Very Definitely Not Dinner & A Movie

Some highlights from an article over at iCiNG by Gala, called "Very Definitely Not Dinner & A Movie," featuring 50 offbeat date ideas. These are my favorites off the list:

The Case Of The Mystery Band
Grab a copy of your local newspaper or magazine, close your eyes, run your finger over the “live music” section & choose a band neither of you have ever heard of to go & see. It could be amazing; it could be completely hellish — you won’t know until you go! But even if it’s shocking, it’s definitely a bonding experience, & maybe even something to tell the children, eh?

Ye olde photobooth hunt
Trawl your city for old-school photobooths & take as many strips as you can. Take props, maybe a silly wig or two, & see how bizarre you can make them. P.S. Photobooth.net is your go-to source for major photobooth info!

A drive-in movie
I admit, this one seems ultra-cool to me just because I’ve never done it & I am in love with Danny Zucco from here until eternity. Just don’t try to take your ring off by wiping it through your greasy hair & hit your girlfriend in the boob. “Oh Sandy baby, some day, when hiiiiiiiigh school is done!”

“My old neighbourhood” date
Walk around the area you used to live, & tell your date about where you used to ride your bike, what happened on that one lawn, which house was best to hit up on hallowe’en & who the really creepy neighbours were.

The really long one-way walk
No rules except that you just have to walk for a really long time in one direction & not turn around. When you’re really exhausted or hit the ocean, it’s time to go back. Catch a taxi or a bus or something to ease the pain.

“First date” night
This one works best if it’s not your actual first date. Like, for example, you’ve been together for 3 years & live in the same house. Get dressed separately, meet somewhere strange & a bit awkward, & pretend you don’t know one another. Start from scratch. Ask all those banal questions you’re supposed to ask (“So, what do you do?”). Then at the end of the night, rejoice that you’re in a relationship & not dating any more!

The silent date
In a loud, noisy, overstimulating world, it can be nice to unplug & escape. But it can be nice to do that with your new favourite person, too. Hold hands & read books on a wharf & occasionally look adoringly at one another. Cool.

Check out the rest of the list:
http://galadarling.com/article/very-definitely-not-dinner-a-movie

Hot Hollywood Dates

See, even Hollywood is hip to the cheap summer date! Lauren Bradshaw at Glamour Magazine passes on suggestions from the male stars of the new CW series 91210, Melrose Place, and Vampire Diaries while on the red carpet Thursday night.

The interview results, in the words of Lauren:

1. The beach at night

Ryan Eggold—he plays sexy teacher, Ryan Matthews, on 90210—told me that the "at night" part was crucial. (Romantic!) What he'd do with his lady? "Eat, hangout. Cheese and wine is good; I'd even take some sushi. Some wine and waves...it's nice!"

2. A baseball game

Colin Egglesfield from the new Melrose Place insisted that it's pretty much the best. Why: "You're in the middle of the summertime, under the sun—and it's a great excuse to drink beer and eat hotdogs. Basically, it's a big, backyard beer party!" (Fyi, Colin plays a chef on the show, so he told me he also recently took up cooking. Seriously, watch out for this one this fall. He's hunky.)

3. A museum

I didn't think guys were all that into museums, but 90210's Dixon Wilson, a.k.a. Tristan Wilds, loves to hit them up. "I'm a very artsy kind of guy, so just go to a museum," he said. "It opens up your mind, you get to learn something—and it's a cheap date [on discount nights]!"

4. Whitewater rafting

"Nothing too crazy—you don't want her falling out and hitting a rock!" says Paul Wesley, star of the upcoming Vampire Diaries. (You're gonna love him if you're a Twilight fan.) "But whitewater rafting and then camping on the side of the river and making a fire. It's all about being in nature. Who wants to be in a resort?"

To put a face to these up-and-coming CW stars, check out the interview at Glamour!

Thanks, Lauren!