The Impromptu Date Night

I was supposed to hang out with a friend tonight; however, she had to reschedule leaving me with a suddenly open Tuesday night.  Usually I would've hung out at home with myself, watching Grimm, Once Upon a Time, or old episodes of Sherlock BBC.  Tonight was different, though, because Ben had off work, too.  This, along with the announcement of the 2012 Academy Award nominees, meant we were in for an impromptu date night.

After debating for quite awhile about whether we wanted to stay in or go out, eat takeout Chinese or sit-down Italian, visit AMC or the Redbox, Ben and I decided on Midnight in Paris and Maggiano's. 
After picking up the movie from our closest local Redbox, Ben and I made our way to Maggiano's where we enjoyed a few of their classic pasta dishes.  Ben quickly decided on the ziti and then helped me decide by telling me to choose whichever dish had the most cheese.  I subsequently picked the four-cheese ravioli...and it was absolutely delicious. I'm pretty sure I've decided on a favorite food/meal of all time.  I also tried a new type of martini:  The Chocolate-Covered Cherry Martini.  It was fabulous, though I was sad there was no actual chocolate covered cherry waiting for me in the bottom of my glass.

Maggiano's Chocolate-Covered Cherry Martini

Following dinner, Ben and I returned home and settled in to watch Midnight in Paris starring Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams.  This film has been nominated for Best Picture; and, although I liked it a lot, I don't think it is going to win.  It was clever, funny, and entertaining.  It also made me feel slightly dumb as I was nowhere familiar enough with my surrealist, impressionistic and other types of famous and dead painters who hung out in France in the 1920s.  Having seen it now, though, I would love to watch it again to catch some of the humor and history I most certainly missed the first time.

Ben and I have a strict plan to catch the rest of the Best Picture Nominees before Feb. 26 so I'll keep you posted on how that goes.