Romantic Date Night Essentials

“Set the mood wherever you go.”

It’s been quite a year for romance, and if movie night and Doordash has been your normal date night routine for a while, you may want to upgrade a bit to take your relationship to new levels. Whether you’ve been working from home for a while or have been in and out of the office, once the work weekends, there’s nothing more you want to do than experiencing a little romance with someone you love. 

Before you start planning for a lovely date night, consider these essentials to ensure you’ll have a successful night of fun without any slowdown. After all, keeping a healthy date routine is already one important factor in keeping a relationship steady and strong.  

Make it Spontaneous 

Yes, you’re planning for a date night, but make it spicy! Flip a coin or use a date night jar to choose between different possibilities for the night. Maybe there’s a restaurant you’ve had your eyes on or a speakeasy recommended by a coworker. By having options and multiple ideas to choose from, you never know where the night can take you. It also simultaneously sets up the next couple of date nights when the time comes again. 

Dress the Part! 

We won’t get into the fact that you’ve probably been working in your pajamas for a few months, but the time has come for you to really step up your game in the wardrobe department for the night. Remind your partner that not only do you still got it, but you want to make a good impression for this special night. Dust off your favorite little black dress put on the red lip, and make your way out the door like no other. Even if it’s just once in a while, give your loungewear a break and make a statement that romance is certainly in the air. 

Give a Little 

Of course, flowers are always a go-to for date night, but this is also the perfect gesture to really show your partner that you not only appreciate them but you’re proud of all they’ve accomplished. Whether this is their favorite bottle of wine, a small gadget they’ve needed for their office, or just a fun item you both can enjoy, date night can be turned up a notch with something new to enjoy. 

Perk up your typical date night with pockets of joy that can be remembered forever. It doesn’t always have to be lavish, but it does need to be special. Take some time before your next planned night out to see where you can add a little bit of spice and get back to the great love you have together. 

Dating: Recipes & Love Potions RSS

Romantic Cooking for Date Night

It’s always nice to spend some quality time in the kitchen with the love of your life. After all, my mother always said, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Honestly, that saying really goes for myself. Feed me and I’ll love you forever. Whatever the long language, one thing is for certain, couples can always bond over a nice meal. Remember Disney’s animated movie, the Lady and the Tramp? There were definitely sparks flying over dinner between the two pups. Believe it or not, there’s romance in the kitchen. That’s only if you don’t try anything complicated on the stove. I like to keep it simple and delicious by going after the traditional or common recipes. After you master those with your partner, then you can get kinky in the kitchen. Not that kind of kinky. I’m actually talking about getting creative with a number of different flavors and seasoning. 

Whether you’re a beginner or a pro in the kitchen, the following recipes will help you connect.

Meatballs in Red Wine Sauce

INGREDIENTS

For the sauce:

• Onions

• Garlic

• Olive oil

• Tomato paste

• Red wine

• Beef Broth

• Tomatoes

• Fresh rosemary

• Salt 

• Fresh ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Make the red wine sauce:

• Dice some onions and mince garlic. Heat a large, deep pan over medium high heat. Sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil until very soft. Then stir in the tomato paste. Mix well. Minutes later pour in your wine and bring to a simmer. Add your tomatoes, broth, seasoning and anything extra you’d like to use. You should be having fun, so don’t feel obligated to stick to this script. Stir until there’s some consistency with the sauce. Use your best judgement. 

Please note, this meal will be extra fun and romantic if you decide to make homemade meatballs with your significant other. That way you get to spend more time in the kitchen together. To cook the meatballs, you’ll need to shape them, using raw ground beef and later simmer over medium heat in the pan with the tomato sauce. Then boil your favorite pasta and eventually serve with your choice of a vegetable, as a side dish and a glass of red wine. 

Tomato and Arugula Pizza

INGREDIENTS

• Pizza dough, one pound at room temperature

• Olive oil

• Tomato sauce

• Mozzarella cheese

• Arugula

• Cherry tomatoes 

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat the oven to 550°F (or maximum oven temperature) for at least 30 minutes.

• Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll or stretch it into a 10- to 12-inch circle. Brush the edges of the dough with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Spread the tomato sauce over the rest of the dough. Sprinkle with the cheese and top it off with the cherry tomatoes. 

• Bake the pizza until edges are lightly browned and cheese is bubbly and browned in spots. 

Top 6 Dating Tips to Obey

Too many dating rules, ugh!

You’ve tried everything. To name a few, dating websites, blind dates, speed dating and the list goes on. But have you taken a look at your approach and habit lately in regards to dating?

Below is a list of things to avoid to help lead you possibly to someone worth keeping around. 

1. Don’t put restrictions on love or your feelings. I get it, we sometimes warn ourselves not to fall too fast for folks, but if it happens don’t beat yourself up about it. Don’t be afraid to catch feelings just be smart and remember not to ignore red flags or anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. 

2. Don’t ignore a person’s social media presence. Some folks are known to have multiple personalities. If you happen to be friends with someone you’re dating on social media, don’t ignore or accept their multiple personalities as just normal. It could lead to something dangerous down the road. Also, without stalking, just know it’s cool to check someone out on social media. So don’t be afraid to do a little research. 

3. Don’t rush things. Respect a person’s timing and space. This means allowing the person of interest to develop feelings at their own pace. Be patient. However that doesn’t t mean dating the same individual for 5 years years. It should take that long to figure out if both of you should pursue something more serious. 

4. Don’t jump in bed too fast. Some people are instantly attracted but don’t be afraid to resist it. Physical chemistry is the icing on the cake. It should not be the foundation for the relationship. 

5. Keep your exes name out of your mouth. Being too open about your past sometimes does the opposite of strengthening a bond. It could open you up to heartbreak especially once you share your vulnerable experiences with a stranger.

6. Put away the phone. Today, some of us are glued to our phones but when you’re dating, it is best not to give into distractions. Stay off the phone and listen during conversations. Who knows...you could learn something quite interesting or allow a red flag to slip on by. 

The common sense dating approach....

Have you ever dated someone who thought a "no show" or a "text without a response" was no big deal to get upset at or angry? Well, I have and even to my surprise I accepted some of his creative excuses but mostly because the guy seemed to have pretty legit reasons as to why he was a "no call , no show."  So all was forgiven most times.  However, it wasn't until stranger things started to take place that I started to raise my eyebrows.  

The man I was dating started canceling dates on me, and one time even shared that he had some "random " male friend come visit him from out of town. Everyday that this friend was suppose to leave, there was another reason why "he" was still there . Any man that's not strong enough to give you the courtesy you deserve is simply not worth your time. I'm glad that this man showed me who he was sooner than later especially before we made anything official. Real men are consistent, have conversations, and are not afraid to be vulnerable. 

So when all else fails, just use the common sense approach to dating. If it doesn't feel right then it's not right. 

Here's a list of things NOT to ignore:

1. He places phone "face down" and ringer is always on silent

2. He's a serial text "deleter"

3. He's creative with excuses

4. He's always "too busy"

5. He opts to "text" instead of "calling you"

Yes, it's common sense but how many of us are guilty of not using our better judgement. Date on and date smart. 💋

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Date with Caution

I'm starting to feel like people view this single girl thing as some sort of charity case.  A few weeks ago I received a random message from someone whom I haven't spoken to in years. The reason for the call was just another attempt to set me up on date.  Some of my closest friends have tried playing matchmaker and I’m still single.  The reason is not because I’m hard to deal with, crazy or extremely picky, I just have standards.

However, against my better judgment when my friend asked if she could give my number out to a man she believed had potential, I said yes. “How bad could this be,” I thought. I love meeting new people.  It also helped that my friend spoke highly of the person she thought I would instantly connect with. Now I'm an old school kind of girl so I prefer to talk on the phone rather than text.  However, the potential fellow decided to start our communication off with text messages.  I understand why now.  This man had no concept of verb noun agreement.  He’s in his mid-thirties still using slang as if it was mentally stimulating.

He asked me one day to go have a cup of coffee with him after work. Now I'm already thinking if we can’t have a conversation over the phone, what in the world are we going to discuss over coffee. Once again, against my better judgment, I said OK.  Right before we were supposed to meet, he sent me a text.  It read, "Sorry, I can't make it, my mom won't let me borrow the car”.   I was totally at a lost for words but one thing I learned is that people may look at being “single” as a charity case but when you take up every offer to date random people, you start to look like one. Be single, enjoy it and date with caution.

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Single? Look at the bright-side!

Being a single woman has it perks. Well, that’s at least what I think. Although I often find myself daydreaming about a relationship, I must say I’m beginning to become more patient despite my burning desire to be with a stand-up guy. Hmm, what will he look like? Will he be tall (I love men who tower over me)? Will he be quiet? I’m sometimes extremely curious about my future especially when it comes to a potential significant other. Eventually I quickly snap out of my daydreaming because my imagination can run wild for hours.

At one point in my life, the only thing I could ever think about was marriage but I'm starting to realize that I enjoy my life. In fact, I really enjoy coming home to my diva pad, and I love eating random things for dinner!  I’ve also realized as a single woman that I just don't want to marry someone because I’m in love with the illusion of love.  Relationships should have a solid foundation, love and communication.  I want to be able to laugh uncontrollably with my spouse, I want us to have the same values and morals and I definitely want who ever I end up with to make me smile just by his presence.

You see love comes and love goes in relationships without substance and foundation.  So before I end up in another meaningless relationship, I’m on a journey to get myself together and finally for once take care of me.  I've started taking yoga recently, booked a few short weekend getaways, and so far I love it. When you look at being single from a positive perspective you’ll eventually see that it has its perks. After all getting to know yourself only strengthens and builds a better you.

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JUST SAY NO: 7 men you don’t want

7. The Married Man-I shouldn’t have to list this one but feel it’s necessary.  No matter what kind of dream he’s selling, don’t buy it.  Know you’re worth so much more than a man that’s already taken.

6. The Pretty Boy - Eye candy isn’t always bad unless that’s the only thing the man is bringing to the table. What’s worse is when a man knows he’s quite attractive and thinks he’s a gift to all women.  Of course you want to be able show off your man and gaze into his eyes, just know that there’s more to a man than good looks.  Try taking a look at his character.  

5. The Mama’s Boy-Been there, done that. A man like this will make your life stressful. You’ll never come first.  A man should know the difference between his mother and girlfriend/wife.  He should also be willing to stand up to his mother who conveniently interferes in your relationship. 

4. The Mystery Man/Quiet- I don’t know about you but a man of very few words sort of freak me out to a degree.  I’m not saying all quiet men are suspect but any man that makes it his business to be secretive about any and everything should make your antennas go up.  If you’re dating, you should know the basics, like his last name, home address, career, and hobbies.  If it’s really serious a bit more and have been introduced to his family. 

3. The Lazy One-This is a no brainer, stay away. I don’t care how good he looks, smells or dresses.  Trust me; he’s not worth your time.  This particular guy has a habit to look for women he says can motivate him. It’s good to be supportive but don’t break your back trying to motivate a grown man that’s obviously looking for an easy ride or free meal ticket.

2. The Popular Guy-This man can be overly friendly at times and always seeking attention. Now, there’s nothing wrong with a friendly man but if you find this one always smiling ear to ear at every woman that looks his way then check him off you list immediately.

1. The Male Chauvinist- If you ever come across a man who believes women are inferior to men then do yourself a favor and run as fast as you can.  Sometimes this man poses as a charmer later revealing thoughts of women to be nothing more than objects, laborers and deserving less than equal treatment.

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Five Power Moves That Lead To Mr. Right

1.      BE YOURSELF-Sounds simple right?  When you’re dating, that’s the best thing you can do.  Never try to be what you think the person is attracted too.  If you landed a date with a potential love interest, then he obviously likes what he sees already.

2.      BE CONFIDENT-A single woman should always be confident, but not conceited.  It’s easy to go out and meet people when you’re comfortable in your own skin.  You’re not going to meet Mr. Right if you let your ego get big or always critiquing everything about yourself.

3.      TAKE THE LEAD-When you see something you want, go after it!  Don’t be timid.  So the next time you lock eyes with a man who you’re interested in, just approach him and strike up a conversation.  It’s not like you’re about to walk down the aisle and jump the broom.

4.      EXPECT TO KISS A FEW FROGS-Every man you meet is not Mr. Right!  Take the experience for what it is worth.  Try not to get caught up with age or your biological clock.  Sure it would be nice to have Mr. Right by your side before you turn thirty or even forty.  However, you’re not in a race so enjoy the dating experience.  At least you get to check off those you don’t want in your life.

5.      DON’T BE JUDGEMENTAL-Often times single women get caught up in the “wish” list they create.  The man has to be tall, drive a luxury car, have an athletic build, etc.  Ditch the list and stop being so picky.  That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have standards but get to know the man and make sure you pick him for the right reasons.  Instead of judging things that are perishable, make sure he’s honest, respectful, caring and faithful.  

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