Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with romantic

A nice quiet bar in Richmnd Hill Ontario?

feelinggood — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:57:38 -0800

Does anyone know of a nice quiet bar in Richmond Hill Ontario? The closer to Yonge St and 16th Ave the better. Doesn't really have to be in Richmond Hill, but the closer the better.
In descending order of desirable characteristics: nice (obviously), quiet (music OK, but no TV or LOUD music), romantic, dimly lit, etc.
Thanks.

Philadelphia restaurant with ambiance?

millipede — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:24:55 -0800

Please recommend me a an excellent restaurant in Philadelphia. It is my sir's birthday. I would like to take him out to dinner. I want something with a romantic and lovely ambiance. I know Philly is all about BYOB, but I'd prefer to not BMOB if possible (unless the restaurant is otherwise so amazing that I must overlook this). Exact cuisine is not as important, as we like all food, but Italian or French would probably be best. I just want a place that has truly excellent food and the aforementioned ambiance. Dark, cozy, smallish, but not too loud.

We live in West Philly and love to take transit. We do not, however, drive, so please don't recommend anything out in the suburbs. Anything accessible by trolley, Market-Frankford El, the Broad Street line, or bus is great. I'd prefer to pay by credit card, but cash-only is not a dealbreaker.

Brunch for 2 in Houston?

abdulf — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:42:18 -0800

Romantic brunch ideas in Houston? On a Sunday? I am thinking somewhere that offers a little more privacy than the local IHOP. Bonus if it's located near other interesting stuff (like shops, parks, etc). I realize things may be closed on Sunday morning.

quiet beachy birthday romance

pearl228 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:41:49 -0800

Awesome, romantic getaway in proximity to nyc? Secluded, autumn beach spot preferred... So, I'm looking to take my man on a sweet trip outside of the city for his birthday this weekend. I can rent a car, or we can take a train then rent a car. I was thinking Montauk, which remains a possibility, but would prefer something a little more unexpected if I can figure it out.

Does anyone have any specific suggestions in terms of towns, transport, lodging, and things to do when we're not taking long walks on the beach..?

Thanks in advance!!

Romantic Melbourne things to do?

burhan — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:25:16 -0800

Aussie Hive Mind: What are some some incredibly romantic things to do from say 10am to 3pm in Melbourne in late November, early December? I have 3 afternoons in Melbourne, during which I would like to surprise my wife by taking her to places she's probably never seen, or to do things she probably never has.

They don't need to be over the top - this is more about sharing mutual experiences than about 'wow'ing her with extravagance.

My wife is from Melbourne, but never had the opportunity to do little 'fun' things. This is my 3rd trip there ever, and apart from the campy tourist things I've done previously, I can't think of anything!

This would be last week in Nov, first week in Dec.

Most romantic hotel in New York?

Falconetti — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:24:14 -0800

What is the most romantic hotel in New York? My girlfriend and I are celebrating our one-year anniversary in about a month and I wanted to surprise her with a night at a hotel in New York. We both live in New York, but she has mentioned before how she always wanted to stay at a nice hotel in the City. I thought booking a room for a night would be fun. What hotels would be the best for a romantic night celebrating an anniversary, especially for people who are young(ish) and actually live in the City (well, I live in Brooklyn)? I would like to keep it under $450, but all suggestions are welcome.

Romantic anniversary dinner in NYC on a grad student budget?

ilana — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:06:56 -0800

Romantic anniversary dinner in NYC on a grad student budget? So in about three weeks my wonderful boyfriend and I will be celebrating our fifth anniversary. Yay! We're looking for a place with great food and preferably romantic atmosphere (though not schmaltzy) in which to celebrate. We both like every type of cuisine we've ever tried (which is a lot of them). We're big fans of seafood, and if you know any place that makes magic out of duck, I'm all ears. Budget is on the small side, about $100ish for the two of us, but if there's somewhere a bit more expensive you think we must go to, just tell us why it's worth the extra! We'll go anywhere (preferably Manhattan) but bonus points if it's on the 1 line, extra bonus if it's UWS. Interesting drinks also a plus.

Apologies if this has been asked before, but I didn't find anything too similar when looking through tags. I know about Chowhound, but it's kind of overwhelming there. Thanks hivemind!

Romantic getaways in Illinois: Want to take my girlfriend on our anniversary on a romantic getaway for a day or two on the weekend of June 20th. Looking for any ideas.

MMALR — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:35:20 -0800

Romantic getaways in Illinois: Want to take my girlfriend on our anniversary on a romantic getaway for a day or two on the weekend of June 20th. Looking for any ideas. I'm looking for ideas. Chicago area or anywhere else in or around Illinois. I'd love to have something where I can stay in a room with a hot tub, but I'm not opposed to a cabin type of getaway or glitzy Chicago getaway. I'm open for ideas.

Ideas for our Luna de Miel

Deathalicious — Thu, 07 May 2009 11:11:26 -0800

The soon-to-be Ms. Deathalicious and I are planning to honeymoon in Mexico...in August. What are some out of the way, cool (as in tempurature), and romantic places to visit? I'm aware that most of the country can be very very hot, so we're thinking that it would be better to stay inland and higher up (in the Central Mexican Plateau, say). We have a little over a week to visit, and we're not fast travelers, so ideally we'd stick to just 2-3 locations maximum.

Our original plan was just to chill in Mexico City. We've already bought the plane tickets. But now we're concerned that it won't be relaxing enough for a honeymoon, so we were thinking to stay somewhere outside of the city but in the general area (that is, no more than a 4-6 hour trip by bus).

I'm opening this up to pretty much any and all Mexico-related travel recommendations (cool towns, hotels, restaurants, sights, things to buy), keeping the general region in mind. I'm particularly interested in recommendations of small-to-medium towns or cities that would make a nice long term (4-5 day) base. As an example, a friend of ours recommended Mikulov when we traveled in the Czech Republic and it was great -- almost no tourists, friendly people, a few good restaurants, some nice hills to hike through, a nearby cave system, and a few nice winding roads. In France through a happy accident we ended up in Pau, which had a lovely castle/fort, excellent food, beautiful views, another nearby cave, and decent transport to other nearby attractions.

Here are things that I like. Not all are necesary but any or all would be awesome:

Markets: I love, love, love both street and covered markets. I love seeing beautiful produce piled up but also dig piles of fish, cheese, bread, and even the occasional offal. The future Ms. D is into arts & crafts, so those markets are key too.
Plenty of street food, and good food in general: I like all kinds of Mexican food and expect I would eat well anywhere, but areas particularly known for the cuisine would be great. Ideally no matter where we were in the city, we'd never be more than a 10 or 15 minute walk from tasty food. Only drawback is I don't eat pork but for my own sanity I'm going to be avoiding the meat only and pretending they cook with vegetable oil. Other than that, I'll eat chicken, beef, and goat and we both really love fish.
Variety of beautiful architecture: I like everything from ruins to modern architecture, especially made of materials like stone, concrete, and wood (in other words I'm slightly less into metal buildings, i.e. glass skyscrapers)
Walkable neighborhoods brimming with life: While some solitary walks will be fun, I also love walking right into the mix of things with crowds of people all living together. I'm thinking here of my experiences living in Cairo and visiting some of the more working class areas where everyone is kind of pushed up next to one another
Crooked streets and winding alleyways: I love wandering aimlessly through a city especially on cobblestone streets.
Sweeping vistas: I love being up on a mountain and looking out over rolling hills and such.
Quieter evenings: I'm not huge into nightlife, and although we will definitely go out dancing a few nights of our honeymoon, we'd ideally like to avoid somewhere that is loud and raucous late into the night.
Caves or other cave-like attractions (catacombs, crypts, etc): Going underground is awesome.
Good live music: Ideally we'd like to go to a performance of live music. Doesn't have to be a concert, in fact just some players in the corner of a bar, cafe, or restaurant would be even better.

I'd say we are leaning more towards "luxury" budget traveler. We're not interested in staying in hostels or seedy run-down hotels but anywhere clean and homey is fine (and that includes hotels with smaller rooms and shared bathrooms). For food we're perfectly happy with street food most of the time, but would like to go to where the locals eat out (not sure if that is a custom in Mexico or not) once or twice.

Neither of us is fluent in Spanish but we hopefully would know enough to get around. I always bring a phrasebook with me when I travel and try to pick up a bit of the language.

Restaurant engagement in St. Louis?

kraigory — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:06:27 -0800

I am proposing to my girlfriend this summer in St. Louis and I know that it will involve a friend of ours coming out on a stage while we are having dinner and playing our favorite song. If it is an appropriate setting, we will dance to it, and after the song is over, I will propose to her. I need your help finding the right location! So, here are some additional details. My plan is to have a waiter or waitress come to our table and present her with a photo book that I am making her with Blurb. It documents all the years that we have been dating. The last page will be wrapped in wax paper so she cannot see it. When she gets to the last page I will stop her, and tell her to hold on a moment before she looks at the page. At that moment, my friend will come out on stage and play our favorite song. After he is done, I will tell her to look at the page. As she sees the large photo of the ring I brought her, I will drop to one knee and propose.

So, I am trying to find the proper location to pull this off. I thought that I had found the perfect place- a restaurant called Savor that has a small, romantic cabaret theater attached. I was going to ask them if they could just seat us alone in the theater. That would've been perfect, and we could've danced when my friend came out on stage to play the song, because no one would be around. But, I found out that the restaurant is closed.

So I need help! I can see two options:

1. A nice, romantic restaurant that has a cute little stage that we could be seated in front of. I already have one restaurant that has agreed to do this, Morgan Le Fays, but I've never been there and I'm not sure how their layout would work with my idea. So, if you know of any restaurants that fit the bill, that would be great! I'm not necessarily looking for the finest dining, but a romantic and intimate atmosphere is very important.

2. If I could find a small, romantic theater that would let me use it for an hour (early on a saturday evening, which could be a problem) or so, then I could have food catered, and my friends could help out as servers. The only problem that I see with this option is that it would probably cost more, be harder to find, and she would know what was happening as soon as we arrived. The upside is that we would be alone the whole time, and could dance when my friend played the song.

So, if you have any suggestions of great restaurants or cute little theaters in St. Louis that would work for my purposes, I would appreciate it very much!

Thanks!

-Kraig

Mini Romantic/Relaxing Vacation Ideas for a Couple?

lwclec072 — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:47:19 -0800

Mini Vacation Ideas for a Couple? We've looking for a nice long weekend escape from the city. Something relaxing and serene away from the usual. My boyfriend and I are trying to plan a little mini vacation for us, like a long weekend, maybe 3-4 days. We currently live in Louisville, KY, and have a couple different states in mind, Michigan or Maine. We want something with a little history culture involved and something suited well for couples.

We currently have 500$ put back we're estimating about 100$ in gas for the trip (round trip) to MA and 60$ (round trip) MI, we might stay at least 1-2 nights in a hotel so we can make it an enjoyable stay in a nice hotel.

Anyone have any ideas? I really want some place near a nice lake or coast, but he wants something w/ a little more than a view but he is open to being on the water with activities around, we do not want something really hectic, no big city, maybe a little town or a city nearby so we could drive up one day, something relaxing and serene.

We're open to absolutely any suggestions outside of those two states though nowhere any further than 15 hrs from Louisville.

Any suggestions would be great!

nycfilter: romantic night

knockoutking — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 08:40:57 -0800

nyc filter: need advice for a romantic night in the city (on Sat 4/11) first of all, i have been to NYC multiple times before so i can figure my way around the general area without a problem...

that said, gf is currently in nyc and i am coming up from DC to meet up with her/take her out

would like a suggestion for "simple" food -- maybe italian? -- and something else to do -- maybe broadway play? walk? desert? -- on Sat, April 11th.

things to know:
-her hotel is located on times square
-timeline is anywhere from ~6 o'clock-ish until ???
-dont want to break the bank unless i have to haha but if its worth it im all for spending the cash required
-alcohol/wine/drinks is not particularly important
-would prefer that its not TOO far of a walk from public transportation...

thoughts/ideas:
-dinner (obviously)
-broadway play/off-broadway play (but which one is the question)
-dessert (if not a play maybe dessert somewhere else?)

if it was in DC i would have a list of places to go/things to do a mile long -- but NYC is another story entirely...

Ideas for NYC honeymoon surprise romantic gesture.

Anonymous — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:31:37 -0800

Going to be on honeymoon in NYC in June and want to prepare a memorable and thoughtful surprise for my new wife. We are a non-American honeymooning couple and will be in Manhattan for 10 days in June. I would like to totally surprise my new wife with a romantic gesture. It should be thoughtful and sweet and have her scratching her head as to how I pulled it off. I have been toying with the idea of consorting with some willing member of this site and getting them to hide a letter or something somewhere in central park. On our first morning we go for a stroll in Central Park and I walk to the pre-appointed rock or tree-hole or whatever and say 'Hey look there’s something in here, its got your name on it' etc. she opens it and reads it..... I feel that this idea is good in principle but lacking in impact. Essentially its just a letter hidden in a tree. So does anyone have any suggestions as to how I could build on it? Or can you think of alternative surprises, I am open to pretty much any suggestions?

We are staying in a nice hotel and are planning the trip in great detail so we will be eating in nice restaurants and doing interesting things. Money is not a barrier within reason (I could stretch to a few hundred bucks if it was worth it) but neither should it be required, she does not especially care for things that can be bought. I don’t think she would be impressed by the following type of surprises: Helicopter ride around Manhattan. Our names on a scrolling sign in Time Square. Booking a mega-expensive meal. Anything to do with the top of the Empire State. Thoughtful and surprising is more important than expensive and spectacular or clichéd. I know its very little information to go on and I know her best but I would love to hear your suggestions. Not looking for a gift per say but a surprise or unforgettable gesture.

Couple of other points. Depending on what I decide on I might need to impose on a willing member of this site to help execute it but not until I know what I am doing. In any case I have set up an email address for this purpose or any other questions people might have: mefi.groom@gmail.com. Not sure how I could rope someone in but maybe I could get matt to help me ask for help if needs be. I also realise that it might not be advisable to be seen hiding things in public places in NYC but you probably know that.

Things to do for my fiancee during spring break?

Inkoate — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:19:24 -0800

I have a week off school for spring break, help me do fun, silly and romantic things for my fiancee. I have a week off of my second year of law school coming up for spring break, and I want to take amazing care of my fiancee while I have comparatively less to do so she'll still think wonderfully of me when finals come around and I don't see her for a week straight. Can you help me with ideas?

Ladies, what wonderful things have your SOs done while you were away at work that really blew you away?

We've gone away a couple weekends recently, so things that are easy on the wallet are preferred, but not mandatory. We're in Washington, DC.

(Also, I've seen a couple of older threads in this general vein, but I thought I'd ask more precisely with my requirements, but links to places with good ideas are obviously welcome too).

Mountains for two?

punkfloyd — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 11:11:31 -0800

Please recommend a romantic destination and hotel for me and the wife in the mountains (Colorado? Utah?) in February. We are non-skiers. We just want to see snow, mountains and dine within walking distance of hotel. Direct flights from DFW please. Bonus for spa facilities.

Help! I love her, a lot!!!

hadjiboy — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:26:13 -0800

How did you propose to the man, or woman, you loved? Did it work? Are you guys still together?? The reason I ask is because I'm in love with this Hindu girl, and the religion might be a problem in the long run. That is if she ever decides to marry me. I haven't told her yet how much I love her, but I do; she even came to visit me in the hospital, when I was all broken up and shattered, and has since come to visit me when I got home. She's spoken with my mom and sisters when I was inside so they both know her, and she's a great gall, not like a lot of the one's you find here, who's main interest is in finding a great job and making some quick bucks. She's got a great job, working for GE, which is the only job she's had for the past eight or seven years, and her excellence in it has given her due to be promoted a number of times. She's great in class, and even outside it; which is why she likes to go home and visit her mom and dad and sister's and elder brother. Her favourite right now is her nephew who seems to be a gem of a kid.

I think she likes me, and I think she knows how much I like her, but how do I get this across (without scaring the bejeesus out of her) because she doesn't deserve that. Should I keep this thing to my self (like I have been for the past 3 year) or should I slowly and cautiously let her know how I feel?

Have any one of you been faced with this kind of problem in the past? How did you guys deal with it, and did it work. Please guys, I need some help here, because she's so worth it.

Central NJ Spots'o'Beauty

aleahey — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 08:56:00 -0800

NJ MeFi'rs: Looking for a nice outdoor spot to take my girlfriend tonight. Localized in Central Jersey. Ideas? (More criteria within) Well I need it to be within driving distance (<1 hr) of Edison, NJ. I'm looking for a spot with a nice view, or a great view of the stars, or a waterfall, or basically anything really worth seeing at night. Preferably somewhat secluded, but not something we're going to have to hike in the dark to.

All ideas welcome, much appreciated!

Less-known nice/sweet/romantic/fun things to do with your significant other

harwons — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 14:27:46 -0800

What are some less known romantic/fun/sweet/cool things to do with/for your significant other? I know the question is somewhat vague, but please see the extended explanation for a few example that I have in mind. More would be great! (I've seen "It's the little things that count" already but this is a bit different ("less known") and that thread is closed). Here are a few examples I've thought of:

1. Go stargazing. The less-known part: while gazing at the stars, shift your perspective and imagine instead that you are looking down and falling into the star field.

2. But them a small present, say a ring. Pack it in a small crumple of paper. Add about 100 other pieces of crumpled paper into a big box.

3. This one is so silly it's sweet: show up at her door with your hand and wrist bandaged. After she asks what happened, pretend you need the bandage unwrapped. She hopefully will offer to do that, and as she unwraps and you open your fist, a small rose/gift will be revealed.

4. If you have access to a room with skylights, drag a couch where the moonlight will fall at night, and have a makeout session there.

5. Ask the hive mind :) Merry Christmas!

What's your idea of a romantic holidy in Europe?

alopez — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:02:23 -0800

What are your recommendations for a romantic holiday in Europe? We are American newlyweds living in Edinburgh for a short period (1-2 years) and we'd like to make the most of the opportunity. What are some romantic holidays that we can take while we're in Europe -- and most importantly, what do you find romantic about them? We're interested
in both weekend (or 3-4 days) getaways and longer trips, in any season (including Christmas, if there's something good). We like food, wine, and art, and we like to go off the beaten path, but don't want to be prescriptive and miss out on your great advice -- if there's something wonderful that doesn't include those elements we'd love to hear it.

What songs/albums would my parents like similar in mood to Aaron Neville and Julio Iglesias?

Askr — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:46:53 -0800

Looking for pleasant music in the same mood as Julio Iglesias and Aaron Neville that I can put on a CD for my parents to have on in the background at home. Making my parents a mixed CD for Christmas and possibly buying them one or two.

Want your recommendations for songs/albums that match the mood of the two things they play most: Julio Iglesias's Greatest Hits ("My Life") and Aaron Neville, probably also his greatest hits.

They play music in the background in the living room as they putter around the house on weekends or when they have company.

The mood is: pleasant, happy, sweet, romantic, gentle, occasionally more excited.

Mom describes it as "the kind of thing that can play unobtrusively in the background and add to a nice atmosphere, but which I can really enjoy if I tune into it." So, not just bland atmospheric sound. Stuff that can go under a conversation rather than compete with it, but which you can sing along to if it has the focus.

That could apply to a lot, but I want to match the particular kind of mood Julio and Aaron are examples of.

Julio examples: Moonlight Lady, Me Va Me Va, Amor Amor, To All The Girls I've Loved Before, Ae Ao

Aaron examples: I Don't Know Much, Everybody Plays the Fool, every other song in that warbly voice

Other things in their living room background music stash, but which I hear much less frequently: Enya, Cesaria Evora, Johnny Lang, Chieftains, Dirty Dancing Soundtrack, Out of Africa Soundtrack, Top Gun Soundtrack, various Elvis including some old gospel.

Somewhat related things they have but which they don't play as background music: Buena Vista Social Club, Paul Simon's Graceland, Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, Elton John.

Type of thing I think fits the mood just right: Lionel Richie e.g. All Night Long, Dancing on the Ceiling, Stuck on You. Jackson Browne's Got to Be Somebody's Baby. Probably some Kenny Rogers or Dolly Parton.

I'm going for this particular kind of pleasant, feel-good, relaxed mood as opposed to, say, giddy/excited/dancey. My parents are both 60, but don't have Old People Mindset yet. But newer artists are probably less likely to work than older. Thats still broad, I know, but I appreciate any of your suggestions.

I tried using music-map.com but it wasn't all that helpful. The closest thing it found to Julio was "The Meatshits" for example. Not for mom, thanks!

Needing hip hop love songs

pumpkin11 — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:03:15 -0800

Looking for hip-hop/rap love songs along the lines of the International Players' Anthem by Outkast (cute, sweet, but still funny and an actual rap song) to put on a mixtape for my significant other. Other songs that would fit on the tape:

Hey Ma- Cam'Ron

Paris, Tokyo - Lupe Fiasco

Thanks so much for your suggestions!!

You need to be more Romantic

NemesisVex — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 02:44:46 -0800

Romantic-era classical music for someone who is not fond of Romantic-era classical music? Most of my collection consists of 20th Century composers, or music from the Classical era and before. The big gap is in Romantic-era works, intentionally so. Back in college, I thought I would go into composition, so I concentrated mostly on listening to modern works.

As such, I developed a big chip on my shoulder about the Romantic era. (That is so 19th Century!) I figured, why be just another expert in composers everyone already listens to when I can explore the ones who aren't yet in the canon? That was 15 or so years ago.

Now I have an eMusic account with which I use to grab more music than I could realistically consume. As much as I still like modern works, I feel the need to branch out. The 19th Century is still pretty much undiscovered country for me, one I feel ready (finally) to explore.

For reference, composers to whom I regularly listen: Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (of course), Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Dmitri Shostakovich, Igor Stravinsky, anyone who's ever written anything for Kronos Quartet.

The closest I've gotten to Romantic music in my collection: Anton Dvorak's Symphony No. 9, the symphonies of Jean Sibelius (which are technically 20th Century), and the Moldau by Bedrich Smetana.

I've so far ruled out Hector Berlioz. To paraphrase Will Rogers, I never listened to a work of his I ever liked.

Romantic yes, but also ironic.

pseudostrabismus — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:32:56 -0800

Please suggest self-aware romantic comedies. (Rather lengthy explanation sheepishly included.) Here is a list of things I like in a movie, with examples. The basic genre is "smart romantic comedy", but there is a specific list of attributes I'm focussed on.

1. Can you suggest more movies that fit into this genre?
2. Can you succinctly name this genre?

PLOT
The major conflict is realistic & interpersonal (no chainsaws, no sharks, no murders).
The stakes are not "life v. death", they are more like "fulflling, challenging love v. boredom & loneliness" (eg, Annie Hall)
The plot is logical and simple, although it can be quirky.
The plot is possible- it could happen to almost anyone in the audience.

TONE
The tone is irreverent, ironic, and modern (although I'm very interested in classic movies that fit this genre, too).
The music is important and carefully chosen, and maybe even performed live by a character at some point (the final duet in Juno).
The locations are romanticized (Paris in Amelie, the record shop in High Fidelity, the quarry in Garden State)
I like quirky, but we don't need to go overboard (Garden State goes overboard: Juno is pushing it in a few scenes).

CHARACTERS
The characters are charming, detailed, funny, self-aware, and ironic.
Females are smart, funny, and genuinely equal matches for males. Men are not slacker cads who resent growing up, and women are not shallow bridezillas (eg, not like Knocked Up).
Not everyone is the same race, sexual orientation, social class, etc., and yet these differences are not a big deal and don't drive the plot.
There is a sense of friendly competition and fraternity between the characters, especially the lead couple (Pam & Jim in The Office).
The characters enliven their days by playing games with themselves, or indulge in small, private ceremonies (Amelie skips stones; Cusack makes lists in High Fidelity).
The characters have a high reference level- they are up to date without seeming too trendy or topical (Woody Allen knows his McLuhan in Annie Hall, Tina Fey in 30-Rock).
There are comedic "bits", plum roles, and/or killer scenes that may be somewhat tangential to the main action but add a lot to the tone. (Jack Black in High Fidelity, the orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally.)
The romance is quirky- people give each other Pepto Bismol and comic books, not roses and chocolate.
The characters tend to be a little dry, cynical, or self-conscious, but there are parts where we see their genuine sweetness and love.

SWEET ENDING
At the climax, the audience reaches a soft, open, innocent emotional state where they smile a lot and cry a little at the same time. A big, swelling, satisfying feeling (Amelie when the music swells as they ride the scooter through Paris, Wall-E when he & Eve hold hands).

AWARENESS OF VIEWER
** I'm interested in movies that only fit the above criteria- but, major bonus points if you can suggest films with the following trait as well:

The main characters are occasionally aware of the viewer and look or speak directly to camera at times.
(as occurs in The Office, Annie Hall, High Fidelity, Amelie.)

That's about it, I guess.
So, how to pithily describe this genre?
What movies should I rent in order to research it?
I also welcome general comments about the genre if you think my list of its traits is flawed or incomplete,
and resources for learning more about how best to write this specific type of movie.

Thanks for your help!

Romantic restaurant in St. louis?

the druid — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 13:29:43 -0800

i'm looking for a romantic vegetarian friendly restaurant in st. louis i'm in a long distance relationship, and there's been some friction as of late (not the good kind either *ba-damp pssh*). I'm going to visit her in st. louis this coming weekend, and I'd like to take her someplace nice and romantic, with minimal amounts of pretension/stuffiness. She's vegetarian, so if there's some place that does higher end, veg-friendly food that would be perfect.

Right now Vin de Set is pretty much the best I've got. Any other suggestions would be much appreciated.

Trying to locate a picture

twistedmetal — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:31:58 -0800

Please help me find the most romantic equation I need help in locating a picture.

A few years ago, I read a blog post about "The Most Romantic Equation."

It was a framed rectangular picture of a physics equation that describes string theory.

Underneath the equation was an explanation (IIRC) of how this formula was the most romantic equation. The explanation read that no matter how far apart two objects are, they are always in communication and will react instantaneously to changes in each other. Basically, no amount of distance will ever keep them apart.

I believe there was a way to order the print.

I cannot find this at all.
My Google-fu has failed.

Can anyone help me locate this framed picture?