Some nights when I drop the GF at home, the outside temp is around 2-6^C.

I watch the temp gauge via OBD-II.
Coolant temp starts at about 10^C (If I've been driving that day, previously) and almost instantly climbs to about 30. Then it takes a bit longer to hit 50.
By the time I've done 3km, its hit 60. (this includes a long hill that, when going down in 2nd gear doing 70km/h, engine braking alone doesn't hold it)
About 10min of rather flat, solid driving later, we've arrived at her front gate. The temp is now around 75^C.
Idling out the front for about 10-15min (chatting. don't get excited. :p) brings the temp DOWN to as low as 60^C.

The temp gauge on the dash will now show the max temp, and will NOT go down to show the current temp. (It will show roughly 75-80^C)

And then on the drive home, it takes about 2-3min for the engine temp to get up to 90-95. The dash temp gauge will then show 90 for the rest of the journey.