Valentine’s Day – Do It Differently
Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to show your partner, loved one, or significant other just how much you love them. And this year, I am suggesting one thing.
DO IT DIFFERENTLY.
It’s time to shake things up and step out of your comfort zone. Don’t book the same place you always frequent. Don’t go with safe and familiar. Here’s how I think you should do Valentine’s Day differently in Kansas City.
Do It Differently… At Home
Celebrate it!! Don’t skip it!! Celebrating Valentine’s Day at home can be wonderful. Don’t get stuck having a three-course dinner at an overcrowded restaurant where it’s hard to hear each other.
I’m not suggesting you just grab a card from Hallmark on your way home from work and bring some gas station flowers home. Planning Valentine’s day at home needs some attention too.
Here are some ways you can do it differently at home this Valentine’s day:
- Take time to pick out the perfect card that will make your true love laugh or cry. You could also make a customized card with your favorite photos.
- Stay home and make cooking dinner together interesting. One person can make the appetizers and cocktails while the other is responsible for the main course. Keep it stress-free by picking up your favorite decadent dessert from somewhere special. (You should know their favorite flavor)
- Candlelight makes the mood. Turn down the lights, turn off the TV, and put your cellphones in another room so there’s nothing to interrupt the romance of the warm flickering candlelight.
- Stock up on wine and cheese! Better Cheddar is one of my favorite places to get some classic European cheeses. If you can’t make it to the store, they deliver with DoorDash so there’s really no excuse. As for wine, talk to Brian at Cellar Rat – he is a close friend that knows everything!
- Not sure where to get the best desserts? Stop next door at Cafe Europa just a few doors down from Underdog Wine Company, another great option for the perfect bottle of wine, and get yourself something decadent.
Do It Differently… On The Town
If a night at home isn’t quite what you’re looking for, please promise me you won’t go back to the same place you went to last year. Rather than getting a last-minute reservation somewhere that is all too familiar, here are some ways to make a night on the town ever so slightly more special:
- Revisit memory lane with a scavenger hunt that takes you to you and your partner’s favorite bars and restaurants. Stop for a cocktail at each location and share a story of the first memory you have there.
- Get a limo! Nothing is quite as stylish and you don’t need to worry about finding parking or who is going to be the designated driver.
- Don’t just go to one restaurant, create your own progressive dinner. Have drinks at one location (does anything scream Valentine’s day as much as a bottle of champagne at Ca Va?), appetizers at another, move on to somewhere for your entree and then dessert elsewhere. The restaurants will be busy so sit at the bar! (Another great way to still have a wonderful evening without planning ahead).
- Speaking of different, another great place for cocktails is The Campground in the West Bottoms. It is sophisticated and offers premium cocktails, wine, and beer. This place is brand new so the chances are you won’t have been there yet.
- If you’re looking for a do-it-yourself progressive dinner, the Chef’s Counter at The Golden Ox is a great place to visit too. This historical steakhouse is a time capsule that has been perfectly preserved!
Do It Differently… In Bed
Valentine’s Day falls on a Friday this year so you can make the most of a romantic night without having to set an alarm for work the next day. Spend some time talking to your partner and finding out what would make their dreams come true in the bedroom…
- Instead of a romantic dinner, enjoy breakfast in bed for two. Wake up to the comforting smell of cinnamon rolls that you’ve warmed in the oven. Your entire home can be enveloped in the smell of homemade cinnamon rolls even if you pick them up from your favorite bakery. Pro tip: McClains at 106th and Roe, or Rockhill and Gregory have some of the best cinnamon rolls and other pastries in Kansas City.
- Don’t bother staying home at all. Get a hotel room and enjoy some alone time without distractions. Get a hotel room, turn off your cellphones and order room service. The Intercontinental Hotel is very close to the Plaza so you have plenty of options for brunch on Saturday morning. Or the iconic Hotel Phillips is in the middle of downtown and has exquisite decor.
You deserve some pampering. I am sure your partner does too. This Valentine’s Day, make the very most of what Kansas City has to offer and celebrate in a way that makes you feel young at heart.
