Will you go with me? Circle: yes or no

The box: A well-curated collection of entertaining, amusing, enjoyable, imaginative and interesting dates for you and your honey. Find out more! The site: An examination of the joys and pains, successes and failures in the priceless yet terrifying world of dating. Living alongside are tips we've vetted and ideas we want to pass along.

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Fast food condiment packets are not an appropriate way to propose.  Period.

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Trailer date:

To some, paying $15 for a sandwich from a food truck may seem excessive.  Dock & Roll Diner will have you reconsidering this investment.  (Especially now that they aren't parked near that taco trailer that appeared to never empty its trashcans so they overflowed and you had to step over the garbage and it attracted Grackels galore.  Ewww.  It was all a bad dream...)

These guys were the first to bring the briny, slightly sweet New England creation to the Austin scene in 2011.  And they are doing it right.  Lobsters sourced from Ready Seafood Co. in Maine are blended with an array of locally sourced veggies in various combinations so that they can satisfy all the geographical imperatives of the lobster roll.  The Maine Event is the canvas: "Freshly picked Maine lobster claw and knuckle meat served chilled with Dock & Roll's special house mayo, our own Dock Salt, and chive. Served on a freshly baked split top roll. The Maine Event is the foundation for all other lobster roll variations..."  From there you can venture not too far across the Maine state line for a Rhode Island or Massachusetts set up.  Or, if you're feeling randy, as far away as Asia and Mexico.         

As the weather warms and the inclination to wear searsucker shorts and dockers grows (theoretically), so should the urge to visit Dock & Roll.  They now have 2 locations:

South Austin at 1503 S. 1st St. next to Elizabeth St. Cafe

Westlake at 1905 S. Capital of Texas Hwy next to Tres Amigos in Midway Food Park

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Dating fail:

Did this guy really use his mugshot on Grindr?!  What a way to impress...!

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Delicious date:

Believe the hype.  Franklin Barbecue's brisket is, hands down, the most flavorful and juicy piece of beef I've tasted in the whole state of Texas.  Nothing on the butcher paper was shabby, but the brisket you won't soon forget.  Grab your honey, a board game, a cooler of beer, a granola bar for breakfast (remember: you can eat more if you keep your stomach stretched out - no fasting ahead of time!), a lawn chair and head over to the east side of Austin.  

We even (literally) bumped into Aaron Franklin who took the time to chat us up about his movie debut in Chef, the addition they were building on the back of the restaurant, how they manage to tend the pit all night (napping in lawn chairs?!), and he even bought us beers!

Franklin Barbecue

900 E. 11th, Austin, TX 78702

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Walking date:              

Rich cajun food, passionate people, a culture of partying, brass bands...what's not to love about New Orleans, LA?  Well, that pervading urine smell on Bourbon Street maybe...but there is so much more to this illustrious port city.   

If you haven't yet discovered Frenchmen Street, you're missing out.  The Official New Orleans Guide describes it as, "Light years removed from the glitzy neon lights and blaring cover music of Bourbon Street but, in reality, only walking distance away, is a compact musical enclave where the “locals” hang out. A two-block-long entertainment district where, on any given night of the week – including normally dead Mondays – you can hear live sounds and a wide variety of music as only New Orleans musicians can perform."  

On a recent trip, we wandered in and out of music venues.  Some uber-hip, like the Spotted Cat and d.b.a.; others catering to a slightly older, 'I like to sit down while I listen to music' crowd.  We danced in the street to the punchy, vibrant sounds of a local band.  We rifled through the eclectic Frenchmen Night Art Market.  It was a pretty good time.  Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Tip: We were able to find plenty of free parking - just drive past the happenings, north on Frenchmen, and look for a street spot.  

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Lunch date:

"Cheap and cheerful!"  I stole this phrase from my girlfriend Melanie - I think it's a UK-ism.  It perfectly describes the Cuban Sandwich Cafe in Austin.  Our server was busy but helpful, taking time to decipher the Cuban drink menu for us.  As a sandwich fanatic, I wouldn't dare pass up an authentic, pressed Cuban sandwich.  The salty pork, tangy mustard and pickles were neatly nestled in crunchy baguette-style bread.  Yum.  Mr. Honeybunny enjoyed his ropa vieja as well - it was a huge portion.

Speaking of cheap and cheerful...there is currently a Restaurant.com coupon available.      

Location:

9616 N. Lamar Suite 141 

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Happy 70th birthday Rod Stewart!

Many of the songs in his impressive catalog would form a perfect date night soundtrack.  Few tracks are sweeter than "Have I told you lately that I love you...?"   Bonus: It was written by Van Morrison.  

Photos from a November concert in Las Vegas, NV.

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A kinetic riot of color and sound, the Chinese New Year celebrations at Austin's Chinatown complex (where MT Supermarket is located) are tons of fun.  Lions and dragons (and undoubtedly goats this year!) dancing, special treats for sale, drumming and parading.  Take a few hours to ring in the new year here or at a Chinatown, Chinese Restaurant, or Chinese market near you!

Chinatown Austin, TX

Saturday, Februrary 21

10am to 6pm.

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Breakfast date:

Get outta Dodge!  Or Mount Pleasant, SC, as the case may be.  This was an amazing biscuit.  Not just because living in Austin, TX means breakfast tacos outnumber made-from-scratch biscuits 100 to 1.  This was an awesome breakfast sandwich because the biscuit was fluffy, the scrambled eggs spicy, the sausage gravy well peppered and the fried chicken breast as juicy and tender as any I've ever had.  This is a home run for Page's Okra Grill.  And if this isn't effusive enough - Mr. Honeybunny's sandwich, pictured in the background, was a southern symphony of fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese, scrambled eggs and bacon.  De-li-cious!  

Tip:  The wait can be long at this local's favorite, so try and schedule your brunch date for a weekday if possible.  It's just a short 10-minute drive from downtown Charleston, SC.

Page's Okra Grill

302 Coleman Blvd. Mt. Pleasant, SC 

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Dancin' date:

Nothing screams romance like going to the grocery store on a date.  Although, the jam-packed event schedule at Central Market in Austin, TX dictates this supermarket should be an exception to my sarcasm.  Check out the goings-on here.  Coming up January 9, 2015...

Grammy winning pianist Floyd Domino's all-star ensemble showcases boogie-woogie, western swing, jazz, blues and country. Floyd, 2010 Best Keyboards, Austin, was an original member of Asleep at the Wheel and won his second Grammy in February 2000 as a featured performer with the group. He has recorded and performed with George Strait, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Herb Ellis, Buddy Holly's original Crickets, the Texas Playboys, Don Walser, the Derailers, Monte Warden, Waylon Jennings and the Broadway production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.  

-from www.floyddomino.com

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Free shows, awesome bands, all week 

Since 2003, Austin, TX has held Free Week durng the first week of January. Local bands, venues, and promoters unite to celebrate the new year and all things awesome about local music.  This is a week that's ripe for dating.  Pick a band that neither of you has ever heard of and pack it in for some entertainment.  For a complete list of shows: http://do512.com/freeweekaustin 

In the image: Mother Falcon  

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Vino Vino

Wine date:

This warm spot in Austin, TX is our go-to for a really good wine selection and servers who work hard to ensure you get something you'll enjoy.  The food is also on-point and is served at a pace made for dating.  Happy hour is worth a look too!

Vino Vino 4119 Guadalupe St Austin, TX 78751-4222 [phone]

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Nectar of the gods

Wine date:

The Wine and Food Foundation of Texas is a nonprofit using their passion for wine and food to better the health and well-being of our community.  They hold frequent events - some for the sheer fun of it, others with a slant towards education.  Either way, they are always a good time!  

ITALIAN ICONS: BIG BROTHERS, BABY BROTHERS

January 14, 2015

Educational Wine Tasting with Mark Rashap, CWE

In this tasting, we'll learn about and taste three of the most important types of Italian wines, Barolo, Brunello, and Amarone. These wines are produced with the strictest requirements of production and aging. Because no expense is spared on these wines, they can be expensive and require much cellar time; therefore, their "baby brothers" have become very popular to give a sense of the main wine without the price tag. We're going to have a wonderful time tasting both of them together and appreciating the differences and similarities.

$35 tasting includes flight of wines and charcuterie from Salt & Time.

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Delicious date:

La Boqueria market in Barcelona is a dream.  Spend hours tasting, trying, sampling your way through the goodies then pull up a seat on the perimeter where you can people watch and practice your Spanish until it's time to dine again!

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Cinema and cocktails!

Movie date:

The Alamo Drafthouse is a wellspring of great dates.  If you don't have one of these beauties in your neighborhood, I sure hope you have another of the order at your seat, serves beer and cocktails sort because they sure are fun.  

Cinema Cocktails on 1/13/15:  MY MAN GODFREY

"If you had to find one film that perfectly expressed, more than any other, the hilarious and magical, yet socially-conscious escapism that Hollywood mastered during the Great Depression, MY MAN GODFREY is the one. It's the definitive screwball comedy. Madcap antics, biting social satire and glamorous romance mix to produce a movie that's unstoppable force of pure happiness.  GODFREY follows the story of a wealthy family of high social standing who hire a down and out hobo to be their butler and valet. Fifth Avenue socialite Irene Bullock (Carole Lombard) who needs a "forgotten man" to win a scavenger hunt, and no one is more forgotten than Godfrey Park (William Powell), who resides in a dump by the East River. Irene hires Godfrey as a servant for her riotously unhinged family, to the chagrin of her spoiled sister, Cornelia (Gail Patrick), who tries her best to get Godfrey fired. As Irene falls for her new butler, Godfrey turns the tables and teaches the frivolous Bullocks a lesson or two. The film, filled with marvelous character actors (Alice Brady, Eugene Pallette, Gail Patrick, and Mischa Auer) and written by Marx Bros collaborator Morrie Ryskind, still stands as a pinacle of golden age screen comedy." - Alamo Draftouse

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Seniors are adorable, and so are their dates. They remind us all to keep on lovin'~!  Barcelona, Spain.

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Cat and elf date.