First off, we wish you all a happy New Year to all of out faithful readers (props to those of you leaving comments every week…keep them coming!) and hope you make some date-centered resolutions to find romance in beautiful New York City.

This week’s question arrived from Liz, a proud inhabitant of Chelsea. She writes, “I think I’m at the stage where I can propose a romantic getaway with a guy I’ve been dating for almost five months. Is this too soon? And where should we go?”

Liz, we’ve decided to give you the thumbs up. We’ll put the threshold at about three months or so – it means that you’ve gotten to know your significant other to the point where you can spend more than a night with that person and, additionally, can invest a bigger sum of money into something you can both enjoy.

Bringing it up is simple. On one of your dates, say, “Would you be interested in going somewhere for a weekend?” It’s a great way of expressing that you’d like to take a minor next step in the relationship. And hey, who doesn’t like to take a mini-vacation once in a while?

As for where to go, our advice is that old adage: keep it simple. If you’re in the same stage that Liz is in (we’ll deem this “early potential relationship”), try a weekend in another nearby city or a cute spot on the East Coast. Philadelphia’s nearby and has plenty to offer in terms of romantic restaurants and cultural hotspots. Newport is great in the warm months and Maine is closer than you’d think. To keep things cheap but romantic, we here at DateSpaces are all about the bed and breakfast. Sure, you might get fluffy sheets and those free soaps at a Hilton, but there’s something about a B&B that’ll bring you closer than what you get at an anonymous. big-name hotel.

Make sure, however, to keep it specific to your significant other. Does your potential mate like camping? A piece from getromantic.com suggests that as a great getaway. Is your lady a ski bunny? There are all kinds of resorts and mountains that are a car ride away (the pros and cons for each type of hotel, including ski resorts, are listed here.

One more tip from us: if you’re looking for a change of pace, try a “getaway weekend” in New York City. Tell all your friends and family that you’re going away, so they shouldn’t bother calling. Then, pick out a hotel in Manhattan and pretend you’re a tourist. Stand on line at the TKTS booth, go to the top of (not off - nice catch, Ricky!) the Empire State Building - do all those touristy things you wouldn’t normally touch.

What are some of your suggestions for a romantic weekend getaway? Post them below.