Date nights definitely look a little different these days, but seeing as ‘staying in’ is the new ‘going out’ it’s time to get creative and figure out how to spice up date night in the comforts of our own homes. This could be a date night with your partner in crime or a virtual date with your BFFs.

Dinner…

I know dinner and a movie isn’t exactly a revolutionary concept for date night but I think self-isolation is teaching us to get back to basics. The positive side of this is the extra time to spend with those you love and why not support your fav local restaurants while you’re at it? Our new Friday night tradition is to order take out from our favourite local shops.  Usually on a non-social distancing Friday evening out, we can be found at local staples like the OV (Olde Village FreeHouse) or Lil BrewHops so we have been grabbing dinners to go from there these days.  We’ve also been dying to spend an evening at the newest restaurant downtown – The George - so we are definitely going to have to try ordering it in for a preview.  Ordering in might not be the same as meeting up with friends at a local pub but it’s a nice treat and a small way we are trying to pay it forward and show our local restaurants a little love.   I think most of us know this already – but just in case – the liquor laws have now been adapted so that you can order alcoholic beverages with your dinner – now that’s the ‘spirit’.

If you are can’t wait to host a dinner party – maybe try a virtual dinner party instead. Virtually gather some friends to order dinner from the same place and connect virtually. It’s the next best thing to going out and no one is going to steal the last appetizer off your “sharing” plates!

And a Movie…or performance…

We are big fans of the local arts scene but again, we’ve been finding ways to enjoy it and support these artists from home.  If you love local productions like we do, check out the new show Wedding Planners every Friday night on CTV, created by Newmarket’s very own BrainPower Studios. This local production team and world-class media content makers almost always have movies to choose from on Netflix or Amazon Prime.

We’ve also been seeking out ‘live entertainment’ and kudos to Newmarket’s super talented Glenn Marais who has been sharing his musical talents with all of us on Facebook with frequent concerts from his home to yours! Different night, different genre of music – Reggae, Mowtown, pop favourites and movie theme songs are just a taste of the theme nights Glenn has hosted. On a side note, Glenn is one of our hometown Community Positivity Ambassadors and he is definitely spreading some sunshine and lifting spirits with these fun concerts.

Houseparty (the app – not a real one!!)

There are lots of ways you can stay social while still social distancing. Apps like Houseparty, Zoom, google hangouts, and many more allow you to connect with friends and family while keeping your physical distance. We pretty much do this every weekend and we actually see more of our friends now than we did pre-COVID. There is no need to get a babysitter when you are not leaving your house. You can share a drink and a laugh with friends and family. It’s the perfect way to take your mind off daily pandemic life.

Get ‘Crafty’ or ‘winey’

Some friends of ours have taken this opportunity to start craft beer or wine clubs. Seeing as we can’t go out for drinks, why not make the best of it? How it works is you all purchase the same craft beer or wine of choice and connect virtually for tastings. This is another great way to support local – Market Brewery delivers their tasty selection of craft beers right to your door. Not into beer or wine? Local roastery Indie Coffee and many local coffee shops are offering their beans for delivery –what’s better than sipping a Sunday coffee with friends on Zoom and trying out a new roast?

A few other date night ideas include a relaxing spa-inspired evening, creating your own paint night (I hear paint by number is making a comeback?), puzzles, board games, trivia night, or a virtual murder mystery party.

Cheers to staying social while social distancing. Happy date night!