Wow, I hadn't realized it's been almost a week since my last post. Lots of things have actually been going on. I just skimmed this whole post, and it's a lot of rambling diary-type stuff, so you know, you don't have to read this one.
Okay, well, thanks for reading.
Wednesday
Wednesday was my sister's birthday, so I took her out for lunch. After that, my good friend Nat treated me to the AGO where we walked around and dreamed of having offices with a solarium-like design.
I found a new parking lot that I really like, despite it smelling like pee. It's the type where you put in your credit card and only pay for the time that you're there, rather than worrying about what time you might possibly leave, and then overpaying. If it's one of those lots where you have to predict the time you'll stay, I always overpay for parking, just because I worry about walking too far away and then not making it back in time to prevent a ticket.
So Wednesday night was the first time where I can say that traffic actually caused a good result. I looked up my route home (Google maps app) and saw that it would take me three times as long to get there with traffic. Booooooooooooo. So I called my friend Sasha for a Foodie Call for dinner and luckily, she didn't have plans because I hate eating by myself. I highly recommend the CN rolls at Sushi Time because I think avocado and salmon make the perfect sushi. I really dislike cucumbers. I've tried to get along with them, but we're still on the outs.
After dinner, I took Sasha home and got to my own home in record time. Hooray - that was a very smart choice on my part, and plus, hubby finished the cabbage rolls so there was no more of having to suffer through that.
Friday
I decided to take the train in so I could make my morning meeting at 9:30 a.m. Rather than sitting through traffic, I thought I'd be smart, and luckily, my best friend Cris had the day off, and we went for an Indian lunch buffet at Little India on Queen Street. I'd say it was good, but I still much prefer dinner at Kama on King across from Roy Thompson Hall. MuchMusic was setting up for the MuchMusic Video Awards and you could see the pandemonium of blocking off streets.
Saturday
Hubby and I had a wonderful SaturDATE, to which I'd been looking forward ALL WEEK. He made brunch for us, I packed snacks, then we took the train in. We realized that is the first time that we've ever taken the train together in four years. So we can honestly say that we were glad not to have driven in, since there are multiple streets blocked off with cement blocks and tall fences because of the G20. And that is why I'm playing hermit this week and getting lots of work done on www.TasteBudsTV.com Season 3. Check it out here. Traffic was TERRIBLE, all backed up, streets closed ... hubby said he honestly would have turned around and that would have been the end of the SaturDATE.
The first stop on SaturDATE was the Design Exchange, a centre dedicated to industrial and contemporary design. With $10 admission each, it was about a dollar a minute to see what was perhaps the tiniest exhibits I've ever seen where you had to pay for admission. ANYWAY ... we'll chalk it up to making a donation. But hubby enjoyed it because he likes industrial design, and we'll go see the next exhibit I'm sure.
Next stop on SaturDATE was St. Lawrence Market. Unfortunately, I had allotted about an hour and a half for the Design Exchange, so everything moved up. We bought some lovely Camembert, a hunk of turkey kolbasa and a baguette which, in addition to pear, made wonderful sandwiches for our picnic at Harbourfront. Full and happy, we walked along the lake to watch the boats and peruse the outdoor market. Hubby now knows about the once hourly trains because we missed two and thus killed two hours by walking around and around. But SaturDATE was great overall. The rain started just as we got back to the car, and neither of us were hungry until about 9 p.m. That happens when you have that much cheese. I'm kind of surprised that I didn't have nightmares, but I think mostly happens to me when I eat cheese JUST before going to bed. Weird. Dairy-induced nightmares ... well, I am partially lactose-intolerant.
Sunday
Sunday was spent doing lots of driving. I met up with some friends on the way to see my parents. Short and sweet visit. Also had a lovely time with my parents, sister and brother-in-law since my mom went all out and made ribs, lasagna, and Chinese noodle stir-fry for my sister. My salad was a big hit with my sister and mom wanting the leftovers. Spinach, blueberries, goat cheese, toasted almond slivers and blueberry balsamic vinegar. I ended up leaving late, and unfortunately, the highway was closed down to ONLY the left lane for a big chunk of my drive home. Boooooooooo. Hubby and I both hate it when there are lane closures but nobody's working. At least I saw people with hard hats and trucks. If there hadn't been any, I would have been ultra pissed.
Monday
Land of the Hermit. Yup. Hearing the neighbours' air conditioner every 30 minutes, hearing Motorcycle Man idling.
Showing posts with label cheap date. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cheap date. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
5 Cheap Date Ideas For Under $5
1. Movie/Gamer Night
Blockbuster can suck it.
The library can actually be a great resource for free entertainment. Borrow a selection of DVDs and make it a Movie Night! And as I have recently discovered, some libraries stock video games for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii. You can also try Gamer Night. Rock Band is one of those games that will go for hours.
I warn you that this is a you-can’t-plan-ahead type date. You might have to order the items online through the library catalogue and then wait to have them sent to your nearest library branch. You might also look like a real cheapskate and have to make up for it with booze.
If you live in a nice part of the United States, you might live close to a Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s is a moderately-priced gourmet food store that sells wine for $1.99 - $3.49 per bottle, depending on the region.
2. Go for a REALLY long walk.
Walk around the downtown core for an afternoon. In Toronto, you can hit Harbourfront, circle around to Chinatown, then UofT before calling it a day. Carry bottled beverages for the two of you, then buy your hot dog for $2.50 each.
If you’re close to one, long walks on the beach are romantic. They’re also free, will help tone butt muscles when walking in the sand, and set the mood for great conversation. When the silences are awkward, just stare at the water longingly, and say things like:
“Wow, it’s so blue …”
“Look at those surfers …”
“Is that a shark?”
If you’re really desperate for topics, it can be fun to play the “What Would You Rather Do?” game. I like to start off with the question: “Would you rather be sunburnt on your ass or the soles of your feet?” If you have the actual game, some of the cards might be fun to take along, rather than making them up yourself.
3. Homecooked brunch at home.
Advocates for cheap dating will highly recommend the homecooked meal to show off your culinary skills. I’m a big proponent of the brunch date. And here’s how to do it for under $5.
Bacon: $1.50 per package
Eggs: $2/dozen
Bread: $2/bag, even less.
Milk: $4/2 L
You’d really only use half the ingredients if it’s for the two of you, so I stand by my headline that you’d spend less than $5. If you don’t have the cooking skills, IKEA still has that $1 breakfast deal.
4. Game Show Night – a twist on the old “play a board game” suggestion
Different from Gamer Night, which requires a console, spend an evening with an online gaming site. My personal favourite is www.Shockwave.com where you can sign up for a free 10-day trial. Dive into two-player games like Family Feud, Wheel of Fortune, Battleship, Jeopardy ... the list goes on.
If you have the right cable, you can even hook up your computer to your TV screen and play with a huge monitor.
5. Make a sexy dessert
Chocolate-covered strawberries and bananas are surprisingly inexpensive to make.
If you get it at the right place and time, a decent number of strawberries can go on sale for $2.50/carton, about the size of a small brick. Bananas are only $0.67-$0.76/pound, and if you time it right, a pineapple can cost just $1-2.
Try a bulk food store for chocolate wafers or chips which can melt down fairly easily, otherwise, a package of chocolate chips can go on sale for as little as $2. The package is about the size of an external hard drive.
Here are some easy instructions:
a) Line a large plate or cookie sheet with either wax paper or foil
b) Prepare the fruit of choice (wash, hull, slice, etc.)
c) Melt down the chocolate (use a low setting in the microwave with short increments or a heat-safe container over another container of boiling water) (email me for more details or Google “how to melt chocolate”)
d) Cover fruit with chocolate.
e) Place chocolate-covered fruit on plate/cookie sheet with ample room in between.
f) Freeze.
Clean up at a leisurely pace to give the chocolate enough time to harden. Make small talk, pour some glasses of water, take a short walk (also free), then return to enjoy the fruits of your labour.
Perhaps next up: Cheap Date Ideas That Won’t Actually Last More Than a Half Hour (so will end up costing you more than $5 when you choose to do something better.)
Blockbuster can suck it.
The library can actually be a great resource for free entertainment. Borrow a selection of DVDs and make it a Movie Night! And as I have recently discovered, some libraries stock video games for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii. You can also try Gamer Night. Rock Band is one of those games that will go for hours.
I warn you that this is a you-can’t-plan-ahead type date. You might have to order the items online through the library catalogue and then wait to have them sent to your nearest library branch. You might also look like a real cheapskate and have to make up for it with booze.
If you live in a nice part of the United States, you might live close to a Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s is a moderately-priced gourmet food store that sells wine for $1.99 - $3.49 per bottle, depending on the region.
2. Go for a REALLY long walk.
Walk around the downtown core for an afternoon. In Toronto, you can hit Harbourfront, circle around to Chinatown, then UofT before calling it a day. Carry bottled beverages for the two of you, then buy your hot dog for $2.50 each.
If you’re close to one, long walks on the beach are romantic. They’re also free, will help tone butt muscles when walking in the sand, and set the mood for great conversation. When the silences are awkward, just stare at the water longingly, and say things like:
“Wow, it’s so blue …”
“Look at those surfers …”
“Is that a shark?”
If you’re really desperate for topics, it can be fun to play the “What Would You Rather Do?” game. I like to start off with the question: “Would you rather be sunburnt on your ass or the soles of your feet?” If you have the actual game, some of the cards might be fun to take along, rather than making them up yourself.
3. Homecooked brunch at home.
Advocates for cheap dating will highly recommend the homecooked meal to show off your culinary skills. I’m a big proponent of the brunch date. And here’s how to do it for under $5.
Bacon: $1.50 per package
Eggs: $2/dozen
Bread: $2/bag, even less.
Milk: $4/2 L
You’d really only use half the ingredients if it’s for the two of you, so I stand by my headline that you’d spend less than $5. If you don’t have the cooking skills, IKEA still has that $1 breakfast deal.
4. Game Show Night – a twist on the old “play a board game” suggestion
Different from Gamer Night, which requires a console, spend an evening with an online gaming site. My personal favourite is www.Shockwave.com where you can sign up for a free 10-day trial. Dive into two-player games like Family Feud, Wheel of Fortune, Battleship, Jeopardy ... the list goes on.
If you have the right cable, you can even hook up your computer to your TV screen and play with a huge monitor.
5. Make a sexy dessert
Chocolate-covered strawberries and bananas are surprisingly inexpensive to make.
If you get it at the right place and time, a decent number of strawberries can go on sale for $2.50/carton, about the size of a small brick. Bananas are only $0.67-$0.76/pound, and if you time it right, a pineapple can cost just $1-2.
Try a bulk food store for chocolate wafers or chips which can melt down fairly easily, otherwise, a package of chocolate chips can go on sale for as little as $2. The package is about the size of an external hard drive.
Here are some easy instructions:
a) Line a large plate or cookie sheet with either wax paper or foil
b) Prepare the fruit of choice (wash, hull, slice, etc.)
c) Melt down the chocolate (use a low setting in the microwave with short increments or a heat-safe container over another container of boiling water) (email me for more details or Google “how to melt chocolate”)
d) Cover fruit with chocolate.
e) Place chocolate-covered fruit on plate/cookie sheet with ample room in between.
f) Freeze.
Clean up at a leisurely pace to give the chocolate enough time to harden. Make small talk, pour some glasses of water, take a short walk (also free), then return to enjoy the fruits of your labour.
Perhaps next up: Cheap Date Ideas That Won’t Actually Last More Than a Half Hour (so will end up costing you more than $5 when you choose to do something better.)
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