Create A Romantic Evening At
Home
You've decided to invite someone you're
dating to your home for a romantic evening and you want
everything to go well. Here are a few tips to help you
achieve that result.
Long before your guest arrives on your doorstep, there are a
number of factors you need to consider to make the evening
special:
1. Your Physical
Surroundings
It's a good idea to make sure your house or apartment is
clean and tidy. It may not be anyone's primary focus but it
will make an impression on your guest, even if it's
subliminal.
Spend a few hours doing the cleaning yourself, hire someone
to do it for you, or, at the very least, shove all that
clutter into your closets or under the bed. Wipe down some
surfaces.
Apart from the living and dining areas, there are two other
rooms that need your attention:
The bathroom
Wipe down the sink/washbasin, tub and shower stall. Put a
fresh cake of soap on the sink and hang fresh towels. At
the very least your guest will use the bathroom to wash his
or her hands so make sure it's a pleasant experience.
The bedroom
Get rid of any extraneous clutter like clothes strewn
around the room or on the floor. Change the sheets, make
the bed and wipe down any surfaces. If your guest ends up
spending the night, you don't want him or her racing off
for a tetanus shot in the morning.
To convert your bedroom into a love nest, have some scented
candles on hand and an easy-to-reach sound system. You
might also consider buying a quilt cover in a rich,
romantic color and a set of sheets to match.
2. Your Choice of
Menu
While food can be an excellent means of seduction, it's a
mistake to choose too complicated a menu unless you're an
experienced cook and you don't get easily flustered.
Simple dishes like spaghetti or ratatouille make a tasty
and satisfying meal without spiking your anxiety levels.
The point is to enjoy the evening along with your guest,
not treat the event like it's a university-entrance
exam.
How To Avoid Psycho-Chef Syndrome
One trick is to prepare as much of the meal as possible
beforehand so you're not rushing around like a pinball once
your guest arrives.
Have all the ingredients chopped, diced and ready for
cooking. Do this the night before or earlier that day,
whatever works best for you.
Salad ingredients can be prepared earlier and stored in
separate containers, then added to the salad bowl and
dressed before serving.
You can even cheat by purchasing your meal from a favorite
restaurant and having it delivered (or picking it up)
before your guest arrives.
Definitely buy desert from your favorite bakery or
supermarket, unless you're a wiz at whipping up a Pavlova
or meringue. Another option is to prepare dessert the night
before and reheat it if necessary when you're ready to
serve it.
3. Your Cooking
Area
Make sure your kitchen is clean before you begin cooking.
Yes, you'll no doubt make a mess once you start but you
don't want yesterday's dishes in the way. Your guest may
offer to help so the kitchen needs to meet minimum health
standards.
It's up to you whether you accept this help or not, but we
recommend that you do, even if it's only a token task like
tossing the salad. Sharing cooking tasks can be a
wonderfully romantic interaction as it creates a special
kind of intimacy. Have you ever noticed how much more
easily conversation flows when two people are doing a task,
as opposed to sitting face to face?
4. Setting the
Table
Set the table beforehand. Use a good tablecloth, your best
silverware and a nice set of plates. Use your best glasses
and an attractive salt and pepper set, milk jug and sugar
bowl. Show your guest that you went to some trouble to make
the meal a special occasion. This is not the time for
melamine dishes or chipped or mismatched crockery. You're
aiming for a touch of class.
Use candlesticks on the table for a romantic ambience, or
place candles on other surfaces around the room.
Background music is a must but make sure it's romantic and
subtle. Limit blaring rock and roll or rap to the period
when you're preparing dinner, but please, no high-octane
music while you're eating.
Set the sound at a low volume so it doesn't interfere with
your conversation. And remember, if you don't play music
during the meal you run the risk of filling any silences
with the sound of people masticating.
5. Cleaning Up
After
Don't let your guest into the kitchen after the meal is
over. Hopefully you have better things to do with your time
together.
But all is not lost if they do insist on helping with the
chores. Many a couple has fallen in love while doing the
dishes, for two main reasons:
- There is the ease of conversation
that takes place when you're doing a task rather
than concentrating on talking.
- Doing dishes together is like
playing house. It can actually feel very
romantic, especially when one or both people
realize, "This is what I want with this person."
It's not quite the same when you load a
dishwasher, so set aside at least a couple of
pots that will you allow to suggest, "I'll wash
and you dry."
With a little forethought and planning, anyone can
create a romantic evening at home. The old cliché, "the way
to a person's heart is through their stomach", has more
than a little truth to it. Test it yourself with someone
you care about. The least you'll get is a great home-cooked
meal.
Recommended Sites
If you're looking for ideas to make your home more attractive,
these sites offer an excellent range of accessories.
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