Annie Hall and Alvy Singer could be poster kids for the ideal HowAboutWe couple, because throughout the course of their relationship, they’re always going on dates. Good ones, too!

One minute they’re playing tennis, the next they’re cooking lobster, going out with friends, seeing movies, singing in bars — despite the outcome of their relationship in the end of the movie, as a couple they never got complacent about going out and doing fun things. So, whether it’s your first date, or your hundredth, it can’t hurt to steal an idea or two from Annie Hall (and propose your Annie Hall-inspired date on HowAboutWe).

The Prep

The Point Of The Date(s)

The beauty of Alvy and Annie’s relationship is that they have fun whatever they do — and they’re a couple that never runs out of activities. Each of the following activities can be used on their own as single dates, or strung together in any combination for one, marathon Annie Hall experience.

Annie and Alvy have as much of a zest for life and their city as they do for each other: if you put as much enthusiasm into WHAT you do as you put into WHO you do it with, you’re dating life will improve drastically.

What To Wear

For Her: Menswear! Update Annie’s classic look by wearing jeans instead of khakis, and pairing a tailored shirt with a vest or blazer. Adorable.

For Him: The fact that Diane Keaton beds Woody Allen in this movie is a testament to the allure of a thick pair of glasses on a guy. Break out the hipster specs and plaid button-up — but don’t wear it tucked in.

The Date

Part A: Tennis

Alvy and Annie meet while paired up for a doubles match. Perfect first date activity, because they don’t have to worry about maintaining conversation during the game, and afterwards the ice is already broken. You don’t even have to be that good at the game to have a good time, you’ll work up an appetite, and, as a bonus, everyone looks pretty adorable in tennis outfits.

Part B: Movie

Annie and Alvy go — repeatedly — to see a subtitled French movie together. If you can bear the pretension (and Alvy can’t), seeing a movie in a different language can be a fun change, especially during spring, the deadest time of the year for Hollywood. You might walk out of there a newborn Francophile, or you might walk out with an invigorated sense of pride in the good ol’ US of A. Either way, seeing a movie that you can actually discuss afterwards always makes for solid date material.

Part C: The Kiss

Alvy Singer: Hey listen, gimme a kiss.

Annie Hall: Really?

Alvy Singer: Yeah, why not, because we’re just gonna go home later, right, and then there’s gonna be all that tension, we’ve never kissed before and I’ll never know when to make the right move or anything. So we’ll kiss now and get it over with, and then we’ll go eat. We’ll digest our food better.

Part D: Dinner

Well, if you’re doing an Annie Hall date, you pretty much have to have lobster, you know?

Part E: Karaoke

Pretty sure both men and women can agree that there is nothing sexier than being serenaded by a member of the opposite sex. Get thee to a Karaoke Bar.

It’s important you go on a weeknight, and choose a bar with a more intimate, less rowdy crowd–somewhere where the patrons won’t protest if back-to-back “Livin On A Prayer” is interrupted for a slower ballad. If you’ve got pipes, hell, if you’ve got enthusiasm, pick a sultry song that you know you can rock. There is nothing sexier than watching your date sing — knowing all eyes are on that person, but you’re the one they’re going home with at the end of the night.

IF you’re pretty sure your singing skills would terrify rather than wow, then you’d better appropriate someone else’s talent. Head to a jazz bar, order two Manhattans, and let someone else’s voice set the mood.

Now that you’ve got all the steps down, propose this date here & find someone to go with!

Previously: Recreating The Movie Date: 10 Things I Hate About You

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