Dating in Northeast Ohio
By: Alencia Lang
One typical Sunday night, my boyfriend Thomas and our friends gathered under the guise of a group study session. It didn’t take long for our true intentions to take over, the T.V to be turned on and the conversation to flow. We all piled onto my roughly used sectional, and one of us suggested we watch the movie “Hitch” starring Will Smith and Kevin James. The 2005 romantic comedy tells the tale of Smith’s character, romance coach Alex Hitchens, helping James’s awkward but equally loveable character win over the woman of his dreams. As we all watched, we couldn’t help but marvel at all that dating used to be. Creativity turned strangers into friends. Intentionality turned friends into companions. A whimsical affair of discovering who someone is, while you open yourself up to all that could be.
We asked each other what has caused dating to lose its magic. Social media could be to blame, as it allows for an abundance of access to one another with only little effort and limits the urgency for physical contact. For couples like my boyfriend and I, dating often becomes an afterthought, another thing to squeeze into our already overwhelmingly full schedules. One explanation that my single friends could agree on is that in Kent, OH, there is simply nothing to do and nowhere to go.
In the days following, I wrestled with that conclusion. Of course, we don’t have endless options like the “Hitch” characters did in NYC, but surely there are places nearby for us romance deprived twentysomethings. I’ve decided to go on my own quest to find the best dating locations in Kent and its neighboring towns. Not only to prove to my friends that there is still hope for them as they embark on their own journeys of love, but also for my boyfriend and I to rediscover the butterflies we once felt in the early days.
The Fruit Stand
When we first began dating in the summer of 2019, we went to Yogurt Vi, a small frozen yogurt restaurant in downtown Kent. It was here that I learned he preferred fruity desserts over chocolatey ones, a passionate war that has continued to this day. The restaurant was unfortunately unable to survive the pandemic, but there’s another place to go for a sweet treat in Acorn Alley. The Fruit Stand opened in January 2021, and has become a favorite warm day destination ever since.
The interior, although about the same size as Yogurt Vi, is much brighter. A wall of wide windows look out onto the large outdoor seating area in Acorn Valley. One wall is decorated with a neon sign that says “Let’s Get Fruity.” After walking in, we were immediately greeted by the girls behind the counter. We each customized our acai bowls to our liking and he playfully rolled his eyes when I asked for my bowl to be topped with melted chocolate.
We couldn’t help but be reminded of our first date. I was full of nerves, and my eyes darted to the floor every time he looked across the table at me. Now, we sit comfortably and he pokes fun as my melted acai bowl drips from my face after I take a bite.
We sat, ate and did one of our favorite activities: people watching. Women came in holding the hands of their young children as they bounced their way to the counter. Other couples and laughing groups of friends strolled in. The place is so casual and youthful. A great place for us to be reminded of our beginning.
Franklin Mills Riveredge Park
Downtown Kent is graced by the rushing waters of the Cuyahoga River. Franklin Mills Riveredge Park features the historic Kent Dam, a trail, and an open grassy area for visitors. Thomas and I went to the park many times for picnics during the summer, but we’d never walked the trail alongside it. We decided to pick the day of the week with the best weather and give it a go. Since we’re still at that point of the year where Northeast Ohio temperatures are inconsistent, the best we could get was sixty degrees.
I am, admittedly, not the most outdoorsy gal, and I take no shame in complaining. However, I was willing to suck it up for adventure’s sake. I laced up my walking shoes and threw on my North Face jacket, preparing for the exercise.
I was adamant about getting the walking out of the way and with my hand in his, we embarked on an agreed upon, thirty minute trip down the trail. It was fairly quiet, despite the occasional families with young children and bikers signaling their way around us. Thomas is a lot more of a structured and disciplined individual than I. Thanks, United States Air Force. Thankfully though, he values my charming sarcastic wit, and didn’t mind my quips about how the wind kept piercing my face. He only pulled me in closer, letting go of my hand to wrap his arm tightly around my shoulder. My face nestled into the side of his body, warming it almost instantly.
He’s always been such a good problem solver, I thought.
When the thirty minutes were up, we weren’t quite ready to leave. Instead, we sat down on one of the benches and kept talking. We discussed our future together and our theories on how the “Grey’s Anatomy’’ series will eventually end. I’ve always loved how we could talk about nothing and everything, all at once. The location was free of distractions, allowing us to focus even harder on each other. Although I’ll always prefer indoor locations, I know I’d go anywhere if it meant spending quality time like that.
The KSU Museum
The KSU Museum is located inside of Rockwell Hall, the fashion building. Founded in 1982, the museum’s mission is to “advance the understanding of world cultures through collecting, preserving, interpreting and exhibiting fashion, textiles, and related arts to students, scholars and the general public.” Neither one of us are fashion students, so we weren’t immediately drawn to this place. But it’s close by and free for students, so we figured we might as well.
The first exhibit we saw titled “Fashion Timeline,” displayed different clothing styles over the past two centuries. The most Thomas knows about fashion is that his dress shoes should match his belt. However, the man’s mind is a bottomless pit of historical fun facts. So much so, he randomly quizzes me on American history and he is disappointed when I can’t tell him what year the Constitution was signed.
Each garment was accompanied by a description, but it was more fun to hear him tell the story of each piece. He beamed as we walked by each time period, and was especially excited to talk about the World War II era. His knowledge from being in the military, along with his remarkable memory helped bring the exhibit to life in a way I hadn’t imagined.
We continued walking through the halls, past the gift shop, and up a flight of stairs to the next exhibit. “Textures: The History and Art of Black Hair” as described on the museum’s website is “Long a fraught topic for African Americans and others in the diaspora, Black hair is here addressed by artists, barbers, and activists in both its historical perceptions and its ramifications for self and society today.”
Filled with oil paintings, drawing, artifacts and photographs, the exhibit was breathtaking. Having my own experiences of embracing my hair, it was refreshing to see the history laid out in this way. It was even more special to share the moment with Thomas, a man who’s always kept his hair cut low. For the first time, I think he was able to understand why my hair means so much to me.
As we explored further, we came across a display of hair tools. My turn to be the teacher, I explained to him how each one is used to style the kinks and coils of Black hair. He listened diligently, almost as if I’d quiz him on it someday.
This museum gave each of us the chance to share our passions with each other. It was truly unexpected, but the best memories usually start that way.
Sapphire Creek Winery & Gardens
Sapphire Creek Winery & Gardens, located in Chagrin Falls, is surrounded by acres upon acres of Northeast Ohio forest. The winery includes both indoor and outdoor spaces, used for dinners, events and social gatherings. They even host their own events, including Sunday brunches.
Thomas and I only get dressed up for dates on special occasions and that was the case for our last visit to Sapphire Creek. It was Valentine’s Day, and the winery was filled with other couples celebrating their love over mimosas and pancakes during their special brunch buffet. This time, we chose to get dressed up on an otherwise insignificant Thursday night.
The place was just as beautiful as I remembered when it was still covered by a blanket of February snow. Our table was placed right next to the wall of windows, looking out onto the patio. The sky was various shades of pink, yellow and purple as the sun began to set around us. It was still not yet warm enough to sit outside, but the patio was decorated with twinkling lights and plenty of tables. Again, there were many other couples around, all much older than us. We wondered what their lives were like. How long have they been together? Do they regularly go out on Thursday nights? We created stories in our head based on what we hope our love becomes one day.
We continued our conversation over dinner and promised we’d come back just to do it all again. But next time, when the weather is even warmer, we can sit under those twinkling lights on the patio.
The winery is about a 35 minute drive from campus and a bit pricier than we usually go, but the experience is worth every bit.
We thought that as two college students dating in Northeast Ohio, we were so limited in choices. What we came to discover was that there are options all around. Once we got out of what we knew, and committed to trying new things, we found each other in new ways. We proved that dating doesn’t require all the bells and whistles we see in movies. It just takes two people who are intentional about spending time together, wherever they are.
