NEW YORK CITY — Just because the weather is cooling off doesn't mean your love life has to.
We've rounded up plenty of date spots to help keep — or create — a romantic spark, long into those dark winter days.
Cartoons, Cocktails and Greek Food in Astoria
If you and your special someone want a classic cinema experience, head to Queens for an afternoon at the Museum of the Moving Image (admission is $12, or get in for free on Fridays, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.). Through Jan. 15, check out an exhibit dedicated to animator Chuck Jones, the quirky genius behind "Looney Tunes," along with other cartoon classics, like the TV adaptation of "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas." Animated shorts, interactive features and hundreds of sketches give a behind-scenes-look at Jones’ creative process.
After the museum, keep the spirit of movie-magic going just a block away at the Astor Room, which was once a watering hole for silver screen stars like Rudolph Valentino and the Marx Brothers. Sip some retro cocktails, and maybe catch some live jazz, before making your way to another classic Astoria experience: eating some delicious Greek food. Hop onto a nearby N/Q train for a quick trip to the end of the line, or take about a 20 minute stroll to Agnanti, where you'll sit right next to Astoria's waterfront park while enjoying your souvlaki or moussaka.
The Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., open Wednesday and Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Weekends 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Astor Room, 34-12 36th St., open Tuesday to Thursday, 5:00 p.m. to 11 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 5:00 p.m. to midnight and Sundays, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 pm, 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Agnanti, 19-06 Ditmars Blvd. 12 p.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week.
Take a Ferry Ride Over to a Historic Staten Island Town
With its lovely views and at an unbeatable price — free! — a trip on the Staten Island Ferry is a nice ride pretty much anytime of year. Another bonus: you and your date can openly enjoy an alcoholic beverage on the ferry while you soak in the scenery.
Once you get off the boat, hop on the S74 bus for a 30-minute ride to Historic Richmond Town. When you arrive, you’ll feel like you’ve traveled back in time. The colonial-era town recreates what life in New York was like 300 years ago. Check out some of the oldest homes in New York during one of the daily tours featuring historically-costumed museum workers. The town also includes the city’s longest running family farm. On weekends in October, Decker Farm, which can be reached by a free shuttle bus from the Richmond Town parking lot, is open for hayrides and pumpkin picking.
Afterwards, get some hot chocolate at the nearby Bennett Café, built in a landmarked 19th century home. If you want a bigger meal before you get back on the ferry, head to Enoteca Maria — a restaurant where nonnas, or Italian grandmothers run the kitchen.
Decker Farm is located at Historic Richmond Town at 441 Clarke Ave. To access the farm by public transit, take the Staten Island Ferry from Lower Manhattan and then the S74 bus to Richmond Road and St. Patrick's Place. There, a free shuttle runs every five minutes to and from the farm. The farm is open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 and covers the hay ride. Enoteca Maria, 27 Hyatt Street, open Wednesday to Sunday, 3 p.m. “until everyone goes home.”
Ride a Canoe And Get Immersed in Nature, in The Bronx
No need to head out of the city to take in the beauty of fall’s colorful foliage — just make your way to the Bronx. The New York Botanical Garden has more than 200 acres of sprawling gardens with all kinds of plants, flowers and trees to appeal to you and your love’s inner botanist. Through October, check out the “Haunted Pumpkin Garden,” featuring pumpkins in a variety of strange shapes and sizes, as well as “spooky” and intricate carvings. You can also take tours of the largest remaining tract of old-growth forest in the city, ride canoes down the Bronx River and partake in tree-climbing demonstrations.
For a bite or drink while at the Garden, head to either The Pine Tree Café or the Garden café for paninis, salads, snacks or a sweet treat. To end your date with a little more heat, head over to Estrellita Poblana for some authentic Mexican and killer margaritas.
The New York Botanic Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd is open, Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Pine Tree Café and Garden Café are open during the Botanic Garden’s open hours. Ticket prices vary, from $13 for grounds admission, which doesn’t include all the gardens, to $25, for an all-garden pass. Estrellita Poblana, 2231 Westchester Ave., open 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. daily.
Get Cheesy in Greenwich Village
If you want to impress the cheese lover in your life, head to Murray's cheese shop. The Greenwich Village staple, in business since the 1940s, has been the go-to spot for cheese connoisseurs for generations. Knowledgeable staff can answer all your stinky, crumbly, soft and hard cheese-related questions and give you samples of some less common varieties from across the globe. When you're just about all cheesed-out, head to Little Branch to wash down your dairy with some fancy cocktails, made by expert mixologists. Walk a couple more blocks to Hundred Acres, for some seasonal, southern comfort food, to end your day of eating and imbibing.
Murray's, 254 Bleecker St., is open Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Little Branch, 20 7th Ave. S, is open daily 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Hundred Acres, 38 MacDougal St., open for dinner 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
A Taste of Chocolate Making in Red Hook
For a perfect chocolate-lovers date, watch and learn how cocoa beans are turned into delicious chocolate bars at Raaka Chocolate’s 3,600-square-foot factory in Red Hook. For a $10 entry fee, the factory, which opened in September, runs 45-minute tours that include a taste of their yummy product. For a deeper chocolate experience, you can also take a two-hour chocolate-making class, which also includes a tour, for $50.
After you’ve satisfied your sweet-tooth, take a stroll for some more substantial fare at the Good Fork, a cozy, seasonal restaurant with a bit of a Korean twist to its food. For an after-dinner nightcap, head to nearby Fort Defiance and drink a few of their carefully crafted cocktails.
Raaka Chocolate, 64 Seabring St., is open for tours Tuesdays at 5 p.m., Thursdays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 12 p.m. Classes are every 2nd and 4th Saturday at 2 p.m. The Good Fork, 391 Van Brunt St., is open Tuesday to Saturday, 5:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. and Sundays, 5:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. Fort Defiance, 365 Van Brunt St., opens at 9 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends, and closes at midnight everyday except Tuesdays, when it closes at 3 p.m.
