Mod Apron

Lucky mama!

Last night was yet another decadent Date Night for my love and me. (If it seems like we are going on a lot of Date Nights lately, it’s only because my dear friend - and babysitter - Kendall was out of town for most of May, so we decided to double up our Date Nights for June.)

We decided to really live it up with dinner and a movie. We went to this restaurant, which we had never tried but is conveniently located just around the corner from our neighborhood’s 100-year old one-screen movie theater. 

The restaurant was lovely, very polished and romantic. Our only complaint was that literally NONE of the mains were suitable for us vegetarians. So instead, we decided to make a meal out of several appys and that was a good call!

We started with a fabulous mix of olives in oil. Plus some bread for soaking up all that deliciousness. Seriously, olives and bread: Is there ANYTHING BETTER? I think not.

We chose 3 items from the antipasti menu: The chickpea and feta salad, the papas bravas quebradas (kinda like french fries with sauce and onions on ‘em), and the risotto croquettes. It was all really yummy and filling but very rich.

We ordered salad for our “mains”. I got the house salad because I am a sucker for a candied pecan. It was very good!

And then, dessert. Ah, dessert. I ordered some treats from the “Petite Sweets” menu but I swear it was all just as huge as their regular deserts. I got the chocolate truffle gelato with caramel mousse and caramel popcorn, just to get me in the mood for the movie! In case you’re wondering, chocolate ice cream with caramel popcorn is a very, very yummy combo. 

Next up - the movie!

Ah, Date Night.

After a long day of dealing with a sick, cranky baby and a little girl who is going through a stage where she loves to repeat everything about a hundred times, we were feeling very ready to get out for a while. Dennis and I got a little bit dressed up, nothing too crazy, but it sure was fun to feel so fancy. The minute my friend Kendall and her husband Thomas arrived to babysit, we were out the door so fast, it would have made your head spin.

We went to a sweet little restaurant about half a block from our home. It all felt very European; this place is tucked between buildings, way down at the end of a cobblestone alley, vines and foliage cascading down the brick walls that envelope the candlelit path.

We were early for our reservation (as I said, we practically ran out the door the minute Kendall and Thomas showed up), so we sat at the bar for a few minutes and enjoyed drinks and appys.

As soon as our table was ready, we sat down and ordered another appy, and then dinner. And after it was all finished, we had dessert and coffee. The food was excellent, and the service impeccable. Den and I took our time, we chatted about life and laughed about the kids, and we enjoyed our evening like civilized adults. We soaked up this rare luxury and savored every single minute.

I’d love to write a more detailed description and share more photos of our night, but I’m gonna keep this one to myself. A decadent little memory to save in my back pocket, like every good Date Night should be!