In our most recent He Said, She Said, we sent two singles to explore the performing arts in Chester County, taking in the Brandywine Ballet’s recent weekend performance followed by a top-notch dinner at Avalon Restaurant.
TONY:
Age: 35
Job: Financial Sales
Hobbies: cooking, working out, checking out different places in Philadelphia
REYNA:
Age: Newly 27
Job: Teacher, Server
Hobbies: live music, working out, BYOBs, comedy shows
The ACTIVITY:
The Brandywine Ballet – Spring Show
The RESTAURANT:
Avalon Restaurant
312 South High Street
West Chester, PA 19382-3342
(610) 436-4100
www.avalonrestaurant.net
The DATE:
TONY: We went to the Brandywine Ballet performing on the WCU campus. This was my first ballet but it was interesting. The dancers were jumping around a lot and seemed like they knew what they were doing. I give them lots of credit – it looked difficult!
REYNA: The plan was to meet at the Brandywine Ballet at West Chester University, after which we would go to Avalon for dinner in town. I was definitely okay with this, as I love performing arts and it was a chance to do something different for a change. I had also been to Avalon a few years back, so I knew what to expect in terms of great food and service.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
TONY: Reyna looked good. She had on this fashionable top, a white long necklace, some kind of vest and gray pants. It was the kind of outfit you see a girl wearing on the cover of Cosmo when you are in the supermarket line waiting to pay for your eggs and bread. I thought she was nice-looking and actually thought I recognized her from somewhere. She had nice, white teeth and a happy smile. She spoke well and sounded like she was smart.
REYNA: My first impression of Tony was great – he reminded me of Prince Charming! I walked into the theater and he was already in his seat. He was dressed in a nice green and white flannel button-up shirt and ripped jeans (the stylish kind). He immediately stood up and gave me a hug. I had only seen one picture of him before the date, and when I saw him in person, I confirmed he was my type. I noticed he was in great shape too. Later in the date, I mentioned how a previous date had shown up in overly casual clothes (including ripped jeans) and Tony pointed to his jeans and said, “You do realize I’m wearing ripped jeans.” I tried to explain that they were the not-so-stylish kind, but Tony continued to hold it against me (with a smile)!
The CONVERSATION:
TONY: Well, first I had to yell at Reyna because she was 3 minutes late. So after I teased her about that, the show started. And then we both noticed a couple things about the show – the dancers were really thin and the male dancers’ outfits were, lets just say, very snug. So then, in whispers, we just joked and small talked about different stuff. I could tell that the people in front of us were getting annoyed with us. So I told Reyna we should slide down towards the end of the row where there was no one sitting and we wouldn’t aggravate anyone.
REYNA: The conversation between Tony and I was very light-hearted from the get-go. Tony immediately started making me laugh by telling me that he educated himself on the plot of the ballet, and opened the book up to the character page. He was telling me that “Emily” would be the star of the show, that “Tim” was his buddy, etc. I liked his sense of humor – it was a great way to start off the date. We only had about a minute to talk before the show began, but that didn’t stop us from talking. In fact, we were pretty sure we were bothering the family in front of us by continuing to talk during the ballet. After an act or two, we decided it was best to move to the end of the row where no one else was sitting.
The BALLET:
TONY: I don’t really know how to judge ballet but I know I couldn’t have done it! I’m not surprised to see that type of talented dancers in West Chester – there are talented people in this area.
REYNA: I actually had been to a New York City ballet many years ago, and also I took ballet as a child, so I knew what to expect. The dancers were very graceful and beautiful to watch. On the other hand, Tony and I were anxious to get to know each other so our conversation somewhat trumped the ballet.
The RESTAURANT:
TONY: The atmosphere was relaxing and the decor was modern and appealing. We were seated by the fireplace, which had all these candles in and around it. The menu was varied so I think that most people would find something they would like. There were lots of appetizers and for the main items there were meat, poultry and fish dishes.
REYNA: I dined at Avalon with my family a few years ago, and we sat outside in the courtyard. I remembered the food and service to be impeccable, so I was looking forward to another great dining experience. As a huge fan of BYOBs, this Italian BYOB was an excellent choice. One of the first things I noticed was the live music in the dining room. The acoustic guitar, accompanied by singing, was the perfect accent to the soft, romantic ambiance of the restaurant. The openness of the restaurant and the kitchen create a very inviting atmosphere for all to enjoy. The menu had a wide variety of options to choose from, and our waitress was kind enough to guide us through the menu with detailed descriptions of the evening’s specials.
The SERVICE:
TONY: Our waitress was great! She knew the menu and was always checking to make sure we were okay and hadn’t died from eating any of the food. Very friendly service.
REYNA: The service was exceptional – our waitress was very helpful and attentive to our needs. Her “silent service” was perfect for our date. I didn’t find myself looking around for her at any moment in time. Of course, I did have some good eye candy to keep me occupied!
DRINKS:
TONY: I brought along a few wines and asked Reyna which one she wanted to have with dinner. She chose the one that was a mix of Chardonnay, Riesling and Viognier. When I picked out the bottles, I thought that this was the best of the three, so it was a good choice by her. It ended up tasting great: sweet but not super-sweet. Reyna doesn’t like drinking a ton, which was good, because one of my pet-peeves is people who drink too much and get sloppy and obnoxious. But she does appreciate a glass of wine or a drink here or there, which is my preference too.
REYNA: Tony brought a selection of three white wines for us to choose from, and the bottle we chose was a blend of three different whites. The wine was light and sweet. Tony and I really enjoyed the wine. Our waitress also brought us a beer and cheese pairing that they feature on Friday nights. The beer had some sort of mango undertone brewed by Troegs Brewing Company. I’m not a huge beer fan, but that beer was fantastic! The beer and cheese complemented each other very well.
The FOOD:
TONY: Avalon does this thing where they let you get an appetizer, a pasta, a main dish and a dessert for $35 or $40 per person, so we did that in order to try a few different things. They give you smaller portions when you order this but you will be thankful that you are not getting huge portions, it makes you enjoy the food more.
I got the arancini, which is risotto and short rib meatballs – it was great! I devoured it, then, I had the Crab Ricotta Gnocchi, which was out of this world. It had a white marsala sauce and wasn’t too heavy. My main dish was the wild striped bass, then, we split a chocolate pie for dessert.
REYNA: Tony and I each ordered the “Tour of the Menu,” from which we were able to choose an appetizer, a pasta, an entree, and a dessert. My first course was made up of fresh mozzarella cheese, truffled ricotta, a tomato jam, fresh basil and balsamic syrup. A spin on a traditional Caprese salad, this appetizer was absolutely delicious! The pasta dish I chose was the Arugula and Basil Pesto Angel Hair Pasta. I didn’t take more than a few bites before I asked the waitress to box it up for me. While it was good, it wasn’t my favorite part of the meal, and I wanted to save room for the rest. My third course was a Hanger Steak with a Red Pepper Caponata. Tony and I agreed that it was the best part of the meal. He wished he had ordered the steak over his striped bass entree. For dessert, Tony and I shared the Warm Lava Cake. I took a few bites and let Tony finish the rest. The dessert was very good, but by that point, I was stuffed to the brim.
CONVERSATION AND CHEMISTRY:
TONY: I felt like there was some chemistry. She is close to her family and has a lot of friends and I felt like she had a big heart. She teaches and has a side job so she seems very motivated. She teaches Spanish and I studied it in college. I visited Spain and she had wanted to travel there but her plans changed. I would joke with her a lot about stuff too and she had a good sense of humor. At one point, I complimented her a couple times in a row and then told her I couldn’t compliment her ever again because I didn’t want her to get a big head. Then she called me a jerk! How rude, right?
REYNA: The conversation was great the entire night. There were never any awkward moments of silence during our date. I definitely feel we had chemistry throughout the night! After dinner, we decided to continue the date and we went to Kooma for another drink. Tony was feeling the music and started dancing in his seat. I’m excited to see his moves on the dance floor!
DID YOU EXCHANGE NUMBERS?
TONY: When we left Avalon, we went to Kooma to grab a drink. I got Reyna’s number there while we were having our nightcap.
REYNA: More like Tony grabbed my phone, put his number in, and called his phone to save my number in his phone! I didn’t have a choice… but yes, I was okay with it. 🙂
WAS IT A MATCH?
TONY: Looked like there could be some romance.
REYNA: I’d say it was a romantic match!
WAS THERE A KISS?
TONY: No comment. We better keep this article PG!!
REYNA: Hmmm….Well, Tony and I walked back to his car so he could drive me back to my car. When we got in the car, he told me he had to “smooch” me right there because it would just be awkward when he was dropping me off – whatever that meant. Nonetheless, I accepted!!
WILL THERE BE A SECOND DATE?
TONY: I think a second date is in the cards.
REYNA: Already in the works…
HOW DID YOU LEAVE IT?
TONY: I actually sent her a text when I got home to tell her I was six inches away from smashing into a deer on a side road! Deer are so dumb! But even before that, we had said we’d meet up again.
REYNA: Tony and I had a wonderful time together. We said we’d be in touch, and we have been talking since the date! I’m looking forward to seeing him again soon.
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