Winter in Rochester has officially begun. And those of us who enjoy being outside can find it challenging to determine what to do on a date night in Rochester when the weather is cold, snowy, and windy. The Neighborhood of the Arts in Rochester is a great place to find something to do on a Saturday night in the winter.
Shane and I haven’t been on a proper date night, just the two of us, since we came back from Bulgaria, probably because we’re saddened by the prices of going out here in the US (Bulgaria was so cheap!) and the fact that we needed to save up again after the big trip (plane tickets were not so cheap). So, this date night in Rochester was much needed and may give you some inspiration!
Scents by Design
The evening started at Scents by Design. A candle-making bar on University Avenue that lets you make your own hand-poured candles and premium home fragrances with plenty of scents to choose from. We’ve been here a few times throughout the years, and it’s always a hit when people visit to take them to make a candle. It’s more fun than you think, regardless of age or gender.
Walking in, you start in front of the fragrance wall filled with hundreds of scents in alphabetical order. You get a clipboard so you can jot down what scents you enjoy, and then you walk over to the next section, where you get to pick your vessel. This could be a jar (for a candle), wax melts, hand lotion, body soap, room spray, etc. Shane chose a jar with a wooden wick, and I decided on wax melts. We made our way to the candle-making bar and ordered ourselves a drink. (Yes, they serve alcohol!)
Our scent-making specialist behind the bar looked at the scents we jotted down and which were our favorites. She showed us what scents would go best together and gave us some ideas for pairing based on what we were looking for. I chose baked bread, pistachio, and brown sugar. Shane chose alpine lodge, aspen woods, and bourbon. Obviously, we wanted a winter theme. Once we decided on our scents, she gave us the essential oils, and we got mixing. We pick ratios to make the candle exactly how we want it to smell. Maybe a little more baked bread here, perhaps more brown sugar at the end…the combination is yours. Once our oils are poured, we get to pour them into the wax and get mixing! Once mixed, the candles take about 2 hours to set, so off we went to dinner!
Carnegie Cellars
Last summer a friend and I sat on the patio of Carngie Cellars and enjoyed their wine flights. I loved the service and the atmosphere, so when Shane asked where I wanted to eat, I told him I wanted to try their food and return for the flights. We made our reservation easily online and showed up early after making candles. They sat us immediately, and the owner greeted us, which was a nice touch. I always enjoy it when an owner enjoys his job so much that he wants to meet every customer who walks through the doors. I ordered the Winter wine flight, which included three bubbly wines from Spain, France, and Italy.
Shane asked for a bourbon barrel wine as he loves anything bourbon barrel-aged. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any, but the owner said he had some bourbon barrel beer that was a limited release from Rohrbachs in the back. So, of course, we had to try it.
Their food was delicious – so good that I forgot to take photos. Each dish is meant to be shared, but we ate a traditional dinner and took home leftovers. For starters, we ordered the pork belly bulgogi. OMG! The pickled veggies on the side made the dish. It was cucumbers, onions and cabbage I believe, sort of like a traditional kimchi but without the intense spice. I don’t like super spicy things, so kimchi is never my go-to, but their take on the dish was something I’d go back for again and again.
Shane had their flank steak special smothered with forest mushrooms for dinner, and I had the chicken cutlets served with ranch and a side salad. To end our night, we had a cookie with sea salt, caramel, and ice cream served in a cast iron skillet. YUM!
Scents by Design is always a fun experience that is different every time. It’s a great date night in Rochester, no matter the time of year. Carnegie Cellars is a perfect place for a date night in Rochester to escape the cold and enjoy wine and fantastic food cooked by award-winning chefs. (If they haven’t been awarded, yet they should be). Needless to say, we’ll be returning soon.