Surprisingly (or not), my husband has very few faults.
Yes, he snores like a New York subway pulling into the Times Square station – or a Walmart shopping cart, take your pick.
And yup, he makes gasping strangulation sounds when I, on the rare occasion, get behind the wheel and pull within 50 feet of a vehicle in front of me.
Okay, and yeah, sometimes he consumes my box of restaurant leftovers <insert angry emoji here>.
But hey, all in all, he’s pretty darn perfect. He’s intelligent, funny, confident, neat and clean, well-traveled, to name but just a few.
That’s why Valentine’s Day holds a special place in my heart – to show my love and appreciation for all that he is and does. I’m guessing I’m not alone.
In 2019, Americans spent an average of $161.96 each to lavish on their loved ones on the holiday. Altogether, they spent over $20 billion dollars – $3.9 billion on jewelry, $3.5 billion on a night out, $2.1 billion on clothes, $1.9 billion on flowers, $1.8 billion on candy, $1.3 billion on gift cards and $933 million on greeting cards. That’s a lot of pink and red!
One of our favorite things to do on V-Day? Going out to eat for a romantic candlelit dinner.
I posed this question in one of the popular Facebook groups: What’s the most romantic restaurant in Clearwater … and why?
Weeding out the places that no longer exist, but still great responses for reminiscing – like the Kapok Tree, Tio Pepe’s, Ottavio’s and Garden Seat AND the places located in adjoining cities – Tampa’s Bern’s (duh!), and Dunedin’s Bon Appetit and Black Pearl – I came up with the following list:
In no particular order, here are the Most Romantic Restaurants in Clearwater:
Bob Heilman’s Beachcomber – elegant dining with live piano music
The Sandpearl’s Caretta on the Gulf – a four-star restaurant with great views of the Gulf sunset, and both indoor and outdoor dining
Ditto with Sea-Guini at the Opal Sands, a Tripadvisor 2020 Traveler’s Choice Award Winner
Columbia on Sand Key – the best sangria, delicious food and great service. (One helpful hint: Make a reservation for outside to enjoy a great view of Clearwater Bay.)
Rusty’s Bistro at the Sheraton Sand Key – quiet atmosphere with excellent food
Cesare’s at the Beach – an intimate restaurant with a great dining environment and authentic Italian cuisine
But one particular respondent announced that he met his wife at Steak n’ Shake on Gulf to Bay and 43 years later, he loves her more than ever. Awww, that melted my heart.
So to be honest, any place you spend with your love this Valentine’s Day can be romantic … but you really should make your reservations early!
Feature photo by Terri Cnudde on Pixabay
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