Date Night without the two kids

It has been three weeks since Baby Boy arrived and the hubs and I were looking forward to an evening out without the tots. We’ve been a busy family who hit the ground running exploring Toronto the very week Baby Boy joined us so it was a nice treat to be out with our friends without having to worry about temper tantrums, snotty noses and diaper changes! While this was unplanned, the very date night after the Little Monkey’s arrival was for celebrations with the same group of friends!

We’re lucky to have my parents around so babysitting was in good hands, though my mom wasn’t as familiar with Baby Boy’s schedule as she was with the Little Monkey’s at that age so we got a few texts but nothing crazy and nothing alarming in the least. After coming home from our night out I re-read the post from when we went on that date night two years ago and it’s funny how things have changed. This time around we stayed out till closing and were in no rush to head back! You can read that original post here.

So what did we get up to on this night of freedom? We were celebrating a friend’s birthday so we started the evening with a cozy group of five at the Gourmet Food and Wine Expo. Yes it was  busy and I found things to be quite pricey but it was a great evening exploring food, wine, beer and spirits. Totally up my alley right! The Gourmet Food and Wine Expo is one of those events that people go to party at and sure enough that’s what we witnessed on a Saturday evening. The tunes were awesome so mega props to the various DJs and performers on stage that day. From a branding perspective I see this show as a way to get in front of consumers (…those that aren’t over indulging) so you’d think that the food vendors would have thought of that when they priced their food. I’d much rather have a smaller portion costing $2-$3 than a larger portion costing $8-$10. The goal is to sample and have us return to your resto to check it out. Unfortunately I saw many places charging $10 plus so we steered clear of them, despite them looking real good!

Below are some highlights from the evening (see there are some of us who take our exploration seriously!! All in the hopes of finding new favourites!)

Our night did not end there…it was our night of freedom after all! We left home around 6:30 p.m and the Gourmet Food and Wine Expo ended at 10 p.m. so we ventured out to check out the new REDS Wine Tavern at their midtown location. We were looking for a spot to enjoy some nibbles and drinks at whilst connecting with a few more friends and the birthday girl couldn’t have chosen a better location! Everything was to perfection from the moment we arrived. The staff were incredibly friendly, courteous and personable without being overbearing and the vibe was fantastic (upbeat yet laid back – we’re here to play!). The best part was that they didn’t even bat an eye when we realized that our initial group size was about to nearly double…the team promptly gathered around to find a solution for us all with a smile on their faces! Our lovely server even made it a point to remember everyone’s names…that was impressive! I can’t wait to return with the Little Monkey as the main dishes looked pretty good.. and I didn’t even look at the dessert menu (I know WHAT??). Did I mention the awesome cocktails and many options for beer and wine lovers? All very reasonably priced too. Below are some highlights from the evening – I think our group has found a new hangout spot!

We thought we’d be home by midnight but midnight rolled by… and so did 1 a.m….. we soon realized that it was closing time and we really should get home so as not to pay our dues the following morning. Needless to say Sunday was tiring and we were glad to have the extra help around. However that didn’t stop us from venturing out for lunch and the Santa Claus parade! T’is the season for events , family gatherings and friendly hangouts so I wanted to reshare this article on breastfeeding and drinking. Sure you’re not supposed to drink at all.. but I like my wine and cocktails and need a night out so this chart is super helpful!

http://www.obfocus.com/calculators/alcoholinmilk.htm