Last Saturday, my husband and I had the chance to go on a date to celebrate Valentine's Day in advance.  You know, ever since we became parents, a yaya-less one at that, romantic dates like this have become so rare we almost consider it as a thing of a distant past.

Indeed, managing a home and raising two kids under five is not an easy task. Ron and I often find ourselves overwhelmed with the never-ending list of things that need to be done.   To tell you frankly, we barely even talk anymore.  Ok, that's me exaggerating!  What I actually mean is that we only talk in order to run the house.  Nothing more, nothing less. 

It's sad but that's the reality of building a family and living a life overseas -- you have to learn to do things by yourself because hiring nannies and helpers in this part of the world come with a hefty price tag.  Being the 'kuripot' couple that we are, I guess, we'd rather allot the money for something else like the kids' college fund, or our future home, or travel. 

You see, no matter how demanding this whole parenthood is, we'd still choose to become the hands-on parents that we are today because apart from being practical, we also know that our kids will be this little only for a few good years.  And we want to make the most out of that very short time (before they begin to live a life of their own)!

I once read this meme somewhere:

Whoever authored that quote is a genius!  Obviously, parenting can be exhausting, crazy, and frustrating.  That is why parents NEED to take a break, too -- to avoid burnout because you know, we're also humans.  And what could be better than going on a date night for a breather? 

My husband and I badly needed one, so we can reconnect with each other and remember how it feels like to be a couple once more.  Thankfully, my siblings volunteered to babysit Rafa and Joaquin while Ron and I took a few hours off our parenting duties. 

We left the house at around 10 am and headed to Nation Towers Organic Food and Cafe for brunch.  This dining place is a hidden gem located in a grocery store which serves healthy and delicious food made from organic ingredients.  Its industrial interiors suggest a casual vibe to give their customers a more relaxed and comfortable dining experience.  Service is superb and their menu, especially the breakfast buffet (available from 9 am to 12 noon) is to die for!!!

At a price of just AED 39 per head, you'll get to enjoy a flavorful, healthy and organic breakfast -- buffet style!  So you can basically eat-all-you-can without feeling guilty!  Seriously, this is one of the best breakfasts I've ever had in my entire life!  It's super 'sulit' and really worth the try!

Our next stop: Louvre Abu Dhabi.  This dome-shaped building, which seems to float above the turquoise waters of Saadiyat Island, is the newest arts and civilization museum in town.  It displays a vast collection of artworks and artifacts from around the world ranging from the prehistoric era to contemporary period. 

Upon entering the building, each guest will be asked to pass through a metal detector and have their bags scanned by an x-ray machine for security purposes.  We visited Louvre on a weekend (Saturday) thus, there were quite a lot of visitors that day. Nonetheless, it took us only about 10 minutes on the queue to get our tickets.  While waiting, my husband noticed that some tourists were paying in euro, so yeah, you can probably pay using a different currency.  Also, those people carrying backpacks were asked to leave their bag in the cloakroom to avoid accidentally knocking out statues or scratching paintings.

The entire museum galleries are categorized into 12 chapters and can be explored for a good two to three hours.  (I'm not sure how long it would take if you'd use an audio guide tho.)  Cultural performances are also held here but you have to book a separate ticket for that because the admission ticket only gives you access to the galleries, exhibitions, children's museum, and the public places under the dome (i.e. plaza, cafe, and restaurant).  For ticket pricing, click HERE.

The artworks exhibited here, of course, cannot be compared to the extensive collection owned by Louvre Paris.  Nevertheless, you'll be able to see and appreciate pieces from renowned artists like Van Gogh, Picasso, Da Vinci, etc. Even the building itself is already an amazing work of art!  Indeed, this newest attraction is a must visit when you're in Abu Dhabi! 

Obviously, my husband and I had enjoyed our alone time together.  This one of a kind Valentine's date is definitely one for the books!  Hoping for more memorable romantic dates in the future!  *fingers crossed*