Date Nights: Exploring the letter G in KC

Is it time for you and your significant other to have a date? If so, why not try one of these Great ideas!

Game Night

In the seven years that my husband and I have known each other, we have played games on numerous occasions. However, we have never set aside an entire evening to have a game night until recently! Some of our favorite games are Rack-O, Tri-Ominos and 500 Rum. Rack-O is a filing card game that was created in 1956. Tri-Ominos, which is basically triangular dominos, is also an older game, created in 1965. The card game 500 Rum is played with a standard deck and is also known as Rummy 500. These are the three games we play most often but never all in one night ... until now! We ordered some pizza and spent three hours duking it out. In the end, they were all close games, but my husband won two out of the three. And it was a fun evening!

Garozzo’s

Located in the historic Italian neighborhood of Columbus Park is Garozzo’s, which opened in 1989 and is the originator of chicken spiedini. We visited the Columbus Park location on a recent Friday evening, and the place was packed ... as usual. It’s loud and crowded. The tables are close together, and the whole place is slightly claustrophobic. However, the food is good, and the portions are even better since you get two meals for the price of one! I opted for their signature dish, chicken spiedini, Georgio style. My husband had the rigatoni Angela, which is beef tenderloin tips with veggies and marsala wine. Mmmmm … We highly recommend making reservations. Otherwise, you may have to wait awhile for a table. Also, check them out at their location in Overland Park.

Green Lady Lounge

We felt like we had stepped back in time when we recently visited the Green Lady Lounge. It was our first time there, and we found the vibe speakeasy-ish and unpretentious, with dim lighting, ornate ceilings and vintage picture frames. The mood is elegant but casual. This retro cocktail lounge boasts of live jazz 365 days a year. They also have a full bar, a full calendar of great musicians and no TVs or cover charge. The point is to sit back, relax and enjoy the music and atmosphere. There’s also plenty of time to talk between sets. If you need a little sustenance to go along with the various libations, they offer crackers with hummus and a meat and cheese plate. Otherwise, plan to eat before you go. Get there early if you are going on a Friday or Saturday evening as the place fills up quickly.

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.