best-places for first dates

2 The first date is your opportunity to make a positive impression and in order
to make a good impression you must be prepared. Perhaps the biggest
decision to make beforehand is where to take your date.

Below is a list of suggestions, some of which have checklists to help you
prepare for that activity, as well as some handy hints.

RESTAURANTS

As a venue, restaurants provide a great way to get to know someone.
Choose a place you know so you will be more comfortable. It’s also very
cool to call a waiter by his first name. If you haven’t got a favourite place
already, choose a place with the help of the checklist below.

Good Idea: If you can, do something like see a movie together before you go
to the restaurant. This way you have something to talk about. Going for a
walk (for example, along a river or through a park) is also a good idea and
will allow you and your date to build up an appetite.

CHECKLIST
� Ask your date if he/she has any special eating requirements. He/she may
be vegetarian or vegan, or not eat meat but eat seafood.
� Choose a place based on recommendation — Ask people you know.
� Check out the location beforehand.
� Consider the time — Lunch is the best choice for a first date as this helps
keep the date casual and relaxed.
� Take the menu and prices into consideration — The offerings should easily
fit your budget.
� Find a place with good lighting — If it’s too bright, that pimple that sprung
up an hour ago will stand out like a lighthouse, making its owner want to
sink into oblivion. Too dark and you may not be able to see your date
drooling over you.
� Consider the noise factor — Make sure it is easy to talk. After
all that’s the reason you are there.
� Choose a venue with both efficient and friendly service. (And
your waiter shouldn’t be a clown called Ronald McDonald.)
� Find out whether you will need to make a reservation.
� Consider the dress code at the venue and dress to suit.
� Apply the Style-Plus-One principle — The principle is this: You go one step
better than the next person when it comes to your style/look. Say, if you
were at a venue that, on a scale of one to ten, the style/look required was
a six, you would aim to be a seven.
� Don’t choose a venue that is too small. A tiny room could make you and/or
your date feel claustrophobic.

3 Handy Hint: If you have decided to pay for the date, give your credit-card
number to the restaurant beforehand (either during a preliminary visit or
when you make a booking). This way you won’t have to deal with the bill on
the night (which can sometimes be slow and can also lead to an awkward
moment with your date if the question of who pays arises.) It is also likely to
impress your date. Have them add a 25% tip (misers cringe here) to the bill,
which should ensure good service during the date. When you do this,
introduce yourself to the person taking the booking, ask his/her name and
remember it, and be friendly. Then on the night you can say hello and use
their first name. They will hopefully use your name too as they should
remember someone who has prepaid!

A MOVIE

One of the most common and safest first dates is seeing a movie. If you
choose a movie you both enjoy it will help the date. But beware of choosing
a movie that is a dud as it may be a date dampener. Another downside is
that seeing a movie doesn’t give you much time to talk and get to know
each other.

CHECKLIST
� Make a considered movie choice, as everyone has different tastes, so
choosing a movie can be difficult. Selecting certain movies can also create
a false impression and/or mood for the date. For example, a confronting
psychological thriller like Silence of the Lambs may depress your date. Or a
relationship movie like Pretty Woman may put undue pressure on a first
date. So come up with a few movie ideas, ask your date which movies
he/she likes and choose one between you.
� Select a cinema – Choose a movie that is close to a
place where you can have coffee/supper or a bite to eat
together afterwards.
� Arrange a time.
� Apply the Style-Plus-One principle.
� Book and