Date Nights: Exploring the letter C in KC

Thinking of a date for this month? Let’s “C” if one of these ideas appeals to you…

Christmas Lights

In the spirit of the season, why not grab some hot chocolate and snacks and go on a Christmas light scavenger hunt? For this date, we hop in the car and drive to where the best Christmas light viewing is in the city. And that—we believe—is in the neighborhoods off Ward Parkway, south of the Plaza. On many streets, nearly every house is decked out in Christmas lights and has an abundance of Christmas decor. On several streets, there lights are strung across the streets and from rooftops down to the grass. It’s definitely a sight to behold! To make it fun, we put together a list of items to look for as we are touring the neighborhoods, like candy canes, the Grinch and a Nativity scene. We have seen many interesting things not on the list too, from Christmas Yodas, dinosaurs and dragons to a reggae tree.

Café Europa

Located in historic Brookside is a charming and cozy restaurant called Cafe Europa. Just like the neighborhood, Cafe Europa is easy going and a perfect place for a leisurely Sunday brunch. Though their food is a bit on the pricey side, it’s tasty, comforting and of good quality. The atmosphere is relaxed; the decor a bit rustic. An old fireplace occupies the main dining area, which I’m sure would be lovely on a cold day. When my husband and I visited, we were given complimentary mini biscuits with honey butter, which were quite tasty. We also tried the bodega egg sandwich, huckleberry pancakes, and French toast made with house-baked cinnamon swirl bread. Yum! The hubs washed his food down with some coffee from Oddly Correct. All in all, it was a nice brunch in a fun part of town.

Cover Bands

If you and your sweetie are music lovers, then check out one of Kansas City’s great cover bands. There are some that focus on a specific genre, like Switch, Cherry Bomb, Retroactive and Fast Times, who all play stuff from the ’80s. Other bands focus on a specific group or artist, such as Lyin’ Eyes (an Eagles tribute band), High Voltage (an AC/DC tribute band) and Petty Theft (a tribute band for Tom Petty). You can catch cover bands at eating and drinking establishments in the area all throughout the year, as well as outdoors at parks, festivals, malls, amphitheaters and wineries in the summer and fall. Many of these bands are also available for private events. Check out their websites or Facebook for upcoming shows. One that we recently enjoyed was a show by Switch, which has been performing in the Midwest since 2006.

Hannah Berry is a freelance writer who lives with her husband in Kansas City. They enjoy regular date nights and love trying new restaurants and activities.