I love, love, love to give things away and make people smile. So when our good friends at Bottlenotes offered to give away a pair of VIP tickets to their very popular & well attended 80 Sips Around The World event in San Francisco, I did little cartwheels inside my head.
80 Sips Around the World takes place in major cities all over the US and the next event is happening next Friday, February 11th in San Francisco! Valentines weekend in the most romantic city in the world? It doesn’t get much better than this!
HOW TO WIN YOUR TICKETS: I want to hear about your most memorable date night. It could be amazing, it could be horrific. Regardless, if it’s left an impression upon you then I’d love to hear all about it (as does the rest of the OMG community)! I will choose my favorite date night story to win the pair of VIP tickets to 80 Sips ($250 value!). I will be announcing winners this Sunday at 8pm PST (so you have time to arrange for a sitter!) Simply post your story as a reply below. Good luck!
For those of you who have a great story to tell but live beyond the area of attendance for this particular event, don’t worry! I will be awarding an OMG insulated wine tote to two runners up! And be sure to join our mailing list to receive announcements of other upcoming events that I will be hosting as well as future 80 Sips tasting events.
And for you locals who would like to purchase discounted tickets, use promo code OMG25 to receive $25 off your ticket when purchased online.
I will see you there! I attended the 80 Sips in LA last summer and it was a blast! Definitely a tasting party not to be missed.
Friday, February 11th, 2011
6:00-7:00p.m. VIP/Press Tasting
7:00-9:00p.m. General Admission
Golden Gate Club
135 Fisher Loop
San Francisco, CA 94129
My most memorable date night out with my hubby was about 18 years ago. We were first time parents with a 3 mo. old infant and we were kind of worried to leave him with a sitter, even though I know Grandma & Grandpa would have loved to. But we had the “first time baby” syndrome. Plus I was nursing exclusively. It was our first wedding anniversary (on Valentine’s day) and we went out to a nice restaurant, got a booth with baby sleeping peacefully and we thought, “This is gonna be so nice, a piece of cake”. Well, baby woke up very hungry and, of course, I had to nurse him. I got him all fixed up there with a blankie over my shoulder and all and things were going well. The waiter came to take our order and all of a sudden started stammering, blushing and looking away. Unbeknownst to me, my blankie had fallen down and he got a really good boob shot!!! I was embarrassed, I think my hubby thought it was funny. But there’s my story. On my first wedding anniversary, a strange man got a good look at my equipment!!!
Comment by Kayscandles — February 4, 2011 @ 7:15 pm
We went to the restaurant we had our first date at, which is Baron’s Pub in Virginia on our one year after we met anniversary. He was going to walk me down to the boardwalk in Portsmouth when it came up a huge thunderstorm. He told me over dinner that my gift for our anniversary he bought with a coupon and it only cost $19.99 and that it would be here in a couple weeks. I was actually a little mad, but enjoyed myself anyway. After we were done eating we went to a little bar/restaurant called Wild Wing Cantina, where we first met and all of our friends were there listening to a little local band. It was a great time! Then, we went home and he asked me to marry him. He said he was going to ask me on the boardwalk, but the storm came and didn’t want to do it at a bar, which I’m grateful for. It was the most perfect, romantic night! Now here we are two kids later and living in Kansas! That date with my now hubby was the most memorable date ever!
Comment by froggzy1015 — February 4, 2011 @ 8:01 pm
It happened just like in one of those dime store romance novels. I read them all the time but never really believed it would happen to me. It started with a puppy love sort of crush on this elusive character that I would get a sneak peak at once or twice a day, all Sophomore year. Sometimes in a hallway or at his locker, it was sweet and cute how we both avoided full eye contact but would go out of our way to be where the other person was. I normally would never go to a basketball game, but if someone would mention Mike just might be there. I would do anything I could do just to sit somewhere near him. We ran into each other at parties or a friends’ houses but we never exchanged more than a sentence or two. I even learned racket ball just because he liked to play.
I was gawky with braces and braids, so I thought I would never catch the bad boy in the army jacket with mysterious blue eyes. But I slowly was falling a little farther each day. And by summers end, Sophomore year, I was desperate, to really talk to this guy that in so many ways filled up my days with dreams for a future together. He was interested but not enough to make the first move. I flirted, I batted my lashes, I even tried to make him jealous. Nothing was working.
School started Junior year, and the first homecoming dance came and went with great disappointment. A mutual friend of ours set-up a date between the two of us. And he stood me up. Devastated and vulnerable I scribbled all his names out on my notebooks. I was no longer going to be “Mrs. Michael M”, no matter how sweetly he proposed.
That very next week I was walking to science class and he was coming down the hall in the opposite direction. He was looking absolutely perfect in his tight, faded jeans, chain wallet and army jacket. I fell hard, and knew from that one look I was never going to love anyone else again. He turned and looked me straight in the eyes and took my breath away. We exchanged polite greetings but I’m sure we were both thinking the same things. I felt thoroughly kissed after only one short look from him. Breathless, we both went our separate ways.
That weekend I got my friend to drag him over to my house under the pretense that her boyfriend’s car broke down and she needed a ride. She happened to be dating my brother at the time. After some really awkward moments standing over an engine that appeared to be working just fine. He finally asked if I would like to go for some ice cream. Double dating with my brother was weird but safe. Linda and Jamie filled in the silent moments and helped us move on to the next important step. The goodnight kiss, at 9:56 PM on September 6, 1983, I finally got the kiss I was waiting for all my teen years. It began soft and sweet but ended with a promise of forever and always. Ten days later, I had a ring and a promise of what was to come. Its been over 27 years and my heart still flutters when its date night.
Comment by Jillann — February 4, 2011 @ 9:44 pm
I was moving away in a few days and I didn’t know if our relationship would make it long distance. One of the reasons I was moving away is because we were going too fast too soon. We’ve been friends for a long time, so our dating had been casual. But since this was our last date, we were going to do it right.
He picked me up and we were both in our best. We thought we looked hot and the energy was electric. There’s a restaurant/wine bar in Sacramento and upstairs in the back is an exquisite patio. We were headed there and I started to tumble on my impossible 5 inch black leather Brazilian heels. He grabbed me and I leaned on his arm. Half swooning and half staggering-well, it was romantic in my head, I don’t care what it looked like on the outside.
The patio was softly lit and gorgeous. (I was really happy to be sitting) We talked about our brief yet hot romance, our long friendship, and my upcoming move. Half the time we sat just gazing and lost in each other. It was wonderful to dress up and be romantic with him, but then we had a better idea.
The dress and the suit and the heels had to go. We ran back to my place and changed into comfy clothes. Stopped at Rick’s for slices of cake to go and coffee. We had a midnight cake picnic on a blanket at the theater in land park. We cuddled and watched the stars and told each other stories about the past, present and future.
I didn’t stay moved away for long.
Comment by suzi — February 4, 2011 @ 10:11 pm
My very best and worst date night was the first date I had with my husband 16 years ago. He picked me up take me to dinner. He shows up at my apartment in a very broken down Jeep Cherokee with no idea where to take me. So my choice: best tex mex food in all of Portland, Oregon. Margaritas, tex mex, so far, so good. He is funny, nice, nervous. Then we go see a movie: Sean Connery in Hunt for Red October. Any man that will take you on a first date to see a movie starring the man you have a crush on is good in my book. Pretty normal, boring first date so far. After the movie, he wants to take me to see his boat. A 21 foot sail boat he has restored. I am always up for an adventure so I agree. We get to the slip and he wants to take me for a ride on the boat. I again agree, totally trusting that the boat will work, and that he knows how to sail. So off we go, powering down the Columbia River. Beautiful evening. The Columbia River moving along at it’s normal ridiculously fast pace. And suddenly, the out board engine falls into the water and sinks. Seriously? Yes. Seriously. So we are drifting out towards the Pacific Ocean at a fairly speedy rate. I look at him and there is definite panic in his eyes, and beads of sweat on his head. I tried to keep a poker face of happiness but in my head, I am thinking I can totally make it to shore because I am a pretty strong swimmer. Then start to justify that I really don’t know him very well, so I could just save myself without feeling too very bad about it. As I am considering shedding my Doc Martins to hit the water, he pulls out an oar and literally paddles us back to shore for the next hour while the sun is setting. Completely drenched in sweat, he ties up the boat and drives me home. I don’t really know what to think, except that I am lucky to have made it through my first and last date with this guy. He drops me off, says good night and leaves. I lock the door, pour some wine and sit down. Suddenly, someone knocks at the door. When I answered, he was standing there behind the most incredible bouquet of flowers. Told me I was the best date he ever had, and would I please go out with him again. Of course I did. Most guys wouldn’t have the guts to come back, go buy flowers, or apologize. 9 months later we were married and are celebrating our 15th Wedding anniversary on February 10th.
Comment by lbarnes — February 5, 2011 @ 3:10 am
We’ve had the amazing fancy & luxurious dates, had the exotic dates while traveling, and had the horribly embarrassing dates. But my favorite was our first, and we were too young for wine even! See, I’d had a crush on him forever, the cute guy in sophomore Spanish class, that I finally got the nerve to tell him I “liked him” our junior year.
First date with the husband. We were 16, he picked me up in his junker of a Toyota Corolla, and he’d made sack lunches. We picnicked under the trees at Balboa Park & saw a movie at the science theater there. Best ham & cheese sandwich ever
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That was back in ’94 and remains one of my favorite date spots with him, we can even take our kids & wine now! We now have 4 kids (just adopted a baby, our 4th and last, 2 months ago!), and have been married 10 years. That first date I felt crazy butterflies, and I’m so happy we’ve “still got it!”
Comment by anniebean — February 6, 2011 @ 8:10 pm
Most memorable date night…Our 17th wedding anniversary last August. We drove to Sonoma for dinner- it seems like a crazy idea driving for hours, but it was so nice to drive away, leave our 3 kids at home with family, and have time alone. …We listened to great music, talked about our future and our dreams and had time to reconnect again. The cocktails and dinner at The Girl and the Fig were delicious. Can I just say Lavender Mojito! The best wine EVER, grilled fresh sardines that reminded us of our trip to Portugal.We walked hand in hand around the square, looking at shops, in no hurry, enjoying the evening air and sunset. Taking pictures of ourselves together to commemorate the moment was quite funny, given it’s always difficult to do a self portrait! The drive back to Sac. flew by and we continued the celebration at the “L” Wine Lounge with a little desert and sherry. It was a beautiful night and we came home better parents, partners and friends.
Comment by Denise Massey — February 6, 2011 @ 8:25 pm
Vanessa McBride My husband lost his first wife to a short battle with ovarian cancer. I was friends with her and had promised her that I would help Michael with the girly stuff of their then infant daughter. As time past..Michael starting dating, I would come over to babysit. Michael and I became good friends, plus I knew his past dirty secrets from Angie. As time went by, he had to pay for a real babysitter because WE went on a date together. Our first kiss was like magic, we have been together ever since. This April will be our 3rd wedding anniversity, we joined family of my two boys. Alyssa is now 10. We dont have kids together because I am a 13 year cancer survivor. That’s how I met Angie in the first place……..crazy how things happen!!
Yesterday at 3:15pm · Like · 2 people
Comment by vmcbride5 — February 8, 2011 @ 2:26 am
CONGRATULATIONS TO LISA BARNES for winning the VIP tickets to 80 Sips Around The World! Any date that doesn’t kill you just makes you stronger and yours is living proof! Enjoy your date night!
Comment by OMG — February 8, 2011 @ 4:10 am