The Importance of Date Night + Favorite Spots in Nashville
Hunter and I love to get a little dressed up (or dressed down) and go out for date nights. Whether we are eating a fancy steak dinner at Kayne Prime, fresh seafood at Fin & Pearl or chowing down on pizza and beer and Bella Napoli we make sure we do this a few times a month. It's good for the soul to go out with your person and spend some quality time talking over a good meal.
We cook at home almost every night so its nice to switch it up and get out of the house sometimes. Splurging on a good meal every once in a while isn't all that bad. Nashville is home to so many good restaurants that it sometimes becomes overwhelming choosing where to go. We try to go to as many different restaurants as possible but we are also guilty of going to the same places time after time.
Our go to comfort food is Pad Thai and we haven't found a single restaurant that rivals The Smiling Elephant. Located in Berry Hill, it is just a few miles South of downtown Nashville. It is a local gem that is usually pretty crowded so if you are in a hurry try calling in an order for takeout. Make sure you try the Pad Thai with chicken, the Pad Kra Pao and the daily curry.
We LOVE J. Alexander's or Redlands (still haven't figured out which to call it) because they have nailed one thing and that is consistency. Sure it isn't the fanciest restaurant but that doesn't matter, the food is excellent, they have great service and every dish ALWAYS tastes the same.
Again, it isn't really about where you go but why you go out to eat. We do it to remind each other that we love one another and cherish the time we have together. We put our phones down (after photographing our food) and just spend the night talking about our goals, ambitions and laughing with each other. We work from home when I'm not managing Barbour 3 or doing freelance photography and after spending 8 hours at the computer or 9 hours at the shop its nice to get out of the house and spend some quality time together.
Here's my challenge to you. Find a new restaurant, make reservations and tell your significant other when to be ready. Surprise them with a date night and they will be over the moon. Spontaneity is something that keeps a relationship exciting and healthy. Breaking the norm is necessary for your sanity and love. Put your phones away and spend quality time together, you won't regret it. If going out to dinner isn't in your budget right now, go to the store and plan a night at home where you cook together (or by yourself if he/she isn't the best chef) and just enjoy each others company. Life is to short to spend all of our time working, eating in a hurry and getting back to social media or whatever it may be that distracts you from spending quality time with your loved one.