Warning: this is a picture-heavy post.

Okay, I warned you.

Also, all these pics were taken with my ipod, so they aren’t super fab. But I wanted to share anyway. 🙂

For starters, my hubby announced that the “dress code” would be dressy casual. Usually, we both know where we’re going because we’ll go out on a gift card or something. But tonight, he planned it out and kept it a secret. Love him.

We dropped our little girl off at a friend’s house (because 2 is a date; 3 is a family night) and headed out:

He took me uptown to a place called Pewter Rose:

It was such a cool place! Located on the 2nd floor of the building, it was definitely not your traditional chain restaurant. And it totally showed in the decor. The first thing you see is the awesome outside eating area:

Then you walk in and see super cool origami birds hanging from the ceiling:

The walls are brick but check out the curtains:

And the artwork is eclectic:

As for the food…I got the pork shank

and my sweetheart got the salmon:

His salmon? The best I have ever tasted. And I do mean EVER. It was fabulously seasoned and cooked.

My pork shank? Totally not worth the $. Super fatty. I’d say 4/5 of it was fat and bone. I mentioned it to our waitress and she said it’s just a fatty cut of meat. Boo. I would not get it again nor would I recommend it to my friend. Or my enemy. However, if I had a dog… 😉 Sorry, Pewter Rose, you got me on the salmon and the truffle macaroni and cheese, but you completely lost me on the pork shank.

After dinner, we walked around uptown a little bit, and “just happened” to walk to Pike’s Soda Shop:

Such a fun place with retro decor:

and friendly staff who actually talk to you:

And you know those retro milkshake blender things? Yeah, they actually use them:

Speaking of milkshakes…they’ve got ’em in several flavors:

I’ve been on this peach thing lately, so of course I got the peach milkshake.

Yum!

There was this design center next door that we stopped to look at. There was nobody there but they had some of the coolest things and furniture! Like these awesome chairs:

which, of course, I had to sit in:

They were comfortable – except for the fact that I’m short and my feet didn’t touch the ground. 🙂

The great thing about dates is you have an opportunity to learn more about your date. I love having time just with my man! I also learned something about myself while going through these pics:

I am apparently incapable of acting normal in front of a camera:

my hubby’s smile is beginning to fade at his wife’s weirdness…

and finally a slight look of concern takes over his face…

we did manage to get a slightly more normal picture at the end:

A good time was had by both. 🙂

Tomorrow, I have an interesting yard sale story to share. Stay tuned…