Spend some time on the Time Out website trying to find a suitable restaurant for first romantic meal out with husband in (probably) 15 years. Perhaps we have been out with each other to a restaurant once or twice - I have a picture in my mind of us in a restaurant with no children, so perhaps that was in the last 15 years. Husband is a bit puzzled by the whole idea consequently, but not hostile.
Apart from the Time Out website, also look at the london-eating.co.uk where people put up their own eviews. I investigate a restaurant recommended by friends but london-eating says the the staff are snotty although the food is good. Consult husband who says he doesn't care about snotty staff so ring to make a booking and discover that we have to choose a sitting. I have just listened to a radio programme saying having sittings is unfriendly and unhostlike, so say this is not acceptable and have to do more research, select another restaurant - a gastropub and book that. A Gastropub hey, things have really moved on since we were out in the world.
One trouble with T&S Survival Guide to the Year is that there isn't really enough to do, hardly a thing a week or things that don't take long to do. I more or less did all the suggested things in the first week and am now hanging around waiting for February when I can do some more stuff. Of course I have peeked a look at February and I'm not that impressed. It's mostly about booking weekends away. Well, thinking about this was suggested in January, so I have been trawling around trying to decide where to take husband for his birthday before my pre-demotion salary runs out. I am zeroing in on Budapest, but it still seems to amount to around £300 quids for this so am wondering if I can really afford it. Any views?
