Date Nights: Exploring the letter W in KC
“W”hat to do this month for date night? We’ve got you covered!
Wandering Vine at the Castle.
Built in 1907 by dairy farmer Remi Caenen, the Caenan Castle, modeled after a French or Belgian estate, originally had 10 bedrooms, but now it’s an amazing restaurant called Wandering Vine at the Castle. My hubby and I double-dated with another couple one night and started out with several appetizers: lamb empanadas, crab and salmon bites and Southwest arancini. All were simply delicious. My main course was the beggar’s purse, which was mouthwatering. The others had the grilled ruby trout, the 14-ounce smoked KC strip steak and the California flatbread. Everyone raved about their food. To cap off the evening, my husband and I shared the flourless chocolate cake with blackberry chile sauce—rich and chocolatey and worth every calorie! And, of course, the atmosphere just made the evening that much better. We highly recommend this place!
West Bottoms
One sunny Saturday morning, Dean and I headed down to the West Bottoms for one of their first Friday weekends. We meandered through a dozen or so stores full of antiques, vintage items, home decor, clothing and more. The first store we ventured into was Good Ju Ju, which is one of the more well-known stores in the area and one we had been to before. Upstairs at Good Ju Ju is Virginia Patti’s, an Italian bakery with delicious cookies, as well as sandwiches and breakfast items. We each picked out four cookies to enjoy on our stroll around the West Bottoms. Some of the other stores we visited and liked include the Dusted Attic, the Painted Sofa, Bella Patina and UG & Co. We had lunch at a little deli on the lower level of the Dusted Attic, which we highly recommend. In the end, we managed to escape the West Bottoms without any non-food purchases, but I’m sure it will be different next time. Either way, it’s a fun date day activity!
Wonder Woman 1984
Wonder Woman 1984 starts with a flashback of Diana competing in a female gladiator games of sorts, which grabs your attention right from the start due to its cinematography and special effects. Unfortunately, the rest of the movie fell flat compared to that. Set in Washington, DC, the plot centers around an artifact called the Dreamstone that can grant wishes. Through a series of events, the Dreamstone falls into the wrong hands, those of Maxwell Lord. As the saying goes ... Be careful what you wish for, and this movie certainly proves that point. Overall, the storyline was predictable and corny, and the movie just wasn’t as good as the first Wonder Woman. However, for two people who desperately needed 2-plus hours of downtime, it made for a good date night. Plus, I loved seeing all the ’80s fashions and hairstyles. Those were the good ol’ days.
Hannah Berry is a freelance writer who lives in the Northland with her husband. They love to explore Kansas City and try new restaurants and activities.