The Country Club Plaza x Chasing Davies: Date Night + a Giveaway!
My husband and I haven't done a great job of keeping up with our own dating life since our littles came along. But, now that summer is here, and our sweet babes are getting a little more reliable on their sleep schedules, we're making an extra effort to get out more. A couple of weeks ago, on one of the first really nice summer-like days, we spent a whole Friday evening together... on a date... without kids... running around The Country Club Plaza. It was so fun (so fun, I'm giving away a gift card for two winners at the bottom of this post!).
Before meeting up with my husband, because my company gives us early Friday afternoons off in the summer, I hit up the Plaza to help complete my date night outfit. I actually started in this dress, but completely different shoes and jewelry. As I walked around, shopping, I kept adding, and changing up my look. By the time I met my husband for our first stop, I had a few new pieces on from Banana Republic and Gap. There is just something about nice weather that makes me want to shop, spend time with loved ones and soak up the sunshine.
So, after my little shopping spree, my husband and I started our date on the patio of Gram & Dun, one of the best patios in Kansas City. I love their unique drinks and appetizers, which made this the perfect first stop. I started out with the Lady in Red cocktail that includes my current libation obsession, grapefruit juice. My husband, Greg, started out with an Old Fashioned made with local bourbon from Dark Horse Distillery.
And then we got appetizers we each could enjoy: my absolute favorite salad in the area, Brussel Sprout Salad and a pork dish unlike anything else, Asian Pig Wings. I ate most of the salad and Greg concentrated on the meat, but we loved them both. (And now I'm hungry just remembering these dishes!)
Make sure to check out Gram & Dun, Monday through Friday, between 3 and 6pm, for great happy hour deals.
After a relaxing time on the patio at Gram & Dun, we walked around the Plaza a bit before our dinner date. It was a nice day, not too hot (and getting chillier as it got later). In the summertime, there are different bands and local musicians that perform in courtyards on the Plaza. This is free entertainment right there! You can check out the Plaza Live! schedule of events here.
For dinner, as the sun was starting to set, we headed to The Capital Grille. I was excited to go here for a few reasons, 1) it had been years since we'd eaten there; 2) it's known for being one of the best places to get a nice dinner, especially steak; and 3) two words: Stoli Doli.
Like probably a lot of you, you think to only visit The Capital Grille for special occasions (like an anniversary or to celebrate a job promotion), but I was encouraged to go for a more casual reason (like no real reason at all) and enjoy the bar area. I even had to tell Greg that he could wear jeans, his first outfit included dress pants, and he didn't believe me at first that he could really wear jeans (which he'd rather do anyway).
Jeans were totally ok, by the way (there were even some restaurant goers in Royals' t-shirts, go KC!).
Oh my gosh... the food. the service. the ambiance. A++++++
At first I wondered if we'd get to really connect while sitting up at the bar (there are also tables you could sit at in the bar area instead), but it was so fun. I really love to people watch, so loved seeing how the bartenders made drinks and the cool tools they used back there. Between all the action behind the bar, Greg and I were really able to hang out and talk, too. Another fun aspect, they have iPads to help guide your drink choice based on what you're in the mood for, typically prefer, and what you're eating!
It's nice to know you don't have to have some super special reason or a reservation made to eat at the The Capital Grille. The bar area gets all the same menu items + a special bar menu with reduced rate options. We went all out with a four-course meal.
Starting off with an appetizer of prosciutto wrapped mozzarella with vine ripped tomatoes. They actually hand pull their own mozzarella from buffalo curds every 2 hours in house, which tastes crazy-good. Then we headed into salads (I got the wedge salad - my favorite ever), and then our main meal (which I had to take half home because at this point I was stuffed), which I had fish and Greg had steak. We finished the evening with a bit of dessert, which ended the night for us, stuffed full. Not usually eating like this, it was a really fun experience to taste all these great dishes that you can't just get anywhere!
And finally... post-dinner, if you aren't ready to crawl into bed to sleep off all the amazing food and drinks you just consumed, you can hop catty-corner from The Capital Grille over to the Cinemark Theatre to catch a flick.
And to help get you out and about with your loved one, we have a GIVEAWAY for TWO readers. Each winner will get a $50 gift card for The Capital Grille in Kansas City to test out the service, taste the food, and wear jeans for yourself. It's the perfect date for any night! Enter via the below Rafflecopter:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
You can read about our other Plaza adventures right here!
The Latest & Greatest BIG News:
Beauty Brands has a whole new look!
Take your man to Barnes & Noble to meet KC Royals' General Manager Dayton Moore for his new book signing tomorrow (on June 10th) at 7pm!
Kendra Scott is opening a store front on the Plaza, coming in August!
Warby Parker, a prescription fashion eyewear company is coming this August.
Dragon Boat Festival will
be held on Saturday June 13 at Brush
Creek, from 8am - 4pm, with the
Dragon Boat racing taking part from
approximately 10am - 2pm.
Take advantage of free yoga classes every Sunday this month at lululemon at 11am (get there early to grab a spot).
For more happenings going on at The Plaza this month, check out their June enewsletter and follow Country Club Plaza on Facebook for all the latest.
This post is in partnership with the Country Club Plaza, but all opinions and topics discussed are my own!
