Out Of Practice

Dinner at Tilia
March 9, 2013

We are so incredibly out of practice on "date nights," me and Joe.  Before we left for Mexico (post to come on that, and I'm hoping my phone can be salvaged after dropping it in water because it's got all our family vacation photos on it...) Joe and I had our March date planned.  And then we had to reschedule because the weekend we were planning to go out I came down with a 24 hour stomach flu, followed by the rest of the house (except Wren) also getting throw-up sick for a day each (Otto a few days).

Our original date was going to be brunch at a new place we've been wanting to try, followed by ice skating or something else fun downtown.  Our back-up plan, after finding a time the following weekend that worked for our sitter, wasn't much of a plan.

We thought we'd grab an early dinner and then head to the malls to do some returns and try to find some warm-weather clothes for Mexico.  I was super excited to shop - which is odd because I really dislike shopping.  But I was in the mood to spend. 

As mentioned, we weren't planned and didn't have a reservation (mute point, really, since Joe wanted to get back to Tilia and they don't take reservations).  We got to Tilia, enjoyed some drinks for nearly an hour until they had a table (chef's counter top) ready for us.  

After a couple hours enjoying relaxing drinks and dinner, it was just past 7pm (Early Birds!), which was about an hour past closing time at two of the three malls we wanted to go to (again, neither of us did any planning for this).  And the leisurely dinner with drinks pretty much killed my motivation to power shop.  I wanted to curl up on a couch and relax some more.  But we had a sitter for another couple hours, and certainly the kids wouldn't be asleep yet if we headed home.  So we made our way to the mall and Joe and I both struck out finding anything fun for the warm weather vacation, but each found a new work outfit.  

Point is - after dinner and drinks - this became a snoozy date (my small wine buzz made for tedious, tired shopping).  Joe and I've got to get our act together for our upcoming monthly dates.  Joe offered to plan the next one and I'm hoping he's thinking brunch followed by spa treatments.  Or a private jet to Chicago or Milwaukee for a MLB game, The Bachelor style.  Or even rock climbing to get my endorphins pumping (...followed by beer instead of preceded by beer, which tends to make me want to go to bed before 8pm).  

Ideas?  Send them our way!  Movies to go to, restaurants to try, activities and attractions headed to the Twin Cities, etc.  What are some fun things to do - ideally getting us home before 10pm:)