It’s Thursday again…meaning fresh ideas for what to fill your weekend nights with.

So check out these 3 top spots I highly recommend that will leave you wanting more:

Daikaya Izakaya, D.C. – I remember my days of living in Tokyo, going to izakayas and lounge bars with friends and late night coffee after…often walking down the streets some hour in the A.M. taking in the less crowded sights of the Metropolis that nevers sleeps. When I found myself back in the states for a while, it took time to adjust and whenever the urge for hitting up a good izakaya or Japanese styled bar struck, I could never quite find one with that authentic feel. This, is where Daikaya Izakaya comes in.

乾杯！

The place is packed with authenticity, from the snacks and booze upstairs right along down to the ramen on the first floor. The sights and smells all pull you into a world that, if you never stepped outside the front door, maybe added a couple of forty-something Ojisans and change the menus to complete Japanese script, would actually make you feel like you’re (back) in J-Land. If you’re ever in the area I highly recommend popping in. Check out the gallery to see what I mean here, and the full article on the UD site.

Let’s Sail, Skipper… – Okay, okay, so I know I talked about things to do in San Francisco last week, but I’ll make it brief so hear me out: Sea salt filled air, sails, rum, and a four man crew (minus the dead man’s chest).
I’m talking about private excursions on an 84′ America’s Cup Race Yacht, or a more casual day trip around SanFran Bay, only to be topped off with checking out what other things Pier 39 has to offer.

Land ho.

The best part is you don’t need to know a thing about sailing, but if you want to get in on a bit of the action it’s certainly not discouraged. Check out their website if you’re up for unleashing that inner sailor in you.

If you’ve had experience in the dating world, or a relationship for that matter, after a while, dinner and a movie seems pretty drab…

Jet Set Dining is here to jazz that up for you.

Hailing from Miami, these guys really take it up a notch…and they do it a little like this:

You grab your date’s hand to lead her to the restaurant…dinner and conversation being something she’s done before, she’s curious to know how this time will be different but not exactly ecstatic.

But wait – what’s this…you’re not walking towards a restaurant, but what seems to be a private jet. In order to get to the restaurant, you must first go by plane, because – “well hun, the restaurant is kind of on a remote little island – I lied about it being a stone’s throw away…” you shrug saying as you non-chalantly run your hand over the back of your head trying to keep a cool, suave expression.

I also kind of lied about it being a quick drive…it is – but it’s just…in the air…with a plane…minus you know…pavement…But hey – did we or did we not skip traffic?

Surprised, you both board the plane where the usual safety precautions are taught while you pop open some bubbly and hand a glass to your pleasantly surprised date while trying your hardest to avoid a cheesy French accent and Cheshire Cat grin as you instruct them to “relax and enjoy the sights,” knowing you pretty much just owned the night with this one little hat trick.

I know where I’ll be dining next weekend.

– Rego

Related articles

• Origami Uptown joins the Izakaya crowd in Minneapolis (tcdailyplanet.net)
• Cheap California Day Trips (california.answers.com)

For The Weekenders: Jet Set Dining, Izakayas, Let’s Sail Skipper is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life