparison to many other steak houses I’ve patronized and left unhappy. The meal was very good, the service was great, and our glasses were never empty for too long, and that’s only if they got empty–Which I think happened once. All-in-all this is a restaurant I would visit again and recommend to friends.

The Shopping

We went to the local mall and went to a few stores. Nothing really all that interesting was going on here. Abercrombie was drenched in that horrible cologne as usual and phone salesmen were licking their chops at speaking with Laura and I, but we just kind of huddle up and keep talking and it doesn’t let them get a word in edgewise. Luckily dinner took up a majority of the time so we didn’t have to spend too much time shopping, or getting harassed by phone salesmen. The mall is very nice and has many stores but unless you’re looking for something this can get boring quickly.

The Movie

It breaks my heart to give Semi-Pro this rating, but the movie did not live up to its hype. Laura and I are huge, huge Will Ferrell fans, and this is one out of maybe two of his films that has disappointed us. The idea behind the film is: Jackie Moon is the owner, coach, and forward for a semi-pro basketball team called the Tropics. Soon he learns that the NBA will be absorbing some of the teams and dissolving the league. It is then left up to Jackie Moon to get the team into shape so they can be one of the four teams to be absorbed into the NBA. We went in with high hopes, but the movie fell flat in many areas, and like many other films–the funniest parts were highlighted in the movie’s trailer. We did see a promising preview of an upcoming Will Ferrell movie which we hope to be much better, but this movie had people walking out of the theater. I gave Will Ferrell the benefit of the doubt and finished the movie but it was weak throughout. It was filled with the standard Will Ferrell comedy style, which I warmly welcome, but it lacked any freshness and suffered from a very weak story line. Ultimately the night was okay, made best by the dinner and being with each other, but we were disappointed in the movie. Overall the highlight of my night was spending it with Laura, and I think that will always be my highlight.

Night out with my honey:

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Laura’s Take: Hi There! We just wanted to say Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone! This is such a fun holiday that you get to spend with your sweety. It’s nice have a day to completely devote to them, to show them how much you truly care and love them.

So what are Kris and I going to be doing on Valentine’s Day? Well I plan on making a romantic dinner for just the two of us. It should be really sweet. We talked about it earlier this week and decided that a nice candlelight dinner at home just sounded much more pleasant than going to a busy restaurant that doesn’t honor reservations, you know that Valentine’s Day traffic.

Anyways, have a very Happy Valentine’s day and we hope you all have an wonderful, loving, and safe Valentine’s day!

Date Idea: Luck be a Lady

Laura’s Take: This date idea may not be for everyone, but it’s something a little out of the ordinary. Casinos are an interesting alternative to the usual dinner and a movie. I, myself, love playing slot machines, or really just anything that has lots of pretty blinking lights and noise! Before you go, set a limit as to how much you plan on playing, that way you won’t be spending more than you can afford. By the way, your limit should also include the money your date will be playing with… It is a date after all. Also, have the mindset that you’re playing only for the entertainment value instead of trying to make money. Why? so you won’t be disappointed when you don’t. But as I said, gambling isn’t for everybody, so I don’t recommend this idea for a first date.

Hot Tamales rates this idea:

4.5 out of 5 Hearts

Date Tip: Table Manners

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Laura’s Take: I’m sorry, but it’s such a turn off to see a man scarf down his entire plate of food before you even have the chance to pick up your fork. Men, I understand that when you’re hungry, you want to eat anything and everything in front of you. But when you’re on a date, you need to put those natural instincts aside or next time you’ll be eating alone. Table manners are so important when dating that they can and will lead to the failure of a date. Some good advice, don’t eat until you feel your pant’s button about to pop, it’ll just make you and your date feel uncomfortable. So men, I ask you, for your own good, stop eating like you’re in the military! Sorry I seem to be picking on the men, but I haven’t caught too many women acting like this. Just remember… Slow down. The food’s not going anywhere and we want to make sure your date isn’t either.

Kris’ Take: I admit, sometimes I eat like I’m in the military, but only when I must. When out at a restaurant, I try to mind my manners as well as possible. I have however seen women violate the laws of ladiness at the table. This also includes eating like they’re in the military, talking to friends on the phone (nothing could be more alienating), or talking about past relationships. Those are just a couple. Men, let’s make a deal. We eat more slowly, but the women must ditch the phones and the exs.