Conference turris::womannotes-v1

Quiet restaurant, good food, intelligent conversation.

M.

    re .2 Martin
    
    Ditto.  Good conversation is the perfect counterpoint to good food,
    good service, the opportunity to find myself in "nice" surroundings.
    Tho a good Indian place will do.
    
    Lee

    I'm a bit of a nature lover, so one of my most memorable dates was a 
    drive along the Maine coast.  We stopped and walked among the rocks
    and watched the surf.  It was sooo romantic...unfortunately, it was
    with the wrong person (I was in love with someone else at the time).
    
    Another was fishing in a row boat with my SO (the right person,
    and the one I was and am in love with).
    
    To me, the best dates have been those that I've shared something
    (be it laughter, good music, good food, a sunset etc.) with someone
    that I cared for.  As far as making them happen, I like spontaneity.
                                                                       

    	In another conference, I talked about what I consider the
    	most romantic "first date" I've ever had...
    
    	It was an "afternoon date" and we went to the park to throw
    	 a frisbee.
    
    	It was sensuous because we spent all afternoon facing each
    	other and coordinating our bodies' movements in order to
    	play with the frisbee.  Running all over the park together
    	in the pursuit of fun and physical exercise had the effect
    	of heightening our interest in other sorts of physical
    	activities that we could pursue together (although we were
    	both too shy and vulnerable to risk such closeness until
    	much later.)
    
    	The day at the park was the first time we realized that we
    	were falling in love (after having been friends for awhile.)
    	We started going out at night shortly after that day, and
    	feel deeply in love over the next few months.
    
    	During all the years of our relationship, we never stopped
    	revisiting the kind of fun we had in the park on our first
    	date.  We often walked to a nearby park to play with the
    	frisbee again (and it was always fun.)  Coming home, we
    	used to walk on opposite sides of the street and throw the
    	frisbee back and forth (between the occasional cars that
    	would pass by.)  My aim was not quite as good as his was,
    	and I can remember how we would laugh as he would have to
    	repeatedly jump fences along the way to retrieve the frisbee.
    
    	I can also remember the many times we went on costly dates
    	to nice restaurants and to concerts (and vacations) but the
    	afternoons in the park are probably some of my fondest
    	memories of the relationship.
    
    						     Suzanne...

    
    One night many years ago, when I lived in Worcester, I was walking
    home from work.  There was a house about a block from my appartment
    which had a driveway filled with beautiful cars from the '50s,
    including an awesome, totally restored '55 Tbird (and she had fun
    fun fun...).  Well on this particular night, there was a man of
    about 30, covered in grease, working on these cars.  I stopped and
    said, "That's a great Tbird, it's a 54 or a 55, right?"  He got
    this glossy look in his eyes, and said, "ooooh, you knew what it
    was.  It's the 4th Tbird built in '55.  Would you like a ride in
    it?"  Well, I don't typically accept rides from strangers :-) but
    gosh, it was a '55 Tbird!  So I said, "Oh, yes, I'd love to!"  And
    he said, "Come by tomorrow night at six."
    
    The next night, when I showed up, he had cleaned off every speck
    of grease from his person (an awesome thing in itself :-)), and
    was dressed in black slacks, a white tshirt, and had the pack of
    Marlboros (which he didn't smoke!) rolled up in the tshirt sleeve.
    We took off in the Tbird (aaaah, oooh), he drove to a local drag
    strip, and put the car through it's paces.  Buddy Holly owas playing
    on the eight-track tape deck (also vintage, but the tape was new!).
    That machine did 110 in third gear!  Wowie!
    
    Then, he drove us to a drive-in ice cream place, and got us ice
    cream cones.  While we ate our ice cream, he showed me pictures of
    the Tbird when he first got it (barely recognizable as a car!) and
    pictures of the restoration process.  He was so proud of it (rightly
    so) that he just glowed.  His cars were his life, and they were
    all like his children to him.  It was totally sweet.  Afterwards,
    he dropped me at my appartment, and said goodnight ('50's men don't
    kiss on a first date!).  He was charming, and many years later,
    this stands out in my memory as one of the nicest dates I ever had.
    
    So polish up that bicycle, Martin, ya never know!
    
    Rita
    

    speaking for myself, a fun (not necessarily first) date has 
    consisted of several of the following:
    
    first and foremost - intelligent/fun conversation and that 
    "comfortable feeling of being with someone who likes you too"
    
    a.  Dinner - wide range of foods, but well-prepared
    b.  Going to the zoo
    c.  Seeing a good movie
    d.  Taking a walk in the park, or flying a kite
    e.  Role-playing games (D&D, etc)
    f.  Pinball
    g.  Backrubs
    h.  Going to scenic woodsy places and walking around
    i.  Dancing
    
(not necessarily in that order)
    
    -Jody
    

    Well it has been a long time :-) but...
    
    I remember one afternoon when we went for a ride in the country
    and ended up acting out Tarzan cartoons (krega!) on a hill over
    a reservoir!
    
    Walks in the woods
    Trips to art museums
    Getting together with a bunch of people with guitars and singing....
    Pooling our limited resources for refreshments and playing
    bridge until 2 in the morning with another couple
    Going out for icecream cones and just talking
    
    and recently....because it had been a loonngg time....going to
    a *very* fancy restaurant for my birthday...
    
    Last year we had gone for Chinese-Amercian food with most of the kids so
    the contrast was extra nice.

    Bonnie

    >I remember one afternoon when we went for a ride in the country
    >and ended up acting out Tarzan cartoons (krega!) on a hill over
    >a reservoir!
    
    Bonnie, you, too?!�  We played at Star Trek and battled Klingons
    in a gravel pit once...
    
    Fun is when the other adult(s) you're with aren't too grownup to
    remember how to play.  Anyone who has forgotten should find a child
    pronto and learn it again!
    
    Rita
    

    The best times I've ever had with a man have been when my current
    SO and I have gone into Boston for the day and walked all over the
    place, stopping to browse in shops, to get something to eat and/or
    drink, catching a movie at either the Nickolodeon, Copley Place
    or Coolidge Corner (the kind that don't make it to the suburbs),
    sometimes going to the art museum, and having interesting conversations
    the entire time.  
    
    This also goes for the days we have spent together in browsing and
    talking in Provincetown.
    
    What I would most like to do is to explore London with him.
    
    Lorna
    

	Lunch at Mississipi's
	Al Nipper (of all people) beating the Yankees
	A walk through the Fens
	Dinner at Deli Haus
	Hanging out at the Kenmore T station
	A Green Line ride to Riverside
	All in one wonderful afternoon
	
	Right, Dee:-)?
	
	Mike

    RE: 11    Yep, it was nice, alright, but since then, I have leaned
              that anything can turn out to be a wonderful occasion
              with the right person...(renting movies and a vcr for
              the weekend, playing Skeeball at Hampton Beach on a
              rainy Saturday, driving to New York just to buy some
              chocolate chip cookies, and yes, even doing laundry on 
              Sunday mornings.....)
                                          Dee
    
                                   
    

    		If you're on a date with the right person,
    		EVERYTHING can be fun!

    I agree with those that express the opinion that it's the person
    you're with not what you do that makes a date fun.
    
    Rich

        The date which was the most fun was also one that was the most
    out of character for me.  We picked up some crackers an cheese and
    headed out to the 7-11 to get a bottle of wine.  They only had
    bottles of Tyrolia (I hope no one from the WINES conference is
    reading this) so we picked one up and headed to Mt. San Bruno for
    a beautiful view of San Francisco.  Half way up the hill we were
    pulled over by the Highway Patrol.  They told us that the mountain
    was closed to the general public after sunset and made us leave.
    
        So we went to crowded Twin Peaks and sat in the car talking,
    eating crackers and cheese, drinking wine, and looking at the San
    Francisco glowing and sparkling below us.
    
        The date was out of character because I usually am quite a
    planner and rarely do things spontaneously.  This was all done on
    a whim on a moments notice, but it was great.
    
    ASP

Geeez, I don't know they've all been fun lately. Maybe it was the trip up
Cadillac Mountain in Maine and the drive around Mt. Desert Island before
tourist season started. Or maybe it was the time we saw that big, ole' moose
on the Kancamagus (sure wish I could pronounce that) Highway. Or maybe...

Jenna

    
    Fond memories of midnight at the top of the world trade center in
    NYC....there was live music and they had just opened the roof for
    the season...it was cool but the air was nice and clear and you
    could see for miles and miles...all the lights flickering all over
    the city....traffic moving like little sparkiling ants over 100
    floors down....that slight sence of fear being so high up but having
    a warm strong arm around me, making feel safe and loved....
    
    That was one of the best day/nights of my life...
    
    

    re: .19
    
    >re: .17	A'yuh ... sure do miss Little Orphan Annie cartoons!
    
    I'm afraid that this flew right over my head.  Please explain.
    
    ASP

    The most fun dates have been going out Contra dancing to a live band,
    especially Yankee Ingenuity (they played at our wedding!).  For non-New
    Englanders, Contra dancing has nothing to do with Nicaragua.  It is the
    predecessor to square dancing, done in long parallel lines instead of
    squares. For example the Virginia Reel is a contra dance.  The steps
    are simple, and it doesn't matter if you don't get them quite right,
    the main point is that you have fun and smile with lots of people. 
    
    The most memorable date is flying in a private plane up to New
    Hampshire to have dinner at the nice restaurant at the Keene
    airport.  Flying in the moonlight just can't be beat!  I remember
    the dinner and the ride, but I'll be darned if I can remember the
    guy's name.
    
    Walking along a tropical beach in the moonlight, with the
    phosphorescent waves is pretty nice too.  If you don't have a tropical
    beach, then a walk along a back road or field in the moonlight is
    nice too.  Moonlight and stars are sooo romantic.
    
    			Barbara b.

    
    When I was in school in Ann Arbor & a friend was in Chicago, a common
    chum of ours arranged a great date. Told the women what was coming
    off but only told us to wear our best suits. We arrived by train
    and were met by Joe w/ a Rolls Royce limo. Drove through the
    countryside sipping champagne. Stopped for dinner & paid off
    driver. Spent outlandish amount on dinner. Drove ourselves to a
    lake w/more champagne (Joe doesn't drink so we were safe). Had more
    wine & cavier & ended up skinny dipping in the moonlight...
    

    There's nothing like an all-day hike in the mountains to get to
    know someone you've been wanting to get to know better.
    
    	-Ellen

    The other day I was driving through a neighborhood I lived in for
    a short while. I was stopped at a red light and suddenly remembered
    a wonderful walk I had taken on that street with a special friend.
    It was Autumn. We sat on the grass in a small park talking. Before
    I knew it we were jumping around and tumbling in some piles of Autumn
    leaves (innocent stuff). People were walking by on the street and
    here we were acting like little kids!! We didn't care. It's a wonderful
    romantic memory for me...
    
    Elisabeth

    A wonderful time: 2 people, on a boat, anchored off a beautiful
    coastline with humungous mansions, sunset, good food, good
    conversation, good hugs, great kisses and if I say any more I'll
    turn red.
    
    Cathy

    It wasn't really a date, but I enjoyed it then and remember it
    fondly now...
    
    About a dozen of us took an overnight train from Boston to Chicago
    to attend a convention there.  Martin Minow was one of us, and
    he invited my then-husband and me to lunch.  We squeezed into his
    compartment, and had a picnic with a very European flavor/flair
    to it, what with wine and cheese and grapes all taken from a
    European-style equipage.  It was great, and I was (and am) flattered
    that he thought that I [we, actually] was the best person available
    to share such an experience.
    
    And I learned that there were red grapes without seeds.  (I must
    have missed the headlines that week.  :-)
    
    							Ann B.

    this wasn't really a date either, but it did happen with a good
    friend. 
    
    When I was in college (near Philly), a friend and I were sitting 
    around trying to decide what to do. The campus activities seemed 
    dull, so we went to his place to look at the newspaper for ideas.
    The movies in Philly were either of the genre "Bambi and the Adorable
    Bunnies" or "Swedish Sex Kittens" (<= actual title), but there was
    nothing in between. Looked like a boring evening. Around 8:00, he
    said, "Why don't we go to New York?" So we did, hitting the Village
    around 10. We went to a folk-music cafe, where I had my first legal
    drink. Then we dropped in on friends of his and discussed their
    old band days and listened to music. THEN we went to a chess club
    and drank cappucinos before heading back to PA. Got back to my room
    around 4... heavy sigh.
    
    Another great time (with a sweetie-in-the-making) was a group hike
    up Mt. Monadnock. The group ended up keeping their distance, so
    we had hours to talk and enjoy each others' company alone. Another
    sigh.
    
    One of the dumbest dates (though my date thought it would be a great
    thrill) was to visit DEC at night and receive an explanation of
    how disk drives work (I still remember, but wouldn't want to impose
    that on any potential friend).
    
    Now that I'm married, hubby and I have a standing Friday night date
    -- usually we eat out and do something fun. sometimes the activity
    is mundane (like grocery shopping), but at least we do it together.
    other times we go out with friends. it's something nice that we
    can look forward to.
    
    liz

    I enjoy being taken on a "tour" of a special friend's childhood
    haunts. It makes me feel closer to that person. I can learn so much
    about them. I also feel special that the person trusts me enough
    to want to share this personal experience with me. I guess this
    kind of "date" is more warm and fuzzy than romantic.
    
    Elisabeth
    

    	Don't quite understand the concept of 'fun,' but a date which
    included but was not limted to hours of good discussion which covered
    such categories as:
    
    		The role of women in today's society
    
    		The need for and impacts of increased socialization
    
    		The reasons for and economic impacts of:
    
    				open enrollment
    				labor unions
    				minimum wages
    				recent banking law changes
    
    		Why Europe/Britain is/is not better than the US
    
    		Why men hide their emotions
    
    		Why women don't hide their emotions
    
    	The list could continue.  The location for the date would have
    to be someplace very private (either person's home would be the
    most appropriate).  No music!  No telephones!  No outside stimuli
    at all except some well chosen wine and cheese.
    
    	The result?  Mutual understanding.  And what could be more
    rewarding or 'fun' than learning about another person from that
    person.
           
    	The second date, if one was to follow, would be devoted to poetry.
    
    Douglas

re .18

We just took a vacation on Mt. Desert Island a couple of weeks ago.  We had
a wonderful time, even though we had only one sunny day!  We drove up Cadillac
Mountain that day, and hiked up Precipice Trail, and it was certainly a
"fun date", as were all the other non-optimal days.

re .0

I'll agree with previous replies that say that the company is what makes the
date "fun".  Same goes for "special", sort of, but when I think of "special" I
think of not dinner-and-movie or dinner-and-dancing.

My first date with Bill was certainly what I'd call a "fun date", a "special
date", and a most "memorable date".  It's not much different from what we
might do now in our free time. :-)

Imagine a dream-like haze over the whole day...

I met him at his house after lunch on a Sunday afternoon.  He gave me the
mandatory "Grand Tour", and we sat and talked for a while.  We went out and
took a walk in the woods behind his house.  Normally, he would have taken me
for a canoe trip, but it was January and a little cold for it.  We came back
in and sat and talked for a while.  A woman Bill knew from work showed up with
her husband to see the house, as they were considering having one built by the
same company, so Grand Tour II (I never get tired of them! :-)).  When they
left, we probably sat and talked for a while. :-)

Bill grilled us a wonderful filet mignon dinner, still his specialty :-).  We
must've sat and talked while it was cooking. :-)  How else do you get to know
each other?  When dinner was done, we sat in the living room and Bill demo'ed
his laserdisc player.  We listened to music for a while, eventually abandoning
the chairs for closer quarters on the floor, and switching from music to
talking and cuddling.  It was really nice...

...I left Monday morning sometime between 7 and 8am as we both had to face the
day ahead...

...and I came back Monday after work; I couldn't stay away.  And I brought my
laundry (or I wouldn't have been able to come back!)...

Things have gotten better since then. :-)  but the thing that really would be
different now is that the living room floor isn't the most comfortable place to
spend the night. :-)

Jill