Photo courtesy of Hipcooks
There’s no better time than now to schedule that grown-up evening you’ve been craving. Adult friendships are precious—and necessary—but too often neglected. Why not plan something special with your favorite mom friend (or crew)? Here are six San Diego outings for a fun moms’ night out.
Eclipse Build-A-Bar
Design dreamy chocolate treats at this ultra-satisfying workshop at Eclipse Chocolate Bar & Bistro in South Park. Guests create two large chocolate bars using creamy melted chocolate and Eclipse’s craveable collection of gourmet mix-ins. Choose from standbys like nuts and toffee, or go wild with ingredients like pink peppercorn, basil sugar, or lavender-infused sea salt. In-house chocolate experts are happy to suggest flavor combinations. Admission includes wine, beer or a café beverage. Have time for dinner? Stay a while in the swanky Umbral room to explore the full, chocolate-forward menu. This event is held twice monthly; reservations required.
Escape Rooms
For a night of extreme critical thinking and puzzle solving, attempt to beat the clock at one of San Diego’s many escape rooms. Each team is locked in a small, elaborately staged space with a mysterious set of clues (and maybe an actor or two). To win, participants must find a way out before time is up! Many escape room companies describe their rooms as more suspenseful than frightening—but scary ones are certainly available. Look around for exciting themes, but be careful when reading online reviews—nobody likes a spoiler! Check Groupon for deals.
Hipcooks Cooking Class
Cooking is more fun with friends! This North Park culinary classroom celebrates creativity in the kitchen and makes no time for tedious measurements. Come for the tasty recipes—and bone up on knife skills in the process. Each class has a tasty theme such as Thai, Tapas or Cocktail Party. Alcohol is served at most classes. To mark the culmination of each workshop, classmates sit together at a gorgeous, oversized dining table and enjoy the food they’ve prepared. Group class schedule is online; Private parties are available.
Karaoke Night
Wish your hidden talent wasn’t so secret? Dare your friends to grab a cocktail and join you for karaoke. San Diego offers plenty of options to suit any group. If a private room sounds fun, check out Hive on Convoy, where groups of 6-30 people can drink, eat and sing—without an audience of strangers. Or opt for a more public experience at a bar like Lamplighter in Hillcrest. There’s a karaoke night for just about every popular music genre—including Broadway and Disney hits. Not ready to take the stage? It’s perfectly acceptable to go for the people-watching!
AR Workshop
Create Pinterest-worthy home décor at this DIY studio. Expert staff provide the tools and know-how to help guests create plank signs, canvas pillows, wood trays and more. The workshop offers non-toxic stains and designer paint colors to help participants achieve the perfect look. All projects are customizable and on-trend. Attend a group class or schedule a private event. AR is BYOB and guests are free to bring snacks.
Splash Wine Lounge & Bistro
A little different from standard winery tasting, Splash offers an enormous selection of more than 70 wines from around the world. Elegant technology allows guests to self-serve using pre-paid cards. Push once for a single “splash” or keep pushing to fill a glass. Sampling a pricey wine is less daunting when you pay by the ounce. Dinner and appetizers are also available at this North Park favorite. Enjoy half-price wines on Tuesdays.
Need childcare? San Diego recreation centers and gyms offer Parents Night Out events where kids can be dropped off for fun activities while Mom spends time with friends. Funbelievable Play in Lakeside has "date night" on Fridays. Learn more at www.funbelievableplay.com.
Anne Malinoski is a contributing writer and mother of two boys. Her best friend is always willing to try new things. Thanks for being the coolest, Allyson!
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