Valentine's Dinner: Who Decides?

[MarkGrace]

A conflict arose in the Grace home where Mrs. Grace claimed she was entitled to select the restaurant for our Valentine's dinner. Now, in previous years, this was my duty as the only real gift I receive for this made-up holiday is dinner with my wife. And given that I'm the food geek in the family and we're trying to live on a student budget, V-Day is one of the few occasions during the year when I can justify going to the restaurants I wish I were eating at all the time.

In about the last year or so, there have been a good 5-6 new restaurant openings that I've wanted to try, so I've been stoked about V-Day given that this may be my chance. Of course this enthusiasm severely dwindled when Mrs. Grace began to assert her authority in the decision making process. I argued that it was my duty since I had done it in the past. She argued that I always say "this dumb holiday is just about the girls anyway." Alas, I think she got me with this one as I do routinely say that.

The good news is that she had me submit a list of about 5 restaurants so she could look through the menus and choose. I feel like I've been granted a sliver of power in the process, but I'd rather be choosing outright.

Who picks the dinner in your fam and where are you going?

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Being that neither my wife or I are foodies it is usually whoever thinks of getting something set up first.

This year we will be in Austin, TX. Any suggestions CUFers?

[LiveCoug]

A conflict arose in the Grace home where Mrs. Grace claimed she was entitled to select the restaurant for our Valentine's dinner. Now, in previous years, this was my duty as the only real gift I receive for this made-up holiday is dinner with my wife. And given that I'm the food geek in the family and we're trying to live on a student budget, V-Day is one of the few occasions during the year when I can justify going to the restaurants I wish I were eating at all the time.

In about the last year or so, there have been a good 5-6 new restaurant openings that I've wanted to try, so I've been stoked about V-Day given that this may be my chance. Of course this enthusiasm severely dwindled when Mrs. Grace began to assert her authority in the decision making process. I argued that it was my duty since I had done it in the past. She argued that I always say "this dumb holiday is just about the girls anyway." Alas, I think she got me with this one as I do routinely say that.

The good news is that she had me submit a list of about 5 restaurants so she could look through the menus and choose. I feel like I've been granted a sliver of power in the process, but I'd rather be choosing outright.

Who picks the dinner in your fam and where are you going?

My wife and I have this radical idea of called "mutual decision". We also throw "compromise" in for good measure.

Honestly, I think only birthdays are fair game for one person to make the whole decision. V-day is NOT a day just for the girl.

[TripletDaddy]

Be smart about it. Let her choose.......from your suggestions. heh heh.

This past Friday, MMM came up to LA and we had a fun date night. She wanted to pick the dinner, so I said, "great! what sounds best to you? Pizzeria/Osteria Mozza, Church & State, STK, or Riva?"

we wound up going to Mozza, which was excellent. And she was able to choose.

After Mozza, I said, "hey, what do you want to do now? we can go to the Laker game or we can go to the laker game!"

[Donuthole]

We stopped celebrating Valentine's Day my first year in law school when we didn't have any money for luxuries and desperately needed a new vacuum. We went to wal-mart together and picked out a moderately-priced Hoover, after which we returned home, ate a frozen Red Baron pizza, and got it on.

To this day it remains our most memorable V-Day.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

We stopped celebrating Valentine's Day my first year in law school when we didn't have any money for luxuries and desperately needed a new vacuum. We went to wal-mart together and picked out a moderately-priced Hoover, after which we returned home, ate a frozen Red Baron pizza, and got it on.

To this day it remains our most memorable V-Day.

It must be getting close to the magic day. Posts with some kind of sexual reference are rising and getting harder to miss.

[Donuthole]

It must be getting close to the magic day. Posts with some kind of sexual reference are rising and getting harder to miss.

T-minus 6 days.

[TripletDaddy]

Gracie brings up a good point. It is never too early to start planning dinner for V-tines.

this year it falls on a Saturday...so you know what that means.....SNL after we get home! rowrrr!

[Jeff Lebowski]

Being that neither my wife or I are foodies it is usually whoever thinks of getting something set up first.

This year we will be in Austin, TX. Any suggestions CUFers?

I was a starving student while in Austin, so if you want to go somewhere really swank I won't be able to help you out.

Here are some suggestions (no particular order):

1. Chinatown. Good Chinese restaurant just off north MoPac. Used to win a lot of reader's choice awards. Still in business last time I was there.

2. County Line. Rated the #1 BBQ in Texas a few times as I recall. Order the combo called "The Cadillac".

3. Salt Lick. Perhaps my favorite BBQ joint. Out in Hayes county, but it is a nice drive.

4. Chuy's. Famous Tex-Mex. Not my favorite, but kind of a local icon.

5. Threadgill's. Famous Southern-style restaurant. Voted the best chicken-fried steak in America by some food magazine. They do live music (syndicated radio program) from the downtown location. Fun atmosphere.

Have fun.

[LiveCoug]

For me:

V-day Feb 14th
Anniversery Feb 28th
Her Bday Mar 2nd

This thread reminds me I need to start a thinking.

[LiveCoug]

I was a starving student while in Austin, so if you want to go somewhere really swank I won't be able to help you out.

Here are some suggestions (no particular order):

1. Chinatown. Good Chinese restaurant just off north MoPac. Used to win a lot of reader's choice awards. Still in business last time I was there.

2. County Line. Rated the #1 BBQ in Texas a few times as I recall. Order the combo called "The Cadillac".

3. Salt Lick. Perhaps my favorite BBQ joint. Out in Hayes county, but it is a nice drive.

4. Chuy's. Famous Tex-Mex. Not my favorite, but kind of a local icon.

5. Threadgill's. Famous Southern-style restaurant. Voted the best chicken-fried steak in America by some food magazine. They do live music (syndicated radio program) from the downtown location. Fun atmosphere.

Have fun.

I watched Man vs. Food last night and he took a visit to Salt Lick. It looked dang good.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

2. County Line. Rated the #1 BBQ in Texas a few times as I recall. Order the combo called "The Cadillac".

3. Salt Lick. Perhaps my favorite BBQ joint. Out in Hayes county, but it is a nice drive.

While not starving students, my wife and I are both very casual and love BBQ. We will try one of these places, return and report. Thanks for the advice.

[The_Tick]

Not a big fan of this "holiday"

And this year it is terrible in a few ways...

1. The church decided to move the Tri-Stake Dance to the 14th. Now a bunch of the leaders can't have a date because of this. Made some folks quite angry.

2. The Youth are upset because it makes the Tri-Stake dance...weird. Because it is supposed to be a love holiday.

3. 2 of the local High Schools setup Formal for this night. Epic failure if you ask the kids. Attendance is already pegged to be extremely low.

And I already know what I get for Valentine's Day...same thing I have gotten for the last 12 years. So there isn't any suprise to it.

Add in the fact that I am expected to buy something for her.

Boring.

[MarkGrace]

My wife and I have this radical idea of called "mutual decision". We also throw "compromise" in for good measure.

You are either (1) lying or (2) not married. Everyone knows this is not how it works.

[LiveCoug]

You are either (1) lying or (2) not married. Everyone knows this is not how it works.

Well, consider us crazy trend buckers then.