Date Night...or what we like to call "Shopping"

Every once in a while Jen and I actually have the opportunity to do "Date Night".  After a full week filled with family and kid friendly activities Jen suggested Date Night and I eagerly and happily agreed.  After much debate we settled on a martini-filled shopping excursion to Highland Village.  Jen needs several new items, including something for the Justice for Children VIP party coming up next month at Hotel ZaZa.

So we started at Escalante with an appetizer of tableside Guacamole and martini's.  Now when I say martini, I don't mean some weird concoction called lemon drop, mango or even chocolate.  I'm talking straight up gin with olives...a Martini!  Jen likes hers dirty...cause she's a dirty girl.  She's not really but I just think it's fun to say it.  And I'll probably get in trouble for putting it in writing. 

Martini's and Guac...a very good start!

My very lovely date for the evening

Anyway, after our successful start at Escalante's we headed next door to Ann Taylor to kick-off the shopping portion of the evening.  We managed to secure a kick-butt frizzy black skirt that's going to look great at some future party.  Then came a stop across the street at Anthropologie where we secured one of our favorite candles (Capri Blue-Aloha Orchid) that just smells like home to us.  We also picked out a really colorful spring dress that many of you will see several times over the next few months.  Then on to Black/White where we took in a haul of a new dress for the VIP party and several tops for everyday wear.  A very successful outing indeed!  I'm very pleased that most ladies retailers now offer "the man chair" either in the dressing rooms or right outside for appropriate viewing and critical repose.

Now back to the cocktails with a stop at Smith & Wollensky's bar.  Jen stuck to the wine whilst I talked myself out of another martini due to the freeway time we'd put in to get home.  Instead, the Maker's Mark called me and it was lovely as usual.  After a quick browse through Pottery Barn for some ideas for our upcoming Dinner Club fete in April, we headed to Rainbow Lodge for some late night snacks.  By the time we got there, we were close enough to home that I felt another martini wouldn't do much harm.  So I ordered up and Jen had a nice glass of pinot noir.  For our late night dinner, Jen had the lump crab cakes with bacon and creole mustard butter while I dove into a medley of wild game that included chunks of lamb, tiny pheasant tacos and bison on a cracker.

The Bar at S&W

Highland Village Shopping Area

Yours Truly lugging the goods!

Finally around 10:30 we headed to the house for some quality back-porch time to finish the evening.  As always, our Date Nights are huge successes and after 7 years of marriage always give us great enjoyment.  I do love our children, but a little one on one is sure nice!