Date Planner: Turn Up The Heat

If you’re single and trying to mingle you’ve likely endured your fair share of dates. Those dates come in all shapes and sizes. Though, as many singles experience, the vast majority fall into the sit across from a table and talk category.

Last week we presented activity-based dates as a solution to date dreariness. And while that’s good advice in general, we have more specific ideas to rattle those go-to date routines!

Bustle reached out to us on this exact topic for 9 Date Nights That Are Actually Surprisingly Sexy (catch an excerpt below):

Yoga sounds daunting to many people, but it can be a new way to connect and destress. “There is nothing sexier than seeing your potential lover or spouse stretching and sweating their anxieties away,” Remy Boyd, professional matchmaker at Tawkify, says over email. “The two of you have the perfect opportunity to get close, touch, meditate, and loosen up to the point of arousal, which sets the stage for some additional steamy stress relief later.”

“Transform your personal space into a sensual spa by lighting candles and incense, turning on some meditative tunes, and creating a palette of plush blankets and pillows,” says Alyssa Bunn, professional matchmaker at Tawkify, over email. “Bring out the chocolates, massage oil, your favorite bottle of wine, and even some fresh flowers. Then, treat each other to relaxation and play with your desires.”

While these suggestions from Boyd and Bunn are undeniably sexy, we cast our net further. What other steamy date ideas should be considered? And are any suitable for 1st, 2nd and/or 3rd dates?

Matchmaker Tania Abramova suggests:

Volunteer Together
Help out with an altruistic cause (that may be important to one or both of you)! Observing your significant other (or potential significant other) in all his/her selfless glory is SEXY…plus it’s free and studies show that helping others boosts happiness.

Get Creative
For creative types, I recommend planning a date that suits your creative talents (a painting class, museums, cooking classes, etc.) Even if you’re not a pro, it’s fun to get involved with a creative project. For example, if you share an interest in photography, go on a photography tour of the city. Spend the day (or night) taking photos of your favorite places. Maybe even get some shots of each other… this is intimate and fun, while still being appropriate for new romances.

Tap into your inner child
There’s something special about feeling like a “kid again.” I suggest going to an arcade, amusement park and/or zoo. These types of activities sprinkle a dose of lightness to a date, which can really get people to open up and be silly (plus you can kiss at the top of the Ferris wheel!). What’s sexier than laughing together and reminiscing about the “good old days?”

Matchmaker Kimia Mansoor recommends:

Go dancing at a trendy nightclub…
just the two of you! While women usually reserve nights at the club for girls-night only, it can be the perfect setting for a steamy evening with a new flame. Put on your sexiest little black dress (or suave suit for the gents) and head to the swankiest nightclub in town!

Home is where the hot is
While nights spent at home typically involve sweatpants and Netflix on the couch, a planned date night at home can be surprisingly sexy! Turn your living room into a mini speakeasy with dim lighting — covering lampshades and/or lighting candles in select corners of the room. Pull out the nice cocktail glasses and create a small bar (craft cocktail time!). It can be as simple as bourbon, bitters, and a bucket of ice. Nibble on some dark chocolate while you bask in mouth-watering conversation, sip on your bourbon, and relax.

Matchmaker Tess Richie shares an avant-garde date idea designed for a specific client:

One of my clients loves avant-garde art, so I sent her on a date to the NY Earth room, followed by cocktails at the Pegu Club. The date mission was: Arrive with an open mind to meet your date at the entrance of New York’s Earth Room at 141 Wooster Street. Buzz apartment 2B and ascend one flight of stairs to the installation. Inhale. Enjoy. Contemplate. Depart. Discuss your opinions of Walter De Maria’s masterpiece over a cocktail around the corner at the Pegu Club. Located on 77 West Houston Street, this dark speakeasy overlooking Houston has exotic and interesting cocktails to suit your adventurous spirits.

Note: Matchmaker preferred, but not required! You can plan dates like this for yourself. Search your city (and the internet) for hidden gems that spike your interest!

In that same vein, Matchmaker Shayna McDonough, outlines another vanguard NYC date night: “Start at the Museum Of Sex, followed by dinner at the Pegu Club, then capping off the night at a Wasabassco couple-friendly burlesque show!”

Matchmaker Constance Karcher takes a celestial approach:

Go for a late night walk with the Sky Guide app
I’ve been on this date myself and suggested it to many clients. So many intimate moments to be had! I recommend a walk in a park or natural area with little to no light (sexy). If it’s chilly you may need to snuggle-up to keep warm (intimate). The best part is that in order to see the same view as your date you must put your heads practically in the same spot (fireworks!). All of these little details provide the perfect opportunity to make some serious eye contact, learn something new together… and let’s face it — what’s more magical than the stars?