Greenville Date Night: Embracing stereotypes is OK with a city sunset and night at the ballet

Welcome to Date Night, your weekly inspiration and themed itinerary pairing a local cultural activity or event with a corresponding dining experience. Want to win at going out? Impress your significant other with your newfound, niche planning skills? Or simply answer the weekly “what are we doing tonight?” I got you.

Now and again, a classic, expected kind of night out is a good idea. Think of the standard date nights like dinner and a movie, going to a Broadway show, a classic steakhouse dinner. They’re similarly viable the way stereotypes are —they exist for a reason, not that they’re always correct or the right move.

This week’s Date Night is going to hit at least two classic, stereotypical date nights, but possibly in an unexpected way. Because, after all, this column exists to help you figure out a romantic plan you wouldn’t necessarily pull together yourself.

Before we get to the details, you might need to steel yourself against knee-jerk reactions.

On the topic of stereotypes, there’s a big one about certain kinds of sports-loving people not liking certain kinds of artistic stage entertainment. I won’t name names or point fingers, but if you think the song is about you, it might be.

But since we’ve all just now agreed to ignore our preconceived notions and welcome previously avoided experiences into our lives, it’s time to reveal our benevolent plan:

We’re going to the ballet, and we’re watching the sun set from a rooftop before.

Date Night Theme: Embracing Stereotypes

To do:

Carolina Ballet Theatre Nightmare at the Museum

Peace Center, Gunter Theatre

Oct. 26, 7 p.m.

Tickets: $45, available here

A performance I look forward to every year is Carolina Ballet Theatre’s annual spooky season production that is an easy like, or even love, for those who might not be into ballet. Full disclosure, I do and have always loved ballet, but I am empathetic to those who may not feel similarly, which is a major reason I can recommend Nightmare at the Museum.