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Ask An Expert: NYC's Best First Date Spots

goodnighttweetheart
Photo Credit: Simon & Schuster

New York Times bestseller Teresa Medeiros wrote her first novel at the age of twenty-one, introducing readers to one of the most beloved and versatile voices in romantic fiction. She has appeared on every national bestseller list, including the New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly lists. Goodnight Tweetheart, published from sister company Simon & Schuster, is all about modern romance.

In my first contemporary novel Goodnight Tweetheart, Mark and Abby meet on Twitter and so all their first dates are "cyber-dates." Abby is a down-on-her-luck writer who rarely leaves her Plaza Hotel apartment while Mark is hiding a secret that could change both of their lives forever. Shortly after they "meet," Abby tweets to Mark "I've always heard you'll never have more in common than you do on your first date." So here are some fabulous NYC spots where you can find out if Abby was right…

Le Bernardin
Le Bernardin (file / credit: Eric Ripert)

Le Bernardin
155 W. 51st St.
New York, NY 10019
www.le-bernardin.com

In Goodnight Tweetheart, Abby was fired by both her agent and her publisher over lunch at Le Bernardin but you're more likely to get "hired" if you invite your date to enjoy an intimate dinner for two at this legendary 4-star eatery. You can gaze into each other's eyes while you sample the Lobster Lasagna steeped in truffle butter and cap the evening off by feeding each other creamy spoonfuls of salted milk chocolate ice cream out of a caramelized Phyllo shell from the chef's decadent Chocolate Mille-Feuille.

Related: NYC's Best Museums For A Date

Central Park
(Credit: Central Park website)

Poet's Walk in Central Park
Central Park
Mid-Park from 66th Street to 72nd Street
New York, NY
www.centralparknyc.org

The Poet's Walk (a.k.a. the southern end of The Mall) is Abby's favorite place in all the world. As she tells Mark, "That's what I love the most about the park. Even the people who are alone seem happy." But you don't have to be alone here. You can bundle up and spend the day strolling hand in hand with your date beneath the naked boughs of the    historic American Elms while listening to a street musician play Vivaldi's "Winter" on his violin. If you're both animal lovers, what better way to bond than to meander down to Bethesda Terrace and watch the dogs frolic at the edge of the Lake while you discuss the potential names of the Golden Retriever you will someday share?

plazahotel.jpeg

The Plaza Hotel
768 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10019
www.theplazany.com

Abby might have lived in the historic Plaza Hotel, but think what a wonderful first impression you can make on your date when you invite them for cocktails at the elegantly appointed Champagne Bar overlooking Fifth Avenue and the Pulitzer Fountain. After you've "closed the deal," you can always book a "Romance at the Plaza" package that includes champagne and chocolate truffles and a Continental Breakfast in Bed for two where you can sip champagne and savor the memories of your very first date.

Related: NYC's Best Romantic Restaurants With A View

National Jazz
(credit: The National)

Dizzy's Club Coca Cola
10 Columbus Circle #5
New York, NY 10019
www.jalc.org/dizzys

If your date shares your fondness for world-class jazz, shrimp gumbo, and fabulous cocktails, you might want to make reservations for Dizzy's so you can enjoy one of their twice-nightly shows (7:30 and 9:30) in an elegant setting that features floor-to-ceiling views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline. When they dim the lights, it will be as if you and your date are all alone with only the smoky wail of the saxophone and the beating of your hopeful hearts.

Empire State Building 103
Another view towards New Jersey from the 103rd floor of the Empire State Building - April 30, 2013 (credit: Evan Bindelglass / CBSNewYork)

The Observation Deck at the Top of the Empire State Building
350 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10118
www.esbnyc.com

It may sound like a tourist trap, but no self-respecting romantic who has ever shed a tear over An Affair to Remember or Sleepless in Seattle will be able to deny the charms of this iconic landmark. Head for the Observation Deck after night falls and you'll be able to impress your date with the lights of the city twinkling below you like a million stars in your own private galaxy. And if the date goes well, you can always agree to meet there again in…oh…say…three days if neither one of you has gotten married by then.

New York Times bestseller Teresa Medeiros wrote her first novel at the age of twenty-one, introducing readers to one of the most beloved and versatile voices in romantic fiction. She has appeared on every national bestseller list, including the New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly lists. She currently has over seven million books in print and is published in over seventeen languages.

For more information on Teresa Medeiros, Goodnight Tweetheart, or other romantic reads from Simon & Schuster, check out XOXOAfterDark.Com.  

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