I really am stuck!

[di]

Maybe the mods could give it sticky status!LOL

[Rhona]

I'm SOOOO envious - Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons??? I so want to eat there. And at El Bulli, but no chance of that by Friday!

You both sound like foodie/finer things types for special treats. Have you tried The Fat Duck? Again you might be struggling with a Friday booking. Or whisk her oop North to The Star at Harome - very impressive place. You could make a weekend of it, gorgeous walks etc., and the food there is heavenly. Check out their website. The people who run The Star are really lovely too.

You could take her to lots of fabulous places nearby - Fountains Abbey, Rivaulx, York, etc.

Go on. Do that. If my DH arranged that, I'd be pretty chuffed!

[HeyWayne]

I'm SOOOO envious - Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons??? I so want to eat there. And at El Bulli, but no chance of that by Friday!

You both sound like foodie/finer things types for special treats. Have you tried The Fat Duck? Again you might be struggling with a Friday booking. Or whisk her oop North to The Star at Harome - very impressive place. You could make a weekend of it, gorgeous walks etc., and the food there is heavenly. Check out their website. The people who run The Star are really lovely too.

You could take her to lots of fabulous places nearby - Fountains Abbey, Rivaulx, York, etc.

Go on. Do that. If my DH arranged that, I'd be pretty chuffed!

Le Manoir was great - it's the little things. Whilst we were dining I got up to go to the loo - when I'd left the table one of the waiting staff discreetly came over and started talking to LadyWayne as she was alone, then when they saw me returning they again discreetly moved away. We then went to the bar a bit later and ordered drinks - at no point were we asked for our room number/name etc. We thought we'd got away without paying, but needless to say, the bar bill was on the final bill the next day. Very smooth!

When we went to The Waterside Inn we had a look in The Fat Duck (I'd originally intended to take LW there, but they had no rooms to stay and after having that kind of meal the hotel would have to be pretty special), anyway, we stopped for lunch at the Nags/Stags/Hind Head pub. Heston does the most fantastic chips - pricey but worth it! A blummin good pint too!

[Rhona]

Wow. That's seriously elegant isn't it? I want to go even more now. As an extra (quite a big extra at £40.00 I suppose) I got The French Laundry cookbook last year. It's very beautiful, the recipes are stunning and lots of interesting producer information. It's a pretty special book to have - almost regardless of whether you cook from it.

I'll keep thinking.

[HeyWayne]

Wow. That's seriously elegant isn't it? I want to go even more now. As an extra (quite a big extra at £40.00 I suppose) I got The French Laundry cookbook last year. It's very beautiful, the recipes are stunning and lots of interesting producer information. It's a pretty special book to have - almost regardless of whether you cook from it.

I'll keep thinking.

LadyWayne and her friend went to Le Manoir last year just before Christmas and they attended a "How to create the perfect Christmas" course. They were each given lots of ideas and inspiration - both of them would recommend it. Again, a bit pricey but hey.

[Pumpkin Becki]

On a foodie theme, we go (as a special treat) on the Kent and East Sussex Railway. They have steam engines pulling Pullman dining cars, and do fabulous seven course evening meals on a Saturday. It really is very romantic, and evocative. Everyone dresses up in their finest. And to top it off we stay in the local pub/ B&B.

We took my Dad and Great Aunt for one of their five course Sunday lunches, and she can't stop taking about it!!

You've probably got something similar up your way?

[tootles]

Unluckily for you I am not working at the moment. I am a silversmith/jeweller and also do mean line in crazy/wacky handbags (not in silver!)
I second Etsy though for something different and personal though.

[Rhona]

Picking up tootles theme - my mum was stuck for ideas for me and sis. She bought us both a silver charm bracelet with a single butterfly charm on it.

My memory of charm bracelets is seeing overly-tanned women in the cruise set clanking great big gold monstrosities around on their arms.

These little silver ones are nothing like that and are really lovely. I can't imagine LW would throw a beautiful butterfly charm bracelet back at you.

[seasprout]

A tattoo..?

[HeyWayne]

On a foodie theme, we go (as a special treat) on the Kent and East Sussex Railway. They have steam engines pulling Pullman dining cars, and do fabulous seven course evening meals on a Saturday. It really is very romantic, and evocative. Everyone dresses up in their finest. And to top it off we stay in the local pub/ B&B.

We took my Dad and Great Aunt for one of their five course Sunday lunches, and she can't stop taking about it!!

You've probably got something similar up your way?

Thanks Becki, sounds cool. When you say dresses up do you mean suit for the dude? I hate dressing up.

Unluckily for you I am not working at the moment. I am a silversmith/jeweller and also do mean line in crazy/wacky handbags (not in silver!)
I second Etsy though for something different and personal though.

Let me know when you're back working!

Picking up tootles theme - my mum was stuck for ideas for me and sis. She bought us both a silver charm bracelet with a single butterfly charm on it.

My memory of charm bracelets is seeing overly-tanned women in the cruise set clanking great big gold monstrosities around on their arms.

These little silver ones are nothing like that and are really lovely. I can't imagine LW would throw a beautiful butterfly charm bracelet back at you.

Great idea - we bought a Links charm bracelet for our God-daughter and we buy a charm for it every year and will give her the lot on her 18th. LadyWayne has a Links Sweetie bracelet (she's recently been in to have bits added to it). Loving these ideas!!

A tattoo..?

She has one already, doesn't want another.

Personally I'd love one, always have loved the idea - just never found anything I want on me for the rest of my life...

[Nicos]

Cripes Wayne....decision time mate!!!

So where are you in the order of decisions???...

( personally I quite like the idea of Lady Wayne....with a booked meal/course for beekeeping/chicken farming with Hugh FW...if she doesn't like the idea of the courses, I'll do them for her and take photos!!!)

[yoanbob]

My OH got me tickets too an outdoor play (shakespere) in the lovley royal gardens in york, and provided a picnic of lobster and bubbles from M&s picnics, I think you have to order on line a couple of days before for the food, he took a rug and camping chairs, it was brilliant!

[Gwyndy]

1. Adopt an animal or "a day with a keeper" if she likes animals. My wife loves big cats so, for her 40th birthday some ?? years ago, I contacted Chester Zoo and arranged for her to go and feed the tigers. It was all a big secret and all she knew was that she had to leave work at a certain time, go home and get changed in to jeans and old shirt, and open special present - pair of Marigolds. She didn't have a clue until we arrived at the zoo. The zoo staff were wonderful and she got very up close to the tigers - just a rather insubstantial mesh separating us in the tiger house!!

2. A balloon flight.

3. A helicopter flight.

[squashysu]

ooooooooh wayne, decisions, decisions - how about!!

1. get out your pinny and cook her dinner, but remember to be naked under the pinny - that may shock her!!! and she may actually then like the food you have cooked lol!

2. charm bracelet - my godmother bought me one and bought me a charm every year for my birthday, unfortunately she died when i was 12, so i have added a couple myself, a lovely idea by the way.

3. molton brown always works - well it does for me and the skincare range is fantastic - couldnt you tell i looked good for 65!!

5. some good books, what does she like!

6. a day in london - meet her at work and go for a lovely tea at the dorchester!

7. Do all the housework, the shopping, the ironing (i know you do this already), the washing, change the beds, mow the lawn, clean the bathroom (s) - anything domestic does for me!

8. get her fave perfume (check if she needs some more)

9. Has she got an Ipod - i loooooove mine!

10. sorry i had to get to 10 - but cant think of anything else!

Last but not least wine her dine her and propose to her again - you sound like an old romantic at heart!!

cor my head hurts now!!!

SS

ps. whatever you do, she will be over the moon with, because she loves ya

[HeyWayne]

I think I may well adopt an Ephalump for her, she loves them - even more so since we visited the elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka - great idea thanks! Being a keeper for the day at our local zoo (ZSL Whipsnade) is a bit out of my price range - starting £160.

A friend of a friend has a balloon flight company in Kent - might bare that in mind for future reference....just need to get over my fear of heights!

Books are a no no squashy, she gets loads from the charity shop (gets through 2-3 a week - one benefit of travelling on the train).

Bought her an iPod Nano for her birthday last year.

Ok, so far I've gone for:

I Love You Bean in a Can

Asian Elephant: Born Free Foundation

hmv.com: albums: Very Best Of (2008)

Plus a couple of other silly bits.

Thanks for all the suggestions!