Leisure

Wild at Art

The Gallery-and-a-Drink Date: Perfected

Three things we can all agree on: 1) Dates that include art have high success rates. 2) Dates that include cocktails have even higher success rates. 3) Dates that combine both are... borderline unstoppable. Herewith, five such dates. Use them wisely.

THROUGH OCTOBER 12

Whitespace + Folk Art

The Art: Creepy photography: someone cloaked in ghost-white fur; a solitary blue bird; antlers next to a burning candle.
The Après-Art: Folk Art for some gin, OJs and... happier art.
Risk: High. Animal skulls are always an edgy play.
Reward: That burning candle got your date thinking...

THROUGH OCTOBER 13

MODA + LPC

The Art: Recycled furniture made from Italian wine barrels.
The Après-Art: Walk over to LPC. Share a red from Piedmont. Joke that it could’ve been made in a barrel that’s now a swing.
Risk: Medium. Depends on your date’s take on rocking horses.
Reward: Also depends on your date’s take on rocking horses.

THROUGH NOVEMBER 2

Warhol + Antica Posta

The Art: Portraits of Andy Warhol, Willem Dafoe and Kathryn Bigelow.
The Après-Art: Claim a table at Antica Posta. Fervently discuss lighting techniques.
Risk: Medium. You lingered on Kathryn Bigelow.
Reward: Turns out, your date used to pose for pictures. And you... can work a camera.

THROUGH DECEMBER 8

Oglethorpe + Baci

The Art: Roughly 80 lithographs, etchings and aquatints by Picasso, Braque and Léger.
The Après-Art: Baci. It’s dimly lit. It’s got pasta. Gallery-ing makes you hungry.
Risk: None. Just brush up on what the heck aquatints are.
Reward: The gallery warns of “mature content”—and frankly, it’s not a good date without that.

THROUGH JANUARY 12

The High + Ecco

The Art: Scenes of early American life. Say, an 1856 oil painting of a hunter and a bear.
The Après-Art: Ecco’s close by. Order something stiff, then toast to electricity and the food chain.
Risk: Low. It’s history. History’s always safe.
Reward: Steer clear of modern politics and you’re golden.