Date Night

R

roundcorners_IHB

New member
I have been inspired to take my wife on a few dates suggested by all of you for <a href="http://www.irvinehousingblog.com/forums/viewthread/5008/">SC's date thread.</a>. I wanted to start another separate thread for date suggestions in general. I?m always looking for new ideas, restaurants and activities. I have to admit our date nights for the past three years or so have simply comprised of a simple dinner a walk or a movie. Lately with the kid, it?ll be a miracle if we can make it to Starbucks. What is your go-to date suggestion; what is your budget-date; how did you go on dates with a 3-month old in tow?
 
Excellent idea for a thread.



It is difficult to go on dates once kids come along. We have been on two dates in the last six years.



My anniversary is coming up in a month and I also have been wondering where would be a good place to go. (I think we can get a sitter for a few hours this year.) I was thinking of trying Nieuport 17 in Tustin. I have heard from one person that it's good but I looked up reviews and they say otherwise, so I don't know. I would REALLY like to surprise him with a trip to a... firing range! Doesn't that sound like so much fun? I've been dying to go and I think he would like it. Who needs a boring anniversary dinner when you can go shooting instead. Maybe I need a man's input here. Guys, is this a lame idea that I want to take him shooting for our anniversary? Please let me down gently if it is.
 
Nieuport 17 is a nice place, good food, unique atmosphere. We ate there for lunch. Why shooting? I've only done it about a total of 3 times in my life. The last time got expensive as we were buying bigger and bigger amo; we end up shooting a WWII rifle from another patron. It's a thrill; but I wouldn't do it with the wife, she's probably not interested anyways. Mother's day is coming up and I really want to make it special since it is her first! Any suggestions?
 
[quote author="roundcorners" date=1240573630]Nieuport 17 is a nice place, good food, unique atmosphere. We ate there for lunch. Why shooting? I've only done it about a total of 3 times in my life. The last time got expensive as we were buying bigger and bigger amo; we end up shooting a WWII rifle from another patron. It's a thrill; but I wouldn't do it with the wife, she's probably not interested anyways. Mother's day is coming up and I really want to make it special since it is her first! Any suggestions?</blockquote>


Cool, thanks. Maybe we will give it a go at Nieuport 17 afterall. I was a little hesitant looking at their prices so I'd at least like it to be good. Well it's worth a try.



Why shooting? Hmm, I don't know - it just seems like it would be so much fun and different from your typical outting, something that would probably be memorable. Yeah, maybe he'd rather do that with a guy friend than me. It's not like I know what to do with a gun but I am interested in learning.



I think you can never go wrong with a gift card to a spa or salon. Maybe Glen Ivy? They have one at the Brea Mall. I went there and it was very nice. A little pricey, though. For a pedicure, you'll pay double what you would at any nail salon. They do facials, massages, have steam room, etc. But I know you have a little one that she probably doesn't want to be away from too long - so maybe just a local nail salon - make sure it's the real deal with spa chairs that have jacuzzi tubs for pedicures.



What is she into specifically? Crafting? Scrapbooking? Or anything in particular? Since the occasions is Mother's Day, you could do one of those necklaces where you add the child's birthstone and then you can keep adding with additional children. There is one brand in particular that is nice - it's called <a href="http://www.pandora-jewelry.com">Pandora</a>. They make these bracelets and SO many charms to choose from. You could even add the stone that represents the month you got married plus your birthstone and hers. For future holidays or milestones, there are plenty of new charms to choose from so you would never be out of a gift idea again! And then she could choose the separators to go between them for the look she wants... that's how you build your bracelet. Anyway, just a thought. The charms are a tad expensive but you can easily find them on Ebay plus this bracelet is interchangeable with other brands of charms.



It is nice of you to put thought into it. I am sure she will like whatever you come up with. I get the same exact gift for every holiday for 10 years now... a CD and a small box of See's candy. My husband finds different ways to wrap it to make it looks like it's not the expected gift but it always is. LOL. It has become a joke now. He tries putting it in different sized boxes, but we all know what it really is. I know this is what I will get every holiday for every year the rest of my life. LOL!



Edit: <strong>OH! </strong>I just thought of another gift idea! <strong><em>Listen up all you husbands & fathers!</em></strong> You go to Michael's (crafts store) and you buy two big wooden letters - M and O (preferably white or you can paint them white) and a picture frame with 3 hinged frames. You take your baby (or older child / children) and give him/her the M. Take 2 pictures that look different with a different pose and expression. Take away the M and give him / her the O and take a picture. Now you print them and put them in the frame to spell MOM. It is really cute. I did this for my husband for father's day one year - except it spelled DAD. It is cute, easy, and inexpensive! Any mom would love it!
 
Graph and I have scheduled dates in the form of non-refundable theater tickets fairly often. Friday night we are heading down SCR to see a show, in fact. Gives us a "no excuses" reason to dress up and get out.



We also go look at houses as cheap entertainment. The ones up in North Tustin can be a hoot when you go on "open house" days and can look inside. We have also spent a few hours just walking around Laguna or Huntington Beach and maybe grabbing a bite to eat.
 
[quote author="SoCal78" date=1240573243]

It is difficult to go on dates once kids come along. We have been on two dates in the last six years.

</blockquote>


Okay, I got most of my baby-sitting gigs as a teenager from church friends or neighbors. What's up with you guys?



I do notice the lack of trust folks have with other people and their children now that I never really experienced when baby-sitting was my main source of income. Is it just a different world now?
 
[quote author="SoCal78" date=1240573243]Excellent idea for a thread.



It is difficult to go on dates once kids come along. We have been on two dates in the last six years.



My anniversary is coming up in a month and I also have been wondering where would be a good place to go. (I think we can get a sitter for a few hours this year.) I was thinking of trying Nieuport 17 in Tustin. I have heard from one person that it's good but I looked up reviews and they say otherwise, so I don't know. I would REALLY like to surprise him with a trip to a... firing range! Doesn't that sound like so much fun? I've been dying to go and I think he would like it. Who needs a boring anniversary dinner when you can go shooting instead. Maybe I need a man's input here. Guys, is this a lame idea that I want to take him shooting for our anniversary? Please let me down gently if it is.</blockquote>


How about a flight simulator to dog fight and land on an aircraft carrier? I've heard that this place is very fun and I plan to take my other half soon: <a href="http://www.flightdeck1.com/#">Flightdeck Air Combat Center</a>
 
[quote author="SoCal78" date=1240573243]Excellent idea for a thread.



It is difficult to go on dates once kids come along. We have been on two dates in the last six years.



My anniversary is coming up in a month and I also have been wondering where would be a good place to go. (I think we can get a sitter for a few hours this year.) I was thinking of trying <strong>Nieuport 17 in Tustin</strong>. I have heard from one person that it's good but I looked up reviews and they say otherwise, so I don't know. I would REALLY like to surprise him with a trip to a... firing range! Doesn't that sound like so much fun? I've been dying to go and I think he would like it. Who needs a boring anniversary dinner when you can go shooting instead. Maybe I need a man's input here. Guys, is this a lame idea that I want to take him shooting for our anniversary? Please let me down gently if it is.</blockquote>


Accckkkk! No! I have heard of three different people getting food poisoning from there. One of the three I personally witnessed go from his normal pale skin tone to turning green in a matter of minutes, only to hopefully make it to the bathroom in time. Poor Deuce, he wasn't looking too good.



Go to <a href="http://blacksheepbistro.com/">Black Sheep Bistro</a> in Old Town Tustin. Way... way better food, and I have never heard of anyone ever getting sick from there. I have been there numerous times, and the only sickness I have from there is the addiction to the <a href="http://blacksheepbistro.com/dinspecpics/bbborregoframed1.JPG">borrego, borrego, borrego</a>.
 
[quote author="caycifish" date=1240576473][quote author="SoCal78" date=1240573243]

It is difficult to go on dates once kids come along. We have been on two dates in the last six years.

</blockquote>


Okay, I got most of my baby-sitting gigs as a teenager from church friends or neighbors. What's up with you guys?



I do notice the lack of trust folks have with other people and their children now that I never really experienced when baby-sitting was my main source of income. Is it just a different world now?</blockquote>


I think it's a combination of things. We don't have any family around at all, so that I would say is the biggest reason. His family is all 3,000 mi. away and very rarely visit and I don't have any. So grandparents or the kids aunts/ uncles babysitting is not an option, though I wish it were. A couple years ago I did see some fliers at church that some teen girls had left. I tried calling both of them and they never returned my calls. Then I finally met one great person that I thought would make an excellent sitter. She was in college studying childhood development. The day I contacted her to sit was the day she was moving out of state! My luck. Our neighbors we've either not known or have been very elderly people that I wouldn't want to leave a child with. Yeah I admit, I do feel like I should know and trust the person well. We don't really have any friends who live locally or who aren't busy juggling their own families. There is one and she is the only one who has babysat for us those two times.... she's extremely busy. Also it is hard when you have little ones with diaper and feeding issues - it is very hard to get away and often takes so much longer getting ready to go than the time you are out that it doesn't feel worth it so I sort of gave up and we just tried to find ways to have fun at home. But it's getting a little easier now that they are getting older so I hope to make it a more regular thing. Ok, so sorry for the long winded-post!
 
We have preschoolers and KGers at home. We do a lot of happy hours just around Irvine: Ophas at Tustin, BJs at Tustin, Yard house at Spectrum, Javiers at Spectrum, etc. The great thing about Spectrum is you can walk around, do some shopping either before or after happy hour. For birthday, etc, we usually go to Laguna, or one of the restaraunts at Fashion island. Roys is one of our favriotes (we love their pipeapple infused martini). But you need a sitter for those places, as they don't open until 5 or 530pm.



We also take our kids to Yard House during Friday happy hours sometimes. ( that is what we did last friday). They always love it.
 
Don't know if they're still available but I think taking your wife to a musical would be a real treat... Grease is starting its run at the OCPA.



Tickets are going fast tho... I'm surprising my gf lol :)
 
[quote author="SoCal78" date=1240577149][quote author="caycifish" date=1240576473][quote author="SoCal78" date=1240573243]

It is difficult to go on dates once kids come along. We have been on two dates in the last six years.

</blockquote>


Okay, I got most of my baby-sitting gigs as a teenager from church friends or neighbors. What's up with you guys?



I do notice the lack of trust folks have with other people and their children now that I never really experienced when baby-sitting was my main source of income. Is it just a different world now?</blockquote>


I think it's a combination of things. We don't have any family around at all, so that I would say is the biggest reason. His family is all 3,000 mi. away and very rarely visit and I don't have any. So grandparents or the kids aunts/ uncles babysitting is not an option, though I wish it were. A couple years ago I did see some fliers at church that some teen girls had left. I tried calling both of them and they never returned my calls. Then I finally met one great person that I thought would make an excellent sitter. She was in college studying childhood development. The day I contacted her to sit was the day she was moving out of state! My luck. Our neighbors we've either not known or have been very elderly people that I wouldn't want to leave a child with. Yeah I admit, I do feel like I should know and trust the person well. We don't really have any friends who live locally or who aren't busy juggling their own families. There is one and she is the only one who has babysat for us those two times.... she's extremely busy. Also it is hard when you have little ones with diaper and feeding issues - it is very hard to get away and often takes so much longer getting ready to go than the time you are out that it doesn't feel worth it so I sort of gave up and we just tried to find ways to have fun at home. But it's getting a little easier now that they are getting older so I hope to make it a more regular thing. Ok, so sorry for the long winded-post!</blockquote>


We're in much the same boat SoCal. No local family at all any longer (my sister-in-law moved to NY a couple of years ago) so getting out is hard to do. Get yourself a "professional" baby-sitter that you feel comfy with and can trust and then take what she has available. We schedule date nights a month or two in advance and backing out will cost us so we make sure to go and have fun.



We've found that many pre-school teachers make a habit of baby-sitting on the side for extra cash. Our sitter, who was the teacher in my son's class when he was 3, is an awesome childcare provider. She doesn't park kids in front of the TV at all. They play games, do arts and crafts, read, etc. She does baths, bedtime, etc. so we can stay out later as well. She's not cheap, but definitely worth it from a piece-of-mind perspective.
 
[quote author="optimusprime" date=1240617458]Don't know if they're still available but I think taking your wife to a musical would be a real treat... Grease is starting its run at the OCPA.



Tickets are going fast tho... I'm surprising my gf lol :)</blockquote>


We are going to this tonight:



<a href="http://www.ocpac.org/home/Events/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=860">The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown</a>



We'll see Spamalot either in LA or here, haven't decided yet. Graph told me this week that he wants to see it.



Monty Python's Spamalot

October 6 - 18, 2009

Segerstrom Hall



Spamalot

Ahmanson Theatre

July 7 - Sept 6, 2009



Strike that...I may be a season ticket holder for OCPAC this year:



Monty Python's Spamalot

October 6 - 18, 2009

Segerstrom Hall



Spring Awakening

November 17 - 29, 2009

Segerstrom Hall



Xanadu

December 15 - 27, 200

Segerstrom Hall



Dreamgirls

April 20 - May 2, 2010

Segerstrom Hall



In the Heights

August 3 - 15, 2010

Segerstrom Hall



The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein

September 7 - 19, 2010

Segerstrom Hall
 
[quote author="SoCal78" date=1240617125]Irvine123 - What do you mean you take the kids to happy hour... They allow that? So the kids sit at the bar?</blockquote>


NOOOOO, not in the bar...Happy hour just means discount food, and drinks, and LOUD...Happy hour menu applies to bar and at table...
 
I think we went through this happy hour thing before. We also like to go to McCormick's for their version of happy hour. We eat dinner and spend less than the cost of making dinner, it gets us out of the house for those somewhat unbearable hours between 5-7 (the time when kids under 5 lose their minds and destroy the house!)



Oh, for the life of Cayci and Graph, enjoy it while you can because if you plan to have kids one day, your life will change so drastically that you'll barely remember these times. Not only will you not have much time but you won't have much money or energy either. I'd have to agree with the previous post that it is sometimes just not worth the hassle to try to go out on a date. Babysitters are pretty expensive and when you've already blown your budget on childcare during the week, it's hard to spring another $50 so that you can go out and spend more money. In addition to that, you end up spending more time writing out directions, preparing dinner and generally making sure everything is ready for the kids, at the same time knowing full well that this person coming into your house is going to have a helluva time trying to put your kids down to bed (unless you detail the routine in copious notes) so you just might end up with tired kids at 6:00 am the next morning (remember don't come home too late and for heaven sakes, don't have more than 2 drinks, I'm having such a great time just thinking about it!).



Lately we have been doing a trade off with a family across the street. They drop their kids off for a 3-4 hour period of time and pick them up before bedtime and we switch the next time. It's kind of nice because you get to stay in your own house with the neighbors kids and no one else has to come to your house and try to figure out your routine. Of course, the last time we did this, we walked across the street, dropped off the kids, walked back home and took a nap.



I'm sure all of this gets easier as time goes by and slowly but surely we'll actually have a life again. I'm definitely not saying that we don't enjoy our kids, because we do, I'm just saying that the time, energy and money to plan fun date night isn't really there.
 
[quote author="tmare" date=1240626967]Of course, the last time we did this, we walked across the street, dropped off the kids, <strong>walked back home and took a nap.</strong>

</blockquote>


LOL!!!!!!! Gosh that is so true. That is my idea of a good time these days.



On Sundays when we check our boys into Sunday school at church... we fill out this form where you put your child's name, your name, and where you will be. Of course for where you will be you're supposed to put "the sanctuary" or another room in the church. We often semi-jokingly wonder out-loud to each other if we can put "at Mimi's Cafe" or "at home". LOL! It's our only chance at having kid-free time together.
 
Enjoy the time when they are young. You dont get out as much but they are so innocent still.

Just wait till they are teens. Then they will never be around at all. You need to make an appointment to have dinner with them. Or when they do see you its for a check. Then you look back and say. Damn I miss when they were just little.



Make sure you do a weekly date night. Its manditory for adult sanity. And get a good lock on the bedroom door. That realy helps when they get above 5 and decide to just walk in un announced at odd hours. Plus they learn that this space is OFF LIMITS when said door is locked. Got to keep some seperation or they will ruin your love life.
 
Back in Feb., I got MLK day off but my kid did not. Little Ms. Grumpy did not appreciate that I was giggling incessantly on our way to dropping her off at preschool that day.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top