6

Number: 6
Name: Tom
Date: July 11, 2013

Tom is an awesome guy, a member of my LDS Young Single Adult ward, and he also happens to be another one of my home-teachers.  When Tom asked if there was anything he, as my home teacher, could do to help me out, I casually responded that he could take me on a date to help me achieve my 100 date challenge.  Tom responded very enthusiastically that if it meant helping me get to Brazil he would be willing to take me on a date whether he was my home teacher or not.  (See what I mean?  Great guy!)

Tom could probably write the book on how to treat a girl like a lady.  He arrived on time, picked me up at my door, opened the car door for me . . .the whole works.  He had previously checked with me to see if I liked Cafe Rio (For the record, it is probably in my top five favorite places to eat, maybe even my top three!) and he had a fun activity planned.

But we'll get to that.  First: if you've never been to Cafe Rio, get thee to one immediately and order a pork-barbacoa burrito enchilada style.  It will change your life.  (Also,you now have knowledge of one of my greatest weaknesses.  If you ever want to get on my good side . . .*wink*)  As Tom and I ate/devoured our burritos we got to know each other. We talked about our missions, our education, our families, our favorite foods, etc.  Tom served his mission in Canada and is studying psychology at BYU.  He just hiked to Havasupai at the beginning of July (which was kinda crazy, but kinda awesome) and is getting ready to go visit Europe with his family in a couple months.

Pool-style trick shot.  Believe it or not, that actually went in!

After dinner we went mini-golfing at Trafalga.  Tom apologize for planning such a cliché activity, but the truth is I have never been to Trafalga and I haven't been mini-golfing on a date before (gasp!) so it wasn't at all cliché for me.  Especially the way we played.

Let me just start by saying that I am a terrible mini-golfer.  (I lost spectacularly to Tom by quite a bit as proof of that.)  But, then again, we weren't playing by the conventional rules of mini-golf.  Tom has an extra rule: If you can sink the ball using a "trick shot," you take one stroke off your score.  Trick shots can be almost anything unconventional or creative: pool style, croquet style, left handed, between the legs, etc.  So, hypothetically, if you got a hole-in-one on a trick shot, you could actually get a zero for that hole (Which I did once!!!  Croquet style!  It was my big accomplishment of the day!)

It was quite the game.  While we drove home afterward we talked about the movies we have seen this summer, which ones were good and which ones weren't.  (Seriously, don't even get me started on Man of Steel.)  We talked about how bad we both are at mini-golf (me more than him) and how awesome our Young Single Adult ward is.  We talked about our favorite board games and card games and group games and how someone really needs to start game nights or Disney movie nights on Sunday evenings in our ward.

When we got to my house, Tom walked me to my door (See? Perfect gentleman.)  Everything from the Cafe Rio to the mini-golfing to the conversation was really enjoyable.  So, Tom, if you are reading this: well done, my friend!  Thanks again for a fabulous evening.

5

Number: 5
Name: Brian
Date: July 2, 2013

First a bit of history:  Although Brian and I have only known each other for a few months, we actually go way back.  True story.  We went to the same elementary school until second grade - although we were never in the same class - and my uncle Todd was his eighth grade health teacher.  But it wasn't until we moved into the same single's ward in Provo a little less than a year ago that we actually met each other.  Confession: this was not actually our first or second date.  We have gone out a few times in the past.  But this was our first date since I started the hundred-date-challenge so I decided I am going to count it anyway.  And, honestly, I always have so much fun on dates with Brian that I would have said yes even if I couldn't count it toward Brasil.

Brian presented me with a few different date ideas and I chose hiking, despite the fact that we are in the middle of a heat wave right now.  (What can I say?  I love the outdoors!)  We would be hiking in the evening when it was slightly cooler and the hike we chose - Battlecreek Falls - was pretty easy and short.  We decided to go to dinner first and let the temperature cool off a little bit.

We ate at a little Mexican restaurant in Provo called Emanuel's Fresh Grill where we both got enchiladas as well as free entertainment by a cute little boy dressed as Captain America, complete with a frisbee-shield, who kept running up to our table and posing for us.  So cute!  By the time we were done eating the temperature had cooled off a little bit and by the time we drove to Pleasant Grove to begin our hike it was even cooler.

The hike was really pretty.  If you haven't done it you should.  It is only about half-mile to the waterfall and the trail winds through canyon maple and scrub oak as it follows a little creek.  Being a botanist, I had to stop and point out all the plants along the way, but Brian was a good sport about it.  (Future reference: If you take me hiking just plan on getting a botany lesson along the way.)  Once we got to the waterfall we sat and talked while we watched the sun set.  We had the whole place to ourselves.  The sky turned pink and the dragonflies came out.  I cooled my feet in the water and we both enjoyed the cold spray coming from the falls.

Once it started getting dark we headed back down the trail.  We listened to some classical music and some jazz and even some Brazilian music while we drove home - a refreshing change from the usual pop music that plays in virtually every public building in Utah.

Brian, if you are reading this, thanks again for a very enjoyable evening!  I hope you had as much fun as I did.

4

Number: 4
Name: Kyle
Date: 1 July 2013

Yes, this is the same Kyle as date number 3.  This was our second date.

Kyle called me up (bonus points for actually calling!) and asked me if I had any lunch plans.  I told him I didn't and that I could really use a break from my thesis.  He told me he would pick me up in an hour and exactly one hour later he knocked on my door.

He gave me three options for lunch:

1. Sushi.  Gross!  I don't even like cooked fish and I am pretty sure I would like raw fish even less.  In all fairness, no, I haven't ever tried it.  But I really don't want to.  (P.S. This is NOT an invitation for anyone to try to convert me to liking fish/sushi.  It just isn't gonna happen, people.)
2. Vietnamese Food.  Never tried it.  I grew up in a family where "going out to eat" meant Happy Meals at McDonalds.  I never had much exposure to foreign foods growing up until I started dating.  I have tried Thai food and Chinese food and I like both, so I told Kyle that if he could vouch for it I would be happy to try it.
3. Brasilian Food.  WINNER!  Kyle said he knew that there were a couple Brasilian restaurants around but wasn't really sure which ones were good.  Which I interpreted as my cue to hijack the date.*

I told him to take me to Braza Express.  The truth is I had never actually been there, but I had wanted to go for a long time.  I had heard good things about it from friends and I knew it was cheaper than Tucanos or Rodizio Grill (which are very good, very authentic and very expensive).  Also, lunch was on me since he paid for our first date.

I know this blog is supposed to be about the date, but indulge me for just a paragraph and let me talk about the food.  SO GOOD!  Rice and your choice of beans (black or pinto), a side - I had bolinhas de arroz (rice balls) and Kyle had banana frita (fried banana) - a salad of your choice, and a meat of your choice.  The meat is cooked on a spit in a churrasco (brasilian style barbecue).  We both had Chicken - which was excellent - but I definitely need to go back and try some of the other kinds of meat.

We ate and talked and enjoyed the atmosphere.  I told him about the kinds of food I ate in Brasil and about my mission (Que saudades!).  Kyle is a convert to the church and never had an opportunity to serve a mission.  He told me how hard it is to date in this church because Latter-day Saint girls only want to date return missionaries, which he is not - through no fault of his own.  To any girls who are reading this: Kyle is awesome!  He has an amazing conversion story and as strong a testimony of the gospel as any return missionary I know.  I am so glad I have had a chance to get to know him!

Kyle, thanks for lunch and thanks for agreeing to Brasilian food over Vietnamese food.  I had a great time and am still enjoying my leftovers.

*I normally don't hijack dates.  I don't know what came over me.  I guess it was the prospect of Brasilian food.  But, I swear, I try not to do this very often.