浪漫大餐的新定义（双语）
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爱思英语编者按：洁白的桌布，浪漫的蜡烛，醇香的美酒(superb wines)…这些都是影视作品中常见的浪漫约会必备因素。然而现实生活中，没有了这些美好事物的点缀，情侣们是否能营造出一样的浪漫约会呢？如果是你，你更喜欢哪类约会场所？是优雅昂贵的高级餐厅还是温馨随意的街边小馆？
DATING in New York, as countless films, TV shows, magazines, and blog articles have shown, is no picnic. Traditionally, the date night dinner must meet certain standards: a good restaurant (not necessarily fancy, but a refined one, at least), with a white tablecloth, candles, and gracious, discreet service. Things might be changing though: Melena Ryzik, a culture reporter for The New York Times, has discovered that the new New Yorker`s idea of a romantic meal is more approachable. "There`s a whole new class of mood-inducing dining," Ryzik says in an article. That can mean a burger, or Korean fried chicken, or an underground bar. All these are desirable, even romantic, date spots, since there`s a sense of adventure or discovery. No tablecloth "One of the things that we`re seeing happen is that a broader range of places are considered date places," Adam Rich told The New York Times. Rich is the founder of Thrillist.com, a website that offers advice on new restaurants and bars. "People fetishize food more than they did before. So the pressure isn`t to find the whitest tablecloth and white gloves kind of place anymore." On Thrillist.com`s list of "Ten Most Popular Restaurants", seven are casual places such as a Japanese ramen restaurant with an open kitchen, or a to-go style sandwich shop with communal tables-obviously no white tablecloth or candle holders. It seems that casual is the new sophisticated and paper napkins and communal tables are the new standard. Places like a cocktail bar, wine bar, or small plate restaurant are popular for one reason: they`re a safe choice, especially for those who just start dating. After all, there are times when you go out with someone, then decide not to go on: either that person is boring or you two just don`t fit. In such cases, the communal tables and the open kitchen can smooth over awkward silences. Also, communal tables have a bonus: if your date`s boring, just turn and talk to the person at the table next to you. Money is also a consideration. Whitney Hurst, 25, is a news producer who lives in Brooklyn, New York. She told The New Yorker that, "It`s awkward to have somebody spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on dinner before you really know that you like him." Hurst prefers "izakayas" on the second floors in Koreatown, because they`re cheap, casual and fun. And, more importantly, places like that can give you something to talk about. Isn`t it romantic? FOR young Chinese couples, especially students who have no income, the answer to the question about where to go for a romantic dinner might be practical, but that doesn`t stop them from trying to be romantic. Just ask these folks: Zhu Wenbin, 21, college student, Beijing My girlfriend and I don`t really spend much money on food at all. First, we only have a limited monthly budget from our parents. Even though we go to better places like Pizza Hut on weekends-it`s only once in blue moon, like when we have something to celebrate. It`s still a bit expensive for us. Besides, when we go out, food isn`t that important to us. Sometimes, we may buy some snacks from a convenience store and walk to a park, or sit in a book store the whole day. Or, we could go to a roadside stand anywhere and have a bite to eat. For us, being together and having fun is the most important thing. Regular date spots: KFC, McDonald`s, Ajisen Ramen, Dairy Queen, no-name restaurants off campus. Average cost per meal (for two): 70-100 yuan Jin Didi, 24, bank clerk, Shanghai Several times, my boyfriend took me to fancy restaurants-on special occasions, such as my birthday, or our anniversary. The food quality was certainly high, but so was the price-a simple meal for two would cost nearly 1,000 yuan. The whole atmosphere there was killing me: It was inappropriate to take a picture of the dishes, which I like to do. And most of the time, I had to "behave". So, now, when it comes to special occasions, I`d tell him beforehand: "You know what? A cupcake with a candle on it is romantic. A fish burger at McDonald`s, with a strawberry sundae afterward, would also be great!" Regular date spots: TGI Friday`s, Haidilao Hotpot, Bellagio Cafe, Awfully Chocolate. Average cost per meal (for two): 150-200 yuan 相关词汇 更多信息请访问：http://www.engbus.cn/ |
