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…

Local Pizza + Local Art!

What: Columbus College of Art & Design gallery space + delicious pizza joint
Where: (CCAD)Downtown – corner of Cleveland Ave & Gay St / (YBP)Olde Town East – 892 Oak Street
When: CCAD- Tues-Fri 10a-7p, Sa-Su 12-5p / YBP-Mon-Thur 11a-11p, Sa-Su 11a-12a
website - Yellow Brick + Canzani Center

Our own (cold!) photo shoot around CCAD

Top reasons why this $20Date is awesome:

• CCAD has such a neat campus area, with many different outdoor art pieces {& many different photo shoot locations:)}
• The Canzani Center always has an art exhibit that’s FREE. We went while they were installing the latest (that is now open for the public) exhibit-WALL. (we peeked in, it looks really sweet)
• The large gallery space also includes a smaller gallery space, The Room, which is what Rob &  I were able to spend some time in
• Yellow Brick Pizza has a laid-back, cozy atmosphere with DELICIOUS pizza with fresh ingredients (oh, and also friendly staff, cool beer selection, ample off-street parking, etc;))
• Happy Hour is M-F 4-7p & includes 1/2 off all drafts
• Twin Peaks Tuesday extends Happy Hour until 8p. Also episodes of Twin Peaks playing throughout your dining experience:)

Total = Free entry to Canzani + $10 10″ Big O Pizza + $2.25 + $2.75 (happy hour drafts) + tax/tip = $20!

Happy Dating,

Jess

This week’s cheap & creative date is…

Pizza + Picnic!

What: Wintery indoor living room picnic – romantic date without leaving the house!
Where: Your home!
When: Whenever you want!
website - n/a

The ingredients to make a successful indoor picnic:

• At the grocery store, buy the ingredients for homemade pizza dough (see below) + a bottle of wine
• Cook pizzas together – a couple that cooks together, works together! {Rob’s personal favorite quote}
• Move any coffee tables out of the living room & lay a picnic blanket on the floor
• Gather all candles from around the house and light them around the picnic area
• Put on Frank Sinatra Pandora radio station (mood music per your discretion:))
• Turn off lights and let the candles illuminate your romantic indoor picnic!
• After wine & pizzas, you can also play cards by candlelight & continue to enjoy each others company at your indoor pic-a-nic!

Rob’s recipe for homemade pizza dough:
{3 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp sugar, 1 pkt active dry yeast, 2 tsp kosher salt, 1 1/2 cups water (110 degrees), 2 tbsp olive oil}

1. Combine flour, sugar, yeast, salt in bowl. While mixer is running, add water and oil. Beat until ball forms.
2. Remove from bowl. Knead lightly into ball.
3. Oil inside of clean bowl. Place ball inside and cover. Let sit for 1 hour.
4. When breaking dough into pieces to knead flat, keep the remaining dough covered in bowl with a moist towel.
5. Add toppings, like mozzarella & ricotta cheese, pepperoni, onions, peppers, mushroom, sauce, tomatoes – go crazy!
6. Bake individual pizzas at 425 degrees for approx. 12 minutes

Total: Pizza ingredients + wine = $20!

Happy Indoor Picnic Dating,

PocketBook Jess

This week’s cheap & creative date is…

Local Beer + Local Art!

What: Local brewery/restaurant & local art gallery/learning center
Where: Downtown – EB 161 N. High Street; CAC 139 W. Main Street
When: Elevator Happy Hour – Monday – Friday 3p-7p; Cultural Art Center – Monday-Thursday 7p-10p (earlier hours as well)
website - Elevator & Cultural Arts Center

Top reasons why this $20Date is awesome:

• The Elevator is one of our most favorite restaurants in all of Columbus. It wasn’t until recently that we were able to try their Happy Hour! (which is amazing!)
• Happy Hour = $3 drafts, $5 appetizers
• You can sample their draughts before committing. All of their Columbus-made brews are delicious, but my favorite is the Nut Brown Ale & Rob’s favorite is the Dark House – yum!
• After enjoying a great Happy Hour in a really neat (and historic) restaurant, we drove through Downtown to the Columbus Recreation and Parks Cultural Arts Center, also a historic building (formerly the Ohio Arsenal!)
• Free entry, this building carries charm and character.
• Galleries on the 1st and 3rd floor, all local artists and artisans.
• You can easily observe any of the classes going on, and there are many! We spoke to two different instructors – Rob wants to now take a sculpting class and I want to take a weaving class

Total: $5 Elevator Pizza + $5 Corn Brats Appetizer + $3 Draft + $3 Draft + tax/tip + free entry to CAC= $20!

Happy Dating,

PocketBook Jess