Last night Tom and I went to a new restaurant.  We both commented it felt as if we were far away from home because of the new surroundings and cozy atmosphere.  So it can be with our dates.  We find places that are familiar, and we go there over and over.  This isn’t wrong, per se – we love routines, but routines can also lend themselves to boredom.  One reason we often go to the same place is its safety factor.  We only have one night/day out a week, and we don’t want to chance going somewhere we might not enjoy.  But what are we missing?  We need to break up the boring routines and see what exciting places lie ahead.

Summer is still over a month away, officially that is, but we Floridians know that summer arrives long before Memorial Day!  May is the perfect time to venture over to the beach before the afternoon thunderstorms kick in.  Having lived in Florida my entire life, I have one beach in particular that I always go to.  However, I recently came across an article in Orlando Sentinel that lists several beaches only a short distance from Orlando.  It got me thinking about the last time I went to a different beach.  I can’t remember actually!  So, now I’m excited to think of the possibility that there may be a new “familiar” that we have yet to discover.

What are your familiar places?  When was the last time you ventured from your comfort zone?  Why not plan a surprise for your spouse and visit a new restaurant, beach or park?  But, do the research first to find out what to expect.  With the world literally at our fingertips through the internet, we are no longer left to discover places “Sight – Unseen”.  If you don’t live in Central Florida, don’t let this stop you from exploring your area to find those hidden places worth discovering.  It’s really up to us to keep our dates from becoming boring and familiar.