I think your original question was already answered, but here's something a little extra if you're interested.
I've learned that it can be effective to give your date a little chore to accomplish before the date, for the date itself.
What I do is learn what hobbies and interests my potential date likes. After some trial and error I've learned to accomplish this before the first call, essentially during the pick up. Reason being that it's hard to whip up a plan and an appropriate chore on the spot right there on the phone.
The last girl I chatted with and # closed, for example, liked jazz, drank wine and talked about the outdoors quite a bit. I had several days to think and like the others have suggested, already knew what we were going to do. When I called her, I arrainged the conversation so that I could pin down an appropriate time for the date, but didn't tell her what the date actually was. I then gave her a simple chore, which was to find by any means a red and white checkered blanket. I then told her to what time I would pick her up and the appropriate attire to wear, to bring the blanket and to let me know which of the two colors she picked before the date. Red it was.
The topic of the phone conversation was interesting enough to avoid any silences, guided enough not to have to think, while being playful and mysterious enough to keep a high IL.
Anyway, we found a shady spot under an oak tree, sprawled out on the blanket listening to jazz and drinking the red wine she unknowingly (or knowingly) chose. Nothing romantic! No flattery and all that crap... just relaxing with the usual get to know you chit chat. Very casual. She really enjoyed it. Cost me $25 tops.
But it doesn't matter what the date is really, do your own thing, so long as she has a simple chore and keeps wondering. I'm pretty sure they get a little pow wow going with the girlfriends to try to guess what the mystery date is. The inanimate object probibly served as a reminder of me too.
I haven't perfected this yet. I'm sure I'll hit a few monkey-wrenches eventually, like a girl who is, in the above example, allergic to red wine or can't find a blanket or something, which is why I suggest an easy chore, but one that still requires a little initiative. But it worked pretty good and made that first call the easiest part.
