M&M Adventures: The Nature of Light

Can you ever really go wrong with dinner at one of Oshkosh’s most unique dining spots and a limited time experience at one of Oshkosh’s most iconic and historical venues? 

Week night dates are a great break from routine. Since our early dating days, we’ve made it a point to make sure dates aren’t “weekend only.” Week nights out give us a chance to break up long and busy weeks, and just enjoy ourselves.

Dinner first - Parm edition!

Parm is one of the truly unique restaurants in Oshkosh. The entire menu is prepared in a wood-fire oven and to say that Chef Saray has mastered wood-fire pizza would be an understatement. We’ve been there a number of times - and you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu - but we highly recommend the baked goat cheese: warm goat cheese, Sunday sauce and pizza crust for dipping. Most nights we grab a few glasses of wine and each pick a pizza to share. To finish off dinner, their authentic gelato was the perfect way to end our dinner and begin the rest of our night.

The Nature of Light

After our fabulous dinner, we made our way over to The Nature of Light at the Paine Art Center and Gardens.

When you think of a date night, an art museum with botanical gardens might not rate high on the list. Oshkosh is lucky to have a gem like the Paine, and with changing exhibitions and experiences, world class art collection and spectacular gardens it is a great place for a date any time of the year. The Nature of Light is the current exhibition, back for a second time, and in our opinion even better than before. The event runs from now until October 26th, 2025, but don’t wait too long - many dates are already selling out.

You do need reservations and they are timed. If it’s available, go with the Ultimate Experience. This gives you the opportunity to go inside the historic mansion in addition to the sculptures outside throughout the property. One highlight is Poetry in Motion, an interactive sculpture in the Main gallery. The orange, pink, and yellow lights offer a warm “Seventies vibe” to showcase the large sculpture that you can touch!

Outside, the gardens offer you a guided walking path that weaves its way through the property. Every curve and corner has a new feature that just gets more immersive as night falls complete with performances by light dancers from Cirque du Cham. As you make your way through, check out the wine bar & beer garden where you can grab a beverage, a snack and sit for a few minutes.

There are so many great photo opportunities (turn off the flash) along the way, but try not to view the whole experience through a screen. The experience does get better after the sun goes down, so if you ask nicely, they may let you take a second trip through the outside exhibit.

Whether you are newly dating or have been together for a while and want to reconnect, there is something magical about nature & light & time spent experiencing this interactive experience together. We promise that everyone will find something to appreciate.
 

Learn More:

Parm | 1652 Oshkosh Ave, Oshkosh, WI 54902  | (920) 385-0381
Paine Art Center & Gardens | 1410 Algoma Blvd, Oshkosh, WI 54901 | (920) 235-6903