“We’re out of cheese again.”  “Something in the fridge stinks.”  “The toilet’s acting funny.”  “Would you like to go out on a date with me?”  Wait, wait – what??  That last one’s not something you’re necessarily expecting to hear on a regular Thursday morning from your spouse, right?  Somehow in the hubbub of daily chores, demanding jobs, and disobedient kitchen appliances, special appointed time with our partners to reconnect and rekindle somehow goes by the wayside.  Is this a problem?  How important is it, really, to go on dates with your significant other?  Isn’t it enough that you ride to the bank and hardware store together, often eat dinner at the same time, and are pretty good about texting each other?  The truth is that couples who intentionally date each other, regardless of whether you’ve been together five months, five years, or five decades, find that their relationships benefit immensely from that kind of focused attention.  In case common sense isn’t enough to convince you of this, a comprehensive study was conducted by the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, and found that couples who went on frequent dates found an increased level of communication, happiness, parenthood stability, commitment, have lower divorce rates, and have a better overall perceived quality of their marriage.  Wholly convinced?  Yes!  Now before you start scanning the movie section in the paper and making reservations at your favorite standby restaurant, let us give you a few fresh and fun date night ideas.

• It’s game time!  Remember how you used to rock the air hockey table?  Are you still secretly proud of the all-time high score you earned at skee-ball?  Can you show that whack-a-mole who’s boss?  Visiting an arcade/game center, without your kids along, is a great way to break out of your usual grown-up roles, and just PLAY.
• Cozy up for sippin’ and paintin’.  You can be an artist – really!  At Wine & Design, our classes led by local artists who provide detailed step-by-step instructions, ensuring that you feel guided enough to create your own unique masterpiece.  Not only do our classes make for a seriously fun time, but you get to take home your own creative reminders of a truly fun, lively, romantic date night.  We offer a variety of different paintings/classes to choose from, so check out our calendar and sign up for a painting that catches your eye.
• Play tourist.  How familiar are you, really, with the sights and attractions your own city offers?  Visiting your local art museum or cultural center can give you a new appreciation for your community, and make for interesting, intelligent conversation later over coffee.
• Does your city boast top-notch breweries or wineries, or a famous distillery?  Go on a tour, sample their craft, and school yourself on the care and time that goes into making your favorite beverages.  Plus, what you learn will give you cool facts to share at work the next day. 

Going on a date with your spouse that facilitates creativity and learning will help you to grow together as a couple.  It can even make you appreciate each other’s imagination and intellect all over again.  So go ahead – ask your sweetie out, and go play together.  You’ll be a stronger, happier couple because of it. (And afterwards, dealing with the stinky refrigerator won’t seem so bad!)