Raise your hand if you’ve watched a movie from the 1930s, 40s or 50s and thought to yourself, gee, that would be a swell date night idea. Their dates always look like a lot of fun. I’m raising both hands right now. Fess up so did quite a few of those reading this.
I love everything about date night of that period. The chivalry, the way that everyone took the time to dress up in their finest and made a real effort to impress their lady or fella. Doors were opened, chairs pulled out, hands held, people took the time to enjoy their meal, the movie, the date, nothing was rushed… I could go on. There is a beautiful romance about these times and I want to recreate them.
There are many ways to make your date night a vintage date night. You’ve already dressed in your vintage glad rags, so why not go out on the town and jolly it up vintage style. It could be dinner and a movie, dinner and then drinks at a Speakeasy, I mean Tiki bar, a night of bowling or a romantic picnic in a park. There are many ways to turn your date into a dreamy vintage night out.
Living in Toronto, we are fortunate to have a plethora of vintage or vintage style diners, bowling alleys, dance events and drive-ins. If you are having a vintage style picnic or romantic dinner at home, don’t forget the music. There are many options for music as well as ways to play it. If you don’t have a stereo that plays vinyl, you can also stream vintage music online and with the right gadget, you could possibly even have it play through that vintage radio you have sitting on your mantle or beautiful corner table. I suggest Radio Vintage for this. http://www.radiovintage.net/
If your vintage date night is a movie night and your city has a Rep Theatre, check out their selection of classic movies. Get some popcorn and a soda pop and you are ready to snuggle up to your fella or flame. My personal favourite date night movie is The Creature From the Black Lagoon. I think it’s adorable when my fella jumps and squeezes my hand tight during the scary parts. What’s your favourite vintage date night classic movie? If a drive-in theatre is more your thing, pack a cooler with your favourite drinks and snacks or go to the concession stand when those wonderful kitschy retro ads play between movies.
If you are in the mood for a picnic, pack up that wicker picnic basket and fill it with a gingham tablecloth, a lovely packed meal and if your city allows it, maybe a nice bottle of wine. Bring along your portable radio so you can place some classic, swinging jazz.
If you live in Toronto and as I mentioned above, there is a grand selection of places you could go for your date. I have listed options for bowling alleys, drive-ins, rep theatres, speakeasies aka tiki bars or vintage diners below.
BOWLING:
All-Star Bowl – 2791 Eglinton Ave E Toronto, 416-261-5011
Bathurst Bowlerama – 2788 Bathurst St, Toronto 416-782-1841
Bowlerama – 5837 Yonge St North York, 416-222-4657
Brimley Bowl – 26441/2 Eglinton E Toronto, 416-261-4216, 2644 Eglinton Ave E, Scarborough
Brunzwick Zone – 2561 Stanfield Rd, Mississauga, 905-270-8634
Classic Bowl – 3055 Dundas St W, Mississauga, 905-607-2695
Danforth Bowl – 1554 Danforth Ave (downstairs) Toronto, On – 416.463.3000
Kennedy Bowl – White Shield Plaza, 2300 Lawrence Ave E, Scarborough, 416-759-6181
Lucky Strike Lanes – 1 Bass Pro Mills Drive, Vaughan Mills, 1-905-760-9931 (up-scale Mod)
Newtonbrook Bowlerama – 5837 Yonge St North York, 416-222-4657
North Park Bowl – 1359 Lawrence Ave W, North York, 416-240-9373
Parkway Bowl – Parkway Mall, 67 Ellesmere Rd, Scarborough, 416-447-1761
Playtime Bowl – 33 Samor Rd Toronto, 416-787-4533
Rexdale Bowlerama – 115 Rexdale Blvd, Etobicoke 416-743-8388
Shamrock Bowl – (1950s style, rentable space) 280 Coxwell Ave, Toronto 416-406-2695, info@shamrockbowl.ca
The Ballroom – 145 John St Toronto, 416-597-2695
Thorncliffe Bowlerama – East York Town Centre, 45 Overlea Blvd Toronto, 416-421-2211
West Bowlerama – 5429 Dundas St W, Etobicoke, 416-239-3536
Rep Movie Theatres :
Bloor Hot Docs Cinema (The Annex) – 506 Bloor St W, Toronto 416-637-3123
Carlton Cinema – 20 Carlton Street at Yonge, Toronto, 416 – 494-9371
Fox Theatre – 2236 Queen St E, Toronto, 416-691-7330 http://www.foxtheatre.ca
Revue Cinema – 400 Roncesvalles Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada M6R 2M9
Royal Cinema – 608 College Street, Toronto, 416-466-4400 http://www.theroyal.to
Restaurants
Vintage Toronto Diners — https://www.facebook.com/Vintage-Toronto-Diners-1384779678460763/?fref=ts
Aunties & Uncles — 74 Lippincott Street
The Ace — 231A Roncesvalles Avenue
Apache Burger — 5236 Dundas Street West
Bloor Jane Restaurant — 2434 Bloor Street West
Bus Terminal Diner — 1606 Danforth Avenue
Cardinal Rule — 5 Roncesvalles Avenue
MARS FOOD — 432 College Street
Skyline Restaurant — 1426 Queen Street West
The Lakeview Restaurant — 1132 Dundas Street West
The Senator Restaurant — 249 Victoria Street
Tikibars
Bill Hicks Bar – 946 Queen Street East
Bovine Sex Club – 542 Queen Street West
Miss Thing – 1279 Queen Street West
Shameful Tiki Room — 1378 Queen Street West
The Shore Leave -1175 Danforth Avenue
Drive-In Theatres (In or near Toronto):
5 Drive in Theatre — http://www.premiertheatres.ca/5drivein/theaterinfo
Stardust Drive-In http://www.thestarlite.ca/stardustfilms.php
The Docks — http://www.thedocks.com/movies/
Musicians (not a complete list, some of my favourites — this list will grow)
Killer Kitsch Designs 