Winter dates with your Boo don’t have to be the same ol’, same ol’
Try these fun ideas indoors and out to get close with your cuddle buddy this season
Couples of Columbus, we feel your pain. We’re growing weary of Saturday nights with the Boo spent Netflix & Chillin’, too.
While fall/winter 2020 might seem like the exact worst time for coming up with exciting date ideas, Meghna Mahambrey, a Columbus-based relationship and sexual wellness educator, said it’s all about thinking outside the box.
What’s key, she said, is spending time focused on each other. Learning or doing new things together helps keep that spark burning.
“It doesn’t keep itself alive,” she said. “We have to proactively nurture the bonds that we have with our partners.”
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Doing date night right doesn’t necessarily require leaving your house. Virtual workshops are one way to shake things up, she said, and they’re also great options for those with kids at home and no babysitter.
Eryn Gilson, the woman behind 614 Mom—, a blog for moms (and also all women) who enjoy exploring Columbus—, recommended the artsy NatterDoodle at 3516 N. High St., where the calligraphy artist can mail calligraphy and painting kits to you and your Boo. Some can be done while watching instructional YouTube videos, and others are part of live classes conducted virtually.
Card games, board games and puzzles can also provide a break from the mundane, Mahambrey said. Taking turns reading a book together aloud over wine or before bed can be a date, too.
“There’s something about that experience that really generates a sense of intimacy,” she said.
Cooking can also become a fun bonding experience with the right atmosphere. Lighting a candle and turning on some tunes can transform a routine chore into a romantic evening, Mahambrey said.
Gilson recommends the meal kits from The Kitchen at E. Livingston Ave. for a date night in. They provide everything, she said, down to butter and salt. You and the Boo-bear follow a recipe card together and create a delicious, home-cooked meal.
But if the extrovert in you is feeling neglected after the indoor festivities, outdoor activities like hiking the Columbus and Franklin County MetroParks or just sitting next to a fire can also safely be turned into double dates, said Mahambrey.
Or, you can skip making the meal and opt for elegant drinks, dinner by the fire, and an absolutely stunning view of the city at Goodale Station Rooftop Bar & Restaurant, 77 E. Nationwide Blvd., recommended Gilson. Or, if you have the time, make a day of it and get out of town.
Abby Armbruster, curator of Instagram account @daytripscbus, recommended Wapakoneta, a city she admitted you’ve probably never heard of before. It’s 90 minutes from Columbus, birthplace to Neil Armstrong, and home to the Armstrong Air & Space Museum. After perusing the museum, make sure to stop at Lucky Steer Restaurant to order their “cinnamoon pancakes” with globs of cinnamon resembling craters, she said.
Dayton is also a sure bet, at just over an hour from Columbus. Museum aficionados will be pleased to check out the National Museum of the United States Air Force, and the city also boasts Five Rivers MetroParks, a nearly 16,000-acre park system.
Either way, don’t let the cold or quarantine keep you and Boo from getting cozy. In fact, this is the perfect time to get closer and cuddle up, Columbus—so go find your Boo and get planning!
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