The Romantic Vineyard

“W” Activities

• Wash your spouse’s feet, and follow up with a great massage.
• Water Park – visit a local water park.
• Walk – go for a leisurely walk in your favorite place.
• Wakeboarding – if this is your thing
• Where’s Waldo – spend an evening at a local bookstore looking through one of the Waldo books.   Or plan your own version hiding “Waldo” in the mall for your spouse to find using clues.
• Warm Date – plan a warm date with all things that make you warm: blankets, hot beverages, cozy slippers, whoopee!
• Wash your spouse’s hair.
• Water Skiing
• Wax Museum – this is an unusual, but fun date.  Be sure to take lots of pictures!
• Wave Runner – if you have access to one or rent one to share.  It’s like a motorcycle on the water.
• Watch your Wedding video.
• Watch a scary Werewolf movie.
• Whale Watching – if they are nearby or you can always visit Sea World!
• Walk in a Winter Wonderland!  In Orlando there’s always the Gaylord Palm’s ICE from the last week in November to the first week in January.
• Wrestling match – this can be real fun, but be careful!  If you’re not brave, try arm wrestling.  Be sure to plan a great prize for the Winner.

“W” Food

• Wales – Enjoy an evening celebrating this beautiful country.
• Waldorf Salad – Enjoy this refreshing salad made famous at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.
• Wine and Wisconsin Cheese board.
• Washington State – this is a great place to visit via DVD.
• Or you may want to visit all the W states (Washington, Wyoming, West Virginia, or Wisconsin) by enjoying recipes from the official state site.
• Watermelon

“W” Special Touches

• Welcome your spouse home after a long day surprising them with your “W” date
• Wow!  Think of Ways to make your spouse say, “Wow!”  🙂
• Wanted Poster – make a poster proclaiming your spouse as wanted!  When they come home arrest them and cash in on the “reward”.
• Wrapped gift – give your spouse a special gift they aren’t expecting.  Use this to announce your “W” date.
• Wonderful Wife – tell her Why you believe she’s Wonderful.
• Send your spouse four (4) unexpected notes about your date telling them: Who, What, When, Where
• Whim – definition of a whim: a sudden fancy.
• Whisper in your spouse’s ear all the Ways your think they’re Wonderful.
• Wicked – a great Broadway production.
• Write a special note expressing your love.

After today we only have four letters left in our Alphabet Date Night series.  It has been a surprisingly fun journey, and one we’ll glean from for years to come.  Now we have to decide what to replace this series with, and we want to hear from you!

We’re thinking of these three ideas:  Passport Dates – exploring the world one date at a time, Colorful Dates – exploring the beauty of colors, or Our Personal Favorites.  Have another idea other than these? We want to hear from you.  Simply click the “comment” button located at the top of this post, and vote for one of these three or add your own idea.  We’ll make our decision in the next couple of weeks.  Thanks for your help!

Now onto this week’s letter:

“V” Activities

• Vacation – plan a surprise vacation getaway – or plan a mini “stay at home” vacation by watching home DVD’s of a place you’d love to Visit some day and dine on their cuisine.  For instance…Vienna, Austria would be a fun country to Visit Via teleVision!  🙂  Others to consider: Victoria Falls,
• Volleyball – play some one-on-one beach volleyball
• Valentine – celebrate this romantic holiday anytime of the year as an unexpected treat!
• Victory – watch a favorite sports game and celebrate when your team wins!
• View old photographs recounting the many joys you’ve shared.
• Video – make your own video of a date night location you both enjoy.  Want to share it?  Send it to us and maybe we’ll post it on our blog!  🙂
• Renew your vows to each other privately or somewhere with a beautiful View.  Spend some time writing what you want to say and enjoy the intimacy this creates.

“V” Food

• Vietnamese Dinner
• Veal – this is a favorite specialty entree of mine for I had Veal Oscar on our first date!
• Vienna Sausages – just kidding!  Those aren’t romantic at ALL!
• Vegetarian – Veggie pizzas are the best.
• Napa Valley Vineyards – plan an evening celebrating this beautiful part of the country.
• Make pancakes or waffles with Vermont Maple syrup as a way to introduce your “V” date night
• Penne ala Vodka – Rachel Ray makes this dish and says it’ll win the heart of any man or woman, depending on who’s cooking!
• Vanilla Ice Cream – spend an evening eating or sharing a cone or sundae.

“V” Special Touches

• Flowers – Violets
• Violin music
• Voila – Pronounced “wah-lah”.  It’s French for “there it is”.  Have fun with this word all evening long.
• Value – make a list together or separately of all the things you value as a couple or about your spouse.  These can be material or not.
• Verse – write several verses expressing your love to your spouse as a way to introduce the night.

I love the internet for so many reasons…but here’s one in particular;  I remember when my children were little and loved watching Sesame Street, that Smokey Robinson sang his song “You Really Got A Hold On Me”.  It was as entertaining for me as it was educational for my children.  Knowing we were doing the letter “U” this week, I wondered if I could find this video on You Tube – Voila!  I did!!  We thought this would be an appropriate way to get you motivated for this Unusual Letter of the Alphabet.  Enjoy!

“U” ACTIVITIES

University – go to a local university ball game.  Always lots of excitement and fun. Be sure to yell at the “Ump”.  🙂

Ultimate Date – plan an evening that is full of everything your spouse loves – A personal “Utopia” of sorts.

Umbrella Date – Plan a picnic under an umbrella.  Make iced drinks with umbrellas (virgin blends if you’re in a park), and read portions of “My Utmost For His Highest”, by Oswald Chambers to each other out loud.

Underwater Date – visit a local aquarium, go snorkeling or swim with the dolphins.  Whatever you’re budget and location will allow.  This can be quite a memory.  Don’t forget your “Underwater Camera”.

Undress each other and celebrate your “Union” as husband and wife.

Uphold your marriage vows.  Take an evening and reread your marriage vows to one another.  Recommit to “Uphold” them “Until death do you part.”

U.S. Armed Forces – pick a division and celebrate by watching movies from that branch.  If you have access wear a “Uniform” to add to the theme.

“Up” the movie!  A great way to enjoy an evening at home.

“U” FOOD

Udine – a city in northeastern Italy.  Plan a romantic dinner at home with the homestyle food from this unspoiled region of Italy.

U.S.A. – pick a region of America and enjoy dining on their specialties.  For example: New England, New Orleans, Tex-Mex, Heartland, etc.  Better yet, I think we’ll explore this idea once we finish the Alphabet Date series.

Pineapple Upsidedown Cake

Urban Flats Restaurant

“U” SPECIAL TOUCHES

Ukelele Music – This is an unusual instrument, but as you see in this video it can be very romantic.

Ulta – Let your wife go shopping at this mega beauty store in preparation for your “U” date.  Consider letting her get an “Updo” for a formal evening out on the town.

Undone – Make it a point to finish something that has gone “undone” for a long time.  Write a note announcing your “U” Date.

UPS – ship a special surprise of  “Underwear” to your spouse.  This one is sure to be “Unexpected”.

Upon A Time stories.   If you’re creative why not write a special “Once Upon A Time” story for your spouse explaining your “U” date.

Our Alphabet Date Night series continues this week with the letter “T”:

“T” ACTIVITIES

• Trampoline – plan a date that’s bouncy fun!
• Tailgate – surprise your spouse with game day Tickets and a Tailgating picnic too – sure to be a Touchdown in your relationship!  Can’t afford tickets…have a tailgating party in your living room before Monday night football!
• Telescope – set up a telescope and view the night sky.  Use a Star Map for added interest.
• Tennis – play this all-time favorite
• Terminal – go to your local airport terminal and watch the Tourists.
• Ticketmaster – surprise your spouse with an evening out.
• Tango – learn to do this by watching a very basic tutorial on You Tube.  There are a total of 20 tutorials to help you master this Argentinean dance.  Here is some tango music you may want to purchase.
• Train – take a train ride to a nearby town for dinner.
• Treasure Hunt – plan a romantic treasure hunt for your spouse with hints that lead them to the next.  Have a special Treat at each spot along the way.
• Target Shooting – go to a nearby gun range and practice target shooting.  This would be a great date with dinner out for T-bones.
• Twister – play this classic game, but add your own romantic rules!  Follow up by watching the movie “Twister”.
• Time In A Bottle – take a bottle and fill it with little slips of paper that represents free time for them to do the things they love to do.  Enjoy this guitar version of Jim Croce’s famous song with the same name.

“T” FOOD

• Thai – celebrate everything Thailand has to offer.  Either go out or try your hand and cooking at home.
• Taco Dinner – make your own taco bar or go out for Mexican!
• T-Bone steaks
• Tea for Two – plan a special time at home or take your spouse to a tea room for an afternoon break.
• Tex-Mex romantic meal.
• Tuscan dinner

“T” SPECIAL TOUCHES

• Text your spouse a special message informing them of your Alphabet date.  Texting is a great tool for romancing your spouse!
• Top Ten – make a top ten list of ways you Trust your spouse or reasons you’re Thankful for them.
• Telegram – send your spouse a surprise telegram.  Yes, they’re still available
• Tease your spouse in ways you know work!  🙂
• Thirst – quench your spouses thirst by having their favorite beverage ready at the end of a long day.
• “T” Flowers – tulips
• Trumpet – enjoy listening to some great trumpet music – try Chris Botti