Date Nights: Exploring the letter Z in KC
To round out the alphabet dates, check out these excellent options in honor of the letter Z.
Zocalo is a Mexican restaurant on the Country Club Plaza. We have been here a few times and always enjoy the unique and modern spin they put on traditional Mexican dishes. We also agree it's a good place for a date night because of their happy hour menu, which is available seven days a week from 3:00 to 6:00. Recently, we tried their mini carnitas tacos and mini baja shrimp tacos, both of which we thoroughly enjoyed. I especially loved the beet crema on the shrimp tacos. We also shared the chicken and corn quesadillas, which were very tasty and artfully presented. We rounded out our meal with some delicious sangria. On the main menu, be sure to check out the “terrorized carrots,” which are yummy. In cooler weather, Zocalo is cozy and inviting inside, and in warmer months, the front sidewalk beckons for food and people watching.
Zoo
The Kansas City Zoo is always a great choice for a date day ... or night. The zoo is open year round and has many events and fundraisers to enjoy, including the Kansas City Zoo Run, Brew at the Zoo and Jazzoo, which is their largest annual fundraiser. These events make for great dates—but going on a normal day is also a good choice, especially when the weather is cooler. We love seeing the elephants, gorillas and kangaroos, the latter of which are allowed to roam around freely. We also thoroughly enjoy watching the sea lions, penguins and polar bears. The African Sky Safari is a fun attraction as well. This sky lift ride is about seven minutes long and allows you to travel just above where the zebras, giraffes, ostriches and rhinos roam. It’s $5 per person. One thing we especially like about our zoo is being able to take our own food in a small cooler and have a picnic in the park.
We Bought a Zoo
We had seen We Bought a Zoo once before, but we liked it so much the first time we decided to get it from the library for another showing. The 2011 film is based loosely on a 2008 memoir of the same name and stars Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson. It tells the story of a young widower Benjamin Mee (played by Damon) who decides he and his family need a fresh start, so he moves them out to 18 acres in the countryside to renovate and reopen a wildlife park. Johansson plays head zookeeper Kelly Foster and is still just as charming as ever. This is definitely a feel-good film: satisfying, simple and somewhat predictable. Plus, this movie has one of my favorite quotes: “You know, sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage. Just literally 20 seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.” Yep. What he said.
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.