Gushing

Hi there.

I would like to tell you all about my Valentine's Day this year, so...if you are not in the mood to read a gushy sappy post...you have been warned. However there is bacon involved, so maybe you should stick around after all.

Now that we have that out of the way, I had THE BEST VALENTINE'S DAY!!

The Bar Manager and I had previously discussed a few different options, like going to a basketball game and seeing the new Die Hard movie. Those were going to be fine, I super excited to get to spend the day with him and I didn't really care what we did. We finally made plans to have dinner at his bar (which for the sake of the story, we shall call the Winchester, and is fancier than it sounds), see a movie, and come back to his bar for trivia.

I have been debating on what to get the Bar Manager for literally months. MONTHS. With Christmas, then his birthday, and then Valentines Day back to back, basically, I have been stressing and feeling woefully inadequate in the gifting arena for ages. AGES! There are so many things I want to give to him, but being as how I have $0, it is hard to get him most of what I want to. I would list there here, but there is a remote possibility that SOME DAY I will be able to afford them, and an even more remote possibility that he reads this. So, I won't spoil the hypothetical surprises here. Just know that the ideas for gifts I have are epic.

Anyhoo...I ended up getting him two pounds of thick sliced bacon, I made him chocolate chip Reese's Pieces cookies, and I made him a playlist of songs that not only expressed how I felt about him, but were hopefully songs he liked. The playlist was the "big gift" so to speak, and it was the one I was the most stressed out about. I almost ALMOST didn't give it to him. Men are a skittish creature, and scare easily, and I didn't want my heartfelt playlist to scare him away.

This is the outfit I WISH I had

Finally V-Day came! I was terrified! I wanted to look amazing, but not too fancy as we were going to the Winchester. I asked him what he was wearing, assuming it was going to be jeans and a shirt...nope. He was going with a tie. A TIE?! SHIT! So...this changed me from wearing a typical black sweater and nice jeans. Now I wanted to look nice, but not over do it, or under do it. Or wrong do it. So, like a typical OCD crazy girl, I worried about my outfit for hours. I think I tried on every nice thing I have, and have since decided I don't actually have that nice of things...I settled on a nice brown skirt I haven't worn in ages, a forest green tank top, knee high brown boots, and a sweatshirt. I fluffed my hair, as I spent too much time freaking out about the outfit and didn't have time to curl it, and STILL don't own a straightener... Did my make-up. Then re-did my make-up. THEN I changed my shoes four times. Finally I settled on shoes, outfit and make-up.


SIDE NOTE: The last time I had a big date (previous to the Bar Manager), it was a disaster. I had a brand new to me vintage 40's dress, incredible shoes, had spent six hours on my hair, had perfect make-up, and the only thing my date said was I was a bit too busty for the dress. Not a single compliment, and then later he complained about every aspect of me and the date. Not something an Agoraphobe easily forgets. So, this is one of the silly reasons for my panic and paranoia.

When the Bar Manager arrived, I actually felt a little weak. He looked amazing! His green shirt and tie really complimented his eyes. *swoon* He looked so good, I wanted to throw myself on my bed and pout, because I paled in comparison to his handsomeness and I hated my outfit. I started to get nervous all over again. He kept looking at me sweetly...and I had to ask how I looked. He seemed in shock that I would ask a stupid question, and said I looked fine. The WAY he said it was what counted, like "of course you look amazing, why would you ask?" NOW, granted, I might be reading way too much into everything, like usual, but that is how I interpreted that whole interaction.

How I felt on the inside. *sigh*

At this point I felt a little...shitty I guess. I rarely have gotten flowers, and I LOVE flowers. LOVE THEM. I am not a chocolate girl really, but something about a flower really goes a long way in my heart. They never happened in my last relationship unless I literally begged for them, which at that point I could have just gotten myself flowers, which defeats it a bit. So, when the Bar Manager arrived without flowers, I am not going to lie, I was a little bummed. "Not to worry" I told myself, I was still going on a great date with a great guy. Flowers are silly. *sigh*

While in the car, I asked if he had made reservations. The Winchester was having a special occasion dinner, and it seemed like the type of place and type of time to make reservations. He scoffed, why would he make reservations? He's one of the managers! PFFT. Ok, ok, but did they at least know we were coming? Just in case? Places having fancy dinners like to know who all is coming, right? He scoffed again.

We get there, and he was really sweet about walking with me. This is such a little thing, but he was concerned I would slip in the ice, and so he held my hand and walked slowly, or avoided it altogether when he could. It really is the little things that make a girls heart melt. Well, mine anyway. Genuine concern for my well being. *swoon*

Stick with me kids, this is where things start to get really good!

We walked into the Winchester, and at the end of the bar was the largest bouquet of flowers I had ever seen. My first thought was, "Awww, how sweet! Someone got one of the other bartenders or servers some really nice flowers!" We got closer, and the Bar Manger sat me down right in front of them! However, I am a little slow, so it took another couple seconds before I understood that they were for me! ME! *Melts* He and the lovely Lady Bar Manager (yes, they are co-managers) unwrapped them for me, and I got to stick my face in the loveliest flowers I have ever received. Ever. My Bar Manager got all cute, saying "Yup, turns out they DID know we were coming," and then all the other servers and women in the bar started to gush about how he had set this all up. He had been planning it "FOR WEEKS! Literally weeks," stated the Lady Bar Manager, while others were telling me about how sweet he was that he came in and got the place setting ready and the flowers. Apparently he hand picked the flowers! Just for me! There was such a lovely variety to the flowers, and he said that was on purpose. He figured if he got a lot of them, he was bound to get one of them right (as far as which ones were my favorite). This is one of the sweetest things ever. Ever. *Faints*

Literally breath-taking!

At this point, I decided I should share the playlist that I made. After a little technical difficulty I was able to "beam" my playlist to him, which was technologically AWESOME by the way!

Our dinner was DELICIOUS! We were treated to a three course meal, with a marvelously matched bottle of wine. First he and I had salmon cakes and stuffed artichokes. For the main course he and I had pan searched chicken, and bistro tenderloin. *drools* For dessert we shared a chocolate mousse berry napoleon. Fantastic delectable delights!

After dinner the original plan was to go see the new Die Hard movie. I was whatever whatever about it, but I was into seeing it. This is how I know the Bar Manager is a keeper; "I know we were thinking of Die Hard, but that isn't very romantic. Would you rather go see a zombie movie?" Sir, I think I love you.

SO, instead of seeing Die Hard, he took me to see Warm Bodies. Which was perfect! It was a really cute movie, a RomZomCom, or whatever the cool kids call it. Zombies. Romance. Shenanigans. Perfect! This is another movie I think I need to own. AND, another little thing, he held my hand the whole time.  *sigh*

Strawberry Beer is better than it sounds

Between the Winchester and the zombie movie and and I stopped at a place across the street to try a strawberry beer, which was quite delicious.
We then went back to the Winchester for Trivia and cocktails. We took over for another team that was leaving, and ended up coming in 2nd place overall. Not too shabby, especially since I was able to get us a couple of points with some nerd answers *brushes shoulder off.*

I think at this point this is when he started taking pictures of us. That was really cute! He said something like, "I think it's about time we got a picture of us" or something along those lines. We took silly pictures, cute pictures, kissy face pictures...it was really sweet. Then, after posting them to Facebook for the WHOLE WORLD to see *swoon* I proceeded to make one of them my profile picture. A very public declaration that the Bar Manager was my guy. He did the SAME THING! With the same picture! *melt*

Finely we were in my apartment again. I think at this point I couldn't take the anticipation anymore, and I sort of yelled at him to listen to his playlist. "Hey! You should listen to that. RIGHT NOW!" Patience and tact have never been virtues of mine, but he took it in stride, and started listening to it. He played it over the speakers of his phone. I tried to contain myself, not apologize for songs, or over explain why I had them in the order they were in, etc. Luckily this was one of the few times I could pretty much keep my mouth shut. I think he liked it? He sung along with a lot of the songs, and commented on others. SO, I think it was a success? He didn't hate it, and I am too scared to ask him what he thinks...so there's that.
He LOVED his cookies, though. He didn't know I had made Reese's Pieces choco-chip cookies, and those are one of his favorites. SCORE! He was very excited by them. He also really like the bacon, so that was a win. YAY!!! As a post Valentines Day treat, he and I had some of his bacon this morning. We made candied bacon together, which is the first time I have ever had that. It was VERY tasty. "Millionaire Bacon" was the recipe, and I WILL be making that again. It would blow your mind in a BLT. *drools*

All in all it was an amazing Valentines Day. The best one I have had in recent memory. He is so sweet! And romantic! In the perfectly awesome, steak and zombie loving kind of way! All the little things, making sure I didn't slip...holding my hand....taking pictures with me and posting them in a public forum...and the way he looked at me throughout the night, really made it special. Oh, and not to mention the INCREDIBLE flowers! I...may or may not carry them from room to room with me at home, so I can see and smell them wherever I am. In a sort of obsessive way. They are so lovely!!!










Alright, alright, I will stop gushing over the Bar Manager, and get back to writing about going outside or playing poker. I just wanted to shove my happiness in everyone's face for a moment. I .... he... ok, ok, I won't get into the sappy stuff. He is the Bee's Knees, and I will leave it at that. For now.

Boxer Bee's Knees!

Happy Valentine's Day!