Escalating is a premise you understand how to achieve and the basic priciples behind it.

Kino has its purpose, to move inward towards her center of physicality, this you know.

You're beating around the bush, literally, you are not taking the risk of trying to move in and make a move.

Kasabi made a good point about de escalation, swing for the fences right off the bat. You need to take the risk Daniel, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

These women in your life enjoy you and the rapport you have with them. you have a friendly frame, an air of intellect, some artsy qualities and the ability to make them laugh. This is all natural, all easy to achieve and very obvious to you how to do it.

That being said, is it getting you laid? you don't need routines, they are going to be useless if you are not being sexual in your interactions. Women expect you to be mature and aware of the sexual nature of your interactions, the sexual purpose and desires behind organizing ice cream dates and having friendly convos. If you don't make that obvious, the interaction becomes a thing between friends.
SUBTLY obvious, it isn't as hard as it sounds. Hell, if you can be comfortable with the idea of sex you can literally bring up a sexual topic directly and not scare her away.

You know how I am always talking about EYE FUCKING? seriously, you need to do it when you are conversing. You need to have sexually commanding body language, you need to sexually charge your kino. If you aren't getting aroused by the claw you are throwing at her, neither is she.

escalation hinges on the fact that you are allowing sexual energy to flow out of you, not repressing it.

i think the biggest thing for me was actually letting go of the fear that I would creep a girl out by being openly sexual.

In the quietest of places, pretend you can't hear her, make her lean in and speak directly in your ear. She finishes talking, you pull out. look at her, smile sexually and say "OH, much easier to hear you when you are close" lean in, put your hand on the back of her neck and say softly in her ear "See, this is much better, don't you think?"

Not that risky at all. She knows you could hear her, she likes your playfulness, your openly sexual attempt at moving the interaction upwards is officially out there, she has the choice of being weirded out or not. She doesn't have to say a thing if she likes it, and if she doesn't say a thing, you are going to increase the frequency of blatant sexual behaviour. this is just a small example, you can turn anything sexual.

Another thing to remember is she is LOOKING for reasons to be attracted to you. DHV is a small part, it lets her logical brain know "this guy is congruent with my logical interpratation of attractive lifestyle" but your physical cues are much more important. It lets her emotional center know "this guy is trying to fuck me, and I like it". It is what you don't say that will get you laid. Licking your lips, deliberatly touching your mouth for whatever reason, looking at her like she is FUCKING HOT and you like it...etc.

You have established the ability to get any women to like you, now you need to focus your energy on making them WANT you.

Questions, did you let princess know you thought it was hot when she read the hungarian? Did you tell her it was hot, did you look at her with arousal in your blood? Did you hide it? Do you feel fear ever when the idea of being sexual crosses your mind or enters into the interaction? If she is doing all the talking, does she ever try to move the convo in a sexual direction? If she did, how would you react?