DigsMagazine.com | host: DINNER FOR TWO, CHEZ VOUS surviving the first dinner date at your place

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a home + living guide for the post-college, pre-parenthood, quasi-adult generation

10.24.2002

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dinner for two,
chez vous surviving the
first dinner date at your place
by Patricia Virella | 1 2 3 4 5

You’ve finally worked up the nerve to ask the new guy (or girl) you’re seeing to a wonderful night of tantalizing food and titillating conversation – at your place. And he (or she) has said YES! Suddenly, your mind is racing with equal parts glee and fear. That first dinner date sets the stage for an intimate get-to-know you evening; you want everything to be as close to perfect as possible. So how do you complete the seemingly insurmountable task of making a delectable dinner while simultaneously ensuring a fun, stress-free evening chock-full of the requisite romantic ambience? Take a deep breath, relax, and check out these pointers on how to host a smashing success of a dinner date.

get organized
You’re so giddy with glee about the new guy/girl coming over that you can barely think straight. A surefire way to get moving with plans for your oh-so romantic evening is to make a to-do list. This is by far the easiest and most efficient way to start. It gets you focused, calms you down, and makes it easy to see specifically what needs to be done as you prepare for the big date. I've found that if I write a list of everything that needs to get done, then I can’t possibly miss anything.

Organize your list by what you believe to be priorities in planning. When I write my to-do list I tend to begin with house chores first, then what I’ll be cooking next, followed by ideas for great music to get me grooving with my date. As you’re making the list, the ideas are sure to start flowing in your head about what you should be cooking, as well as what wines you may want to accompany your tasty home-cooked treats.

set the stage: digable tunes & candlelight
You envision romance. Heart-fluttering, swoon-inducing, romance, abundant and lush. So how do you turn your ho-hum ordinary digs into a Villa of Love built for two? Two words: Candlelight. Music. Instant romance guaranteed.

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