A Romantic Night In or Out Burlington County: Couple's Day!

National Couple's Day is August 18th! You may have trouble getting away for a night out or even just out to a restaurant, but no worries! With a little bit of preparation and planning, you can have a lovely and romantic night in with your significant other! ❤️

The kids

If you've got little ones in the house, they probably already have a fairly early bedtime. Perfect! Just put them to bed at their regular time and start your evening after they've fallen asleep. For older kids, have them choose a movie or two and set them up with snacks and a show in another room. Or, if you're lucky enough to have relatives nearby, see if they'll take your kids for a few hours (or overnight!).

The prep

One of the benefits of staying in is not having to wear uncomfortable shoes all night, but my yoga pants don't exactly say "hot momma." So I try to find a happy medium. Shave those legs. Trim that mustache. Pluck that nose hair. And THEN put on the comfy pants. Maybe just choose a nice stain-free shirt instead of that frumpy sweatshirt.

The mood

Candles, flowers, and no visible toys are all you really need to set the mood. 

The meal

Does your partner have a favorite dish that doesn't get made very often because it's too spicy for the kids/ takes too long to prepare/ has too many expensive ingredients for a family meal? Now is the time to dig out that recipe and make it just for the two of you. 

Don't have a favorite in mind? It's hard to go wrong with a couple of steaks. Here is an awesome steak marinade recipe to try! 

Awesome steak marinade

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups olive oil
• 4-1/2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Montreal steak seasoning
• 1 Tablespoon crushed garlic
• 1 Tablespoon garlic-pepper blend

Directions:

Combine all ingredients. Pour over steak, cover, and chill at least three hours to overnight in the refrigerator. Grill or broil steak to your liking (just know that anything over medium-rare is considered "charcoal" in many parts of the country).

Keep the rest of the dinner light with a nice side salad and a glass of sparkling cider or your favorite wine. For dessert, I can't think of anything better than chocolate. Pick up something decadent from the local bakery or try this slow cooker recipe:

Slow-cooker molten mocha cake

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Spray a 3-quart slow cooker with cooking spray (you can use a larger slow cooker; just add 30 minutes to 1 hour of cooking time). Stir together all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 to 2-1/2 hours, or until set around the edges. Turn off the slow cooker and let stand for 30 minutes (keep covered). Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

The movie

So. Many. Choices!!! We bet one of these will make you swoon while you snuggle up on the couch:

Cool classics

1. An Affair to Remember (1957) starring Cary Grant & Deborah Kerr

2. Casablanca (1942) starring Humphrey Bogart & Ingrid Bergman
3. Gone with the Wind (1939) starring Clark Gable & Vivien Leigh
4. Roman Holiday (1953) starring Gregory Peck & Audrey Hepburn
5. When Harry Met Sally (1989) starring Billy Crystal & Meg Ryan

Favorite rom-coms

1. While You Were Sleeping (1995) Sandra Bullock & Bill Pullman 
2. Never Been Kissed (1999) starring Michael Vartan & Drew Barrymore
3. Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) starring Renee Zellweger & Hugh Grant 
4. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) Jason Segal & Kristen Bell
5. Always be my Maybe (2019) starring Ali Wong & Randall Park

Top tear-jerkers

1. City of Angels (1998) starring Nicholas Cage & Meg Ryan
2. Five Feet Apart (2019) Haley Lu Richardson & Cole Sprouse 
3. The Vow (2012) Rachel McAdams & Channing Tatum 
4. Titanic (1997) starring Leonardo DiCaprio & Kate Winslet
5. The Notebook (2004) starring Ryan Gosling & Rachel McAdams

Other date night favorites

1. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) starring Heath Ledger & Julia Stiles
2. Benny & Joon (1993) starring Johnny Depp & Mary Stuart Masterson
3. Your Place Or Mine (2023) starring Reese Witherspoon & Ashton Kutcher 
4. The Princess Bride (1987) starring Cary Elwes & Robin Wright
5. Date Night (2010) Steve Carell & Tina Fey

Have a babysitter for the kids and need a date night OUT in Burlington County? 

The occasional date nights out are important for parents to connect and focus on each other. Date nights can "enhance your friendship as well as your emotional connectedness," Dianne Grande, Ph.D., a licensed clinical psychologist wrote in a Psychology Today article called "Date Night: Not a Luxury, a Necessity."

"Usually, the challenge for long-term couples is to get out of the routine that they have fallen into and put in some effort to make their lives together more fun and joyful," she writes.

Here are a few ideas for creative dates in Moorestown-Mt. Laurel! 

Take a hike in Burlington County! 

If you like being outdoors & hiking, find a new trail to explore together by foot, on bike, or even on snowshoes — depending on the time of the year! Burlington County, NJ offers some beautiful hiking trails! Here are some of our favorites! 

Cove Trail- Palmyra Cove Nature Park (Palmyra, 08065) Beautiful views & said to take about 30-40 minutes! 

Boundary Creek Natural Resource Area (515 Creek Rd, Moorestown, 08057) Local park, Well maintained,  Great views of the water! 

Kinkora Trail (190 Atlantic Ave. Columbus NJ 08022) This trail is about a 4 mile trip. Offering calm sounds in the woods, benches to stop at & a playground/picnic area! 

Where to eat Brunch in Burlington County?

After working up an appetite on the trail, stop at one of these favorite spots for brunch! 

• Robin’s Nest Restaurant Mt. Holly
• Stacks on 38- Moorestown
• Kitchen 87- Mt. Holly
• Amy’s Omelette House- Burlington
• The Flying Pig- Bordentown
  

Create in Burlington County! 

Take a class together in town to get those creative juices flowing! In Burlington County, you can find classes at places like:

• Painting with a Twist- Mt. Laurel
• The Turquoise Cup- Burlington
• ITA 101- Medford 
• Burlington County Agricultural Center- Burlington 
• Euphoric Eatz- At Home

Where to eat in Burlington County?

After creating your masterpiece, head to one of these {Town} restaurants, known for their innovative and creative dishes: 

• Marblehead Chowder House- 1920 Burlington-Mount Holly Rd, Westampton Township, NJ 08060
• Tarantella Ristorante-  128 NJ-70 # 7, Medford, NJ 08055
• The Village Pub, Tabernacle- 539 Chatsworth Rd, Tabernacle, NJ 08088
• The Union House- 19 E Union St, Burlington, NJ 08016
• John & Molly’s- 1291 Wood lane Rd, Eastampton Township, NJ 08060

Get out that stress

Life have you both feeling stressed out? Relax together! From throwing axes to couples massages — Burlington County has it all! Here are a few of our favorites:

• K1Speed- Cinnaminson
• Stumpy's Hatchet House- Delran
• Loving Care Spa- Mt. Laurel 
• Spavia- Moorestown
• The Lemongrass Day Spa- Eastampton
• A to Zen Body Works- Medford 

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