Archive for the ‘Indoor Dates’ Category

  • Reader Suggestion: IKEA!!!

    Date: 2011.12.09 | Category: Cheap Date Suggestions By Others, Day Dates, Indoor Dates, Inexpensive dates, Ongoing, Richmond area | Response: 0

    As a Swede and a mega IKEA fanatic, I love this great date night idea from fellow blogger Peter of Peter’s Pig Out Food Reviews.  Peter wrote us to suggest that younger couples might enjoy going to IKEA as a cheap date idea.

    IKEA is a great fantasy place and it provides so many topics of conversations eg. which mock kitchen do you like; which bedroom display is the sexiest; should I spend 99 cents on this spatula shaped like a horse etc.

    AND, you can’t beat $1 hot dogs or ice cream for snacks or a yummy meal of meatballs and beer for cheap!  Now if we could just let them open the ball room to adults, it would be the ultimate outing for me!!

    Thanks Peter!!  We love this idea.

  • Reader Suggestion: Bingo for Life

    Date: 2011.07.04 | Category: Cheap Date Suggestions By Others, Comedy, Drink Dates, Indoor Dates, Inexpensive dates, Night Dates, Ongoing, Uncategorized, Vancouver area | Response: 0

    Today we got a FABULOUS idea for a date night from the lovely Miss Emily.  She wrote (I hope it is okay that I am plagiarizing you Miss Emily, but it is how I got through university)….

    I recently went on a double date to bingo at celebrities. It is run by a couple of drag queens every Wednesday night at 8:30. They recommend a $10 donation per player.. and highballs are on special. All the money goes to Vancouver Friends for Life Society which is a non-profit wellness centre in the west-end for people with terminally ill diseases… Anyways we all left there with our abs hurting from laughing so much.. the MC is hilarious.. Anyways I recommend checking it out if you would like to try something different.

    This totally sounds like my kind of night!  I am a big fan of both bingo, drag queens and supporting a great cause.  Thanks Emily!! 

    Check it out….here’s the link:

    Friends for Life Bingo Night

  • Say Wha?! and Sara Bynoe

    Date: 2011.05.17 | Category: Comedy, Drink Dates, Food and Drink Dates, Indoor Dates, Inexpensive dates, Night Dates, Ongoing, Vancouver area | Response: 0

    If you like smart comedy, literature and something different, we have a great cheap date idea for you.  It is not so much one event that you need to find but a comedienne/ producer in town by the name of Sara Bynoe.  Sara runs a few monthly events around town and they all make for great date nights.

    We recently attended Say Wha?! a monthly reading of BAD writings done by local comics at the Cottage Bistro on Main Street.  It is hilarious…and smart….and fun.  The show and the intimate setting of the bistro reminded me of something that you would expect to see in the underground clubs of New York or San Francisco, but it’s here!!!  WhooHoo!  As a date, it is a great chill night of drinking cold beers, eating snacks and watching really talented performers reading (and commenting on) some absolutely horrific writing.  (Note:  The next one is May 18th at 8pm)  So, put that BA in English Literature to use and go check it out!

    If you missed (or enjoyed) Say Wha?!, Sara runs another night as well called the Teen Angst Poetry Night where guests read excerpts from their teenage lives.  (You know…. we all have those teen love letters and diaries somewhere…pull them out and let’s hear them!). 

    And, if you need a cheap date idea for the girls, why not go to another fun Sara event, called Dance, Dance, Party, Party.  This is a girls only free form dance held every Thursday night at the Mount Pleasant Community Centre.  There is no teacher.  No judgement.  Just great tunes and a “You can do what you want Girlfriend because we will support you” attitude.  Drop in is only $7. 

    Here are some contact links for Sara so you can check out her work:

    Sara Bynoe Website

    Sara Bynoe’s Fun Based Art on Facebook

    Dance, Dance, Party, Party Website

  • Cheap Date Ideas for Valentine’s Day

    Date: 2011.02.06 | Category: Comedy, Food and Drink Dates, Indoor Dates, Inexpensive dates, Limited Run, Music Related Dates, Night Dates, Outdoor Dates, theatre, Uncategorized, Valentine's Day, Vancouver area | Response: 0

    Okay, love it or hate it, February 14th is fast approaching in the city of Vancouver.  Pete and I haven’t figured out our plans yet, but we have compiled this list of options so far.  Over the next couple of days, I’ll keep adding to the list.  If you have some good cheap date ideas for V-day, post a comment.  Let’s spread the love.

    Vancouver Date Night Looking for Cheap Dates for Valentine’s Day

    Idea #1: Sweet Heart Serenade at the Rio Theatre
    I love how this sounds.  “A unique Valentine’s night event for sweet hearts of all ages! Acoustic performances by Said The Whale and Jasper Sloan Yip, followed by a special screening of The Princess Bride.”  How fun is that?  I do like the Princess Bride.  A definite option.

    Rio Theatre Website for Info

    Idea #2:  Tenor Nights at Ciao Bella Restaurant and Piano Bar

    Le Bistro PromoIf you love opera, then mark these dates on your calendar Feb 12, 13, and 14 For only $59  (which includes dinner) Tony Caruso (vocals) and Glen Stevenson (piano) give you a show that is easily worth $200.  Tony’s voice is so pure that you will get shivers.  The two gig regularly at Ciao Bella so make it a plan to see them before fame knocks.

    Ciao Bella Restaurant

    Its sister restaurant Le Bistro de Paris is also having a 5 course dinner menu for $69.  Le Bistro de Paris

    Idea #3:  St. Valentine’s Day Massacre at the Vancouver TheatreSports League

    VTSL has it annual Massacre Tournament with cut throat improv competition by teams from Atlanta, Calgary, Orlando, Bellingham and Seattle.  It’s going to be bloody funny.  Shows Feb 11, 12, 13 and 14th.

    VTSL Massacre Info

    Idea #4:  Vancouver Aquarium Valentine’s Sleepover

    Okay, this one isn’t cheap but it sounds cool.  When else do you get a chance to sleep with the fishes…unless you are in trouble with the mob.  On Feb 12th.  Need to Register ahead, $121 ($110 members)

    Sleeping with Fishes at Vancouver Aquarium Info

    Idea #5:  Art of Loving teaches a Creative Kissing class on Feb 14th.

    It is always good to learn new skills.

    Art of Loving Kissing Class

    Idea #6:  Contact  Partner Yoga and Thai Massage

    Okay, this is super awesome.  Each 2 hour yoga workshop includes a half hour of Thai Massage (which couples do on each other) Only $40/couple.  They have date night classes happening regularly throughout town and classes on Feb 11 and 12.

    Contact Partner Yoga Site

    Contact Partner Yoga on Facebook

    Idea #7:  CIBC Lunarfest and snacking.

    We are big fans of just roaming around the city, eating street food and one cool idea is to wander CIBC Lunarfest (until Feb 13th).  Open daily between 4pm-11pm at the Vancouver Art Gallery Plaza

    Lunarfest Info

    Okay…that is the list so far….any more ideas?

  • Clova Theatre

    Date: 2011.01.30 | Category: Food and Drink Dates, Indoor Dates, Inexpensive dates, It's a Drive But Worth It, Night Dates, theatre | Response: 0

    We are thrilled to have our first guest post from our good friend Ken Hamer.  Ken was telling us about his great cheap date night find and we insisted he write it up!  He highly recommends a visit to the Clova Theatre and here’s why:

     I highly recommend the Clova Cinema in Cloverdale ( 5732 176th St, Surrey. ) It’s a bit of a drive from Vancouver, but worth every kilometre.

    Clova Theatre on CinemaTour.ca

    Tribute.ca Movie Listings for the Clova Theatre

    It’s an old-fashioned stand-alone single screen cinema, built in 1947. It looks like it, but it has been well kept, and is clean and comfortable. It lacks the art deco architecture of the Hollywood (on W Broadway) but more than makes up for it in a bunch o’ ways.

    First, most nights they have a double feature — 2 movies for less than the price of 1. Second is the admission price — adults are $5 on Tuesdays and 8$ the rest of the week. Better still, that’s only for the first person in the group; the remainder are all $1 less.

    Next is the concession. Not only are the prices less than you’d pay at a 7-11, they are less than you’d pay at Safeway. And they have a good selection beyond the usual stuff. Things like juice and bottled pop if that’s your preference, incuding Diet 7-Up. Recently they’ve added hot dogs.

    Best thing about the concessions though is that if you bring your own containers you get super discounts on both popcorn (real butter) and fountain drinks. The only rule is that the containers cannot be larger than the cinema’s own “large” sizes, but experience suggests the rule isn’t rigidly enforced.

    Second best thing is that if you are going for both movies, you can order a pizza before the first show to be delivered for intermission. Prices are about $6-$8 depending on the type of pizza, for an 8″ personal size pizza.

    Finally, the very best thing about the cinema — Doris the proprietor, and her little dog Cupcake. Most evenings, they introduce the shows, make announcements about what’s coming up and recycling your beverage containers, and so on. The introduction is always ended with a joke, just “dirty” enough to confuse the kids, embarrass the teenagers, and make the adults laugh.

    Tuesdays are the best night not just for the lower admission, but also because the larger crowd adds a real community feeling. Everyone is friendly.

    If you act now, while one of the projectors is out of service, you actually get 3 intermissions for the price of one. A 15 minute regular intermission between the movies, and a 5 minute mini-intermission about half way through each movie, while they change the reels on the single working projector. They are waiting on a part to arrive. Once it does, they’ll be back to the usual single intermission.

    Lots of parking in the lot behind the cinema, and there’s a short cut through to 176 St. If you can find a spot, you can park on 176 St, but the side streets only allow 2 hour parking, not long enough for the double feature. Worse, Surrey seems to consider it an easy money grab, and the 2 hour limit is brutally enforced, particularly during the hours movies are shown.

  • Anzabonanza Pub Quiz

    Date: 2011.01.27 | Category: Drink Dates, Indoor Dates, Inexpensive dates, Night Dates, Vancouver area | Response: 0

    Some times they have costume night at the Pub Quiz and dress up like cats.

    The last Friday of every month is your time to shine – especially if you know a lot of trivia or if got a degree in the arts and want to prove to your parents that their 30K in tuition was worth it.  Once a month, comedians Eric Fell and Shaun Stewart host an incredibly wacky test of your mental skills in an old school, no-holds-barred pub quiz .  The quiz is held in the basement of the Anza Club which is located at 3 West 8th Ave in Vancouver.  It is like every pub quiz you ever went to (or imagined) in university.  There is cheap beer, ridiculously hard questions and heated arguments over the correct answer.  The cost is $10 per team with a max of five players per team.  There are prizes, tons of laughs…and did I mention cheap beer? 

    The next one happens Friday January 28th.  The quiz starts at 8pm.  Get there early to register your team and to study the internet before you are asked to turn off your iPad.

    For more information and updates, go to their facebook group page:

    Anzabonanza Pub Quiz Facebook Group Page

  • Show Us Your Wits!

    Date: 2011.01.27 | Category: Comedy, Drink Dates, Food and Drink Dates, Indoor Dates, Inexpensive dates, Night Dates, theatre, Vancouver area | Response: 0

    We have been to improv.  We have been to burlesque.  So it seemed only fitting that when we got an invitation to an improv meets burlesque show, we would have to check it out.  Show Us Your Wits is a fabulously fun time.  The improv comedy company The Fictionals have crafted a really frisky show.    The troupe do some fast and funny (and slightly blue) improv to start and then do a longer form set in the second half.  How does burlesque fit in to the mix?  Well, there are burlesque stars as guests and they play along in the scenes too and do some of their own routines throughout the show as well.  Being on Commercial Drive, you can see that the show has developed a nice following – the audience is very supportive and enjoy playing along. 

    The show runs the last Tuesday of every month at the vegetarian eatery the Café deux Soleils on Commercial Drive (Yes, they have beer.  Yes, it is served in a mason jar).   The house was packed so go early to get a seat.  The doors open at 8pm and the show starts at 9pm.  The cost to see the show is only $5.

  • More Cheap Dates!

    Date: 2011.01.27 | Category: Comedy, Day Dates, Indoor Dates, Inexpensive dates, Music Related Dates, Night Dates, Ongoing, Outdoor Dates, theatre, Vancouver area | Response: 0

    We were super excited to open the arts section of the Vancouver Sun today to see a whole list of cheap date ideas!   The more cheap dates the better!  Some of these we have tried and some are on the To Try list. 

    In case you missed the article and want to add it to your cheap date repertoire, here is the link.  Enjoy!

    Click to view:  A week of cultural adventure on a shoestring.

  • Bowling at Varsity Ridge

    Date: 2011.01.20 | Category: Day Dates, Indoor Dates, Inexpensive dates, Night Dates, Ongoing, Uncategorized, Vancouver area | Response: 0

    bowling shoes

    The cool thing about doing this blog is that we are forced to try things we have never done before or have not done in a long time.  This past date night was no exception.  Pete suggested that we go bowling.  To be honest, I hadn’t bowled since Gym 7 when I picked bowling as my sport since it was the only one that didn’t involve running.   (I still managed to only get a C+.  Sports are really not my thing.)

    I didn’t know where one would go to bowl in modern times – thank goodness for the internet.  A quick search for bowling in Vancouver gave us a few options.  We chose the bowling alley at Varsity Ridge because it was close to home.  I often drive by the Ridge Theatre complex on 16th and Arbutus Street but didn’t realize there was a bowling alley there (it is actually on west 15th – look for the big white bowling pin). 

    bowling ballsWhen we entered the premises, it was like stepping back in time…in a really cool way.  Everything looked very vintage.  The ceilings were low, the carpet was dark blue with bowling pins on it and yes, there was wood panelling on the walls.  It was like bowling in your parents’ basement.  We rented our shoes (yes, they were disinfected and yes, I still brought an extra pair of socks) and were given lucky lane 13. 

    There are two sides to the bowling alley at the Varsity – the side with lucky lane 13 can be turned into a glow in the dark bowling alley at certain times.  The cost to bowl was very cheap – $5 per person per game.  Our shoe rental was $2.25.  We grabbed a beer as well (Varsity is licenced) but their food options are limited.  It would probably be a good idea to make a reservation for a date night because I am guessing it could geconsolet busy at peak times.

    I couldn’t really remember how to bowl but since everything is automated – the machines keep score for you and tell you when to throw the ball – it is really easy.  Essentially, you just throw the ball down the lane and hope 1) it hits some pins 2) it doesn’t fly out of the lane and hit something else.  

    The vibe was fun.  There was a great mix of people – from seniors, to hipsters to young families.  Everyone was cheering with lots of good natured banter.  Since it was Pete’s first time bowling, it is no surprise that my score was much higher than his – mine was 144 and his was 61. Not that I am keeping track.  Or rubbing it in his face.  Or taking a picture of it and posting it on a public blog.  But it is probably the only sporting event where very unathletic me could beat super athletic Pete.  Ha!  Yes. We will bowl again soon.  Loved it. 

    Click here for info on Varsity Ridge bowling 

    Click here for the rules of 5 pin bowling

  • The Improv Musical

    Date: 2011.01.10 | Category: Comedy, Drink Dates, Indoor Dates, Inexpensive dates, Music Related Dates, Night Dates, theatre, Vancouver area | Response: 2

    Okay….we feel a bit redundant about suggesting the Improv Musical as a date night simply because we already gave you the idea to see the

    Ellen Kennedy, Shaun Stewart and Alan Marriott shine in the Improv Musical

    Vancouver TheatreSports League in an earlier post.  But, the Improv Musical is such a different show within the VTSL schedule, we feel it deserves a post of its own. 

    The Improv Musical is well named – it is a completely improvised musical comedy.  Each show is based upon one suggestion that a cast member gets from the audience.  After that, everything is made up – the score, the songs, the characters and the story.  It is so mind blowing that they are improvising the whole thing but they are!  The ensemble cast rotates with each show but the talent within the group is fabulous.  Some of the songs will make you tingle; others are so catchy, they will stay in your brain on the ride home!

    So, if you like music, musicals, improv and fun times, this is a great show to see on a date night.  Currently, it plays at 7:30pm every Wednesday night at the Improv Centre.  Its running time is one hour and you can grab a drink at the VTSL bar either before or after the show.  Check the VTSL website for further details. 

    Click for more info about the Improv Musical

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