date night...

Andy and I started in a long distance relationship, which meant that we missed out on the traditional dating that most couples get to enjoy.  You know, the guy picks up the girl and they go to dinner, a movie, or on a stroll through a city park.  Since we cohabitated in the same city in 2005, we have vowed to have frequent dates in order to keep the romance alive and make up for the dates we never had while living 1,000 miles apart.  We have done just that and this weekend was another awesome time reconnecting with each other.    

Saturday night we planned a fabulous evening in downtown Denver.  We took the light rail from the Colorado station to the 16th Street Mall.  Our first stop was the new H & M store in the Pavilions.  It is two stories of amazingness!  Andy and I went our separate ways and both found some treasures!  Our next stop was across the street at Marlowe's.  We bellied up to the bar and got two martinis and some calamari to snack on.  Both were excellent!  We were still a little early for our dinner reservation, so we strolled down the mall.  We made a few stops into the random shops that line the street, but began to feel thirsty again, so we headed into the Rialto Cafe for more libations.  They had a fabulous list of seasonal cocktails that made it hard to choose our drink of choice.  I settled on a gimlet and Andy chose a gingerbread martini (it even had crushed graham crackers on the rim)!  

It was finally time for our dinner reservation, so we headed to  Cafe Berlin, our favorite authentic German restaurant.  They have moved locations and it is a great spot right on the 16th Street Mall.  The owner, Marlena, who is from Mainz, Germany, recognized us right away and got us our drinks.  We had Gurkensalat for an appetizer and started our meal with pea and ham soup.  Andy enjoyed Rouladen and I chose Hühnerbrust Berliner Art.  The best thing about German food has got to be the sides such as, fried potatoes, spaetzle, and dumplings!  At the end of our meal, Marlena brought us two apple schnapps shots for dessert, which was a great way to end our dining experience.  

The night wasn't over yet!  We made our way towards Union Station to try a new bar, which we read about in the February edition of 5280, Denver's Best Bars.  We met our friends, Erik (a.k.a. Wally) and his girlfriend, Ann at the Cruise Room inside the Oxford Hotel and it did not disappoint.  It had a huge selection of classic cocktails and cozy booths for friends to catch up.  

Date night will definitely be a tradition that Andy and I continue and I can't wait for our next special evening.  Reconnecting with my best friend and husband is the little thing that made my weekend!