The work week can be pretty hectic and one of the best ways to slow down and reconnect with a loved one is to relax and plan a date night. A bit of shopping, a drink or two, a nice meal and a sweet ending can be just what the doctor ordered.
In a car-centric city such as Atlanta, it can be easy to forget that the city has an abundance of neighborhoods that can be explored by foot, and the Virginia Highland neighborhood has been attracting visitors since the early 1900s. The epicenter of the neighborhood, located at the corner of Virginia and Highland Avenues near Midtown, hosts a number of restaurants, bars, and shops perfect for a night on the town.
After parking your car, you won’t be needing it for the rest of the evening, take a stroll through the shops that line North Highland Avenue. Half Moon Outfitters offers a wide range of outdoor clothing and gear in an intimate environment and personal attention not found at your typical big box store. Stanton Home Furnishings, in its new location in the former Bella Cucina space, carries a selection of housewares, furniture and books. If you’re looking for gifts made by local artisans, boutiques Festivity and Urban Cottage have you covered.
Following your shopping excursion, step into La Tavola Trattoria on Virginia Avenue, a neighborhood Italian restaurant with a small dining room and just a couple of seats at the bar( less than 10 seats) . The kitchen is partially open so you're able to see in - especially from the bar area. It’s likely that you’ll be greeted at the bar by long time barkeep Alli Royce Soble who would be happy to guide you through the restaurant’s wine list or create a cocktail to start off your evening on the right foot. In addition to being a master mixologist, she’s also a talented photographer and has exhibited work in Atlanta’s galleries. She can also help guide you to an appetizer or two, perhaps selected choices from their house cured meats, bruschetta, grilled calamari or feel free to choose an appetizer portion of any of their pastas.
Just a few doors away, check out Genki Noodles & Sushi for the main event. You’ll certainly find hot sake on the menu, however I’d recommend the selection of premium sakes available that are served cold & are perfect for sharing on a date night. Try the Zipang, a fun sparkling sake from Japan, or the Rock Sake, a surprisingly refreshing sake from Oregon. Genki serves a variety of sashimi & sushi, noodle bowls and tuna dishes on their expansive menu. Start off with miso soup or salad, and then dive right into the Yokohama lobster, made with tempura fried Maine lobster tail with a tomato ginger sauce. Large enough to share, one of the best items on the menu is their chirashi don bowl. The dish includes an assortment of sashimi including tuna, salmon, yellowtail, red snapper, escolar, shrimp, squid, egg cake and octopus over a bed of sushi rice.
Finish off your Virginia Highland excursion with a nightcap at chocolate emporium Cacao Atlanta. Take your pick of coffee with beans by local roaster Batdorf & Bronson or try their own sipping chocolate in their gleaming white café or outside on the sidewalk patio. Owner Kristen Hard often makes trips to source the best chocolate used in her creations. A visit wouldn’t be complete without their acclaimed house made truffles.
For more date night ideas, explore other things to do in Atlanta
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Informed by an ever-growing body of developmental research, classes at The Music Class introduce tots to tunes and concepts that boost creativity and listening skills. In Music Pups (a $72 value) courses, children under 4 years of age gleefully sing, dance, and bang away on rudimentary instruments such as the drums or theremin. Four and 5-year-olds learn concepts of tone and rhythm in the Music Cats course (a $77 value), which lets kids experiment with keyboards before defending their dissertations on the narrative redundancies of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm." Each 45-minute course meets four times in one month-long segment, and includes CDs for parents to play at home to follow up on in-class tutelage. This Groupon may also be used toward The Music Class' ten-week music courses.
301 Johnson Ferry Road Northwest
Atlanta,
GA
US
Headquartered amid a 6-mile stretch of the Chattahoochee River, Urban Currents equips its guests with 46-inch inner tubes designed for leisurely drifts down the softly flowing stream, though that's not to say they have no sense of adventure. Throughout the week, Urban Currents offers SUP board river trips, rafting trips, and sit-on-top kayaking trips.
4922 Columns Drive Southeast
Marietta,
GA
US
The year was 1972—a time when the running boom was reaching a head in the United States, and Jeff Galloway was living his dream. The young runner held the American record for the 10 mile, participated in the Munich Olympics, and finally convinced his parents he wasn't being chased by invisible wolves.
But he realized that there was something missing from the running scene—a specialty running store. So he opened one himself, Phidippides, and it quickly grew into 35 franchise stores. Even with such success, Galloway is committed to personally helping runners and continues to oversee both locations in his hometown of Atlanta.
Named after the Greek messenger who ran the first marathon, Phidippides running stores help athletes achieve their own goals through great shoes. The staff first assesses a client's level of activity and physical needs, and takes into account important factors such as any previous injuries and performance goals.
Next, customers slip on a pair of diagnostic shoes so the professionals can analyze their natural run or walk and make the appropriate shoe recommendations. Finally, the client selects the shoe based on function, personal comfort, and how well it coordinates with their running partner's eyes.
After they take their shoes home, clients can meet up with Phidippides again during running events.
220 Sandy Springs Pl NE
Atlanta,
GA
US
Stop hiding under wide-brimmed hats and curtains of hair with today's Groupon to Kai the Medical Spa. For $40, you can indulge in a 60-minute facial that will have you pouting and posing for the next available camera, mirror, or hunter-gatherer. Face The Music (Season 01, Ep. 02): When John Woo High holds a battle of the bands, could it mean Agent Sean Archer’s big break? Not if Castor Troy can use his dad’s credit card to hire professional studio musicians! American Idol’s Adam Lambert guest stars.
227 Sandy Springs Pl
Atlanta,
GA
US
Classes at Dance It Off keep beginner and intermediate dancers moving to diverse beats. For instance, Zumba, cardio dance funk and musical theater Broadway dance pay homage to two American-born genres. The new cardio world class pulls dance moves from countries all over the globe to create its fusion routines. And in addition to dance, the studio also offers strictly fitness classes such as yoga flow, Piloxing, and barre fitness.
6780 Roswell Rd
Sandy Springs,
GA
US
The gym at Delgado Boxing sounds like a percussion section: the impact of gloves on heavy bags keep the pace, and the sounds of shifting feet and jump ropes slapping the floor blend to form a cadence of their own. Featured on CNN as a model small business, Delgado Boxing is the labor of love of pro boxer Paul Delgado, who oversees boxing lessons and boot-camp workouts for adults and kids, that use pugilistic techniques and exercises, keeping the intensity at the high level one would expect from a guy with 20 victories, four knockouts, and only six naps to his name. Though the gym offers premier-level training for those whose ultimate dream is to appear in Madison Square Garden in hooded bathrobes, it welcomes aspiring boxers and fitness seekers of all stripes.
6335-B Roswell Road Sandy
Springs,
GA
US
