'He insists on going to his fave restaurant on his birthday'

I wanted to take my boyfriend somewhere special for his birthday, but he doesn't want to go anywhere except the same restaurant we always go to. This makes me so angry that I am considering not meeting him on that day at all. How do I convince him to try something new for once? Why can't he see that I am doing this for him?
It's his birthday. I'm assuming he's an adult. If he wants to spend it in a specific manner, why not let him? You can always ask him to take you somewhere new on your own birthday, can't you?

How do I forget about my ex-girlfriend? It's been a year since we broke up, but I can't seem to get her out of my mind. We used to chat daily and meet at least three times a week. Now, my life feels empty because I miss seeing her face as often as I used to. My friends want me to date other women, and say it will help me move on, but I can't even stand the idea of going out with someone else. What should I do?
There's nothing you can do, to be honest. People come to terms with the end of a relationship differently. Some manage to move on within a few days, others take months. Some refuse to get over someone for years. The grieving process takes its own time because there's no formula for how human beings can forget. She may have moved on already, because the circumstances of how you ended this are unclear. She may also view this relationship from a drastically different perspective, which may help her get over it a lot faster than you have. If you don't want to date someone, don't.

I suggest you allow time to do what it does best. If you feel the need to speak to a counsellor, please do. If this leads to depression, don't shy away from approaching a professional.