“The Perfect Date”

The concept of the perfect date can come in a variety of packages in a city like New York. I think it comes down to personal preference which is your top choice however I will outline three standouts that I have encountered during the course of my NYC life . One of my dates of choice is that of the solo kind where I embark on an adventure alone doing all of my favorite things in the city.  There is a saying “I don’t have a boyfriend I am dating my true love New York” and I must say it is extremely hard not to be lured in by the charms it has to offer. One of the best parts of this style of date is that it can be embarked upon any time you feel the need and you can almost always be guaranteed to get exactly what you are looking for. There are a number of activities usually on the agenda for a date with my dream city (of course many of these are dependent on the season) and the first typically involves stepping outside and pounding the pavement – there is a certain liberation and magic to this in Manhattan that I have yet to find anywhere else in the world. The energy of the people walking with great purpose, the noises of the public transport, the grandeur of the many buildings and the smells of the pretzels from the street vendors just to name a few all help to create a wonderful buzz that can very quickly turn a day of doom and gloom around. A meal at Tavern on the Green would be a “must do” for my solo dream date. This is such a classic spot and is the pinnacle of class and style – the fairy lights, the extravagant decor, the swing style music and scenic view of the park allow you to relax and succumb to the charm of an elegant fine dining experience. A date with myself would not be complete without seeing a Broadway show. I love nothing more than being transported to a world of song and dance for a few hours , not to mention the excitement of the timeless theaters and bright lights of Times Square. All of this would be capped off with a rooftop drink at the Boom Boom room where cocktails you can only dream of are sipped while overlooking all of the highlights of New York. Days like this can make you realize that New York really does have your heart and it is very hard for “anything”or “anyone” else to live up to the high standards that it sets.

Recently I went on a date with a very handsome gentlemen – which is also another fabulous style of dating in Manhattan if you can find someone to get it right and boy did this guy get EVERYTHING right! I was left questioning whether I had just stepped off a movie set when I arrived home. The night began in a cosy wine bar in midtown and quickly progressed to a hidden jazz bar called “The Backroom NYC” that has a live band on Monday nights. Once you enter through the secret passage way to this speakeasy you are transported to another era where cocktails are served in tea cups and Fred Astaire is on the playlist.  We  managed to secure a prime spot by the band and after one cocktail he smoothly lifted me off my chair to slow dance to “Cheek to cheek” – highly romantic and it didn’t hurt that he looked like he belonged on a Calvin Klein advertisement. We then progressed to sitting on a park bench in the west village while the leaves fell on a perfect fall evening – it felt like nobody else was around and that I was floating on a cloud.  Enough to make you sick! However the reality is that New York has has the powers of seduction to transport you on a fantasy date that will starry- eyed and loved up.

However in my eyes the “perfect date” especially for a Christmas Enthusiast like myself is at a place called Rolf’s on the lower east side with the company of a close friend. I was lucky enough to live out the reality of this date yesterday. The only other time I have ventured to this gorgeous restaurant there was an hour long wait in a line in the freezing cold, however as fate would have it we were able to get a table immediately. The word that comes to mind is Christmas “vomit” – there are sleighs, lights, tree branches, christmas balls and candles hanging from every roof, wall and fixture. It is gorgeous and magical and I think you could visit this quaint place multiple times and see something new each time. I have been battling a cold this past week so the comfort food and spiked apple cider was just what the doctor ordered. This combined with a girly catch up is in my eyes the ACTUAL perfect date.