How to Plan an Entire Date Night From Your Phone
Technology has come pretty far over the past few years. It’s made our lives much simpler and easier, giving us more time to do things that matter. We here at Brit + Co. were recently noodling on many of our favorite apps for entertaining and realized that it’s now possible to plan and execute an entire date night with nothing but your phone or computer. Given that we could probably all use a few more date nights (right, ladies?), we thought it would be fun to give all the men and women out there a few ideas on how easy it could be to plan one using the new world of apps that are at your disposal. Keep in mind that not all of these services are available nationwide yet, but they’re spreading quickly to get to you as soon as possible. Consider this as a window into the future of possibilities.
1. SET THE MOOD
While text messages are still considered cool, we recommend downloading a more private couples-only app like Pair or Avocado to send your sweet nothings (and thumbkisses!) to your partner on the day of your date night. Your goal is to excite them about the night to come. Trust us, it will pay off in dividends by the end of the night. See #5 ;)
2. GET A GIFT
Call us old fashioned, but we still think that bringing your partner a gift is one of the most endearing ways you can show your thoughtfulness and feelings. Don’t have time to grab flowers? Hire a TaskRabbit to pick out a bouquet for you. Can’t wrap your mind around the right words for a love poem? Exec will do that for you in no time!
3. COOK OR DINE OUT?
You have three options here: cook your own meal, have someone cook it for you, or dine out.
If you decide to cook your own meal, try using Punchfork or Foodpairing for recipe inspiration. (Or you could always use one of our own recipes!) Then download ZipList to help you keep track of all the ingredients you need at the grocery store. Don’t have time to shop for groceries? Gojee will tell you what you can make out of the food you already have lying around your kitchen.
If you want to have a nice dinner at home, but don’t want to cook it yourself, you can outsource the cooking! New services like Kitchit or Munchery will employ professional chefs to make and deliver food to you, or even cook it straight from your own kitchen. You can also use a service like Zaarly to request anything to be made and delivered locally — in fact, we’ve seen several Brit + Co. readers have Zaarly chefs re-make some of our very own recipes. If you’d rather order a dish delivered from your favorite restaurant, a service like Postmates will pick it up and drop it straight to your door.
If you’d like your own personal limousine to transport you while dining out, definitely download Uber. Your black car will show up in a matter of minutes! Looking for a great restaurant? We’ve recently been loving apps like Chef’s Feed and Livestar for restaurant recommendations from people you trust. Chef’s Feed lets professional chefs recommend their favorite entrees and restaurants, while Livestar is recommendations from your most trusted friends and tastemakers you may follow. Once you find a restaurant you like, make sure to book it on OpenTable to secure the reservation.
4. PLAY MUSIC
Music is imperative to setting the right mood. Whether you’re using it while dining in, or just for the car ride to the restaurant, try sources like Spotify, Pandora, or Sonos. No speakers? Pump up the tunes straight from your phone with one of these amplifiers.
5. ADD ROMANCE