Our best ever date night

My boyfriend and I introduced a date night a few weeks back. I work crazy hours and my boyfriend has events almost every other weekend so we don't see a lot of each other and apparently watching me go to bed early is not considered a real activity. So we decided to have one night midweek as a date night, usually Wednesday and on that night we do something together like a normal couple. So far we have been out for food once but mostly we go to the cinema which is hardly terribly exciting but I've enjoyed the films we've seen and its nice to deliberately spend time together.

Tonight after much debate we decided to go to Burzza. I was really in the mood for pizza and I knew they had a gluten free option. Initially we were planning to come straight home after and watch a movie together. We sauntered into Burzza at just after 7 and I had thought it being only Thursday that we would get a table no issue but the place was buzzing so we were lucky to get one. 

We were attended to very quickly and I already knew I'd be having gluten free pizza with fries and my boyfriend after much mulling over the menu picked a chilli bowl that came with a side of fries.

We weren't waiting very long at all before our food arrived and I'm embarrassed by quickly we devoured it. In my defence it was lovely and I don't like cold pizza. Also we are both fast eaters. We did enjoy our meals even if we didn't pause to savour every bite and there was no trace of my boyfriends chilli on his plate by the time it was taken away. It was about half an hour later when we left very happy but with a lot of date night left and no proper plans.

We were debating going to some music but we were much too early so we headed to Geoffs bar and got a couch and a corner to pass some time. My other half got wine and I got a giant bowl of Ice-cream to go with my water . I do still have some vices left. I was delighted to have not spilled any down myself, on some levels I am eternally a child. My boyfriend then remembered that Sean Murphy was launching a new comedy club in The Hub bar tonight which was the happiest of coincidences. 

We made our way up there just up after 9 to find the place absolutely heaving. It was €3 on the door which isn't a bad price all things considered. I did find myself wondering if the crowd was there because they had heard such promising things about the comedians on the bill or the lure of free Ginos Pizza at the interval. We weren't sitting long before the night got under way. Sean Murphy was hosting and he warmed up the crowd nicely before introducing the first act of the night. 

Kieran Ruffles Walsh. Kieran is a local chap and probably doesn't remember the brief period in which we both worked in a call centre together but I will say he's gotten a hell of lot funnier. Having seen him perform a few times I can say with ease he's gotten better each time and its always great to see local comedic talent.

Next up on stage was a Limerick native Stephen Ryan. I had never seen him perform before so I had no expectations but he had a kind of a bluster to him that really worked for him. He had a way of saying the thing you'd least expect and on several occasions my boyfriend turned to look at me mid laugh as though to say 'did he really just say that'. My sides hurt and I had tears streaming down my face and honestly I just wanted to hear more. Who knows it might not be long before Stephen is back down our way but we'll have to pay a damn sight more than €3 for the privilege of seeing him.

After Stephen finished we had an interval and free pizza was given out. I passed it up because of my gluten intolerance and the fact that I had work the next (so could not be suffering the after effects of wheat) but I am pretty sure everyone else in the bar happily indulged. Luckily I had already had a pizza that night so was not filled with the terrible pizza envy (its a thing) 

Lastly the headliner was another Limerick man, Danny Ryan. There must be something in the water because while he had a very different style of comedy it was equally hilarious and he had absolutely no consideration for the fact that I have only just returned to the gym today and my stomach muscles very tender indeed. I did not realise quite how much they hurt until I laughed a lot and then some more. He has recently won Show Me The Funny Competition (2015) and judging by the material we saw tonight I can see why. Also he's excellent at handling hecklers, a most admirable skill. I have a feeling this is another comedian we will be seeing a lot more of in the next few months. 

Next week I am hoping our date night will be going to see The Witch which is hopefully out in the cinema from this weekend. But the week after that we will be right back at The Hub for next comedy club and more great laughs.