 |
| [Source] |
And, if you're wanting something a little less theater, but still embodies all the fun of downtown during the holiday season, be sure to hit up Winterfest at Seattle Center (for ice skating, carousel rides, and more!), or the Carousel and Santa at Westlake Center. 
A $19 fee includes SPLURGE VS. STEAL!
Although Brett and i are faaaar, far away in Australia right now, that doesn’t mean that our readers should go without this weekend’s date ideas. I know, we’re THAT considerate! :) There are just too few weekends during the holiday season to skip even ONE, and so much going on around this town… On that note, from sunny 90-degree Sydney (actually, i blogged this from Seattle and post-dated it, but we’ll pretend i’m blogging on the beach in my bikini right now!) i bring you this week’s version of SPLURGE vs. STEAL!
SPLURGE!
Now, for those of you who were able to hit up last weekend’s Seattle Christmas Tree lighting and were left hungry for more (or those of you who missed it and are desperate to see a lighting of your own!), why not spend a romantic weekend away in Leavenworth, Washington, and enjoy their tree lighting ceremony and festivities this weekend?? It’s the PERFECT little town to spend a cozy, quaint, and quiet weekend in!
Sounds like a magical weekend get-a-way to me! Be sure to stay at the Icicle Inn, directly across from all the action, where you can get a room with a fireplace AND a whirlpool tub for maximum romance!
If you’re a skier, you are mere minutes from both Stevens Pass and Mission Ridge, so bring your gear for a day of fun in the snow!
And if this weekend doesn’t work for you, Leavenworth has its Tree Lighting Ceremony every weekend leading up to Christmas Day! Click HERE for more information!
STEAL!
And if you’re not able to leave town on a whim this weekend, fear not! There is plenty to do in the city for next-to-nothing!
For example!
Why not meet your sweetie at the Seattle Space Needle for a walk through the Seattle Center. Hit up the Starbucks and grab a peppermint hot-cocoa to sip while checking out the Winter Train and Village, then head down to Fisher Pavilion for some Ice Skating and Carousel Riding!
Offering inside skating at its best, the Ice Rink accommodates all levels of expertise, from novice to Olympiad.
Skate fee: $5 for adults (cash only!).
November 27 - January 3
Sunday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Seattle Center, showered in thousands of twinkling lights, sets the scene for five weeks of affordable and fun-filled family activities, soulful festivities and so much more. You can also catch the monorail ($4 round trip) and head downtown for a show, a play, or some holiday drinks to keep the evening going!
Check out the amazing Seattle Holiday Guide here for plenty more holiday planning tips!
Happy holidays, and happy dating!
xo,
B&M
photo credits: Leavenworth, ice rink, space needle
SPLURGE VS. STEAL!
Well, it's Thursday. Which means I'm probably not the only one who is in desperate need of the Weekend. And a drink. Which happens to be the theme of this week's installment of Splurge vs. Steal!
SPLURGE!
Now, you all know that Brett and I love us some beer. But we also love wine! Really, we're alcoholics we don't discriminate when it comes to booze.
So, we thought we'd alert our fabulous fellow wine-o readers of this weekend's fabulous wine event, happening November 21st, 2009 at Fremont Studios : 
Seattle's hottest wine event returns this fall! Featuring more than 75 of the hottest Washington winemakers pouring their $30 and under favorites (2 pours from each), and the trendiest up-and-coming chefs from 15 restaurants serving delicious culinary treats. It's designed to be an unintimidating and fun night where winemakers mingle with the crowd. Plus, there's a DJ, which means: DANCING!!
Of course, the 35 and under “at heart” are welcome as well. ;)
Tickets on sale now! $50 Single, $90 Pair HOURS: 6 - 10p.m.
STEAL!
Love wine but the above event isn't quite your thing? Why not play the Wine Game with your special someone?
"What in the world is the Wine Game, Brett and Mandy??"
I'm glad you asked: Get together with your sweetie for a night in. Each of you provides one (or two, or three) bottles of wine (as cheap as $2.95 each at your friendly Trader Joe's!), but first, cover the label with paper so your honey can't see what type of wine it is.
Next, you open the first bottle and have a sip. Or a glass. Or several glasses.
Each of you has to write down FIVE DESCRIPTIVE WORDS that you think will show up on the label somewhere (no cheating in using words like 'wine' or 'alcohol content' -- think up creative words like 'fruity' or 'nutty' or 'earthy' or 'sexy' or 'flabberghastingly good' ... which is my favorite.) Write them down, then once you have both completed your lists, compare with the wine label and see who is closest!
With each round, you can think up a new 'punishment' for the loser, or 'reward' for the winner. Email us if you need suggestions.
Why not put in a good movie as background noise? Here is a list of the Top Ten Wine Movies of all time. And yes, Sideways is one of them!
(This couple has the right idea! not sure if Brett and I are good enough to guess the BRAND, but hey, we'll keep practicing!)
Cheers, and Happy Dating!
October 1, 2009:
Noodle Ranch and Shorty's
It categorically draws a different crowd compared to other Seattle burrows. Check out my Big Picture post for a definition on "wankers"!
I got to know it well when I first moved here on a night the lads and I invented called “Suicide Wednesday”. I highly recommend this for people new to the area. Basically it involved going out on the lash on Wednesday nights ultimately with one person "committing suicide" by not turning up to work the next day. Bloody ripper of a night! Anyways, we’d always kick off in this area.
For my meal, I enjoyed the lemongrass chicken ($9) and Mandy had the Vermicelli noodles with chicken ($9). Both fresh, flavorful and filling. Back that up with a couple of great beers on tap and you’ll enjoy a 5 star meal all round.
[Vermicelli Noodles/Lemongrass Chicken]
Lastly I want to give a shout out to my good mate Will who suggested this datenight. Ask for him at the Noodle Ranch and he’ll look after you.
Cheers, Brett
**Shorty's is cash only, so be sure to bring some! They have a change machine, too, so you can snag quarters to play all night long!
Stowell has rounded up a savvy group of chowder enthusiasts, and the competition promises to be stiff. With all the chowder options available, New England, Manhattan, Salmon, Corn, and anything else this talented crew dreams up, this is sure to be a delicious event!
It's that time of the week again: Thursday! Which means in TWO DAYS Brett and I will be up at Crystal Mountain for our first run of the season (and my maiden voyage to Crystal - I'm so nervous!)!
That is, however, if Brett snaps out of this whole 'being sick' thing... he woke up this morning feeling like a truck hit him. Which, let me tell you, is not the BEST feeling in the world. This means that tonight's Date Night will consist of me in one of these:
Feeding him some of this:
While i do this (so i, too, don't get sick!):
And nurse him back to health so we can do this:
With that said, i will pass on to you my jewels of wisdom for the fun things happening this weekend. Yes, it's this week's installment of Splurge vs. Steal!
While my ULTIMATE Splurge date idea for you is to purchase a $500 - $900 season's pass at one of the 11 AMAZING mountain ski areas we are lucky enough to have within a 5 hour driving range of this city... that is just TOO expensive for a Date Night. (Although, definitely stay tuned for some snow-related Date Night posts in the future!)
So instead, I thought I'd share with you This Saturday's Wine Dinner at Volunteer Park Café. Saturday at 7pm, for $95, come and enjoy a multi-course meal paired with wine from Efeste Winery.
And, if $95/per person is a bit too steep for you, but you still want to do something fun and cultural... For only $7 per person, you can go and check out the Puget Sound Symphony Orchestra while they play at Town Hall this Saturday at 7.30.
Start the evening off three blocks west at Purple Cafe and Wine Bar (1225 4th Avenue (206) 829-2280)) where you can order a couple of inexpensive nibblies from the 'taste bar' ($3-$6/each) and a flight of wine (only $6 for white, $7 for red)!
...Before heading out to eat dinner!
We started to talk about the Bodies exhibit and how we thought it was strange that all the bodies were all clearly of Chinese descent. This of COURSE made Brett want to research it instantly, so he whipped out Wikipedia on his iPhone.
Brett seriously couldn't shake the feeling. Until, of course our mussels arrived.
We left full and satisfied, and headed home after an interesting evening.
French Night is a date that Mandy invented way back when we first started dating.
Shopping List:
All of the above can be found easily at any supermarket. As for the movie, I suggest ducking down to any Blockbuster. Most will have an international section that’ll source you all movies French. We watched Mandy’s all time favourite Amelie. A classic and quirky film that most will enjoy once you get over reading the subtitles.
Now for the next part, I’m gunna have to ask mum to run off and grab a coffee, put on home and away. Girls take special, SPECIAL note here.
And as we just had Halloween, what’s one outfit that comes to mind when you hear French?? Of course a French Maid.
SPLURGE VS. STEAL!
Hello, dear readers! With Halloween behind us, and Thanksgiving just around the corner, November is officially here, and with it, the crazy windy weather. What better reason to find some fun things to do INDOORS this weekend!
With that theme in mind, here is this week's installment of Splurge vs. Steal!
SPLURGE!
When the Bodies exhibit came to Seattle a few years ago, I kicked myself for not attending (perhaps i was just waiting for someone special to share the romantic experience with!). As contravercial as it is, this exhibit, which features actual human specimens--allows people of all ages access to sights and knowledge normally reserved only for medical professionals.
Take the opportunity to peer inside yourself, to better understand how your elaborate and fascinating body works, and how you can become a more informed participant in your own health care.
Tickets are $19, and Bodies is open Sunday - Thursday : 10:00 am - 7:00 pm Friday - Saturday : 10:00 am - 10:00 pm (Last admission time is 1 hour before closing). 1501 5th Ave, Seattle (5th and Pike Street, downtown).
End the night with some cocktails at Suite 410 in Belltown, with plenty of stiff drinks and dark corners to set the scene for rehashing the evening's events... (if, that is, you still have an appetite, or the desire to abuse your liver!)
Suite 410: 410 Stewart St, (206) 624-9911
(thanks to @bmarr for the great Date Night idea!)
STEAL!
And now, for those of you who are less obsessed with death and the human body, and more obsessed with Art, why not head down to the Seattle Art Museum this Friday for REMIX?
Four Fridays a year, SAM Remix, a late-night event geared toward adults ages 18 and up, features Seattle's hottest DJs, films, performances, activities and My Favorite Things tours that together create a fun, engaging, social atmosphere.
This Friday's event features: * A talk by artist Heide Hinrichs at 8:30 pm* A temporary tattoo parlor featuring Michelangelo-inspired designs by artists Allison Manch and Ariana Page Russell* A reading by poet Melanie Noel in response to SAM Next: Heide Hinrichs* Mashups spun by Tigerbeat* Performances by Scratchmaster Joe and DJ Riz of KEXP in the Brotman Forum*Cellist Paul Rucker playing live in the galleries* Stilt dancer Janet Rayor in the Brotman Forum and so much more - all for only $10 bucks!
And, since it only happens four times a year, it's definitely worth checking out (if not just for the stilt dancers!!)
Grab a drink or a bite at Ethan Stowell's Union Restaurant beforehand (Happy Hour 5-7pm) to make a night out of it!
(Also deserving a mention, through the 15th of November, The Can Can presents Seattle's International Cabaret Festival! Click here for the schedule, with fun and colorful shows happening all througout downtown Seattle!)
Happy November, and Happy Dating!
xo,
B&M
About David and Christina:
David is project manager for a local software company by day but, is actually a rock star Bassist for a number of local area bands, such as www.TheAboutFaceBand.com,
Twitter: @Dave_Bassist
Christina is The Personal Garden Coach, a Horticultural Cheerleader, Designer, and Teacher. In her spare time, she is in the garden, at the nursery selling great plants or designing combo planters.
Twitter: @Arcadia1
Happy Thursday everybody! With Halloween this SATURDAY!, we have a bit of a theme for this weekend's Splurge vs. Steal!
That theme is... (drum roll please...)... HALLOWEEN! Let's get straight to it!
There are countless parties happening all over the city this Saturday. Ghosts, goblins, sexy witches and slutty babies alike will be on every street corner, heading out to celebrate one of our nation's most beloved holidays.
Still don't have any plans? Well, why not check out Argosy Cruise's ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PARTY WITH KZOK!!!
Saturday, October 31, 2009, 9pm-12pm Spirit of Seattle, Pier 55, Seattle Waterfront
Join Argosy Cruises and KZOK for this annual spooktacular event! Depart from Pier 55 on the Seattle Waterfront where You'll be able to rock out and dance with a live band!
Plus they'll have a costume contest with terrific prizes. Tickets are $30 plus tax. (21+ please!)
CLICK HERE TO BOOK NOW!
Boating not your thing but you still want to head down to the water? Why don't you hit up the Just Cauz Halloween Party happening at the Bell Harbor International Center on the Seattle waterfront this Halloween, with all ticket proceeds ($25/per) benefiting charity. This has always proven to be a fabulous event, so get dressed up in your finest, grab your honey, and make this a Halloween never to be forgotten!
Okay. So maybe hitting the town all dressed up isn't your cup of tea. Perhaps you'd much prefer a quiet and spooky night in with your sweetie!
That's perfect! Start the evening off by heading over to your local grocery store (or, if you have the whole day, head to a pumpkin patch!) and pick up a couple of carving pumpkins (don't forget the tea light candles, cider, and wine!!). Good-sized pumpkins typically run about $5/piece. Spend the next couple of hours elbow-deep in pumkin guts (don't forget to save and roast the seeds for a great movie-time snack!) seeing who can carve the best spooky face! (Brett and i try to carve ours to look like each other. I win every time!)
Once your pumpkins are carved and lit, it's time to cozy up in front of a spooky flick. There are so many to choose from, you could even have a marathon!
Getting hungry? Order a pizza from Pagliacci, Seattleite's top choice for delivery pizza! They're promising to assist all of you vampire slayers with free garlic on their whole pies on the 30th and 31st, to keep the spooks away. (You may want to think twice about the garlic, though -- it can keep more than just the spooks away!)
Be sure to switch the front porch light off, so you don't have any unexpected trick-or-treaters at any inopportune times! ;)
(One of Brett's and my first dates was carving pumpkins (he'd never done it before!) so this date idea is one of my favorites!)
Trick AND Treat, everybody!
xo
B&M
