by T.A. O'Malley

Created on: April 20, 2008

If 10,000 years of human history have taught us one thing, it is that first date's are entirely the man's responsibility. And it is a big one. It requires planning, careful thought, contingency plans, the ability to be think on your feet and the elusive ability to create sexual tension without being overtly sexual.
It really is the kind of thing women at which women are much better, but that is beside the point. As a man, you are responsible for three basic elements, 1) the setting, 2) the mood, 3) your own behavior.

The Setting.
Generally, the first setting is going to be a restaurant, and it is very important the type of restaurant you chose. A few ground rules:

1. Mexican and possibly Italian are the only acceptable ethnic choice. Everybody likes Mexican food. Not everybody likes Chinese, Indian, French or whatever else you may have a soft spot for. Italian is fine, as long as it's not one of those ultra romantic places, which brings me to ...
2. Don't pick The Romantic Restaurant. Being too romantic on the first date not only screams of desparation, it's a little creepy, and suggests that the two of you are supposed to act romantically toward each other, even though you don't even really know each other yet. It's just uncomfortable all the way around. You want the girl to be relaxed, not pressured.
3. If the menu includes wings or anything called "poppers", it's probably too cheap. The food may be good, but you are not with your buddies tonight.
4. Chains are lame.

With those rules in place, we can get more general. The key here is to select a restaurant that will indicate 1) you put some thought into this, 2) you know the city, 3) you are not necessarily looking to get off cheap, but you're not trying to show off, either. Pick some place that offers relatively standard American fare so that if she's a picky eater, she can order something she likes, but that also offer some specialty dishes. Also, televisions should be at a minimum. Not only are they loud and mood-destroying, a game could distract you. Often times, breweries fit the bill pretty well. They typically offer excellent food in a moody, but not romantic, setting.

During dinner, you should both order at least one drink, but not more than two. The exception is if there is a long wait for a table, in which case it is perfectly acceptable to have a drink while you wait, pushing the max to three.

The mood.
This is where you must make some key decisions. Dinner is a given, so as long as you pick an appropriate

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