This week’s cheap & creative date is…

Franklinton Fun!

What: A West side treasure – old warehouse turned art & community space
Where: Franklinton (just west of Downtown) – 400 W. Rich Street
When: Dinin’ Hall = M-Sa 11-2p / Farmer’s Market = 2nd & 4th Saturdays 11-2p
website - 400 W Rich St

Top reasons why this $20Date is awesome (like, really really awesome): 

• Food Trucks (Oh! Burgers & That Food Truck were there when we were) vary daily. Order from them outside, pay inside the warm & cozy cafeteria-style Dinin’ Hall.
• We bought from both trucks and split our lunches – both were DELICIOUS! I’m really becoming a huge fan of food trucks:)
• The positive feel of true community is very present.
• Positive “buzz” of local vendors, products, artists (& yummy smells of all the food/drink samples!)

• {Thunderkiss Coffee inspired me to cold-brew coffee & Franklinton Gardens inspired me to cook dinner that night with fresh produce}
• Live local music & performers
• Cool, cool, cool warehouse space/atmosphere
• I truly could go on & on but I’ll stop. Just go there. This Saturday 3/23. And then in two weeks:)

Total = Varies depending on what food truck(s) are there, but definitely under $20. We spent $15 & we were stuffed. Enough leftover to buy a local good, product or veggie!

Great Food. Great Space. Great Community. I couldn’t agree more.

Happy Dating,

PocketBook Jess

This week’s cheap & creative date is…

Tunes Trivia + Spicy Sauce!

What: Live music trivia + delicious 24/7 pizza establishment
Where: North Campus – Patrick J’s 2711 N. High St / Hounddog’s 2657 N. High St
When: Trivia is Wednesdays 7-9p / Happy Hour M-F 4-9p /
website - Patrick J’s + Hounddog’s

Top reasons why this $20Date is awesome:

• Hounddog’s holds a lot of dear memories for Rob & I – I spent quite a bit of time there throughout college & their pizza remains one of my top favorites. {make sure to get smokin’ joes crust & spicy sauce. Trust me.}
• Hounddog’s is connected to Ravari Room, which has an awesome Happy Hour – M-F 4-9p (late!)
• Happy Hour = $5 domestic pitchers, $1.50 domestic drafts, $1.50 wells AND a 12″ 1-topping pizza + a pitcher of domestic beer = $9.99!
• Patrick J’s & Hounddog’s are literally a hop, skip &  a jump away from each other – which means only parking once!
• Wednesdays = Music Trivia with Mark Dantzer (host of 107.9′s morning show!) We. had. a. blast! The crowd was fun & engaged, we didn’t suck as much as we thought we would with music trivia & Mark was an awesome host! He even shouted out $20Dates a few times and made our team name $20Dates;) Thanks Mark – we will definitely be back! [he also does Name That Tune @ Brazenhead in Grandview on Thursdays, 7-9p]
• Patrick J’s has $2 domestic drafts/bottles until 8p.
• If you want to go on this date again, there are more options! Hounddog’s has multiple pool tables, live music some nights and other events (karaoke, trivia, dance parties). Patrick J’s also has a great menu, live trivia & live music! Two great locally owned and operated places with multiple $20Date options! (we like giving you options )

We

Total = $9.99 for pizza/pitcher + $4 (for two beers) at Patrick J’s + tip at both = $20

Happy Dating,

Jess

This week’s cheap & creative date is…

Live Music + Tacos!

What: Great local music in a great local bar + delicious authentic tacos (out of a truck!)
Where: Victorian Village – 251 West 5th Avenue (Taco Truck right next door!)
When: Happy Hour M-F 5-8 ; Los Primos is open late
website - TheShrunkenHead.net & Taqueria Los Primos

Top reasons why this $20Date is awesome: 

• Shrunken Head has great things going on throughout the week!
• Mondays = Comedy Open Stage, starting at 9p
• Wednesdays = Open Acoustic Mic Night, starting at 8p
• Fridays = Honky Tonk Happy Hour, 6p {Music, raffles, prizes, cheap drinks! Hosted by Matt Monta}
• Los Primos is right next door! Enjoy live local music, a couple of beers and then grab some tacos!
• The food is definitely quality, delicious and CHEAP!
• Their Happy Hour is GREAT! Seriously. Go during Happy Hour–you will be happy!
• 5-6p: $.50 PBR & Yuengling drafts & well liquors <–this is a crazy awesome deal
  
• 6-8p: $2 domestic bottles & well shots
  $3 imports & microbrew bottles
  $2 PBR 16oz – $3 PBR Tall Boys – $4 PBR 32oz drafts
  $3 House Wines

I went on this $20Date with my best good friend Justine!

Total = $4.50 (for 3 tacos) + $12 (4 microbrews) + tip = $20!

Happy Dating,

PocketBook Jess

Freedom to Yelp!

What: Perfect opportunity for a $20Date – food, drinks & activites all from local businesses/organizations
Where: Gateway Film Center – 1550 N. High Street
When: Thursday, 11/15, 6:30p-9:30p
Cost: Free, but a $5 donation to the Waste Not Center is suggested
RSVP HERE!

“It’s that time again! Time to honor the fine Yelp community made of lovely folks like yourself and get down with the city’s finest foods, drinks, activities and entertainers! IT’S OUR BIGGEST PARTY YET! We the people of Yelp, in order to pay due homage to our city’s enjoyable edibles, do establish a process of nominating and electing Columbus’s most cherished comestibles. Be it a creative use of bacon or a new twist on ethnic fare, cast your ballots then join us for the Freedom to Yelp bash!” -www.yelp.com **VOTE at the above link!**

Happy Dating,

PocketBook Jess

So many great $20Date opportunities in the next couple of weeks! Thanks to my lovely fellow bloggers Tania (taniaexplorescolumbus.com) & Val (columbusonthecheap.com) I feel like I’m always in the loop with what’s happening in Columbus. {Have you subscribed to get their emails yet? You should!} So here’s what I found out from them that’s happening soon:

*Pecha Kucha – THIS Thursday @ Junctionview Studios. Remember our $20Date there back in February? Food Trucks + local music + $2 donation + local art = fun $20Date!

*Fête en Blanc – THIS Friday @ tbd location. $10/person. Wear white, bring a picnic & enjoy this French tradition right here in Columbus!

*Local Matters – Local Foods Week & Eat Local Challenge is next week! I’ll be participating in both & will be blogging about my fun local eating adventures—stay tuned for those posts, but in the mean time, check out their website for further details & events!

*Festival Latino – THIS Saturday & Sunday @ Genoa Park. Yummy food, live music & more!

*Food Fort Fest – NEXT Friday, 8/17. Part of Local Foods Week and hosted by the ECDI. Food trucks + a DJ + other events!

*Sangria Festival – NEXT Saturday, 8/18 @ Signature Wines, 6p-9p. Who doesn’t love a delicious glass of sangria!? $10 gets you sangria, live music & the opportunity to wine some raffle prizes! Also on site, a taco truck and yummy desserts.

*BaconCamp – 8/25 1p-3p @ The North Market. Hosted by Wild Goose Creative, this is a delicious $20Date and one my husband is very looking forward to! {not technically in the next week or so, but you have to buy tickets in advance because they sell out! $10/person}

*Independents’ Day – So. Much. Fun. Downtown & not until September 15, but you should definitely mark your calendars for this event!

*Don’t forget about my blog post featured on Columbus on the Cheap listing all the free concerts & outdoor movies! (Screen on the Green & Goodale Park Music Series is next weekend)

Happy Summer Dating!

PocketBook Jess