07 Jan PLANNING A PERFECT FIRST DATE ON LONG ISLAND

OUTSTANDING FIRST IMPRESSIONS

If you’re taking someone special on a first date, whether it’s been a long time in the making or is just a spontaneous rendezvous, you know that making a good first impression is important. Especially if you think this special someone could be the special someone, planning a great date night on Long Island is key to showcasing your particular brand of thoughtfulness when it comes to creating an atmosphere for a good time.

Luckily, Long Island is brimming with possibilities, and since we’re also thoughtful and considerate, we thought we’d outline a few of them for you here, to save at least one of those headaches.

1. GET A DRIVER.

Whether it’s a limousine or a chauffeured sedan, the first step to creating the perfect date environment is to find someone else to cart you around so you can:

A) Pay more attention to your date

B) Avoid the stress of navigating and possibly increasing the anxiety surrounding an already anxious first encounter.

So get on that phone and find someone to drive you. Get the Long Island limo booked first; you never know if they’ll all be gone by the time you get around to making the reservations.

2. PICK A GREAT RESTAURANT

First dates are notorious for being the settings of potentially disastrous cuisine experiences. Avoid becoming that person by doing research, and extensively. Long Island is chock full of great restaurants and finding one that will suit both you and your first-time date shouldn’t be rocket science. This means figuring out what your date likes to eat, and especially what they’re allergic to. If they don’t seem to be allergic to anything, you’re probably in the clear to take them to the restaurant of your (carefully researched) choice.

A few restaurants that we think are fabulous are Planning a perfect first date on Long Island which is a more casual fine dining experience that has great All-American favorites to satisfy any palate. Another great Long Island area restaurant for first dates (albeit more upscale; there is a dress code) is the River Café in Brooklyn, which is a riverfront restaurant that boasts amazing, romantic views and incredible food and service. How can you really go wrong?

3. PICK AN INTERESTING ACTIVITY

Movies are nice, but come on,  if you’re really trying to leave an impression, is taking your date out to the Regal Cinema really going to do a whole lot for you? Consider the live theater the movie theater’s more attractive and better-educated sister. Maybe Broadway is a little too extravagant for a first date, so try some Off-Broadway shows. Again, research is key. Maybe have a few well-placed conversations with your date before the big night to find out what kind of shows he or she would be interested in seeing.

If theater all together doesn’t seem to be their thing, consider taking them to an art exhibit opening or a book reading at a local bookstore. Figure out what your first date style is, and then stick to it. If you dream of a casual encounter full of conversation, then make it happen. Remember: you’re trying to show the other person who you really are. The things that you do for fun are big part of that communication.

4. FIND THE PERFECT SPOT FOR AFTER-ACTIVITY CONVERSATION

After you’ve looked at a few art exhibits, seen an Off-Broadway production, or heard a book reading, you should find somewhere to sit and enjoy some after-date conversation. Somewhere low-key and intimate, like a late-night diner or somewhere equally charming, can become the real cherry on top of a perfect first-date experience. One cozy diner that we love is the Hauppage Palace Diner, open 24 hours and absolutely ideal for that date wind-up cup of coffee or pie.