I remember my first date with Sofia very well. It was back in the mists of time (well, January 2010!), and although the chain restaurant I chose turned out to be pretty underwhelming, as did the film (Did You Hear About The Morgans, 12% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes), the date went pretty well! Reviews of my movie choice point out the lack of chemistry between its leading stars, and one critic sums it up perfectly as "a meandering and thoroughly conventional rom com". We've been married now for over 13 years, so thankfully my choices didn't scupper things.
A new study shows that sixty-two per cent of British couples say that the perfect date night is not at a packed restaurant, but in fact snuggled up at home on the sofa. The research comes from food supplier Charlie Bigham's, who have found that the most romantic date night dinner was steak (30 per cent), followed by chicken tikka masala (22 per cent) and lasagne (20 per cent). But how about the formula for a perfect date night? According to couples, here are the top ten most important elements...
10 Eye contact (18 per cent) - more than seven in ten Brits said that eye contact is the most important thing on a first date, according to an Optical Express survey out earlier this year. Over a third actually told the optician they would end a date early if the other person didn't make proper eye contact! Tips for looking after your eyes include maintaining a healthy diet, staying properly hydrated, and taking regular breaks from screen use where possible.
9 Discussing future trips (19 per cent) - I guess it reveals any potential red flags early if your travel plans are not compatible, and it's a fairly low pressure way to make conversation!
8 Mood lighting (19 per cent) - I'm thinking 'forgiving lighting' might be a better phrase for this one. Either way, lighting can massively change the atmosphere of any social occasion, including a date.
7 Turning phones off (22 per cent) - it's a novel idea, but I do think this is a winner. Most people are now so wedded to their phones, and I'm not sure exactly when the point came when it was deemed acceptable to stare at your device whilst 'catching up' with friends and family. Most of us are guilty of it, but I'd have thought during a date, it's a good time to switch off. Unless you're thinking you'll need to fake an emergency phone call to escape early.
6 Lighting candles (26 per cent) - I guess this continues the mood lighting theme, and experts say dim lighting can enhance attraction by causing the pupils to dilate, creating a dreamy effect.
5 Watching a romantic film (28 per cent) - Casablanca topped a Guardian film romance poll back in 2010, and seems quite a timeless choice. Love Actually led a Radio Times survey last year, narrowly seeing off Roman Holiday, Grease and Four Weddings And A Funeral. Is Grease actually romantic? Answers on a postcard.
4 Sharing a bottle of wine (28 per cent) - given my wife doesn't drink, this wouldn't be a great idea for me. I did share a nice bottle of red with my mate Alan on a day off this week though, before stumbling onto the rail replacement bus.
3 Cuddling on the sofa under a blanket (35 per cent) - remember when going to bed early felt like a punishment? These days, being curled up on the sofa watching a film or something on the telly is indeed one of life's nicest things. Unless you happen to be watching Mrs Brown's Boys or anything starring James Corden.
2 Sharing a meal together (40 per cent) - cooking together could be a nice thing to do, but if you're a bit hopeless in the kitchen like me, perhaps could create more stress than it's worth. Sharing food together is definitely on life's highlights reel, though. One of my favourite locations was a restaurant we visited in Gozo, with views of the ferry rolling in and out, and a super friendly host who was a real character. Definitely an improvement on the chain restaurant at Birstall that's now boarded up.
1 The comfort of home (48 per cent) - it's bad news for restaurants, but let's face it, they are an occasional luxury for most of us in these austere times. Sometimes, you can't beat a night at home in your onesie. Cheers to home comforts!
