Achtung, North Atlanta Daters! This post is a CALL TO ATTENTION to all those of you have grown weary of trying to turn spouses into lovers and lovers into spouses. Let’s face it: the difference between “Yawn!” and “Yay!” in every relationship all comes down to which direction your Saturday night takes. What are these times together but commitments to memory-making, and if yours consist primarily of the unimaginative dinner-and-a-movie, it’s time to start re-evaluating “date night.” Here are five ideas to get you started.
1. The Nostalgic Date
If you’ve never been to Earl Smith Strand Theatre in downtown Marietta, you’re in for a romantic shocker. When you step under that marquee sign and into the lobby, you and yours will be immediately whisked away to grander, classier time in our nation’s history. Their nostalgic red curtain opens to some of the best live shows and concerts, as well as old classic films like Bogey and Bacall’s Casablanca. When you’re done with the show, the Cobb Terrace, the Strand’s rooftop bar, beckons with cocktails, star-lit nights, and views of the Marietta Square and Kennesaw Mountain. If there’s ever been a place to hold hands with someone you love, this is it.
2. The Sexy Date
Voted the best dance studio in Woodstock, the Dance and Music Academy of Woodstock offers a Thursday night class whose description reads as follows: Learn the fundamentals of Argentine Tango : walks, the embrace, leading and following, musicality and rhythm. Thursday night dates in Woodstock have never had it so good.
3. The Daytripper’s Date
I have to admit that I’m at my “Dating Utmost High” when I have a full tank of gas, a fully-charged digital camera, a steering wheel in my hands, and a full day to go exploring my world with the one I love. I like to kick it old school with a dog-eared road atlas instead of a GPS on the dash and stowed away cell phones to be used only in case of emergencies. (Nothing’s more frustrating than taking a road trip with someone who spends the entire time calling and texting someone else.) Throw in a thermos of hot coffee, a CD or iPod playlist of classic “on the road” songs, and the coolest person you know riding shotgun, and you’ve got yourself the perfect date.
4. The Outdoorsy Date
They say that the best things in life are free, and just one great date outside will make you a believer. Whether you’re hiking on a North Georgia trail at dawn,stringing up Christmas lights in your backyard for an impromptu dance under a summer sky, or embarking on a moonlight canoe ride, there is something inherently lovely and primal about just being out in nature. Walk away from the television, the computer, the phone, and whatever other gadgets that we buy to make our lives more “enjoyable,” and take that guy/girl in your life out for a breath of fresh air.
5. The Overnight Date
Just a simple, unexpected change of scenery can spark miraculous life back into a dulled-down relationship, and thanks to the Stanley House Inn in Marietta, that spark isn’t too far from home. Surprise your loved one with an overnight in one of the inn’s romantic guest rooms and enjoy a full breakfast in their dining room in the morning. With accommodations this close, a spontaneous mid-week getaway becomes surprisingly practical. Just throw your love’s pressed clothes and favorite toiletries into a bag, and I guarantee an evening far flung from “ordinary.”
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