It’s no secret: I am NOT a rich man. I’ll get there one day, but as of right now, I am doing everything that I can to keep money in my pocket without turning to a life of crime. Or something immoral. I don’t want to do anything that I can’t let grandma find out about. She’s 76 years old. If she found out that her grandson was whipping out his soul pole onstage at ladies’ night, or starring in adult films, she might have a heart attack or something. For some reason, the blog and my crazy artwork do not bother her. I guess because she knows it keeps me from getting my Brutus Beefcake on at bachelorette parties and whatnot.
So since my wallet tends to betray me more than a soap-opera wife, I have to be creative about my dating strategies. Allow me to share a few cheap-to-free places and things to do that will help the local brokeasses and cheapskates among us maximize the rest of this summer.
Screen On The Green: Every Monday night at dusk, you can go to the National Mall and watch classic films on the lawn. Last night, they showed a Fred Astaire film called “The Bandwagon.” Some of the upcoming films include Steve McQueen’s “Bullitt” and the all time classic “Rocky.” All you need is a blanket or sheet to sit on, and you’re set. If you don’t want to buy crappy, overpriced vendor food, you can bring your own, and sneak alcohol out there if you’re feeling adventurous. Of course, if you do bring alcohol and you get in some sort of trouble with the park police, I didn’t tell you to do that. You’re on your own, buddy. If you say “Leon told me it was ok”, I will personally come to your trial and testify against you just because you’re stupid.
Adams Morgan While this is not the ideal place for a one-on-one date due the the extremely high amount of drunken idiots out in the summertime, it is a good place to save money. There are plenty of bars/pool halls like The Common Share and Kokopoolis, with very cheap drinks. Only thing is, the places with the cheapest drinks are usually somewhat grimy or ill-suited for romance. Either way, if you’re up for a laid-back evening of drinking and jokes, and your date is not stuck up, one of the el-cheapo bars may work for you. There are also other spots where you can go hear live music, like Madam’s Organ and Bukom(for reggae). These spots are relatively inexpensive as well. They get crowded quick, though.
Capitol City Brewing Company During their two happy hours(5-7PM and 10-close, if I remember correctly), the beer is cheap, and the appetizers are half-price. You can get full and drunk for less than $15. It gets no better than that, my friend.
Alero on U Street I have been told that their happy hour is the truth, and the food there is pretty cheap as well. I’ve been there for drinks a few times after happy hour, and they’re somewhat cheaper than most bars in the city. I will hopefully get a chance to check out a happy hour there sometime soon.
The Monuments at Night DC is rich in history and cultural resources. One of the best things about this city is that there are a bunch of monuments all over the place. Two stand out as nice little romantic places to take dates once the sun sets, both of which cost you absolutely nothing. These are the Lincoln Memorial and The Franklin Roosevelt Memorial. Look up the directions to each, especially the Roosevelt one. I got lost the last time I took someone there. Still, it was a nice time, and had there not been so many random people walking past, I might have gotten lucky on federal property.
The Old Faithful “Blockbuster Night” This technically doesn’t count as a date, but it’s the easiest route to getting some butt. If you can get away with having movie night, by all means, DO IT! You might end up getting some stank on your hands if you play your cards right. Plus, it’s about as cost-effective as possible.
Museums If you’re dating someone into art or culture, you can see most of the museums in the area for free/cheap. Only thing is, walking around that much is bound to make you all hungry. Your dining options can make or break things as far as the el-cheapo factor goes.
Street Festivals This time of year in DC, there is some free or cheap festival going on in the city just about every weekend. I think this weekend, it’s the Stone Soul Picnic. My sister called and told me that Sleepy Brown is one of the people performing. I wouldn’t be suprised if Chuck Brown wasn’t out there, too. He’s the unofficial mayor of DC and the Godfather of Go-Go, so he performs at a lot of the larger events like that in the city. For free, you can’t beat a live show. As long as it’s not too humid outside, you can make a nice, cheap day of it.
There you have it, folks. Eight cheap date ideas that should be good for the rest of the summer. Hopefully, this will prove helpful to those looking to hook up with now so that they’ll have someone to keep them warm in the wintertime. Either way, take advantage of what I just told you and save your dough this summer.
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Peep this in relation to the free festivals…http://amadeo.blogsome.com/2006/07/24/crowd-control/
Maaaaaaan, you’re a freaking life saver!!!! But yea, I’de rather use the term FRUGAL rather than CHEAP.
Aren’t “they” shooting/stabbing people on the mall now? I thought I heard that…You should add:
1. People-watching in Dupont Circle. This beats people-watching anywhere else in the world! This is only a good idea if you’ve been dating a while because you are liable to see any and everything out there!
2. Spring/fall/winter fests at any of the local colleges, but especially Georgetown. (More about that later.) Many of the festival events are held outdoors on the campus lawns and feature free music, food, and drink (incl. alcohol). This is why Georgetown is the best to crash; everyone, (including Professors and administrators) is usually too drunk to notice that they’ve never seen you before.
3. Dance clubs usually give flyers for free admission by a certain time. If you get there before the time on the flyer, the club will be relatively empty. You and your date can spend time talking and hanging out. Later, when the club fills up, you can get other people to buy you drinks. This might not make your date very happy…You might leave alone, but you will have had a great night.
Maaaaaaan, you’re a freaking life saver!!!! But yea, I’de rather use the term FRUGAL rather than CHEAP.
Maaaaaaan, you’re a freaking life saver!!!! But yea, I’de rather use the term FRUGAL rather than CHEAP.
@ Amadeo, that was definitely helpful.I should have been in Baltimore last weekend!
@ Hypmommy, they’ve increased the police presence on the Mall now. I saw a bunch of officers out there yesterday. Besides, if all else fails, just walk out near one of the groups of older folks. They’re less likely to rob you, and more likely to be the target of choice for DC criminals. While they’re getting robbed, you can run for your life :)
LOL @ people watching at Dupont Circle. That can be fun since you see so many outlandish sites, but you may see some shit that you REALLY don’t want to see. It’s a crap-shoot. I’m going to check out one of those fall festivals at Georgetown this year.
@ Young Buck!, frugal is a much better word.
everything but adam’s morgan.
still tramatized by my last outing there.
eveything else sounds fun, but living almost an hour away…… gas is expensive, ya know.
this would be usefull if i lived in d.c,or the united states
I went to happy hour at Alero on Monday. It was cool. If you’re into sweet drinks and rail drinks they have a variety for $3.95 and free chips and salsa. The chicken burritto was pretty good and my friend enjoyed the mussels. However the fried calamari sucks!
Also, one of my favorite spots is Tapatinis on Capitol Hill. Every Wednesday ladies drink wine from 5-8pm FOR FREE!!! All you can drink wine ladies!!! They also have half price martinis and all you cand drink on Fridays for $20. Guys: take your date there! Oh, and their tapas menu is really inexpensive, great tasting and great quality. The fried Calamari and rice wraps are the best! Enjoy!
i like a man that is resourceful.
what you don’t know…women love sitting out on a warm summer night listening to music or watching old movies… well some women…other prefer the bar with drunken idiots…lol
I’ve been to most of these. But not on initial dates. More like with a boyfriend and we’re just hanging out and decided we want to do something. But I don’t recall really planning to be on a date at any of these places.
BTW, I think the coast is clear and you can let our comments post immeidately. Ya think?
Leon, you are alright with me! Those “Ballin’ On A Budget” dates are usually the most fun.