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It’s argued that the first date is the most difficult to get right, but we’d contend that any last-minute date trumps them all. But with a touch of romance, an ounce of planning and a heaping of affection, organising a memorable evening (or day!) that conveys your affection is completely feasible.
As Valentine’s Day rolls around, we here at GRAZIA have embraced our inner romantics to help any struggling idealist arrange a special occasion for the person they love. With less than 24 hours on the clock until Cupid’s bows begin flying through the air, we’ve compiled our definitive guide to the most amorous outings that will tug on anyone’s heartstrings. Ahead, the fool-proof last-minute date ideas to seal your relationship with a kiss.
It’s argued that the first date is the most difficult to get right, but we’d contend that any last-minute date trumps them all. But with a touch of romance, an ounce of planning and a heaping of affection, organising a memorable evening (or day!) that conveys your affection is completely feasible. As Valentine’s Day rolls around, we here at GRAZIA have embraced our inner romantics to help any struggling idealist arrange a special occasion for the person they love. With less than 24 hours on the clock until Cupid’s bows begin flying through the air, we’ve compiled our definitive guide to the most amorous outings that will tug on anyone’s heartstrings. Ahead, the fool-proof last-minute date ideas to seal your relationship with a kiss.
Cook A Romantic Meal At Home
Found your favourite local restaurant all booked out? Uninterested in splurging on a set menu at the must-try haunt? We’ve all been there. There’s nothing that quells passion like organising somewhere to eat out, especially at the eleventh hour. But that doesn’t make indulging in a passion-filled, candlelit dinner impossible. On the contrary, creating this seductive ambience at home will demonstrate your care and attention for your significant other.
For burgeoning relationships, try emulating a recipe from a restaurant your loved one has always wanted to visit, while those with long-term partners would reap the benefits from recreating the meal you shared on your first date. Or, if you’re still unsure where to begin, keep scrolling for a salivating indulgent pasta dish from Paddington’s enchanting Italian eatery, I Maccheroni.
We’d recommend the Prawn Linguine with Kale and Pistachio Pesto crafted by I Maccheroni’s owner and chef, Marcello Farioli. Originating from the esteemed Emilia Romagna region of Italy, renowned as the epicentre of Italian gastronomy, Farioli’s delicious and light offering will flex your culinary prowess and show off how intimate you can be. Because what’s more vulnerable than cooking for the person you love?
Prawn Linguine With Kale and Pistachio Pesto
Takes: 25 minutes
Serves: 4 people
Ingredients
- Linguine 500 gr
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil 250 mL
- Lemon juice 15 mL
- Garlic 10 gr
- Prawn 100g
- Kale 1 bunch
- Ice 100 gr
- Pecorino romano 100 gr
- Pistachio 150 gr
Method
- Place a 5-litre pot of water over the stove to boil. While you wait for the water to boil, cut the prawn into little square pieces and finely slice the garlic.
- Blanch the kale and put it in ice water to stop the cooking process. Strain from the ice, then chop.
- Place the kale, the garlic, 100 gr of pistachio, 200ml olive oil and the pecorino in a food processor and blitz, If it’s too thick or starts to discolour, add some of the ice to it
- When the water is boiled, place the pasta in the pot and cook for 6 minutes
- In the meantime, place a saucepan over low to medium heat on the stove and pour a little olive oil. Add the prawn and let caramelise each side. Add the lemon juice to the prawns and let evaporate
- Put the pasta in the pan as well together with 100 ml of the cooking water
- To finish, remove the pan with the pasta and prawns from the heat and add the pesto. Garnish some crushed pistachio and the reserved olive oil to serve
(Editor’s Note: If you live near a Gelato Messina, we’d recommend treating your S.O. to an after-dinner stroll to pick up a scoop of their tiramisu flavour to end the evening).
Embrace Your Inner Cinephile
Netflix and chill may be so 2016, but the sentiment remains: watching a movie together can be quite a romantic gesture. Failing to purchase a ticket to your local independent theatre or art-deco movie house—we’d recommend the Ritz in Randwick, the Palace chain in Paddington, Surrey Hill’s Golden Age or the Hayden Orpheum in Cremorne for Sydney-siders—set up a projector or relocate your TV to screen something at home. Skip the classic rom-com and go for a seductive French new-wave film. Jean-Luc Godard’s body of work is a great starting point, but if you can’t be bothered with subtitles anything from Luca Guadagnino will work.
(Editor’s Note: If you have the time, we’d recommend ordering in and picking up a bottle of pét nat for a back-to-back viewing session of Richard Linklater’s ‘Before’ trilogy. What says love more than a 90s Ethan Hawke convincing a stranger to follow him around Vienna for an evening?)
Leave Room For Intimacy
As dates are a chance to connect and deepen your connection, don’t fret over the little details to ensure you’ve left room for spontaneity and intimacy. While going to extra lengths to seduce your S.O. is appealing in theory, it’s a recipe for stress and anxiety when you’ve left it to the last minute. Instead, play to your strengths by playing up their hobbies and interests.
If they’re someone who loves to travel, lean into this by picking up takeaway from a restaurant featuring their favourite cuisine to share over a picnic with a nice view. If they’re a music lover, spend the evening curating a mixtape of their favourite songs. (This could even be printed into vinyl at a later date for your very own custom record of your relationship.)
Ultimately, any act of consideration and thoughtfulness is the definitive quality when it comes to organising a date. So, don’t get bulked down with the details by keeping things flirty by putting them first—whatever that looks like to you!
