If you’re in a relationship, I could probably take a wild guess and narrate your typical Saturday date night with your significant other.
The guy rolls up to his girlfriend’s crib at about 8pm even though he told her he would be there half an hour earlier. When she steps into his car, she would be asked where they would head to dinner that night. After an argument that would probably last the entire journey, they would wind up at “Anywhere Lah”—a place that becomes the ultimate choice for every dinner date.
Now there’s really nothing wrong with this at all, but every relationship deserves to be injected with a little fun and excitement. After all, being with someone who totally gets us is nothing short of a celebration in itself and life is all about breaking monotony. Stepping outside of our comfort zone every once in a while is not only great for the relationship but it also builds on an individuals’ personal creativity.
Here are some ideas to kick-start your two-week journey of corny date ideas that every couple should try out at least once. After all, it doesn’t hurt to be cheesy once in a while now, does it?
1. Head to the arcade…
…and try to win your partner a soft toy. Flowers, are overrated (plus they wilt away so quickly); and jewellery is just too expensive. Instead of going to a store and buying the first cute thing you see, how about earning the gift by battling your way in an arcade? And you get to do it in front of your partner who will certainly appreciate your effort and willingness to please.
2. Explore around furniture stores…
…and plan your dream home together. Nothing spells cheesy like taking a leaf out of the ultra-cheesy 500 Days Of Summer movie to plan your date. But somewhere in the cheesiness of it all, lies the magic of free things. Additionally this is a great way of gauging your respective personal tastes and furniture design preferences, which will be invaluable when you actually have your own place together.
3. Show off your “skills” at the ice-skating rink…
…and laugh at each other’s clumsiness. There’s a certain special feeling when you’re able to be completely yourself with your partner, and yes that includes embarrassing moments like slipping and falling on your bum. There are numerous ice skating rinks in Klang Valley and the one which is highly visited regardless of whether it’s a weekday or weekend is the Sunway Pyramid mall ice-skating rink. Bonus points for people who can already ice-skate, because then they can hold hands and guide each other around the rink like the romantic soul that they are.
4. Stargaze beneath open skies…
…and name stars after each other. Given that there are not many stars visible in the Kuala Lumpur night skyline, you could take a trip in your HR-V to a nearby hilltop and stargaze there. Go all corny and name the constellations after your partner too!
5. Write a sappy love song…
…and serenade each other. It doesn’t matter if your voice won’t make it into American Idol, what matters most is that you sing from your heart. Pair your song with a musical instrument of your choice. Even if you’re not musically inclined, it doesn’t matter, your silliness will just make you look more adorable and it’s all in good fun.
6. Get a caricature drawing done…
…and frame it up for your office desk. Caricature artists are situated everywhere, from malls to bazaars. Just strike a pose and smile to have you and your partner forever immortalised in the form of cute and comical characters.
7. Take up a free dance class…
…and dance like the unskilled people you are. This date idea is suitable for those who don’t mind laughing their way through a new experience together. If you’re blessed with 2 left feet, the experience would be all the more memorable and at the end of it all, you would be left with a pretty good workout too. There are free swing-dancing lessons offered at Publika or you could go for a free trial lesson at most dance studios. You probably won’t look like the dancers in the image above, but hey, at least you gave it a shot!
8. Head to a gourmet food store…
…and get ingredients for a picnic. Drive on out to the nearest gourmet food store and pick out some ingredients that tantalises your set of taste buds. Pack them all in a bag and head out for a picnic together when it’s nice and sunny outside.
9. Cuddle up with some furkids at SPCA…
…and volunteer to bathe them. These animals are often neglected at the shelter, wouldn’t it be nice to share your love with them by giving them some much needed attention? Besides, if you’re animal lovers, this will be one activity that could even end up being a regular one. Your partner will also get to see a kind and generous side of you, which will definitely score you some brownie points!
10. Challenge each other to a board game…
…and the loser pays for dinner. Challenging each other to a computer game or a video game is the norm for typical gamers. So let’s up the ante and go classic with some good ol’ board games instead. The loser will have to shell out some cash for a fancy dinner for two of your choice, how’s that for an incentive?
11. Collect a bunch of really mushy romantic movies
…and watch a marathon of them. Think Love Actually, Titanic, You’ve Got Mail, and Bridget Jones’s Diary. All these movies are the perfect combination to a cosy cuddling session under a warm blanket. Get the tissues ready because trust me, you will need them.
12. Head to the bookstore…
…and read silently next to each other. This date idea is perfect for introverts and it costs next to nothing to laze the day away at a cosy bookstore with a book or magazine in hand. It works well because regardless of your taste in literary, it is an activity that both parties can engage in without feeling out of place.
13. Slow stroll through a park…
…and people-watch together. Narrate the story of each person you see and give each person a wacky persona. It sounds silly but it’s actually rather fun and parks are accessible in pretty much every local neighbourhood.
14. Have a date night in your car…
…up in Genting Highlands. Buy pizza, and take a drive up to Genting and park at a romantic lookout point. Then you can roll down the windows to enjoy the cool air, while you munch away with vast views before you.
Cheesy dates are about doing something different, it doesn’t have to be necessarily expensive, but they’re anything but monotonous and typical—which is exactly what Honda strives for. The new HR-V is fresh, unexpected, and exciting—just like how your love life should be.
Feature image credit: http://www.brettullman.com