Little Switches Can Make A BIG Difference

No, I am not talking about switching up your beauty routine or getting a new lipstick to freshen your look. Today, I am changing things up a bit and talking about relationships and romance. I am talking about switching up your normal routine with your spouse or mate and looking for fun and creative new ways to spice up your relationship. We all get in a relationship rut from time to time, right? Honestly, we all get tried of doing the same old, same old dinner and a movie or dinner after the kids are asleep, right?

Well, recently my hubby started a new job and we were beginning to realize that our quality time together was happening less and less. Since we have pretty good communication, we talked about wanting to make sure that we planned special date nights on a regular basis to stay connected and keep things inspired. So it was rather serendipitous that Cottonelle Ultra contacted me, and offered to host me and my hubby on special date night to show how little switches can really make a difference (whether it be a special date night or plush toilet paper). After our date night, they wanted me to share my story to see if this special night out made a difference in your relationship. I really liked the sound of that, the timing couldn’t be better and although I don’t typically respond to toilet paper pitches, this one was creative, inspired and resonated with me, so I happily accepted!

So what did we do?? Well being a girl that loves her pampering, we decided to have our sitter come early and treat ourselves to massages before our date night. We wanted to do something special just to set this night apart from our typical night out. What a treat it was! We emerged relaxed and ready for our night, and even had time for some smooching before our car picked us up, another luxury we typically don’t have time for! 

So we sipped bubbly on the drive over to the restaurant (love that!)

 and arrived at Fig & Olive, a new swanky Mediterranean hot spot in West Hollywood, California

I had heard amazing things about this place from my foodie friends and it did not disappoint! The decor was gorgeous and modern and I loved the olive tree in the middle of the restaurant

The meal began with a delicious trio of house-made olive oils and fresh baked bread

and then we shared about 4-5 other gorgeous dishes with fresh cheeses, homemade pasta, meats, fish and fresh sauces. I can still taste these inpsired bright flavors on my palate! We also enjoyed a lovely red wine blend with our meal, and it was a nice treat for my hubby to imbibe without worrying about having to drive home.

We made an effort to really be present and enjoy each others company as well as absorb this gorgeous setting. I took the time to really drink it all in and absorb (no pun intended :-)) the moments more than we typically do. I made a conscious effort to stay focused and enjoy my wonderful man and this beautiful night. When the car picked us up a couple of hours later, our bellies were satiated, our hearts in sync, and we felt relaxed and at ease. We even enjoyed some nice smooches on the ride home, ooh la la!

As I sit here writing this and reminiscing about that night a few weeks ago, I realize it really was a special and different night. I think because someone else was hosting it, this made us absorb and appreciate the evening more than we typically would. Also making an effort to plan a full night out, go to swanky spot and have the luxury of someone driving us made all the difference. It really helped us relax and let our guard down. This little switch truly inspired us to make the effort to try and do this on a more regular basis and showed that a small shift can have a big impact.

Disclosure: Cottonelle Ultra sent me gift cards to cover our delicious dinner, car service, pizza for the babysitter as well as twelve pack of Cottonelle toilet paper. All opinions and inpsired switcheroos are my very own.