Cheap (and fun!) Date Night Ideas

Being young, adventurous, and broke isn’t always easy, but with some creativity you can have a huge amount of fun on a small budget. In all honesty, I think most people need to get more creative when it comes to spending time with their significant other. Even if you do have hundreds of dollars to go out for dinner, why not take that money and put it aside for a rainy day? Don’t get me wrong, splurging every once in a while is great, but getting more creative with what you do on “date night” can make things more fun and help you save money.

Making a fun dinner together – One of my favorite date nights is when Noah and I get to stay in and make a fun dinner together. We love trying out different pasta dishes (plus, pasta is super cheap to make). Try some of our favorites such as dragon noodles, aglio et olio, or pasta al limone! Not only is this less expensive than going out, but you also get to spend quality time creating a meal together. Make things a bit fancier by setting the table with your favorite plates and light some candlesticks. You can even make things a little more interesting by trying to make your own pasta noodles! Or, you can stick with the old go-to: PIZZA
Have a movie night at home! – I strongly urge you to check out any services that your library provides. Noah and I love checking out a couple of movies for a late night movie. Plus, you can run to the dollar store and grab some candy bars and make your own popcorn! We’ve recently been using a streaming service provided by our library called Hoopla. I mostly use it for audiobooks BUT there are also tons of movie choices to choose from.
Have a baking night – this one is especially fun during the holidays but is a great date night activity any time of the year. Bake a cake or a fresh fruit pie! Last year, Noah and I spent a couple hours picking black raspberries and spent the evening making a delicious pie!
Go out for coffee – Noah and I go to our favorite coffee joint often! We can get a pot of our favorite tea for a couple of dollars and just enjoy each others company and the cozy atmosphere! Sometimes, we bring a deck of cards and play slap poker together.
Play a board game – Grab a board game you already have around the house and have a game night! Or, if you don’t have any board games head over to your local Goodwill and pick out some fun board games you might enjoy! I love bonding over a good board game. You could also do a quick google search and find some fun card games you can play with a traditional deck of cards. Noah got me this game of Washingtonopoly shortly after we started dating. We had gone to D.C. together the previous spring and he thought it would be a nice, sentimental gift. I lost track of it over the years and recently found it in the back of my car trunk. I’m saving it so we can pull it out for a special treat.

6. Find a local theatre that has affordable tickets– This is a tricky one but some theaters offer ticket deals. For example, in Cleveland Playhouse square offers smart tickets for $10 apiece. Noah and I have gone to see Hunchback of Notre Dame, The King and I, and The Phantom of the Opera for $10 apiece. Or, if you can’t find any deals for live theatre, check around and see if you have a “dollar theatre.” In Canton CINEMARK MOVIES 10 offers tickets for a couple dollars.

7.Go for a walk or bike ride in the park- Noah and I especially like taking walks in the fall. We are really lucky that Ohio has so many great bicycling trails. Our absolute favorite thing to do is start at Ernie’s Bike Shop and bike down to Canal Fulton to get ice cream at Oser’s. If you are an Ohio resident, you should definitely check out the different Ohio bikeways.

I’m a huge advocate of coming up with unique date nights! If you have any fun date night ideas that are easy on the wallet, please leave a comment below!

First Friday: Fire & Ice

To get the most out of First Friday, it is important to know what is going on. Since each month has a different theme, there are different events going on each month. Tomorrow just happens to be one my favorite First Friday themes! Fire and Ice! Come downtown and watch local artists take part in live ice carvings. Although it is great fun to see the finished products, I really enjoy coming earlier in the night and watching the carvings take place. Plus, you can have even more winter fun at The Hall of Fame City Ice Rink. For the last couple of years, Noah and I have made it an annual tradition to try our hand ( or should I say feet?) at ice skating. It never goes particularly well but it is a great opportunity for some family fun. It is $2/person if you bring your own skates and $4/person if you need to rent.

I’m also very excited about what is going down at the Canton Museum of Art. They are having a free “Fire & Glass” event from 4pm-8pm. A local artist from Flameworked Glass in East Canton is going to demonstrate how to blow glass. Afterwards, you can head down to The Palace Theatre and see a free viewing of “Frozen” at 7:30pm. This event is free but make sure that you pick up your tickets in advance at The Box Office.

If you are into art, you can check out The Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography and visit the “Hour by Hour” exhibit. The photographic works of Louis Clyde Stoumen focuses on time-square in the 1940s. The people down at The Saxton Gallery always do a fantastic job. If you don’t make it down there tomorrow, make some time in the next couple of weeks to check out this awesome show.

You can also check out Makeshift to see Chrystal Robinson-Shofroth’s solo exhibit. I actually had an opportunity to check out Robinson’s “Inspiring Show” at Alliance’s Jupiter Studios last year and was blown away, so I’m very excited to see what she has planned for her exhibit titled “Innovate the Future” at Makeshift.

There are also a huge amount of sales going on this month. Check out this link to see a map of First Friday and a list of all the other activities going on.

Also, check out my post on why First Friday is one of my favorite events in Canton.

Have any of you gone to First Friday before? What was one of your favorite themes? Drop a comment below!

Gervasi Wine Tasting: Flights & Bites

My blog is filled with things that I love and what could I possibly love more than wine? All kidding aside, I wanted to let all of my readers know about a wine pairing event hosted by Gervasi that takes place on January 8th. This recurring event is so much fun and very affordable at only $16/person. I attended the event back in November as part of a birthday gift and couldn’t have enjoyed it more. My friend and I got to try three different types of wine from Gervasi, along with three delectable appetizers.

Gervasi’s website says: Head to the Bistro at Gervasi Vineyard for a fun and interactive experience in the casual, cozy, Balconatta. Gervasi’s wine steward will lead guests through three wines paired with three appetizer bites. Make it an evening, and enjoy dinner before or after the event. There is a Flights & Bites session at 5:45 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. The cost is $16 per person per session.

My favorite thing about events such as these is it allows you to expand your culinary palette without spending a huge amount of money. To buy a bottle of all three of these wines could easily cost you upwards of $70. By attending wine tastings, you can get a little taste to see if it is a bottle you truly enjoy. I keep a note on my phone and mark down the names of different wines that I like so I can use it for future reference. My absolute favorite wines from Gervasi include their Lambrusco and Romanza.

To make reservations check out Gervasi’s website here! The Bistro is located at 1700 55th Street NE Canton, Ohio 44721.

I’m going to start posting more about upcoming events in Canton. There is a lot more to do than people realize, so stay tuned for fun events happening in Canton.

Oatmeal Cookies and A Christmas Story: Date Night Edition

Noah just got back from his travels in Gulu, Uganda, on Wednesday and I am over the moon that he is finally home! Unfortunately, he was gone for our 3rd anniversary but that didn’t stop us from celebrating once we got back. Flash back three years ago and Noah and I were celebrating our very first anniversary together. He took me to “The Twisted Olive” and we wined and dined on appetizers, an entree, and a yummy dessert. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love trying out new restaurants and our first anniversary was one to remember but last year we decided to change things up a bit. We chose to stay in, make homemade pizza, and watch a movie together. What a wonderful night it was!

I’m sure many of you can relate when I say that a lot of times we either don’t have the money and/or don’t want to drop $100 on a fancy night out. Although we like to treat ourselves every once in awhile, some of my favorite date nights are ones that are spent together at home. Of course, Noah and I love to cook so I’m sure that this makes a big difference. An ideal date night for us is making our own three course meal, complete with homemade bread to dip in balsamic vinegar and olive oil, freshly made pasta, marinara sauce made of tomatoes out of our garden, and a dessert inspired by The Great British Baking Show. The time we spend together in the kitchen is precious and we truly enjoy getting to create together.

Although we enjoy making an entire meal, something simple like making a batch of cookies together is a really fun way to spend time together. So, for our 3rd anniversary Noah and I set about making one of our favorite cookies: Oatmeal Raisin! In my opinion, oatmeal raisin cookies are completely under-rated! It seems like people are always reaching for the chocolate chip recipe when there are so many yummy options. Snickerdoodle! Sugar! Peanut Butter! Despite my ill feelings towards chocolate chips for monopolizing the cookie world, you can make yourself any type of goodie you chose. You can make a batch of the prized chocolate chip cookie or be a bit more ambitious and decorate cut-out cookies! Have fun with it! Try something that you’ve never done before or play around with a recipe you already have on hand. Take turns adding ingredients or each of you can make a batch and see whose turn out better! Add to the ambiance with your favorite tunes. Since it is almost Christmas, Noah and I listened to Christmas music as we put together our delectable treats. Below, you can find the recipe for the oatmeal raison cookies that we made last night!

After we made our delicious cookies, we sat down and watched a classic: A Christmas Story (speaking of which, any fans of this movie should definitely check out the Christmas Story museum in Cleveland, Ohio). I have such fond memories of watching this film with my family as a little girl. Honestly, it was a wonderful night and a great way to re-connect after two weeks apart. Moral of the story, you don’t have to go out and spend a fortune to enjoy date night! So, crank out a handful of delicious cookies and sit down to enjoy a good movie.

If you would like to try out the cookies that Noah and I made, here is the recipe. Merry Christmas and don’t forget to Eat, Drink, and be Merry!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup raisins

Instructions: Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Then cream together both of your sugars and your butter. Once the butter and sugars are creamed together, slowly incorporate your flour. Once the flour is completely mixed in, add your oats and raisins. Scoop the dough into balls and put two inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes until gold brown along the edges.

Canton First Friday

In my last blog post, I wrote about my favorite things to do in Canton, Ohio. Upon reflection, I forgot to add one of my all-time favorite things to do in Canton: go to Canton First Friday! I’ve been a frequent First Friday go-er for years now. The event is a monthly street festival that take place every “First” Friday of the month in the downtown Canton Arts District. First Friday is primarily a self-guided tour through the Arts District. You can pop into local art galleries, studios, stores, and restaurants and enjoy the music, performances, and visual arts events that The Arts District Has to offer. Visit Canton describes First Friday as “a celebration of art, music, food and fun!” Now, take anything that combines food with music and art, and I am in.

Notably, each month is characterized by a different theme with its own unique set of activities. Admittedly, some themes are better than others, but the re-occuring themes such as “Fire & Ice” are always my favorites. This year, the themes are listed below. Fire & Ice, which takes place each January puts on a real show as local artists carve sculptures out of ice. It is so much fun to walk around and see what unique pieces are being made.

One of my favorite themes over the last few years (which I am disappointed they aren’t doing this year!) is Pizza Wars. This year, around 12 different pizza joints took part. You received a Pizza Passport and went around to the different Pizza stands to try and rank their pizza. The best part was that most slices were only $2-3. My sister and I walked around and tried every single type of pizza! Our favorites came from some of the local classics such as Napoli’s Pizza and The Canton Brewing Company BUT we were pleasantly surprised by some of the vegan pizza from SOL Pie Pizza.

If you really want to have a fun night out on First Friday, I recommend you try out one of the local food joints. Goodness knows there are a lot of options to chose from! If you want to grab a delectable burger, head over to George’s Lounge. If you are more in the mood for pizza, grab a slice (or two) at Napoli’s Pizza. or maybe you want something a little bit more ethnic? In which case, I highly recommend Basil (where you can literally get the best sushi I have ever had). After dinner ,walk around the different shops such as “Avenue Arts marketplace and Theatre” or “Cantonology”. Enjoy the live music and different street vendors. Finally, stop by grapes in a glass to end the night with a lovely glass of wine.

Admittedly, I enjoy the summer First Fridays more than the winter First Fridays (excluding Fire & Ice, of course). Unfortunately, due to the cold weather, after January most of the events move inside to shield everyone from the cold. So, in the winter, you aren’t going to have any of the neat street vendors.

Some tips and tricks for getting the most out of this event! Make sure to keep your eye out for deals that ArtsinStark offer! For example, in September you could bring your receipt for any downtown pizza purchase and get 20% off any single item. You could also spin the “Pizza Wheel of Discount” and get a discount up to 20% on a purchase from any of the local galleries. I also recommend that you check The Palace to see what they are showing on First Friday. Oftentimes, they offer a free family-friendly movie for the entire family to enjoy!

There is always so much to enjoy in The Canton Arts District during Canton First Friday! If you have never attended, I recommend that you take a look at what events are taking place this month and see if there is anything that sounds like fun to you. I believe the best way to enjoy First Friday, is to come prepared, knowing exactly what you want to do.

Have fun and thanks for taking a moment to read this post!

My Favorite Things to do in Canton, Ohio!

I am a Cantonian born and raised and I am proud of the place I get to call home! A lot of my peers complain about our little city but I fall in love with it time and time again. In my opinion, people don’t realize how much there is to do here. Sure, we definitely are no match for cities like New York and Boston that are always bustling with things to do , but for it’s size, I think Canton is a pretty great place to live. Plus, if we run out of things to do in Canton, Cleveland is just a short one hour drive North.

But, for now I am going to focus on all my favorite things to do in Canton! Plus, a couple of things I don’t particularly enjoy, but other people might like (*cough*cough* like visiting the Football Hall of Fame). Anyhow, lets get to it!

Explore downtown! Now, this is a pretty broad statement because there is a lot to see in downtown, but if you are new to the area (or maybe you aren’t?) you should definitely take some time to explore the Arts District. Pop into a shop or two! Take photos with some of the amazing wall murals! or simply take your pup on a walk and enjoy a brisk summer day!
Get coffee at Muggswigz. Muggs is definitely one of the local gems of Canton. They have been Canton’s coffee roaster and tea merchant since 2003 and boy do they do us proud. In fact, they were ranked as one of the 10 best coffeehouses in America by USA Today. I’ve frequented Muggswigz for the past eight years and I’ve come down with a list of my favorite beverages: 1) orange market spice tea, 2) chai latte and 3) The Fuzzywig. Check out their site here.
Visit Arrowhead! I always enjoy shopping around vintage/antique stores and arrowhead is one the finest. Not only do they sell some neat antiques, they also have a collection of vinyl and some awesome up-cycled art. Just recently, my cousin got me a handmade cowl scarf from Arrowhead and it is one of my favorites. Check them out here Arrowhead Vintage & Handmade Goods
See a play at the Players Guild Theatre. My favorite thing to do during the Christmas season as a youngster was to go see “A Christmas Carol” at The Players Guild Theatre. They have a wide selection of theatrical performances to chose from throughout the year! One of my favorites from this past season was “Newsies.” It is a great opportunity for a fun night out or to simply get more familiar with musical theatre. Grab some tickets for you and your friends here.
Go see a movie at The Palace Theatre. This one is an absolute most. I stand by my opinion that The Palace Theatre is one of the most spectacular cultural gems in The City of Canton. Built in the 1920s, The Palace is kicking like never before. Its famous ceiling, a stary, cloudy night, is projected onto the ceiling using a cloud machine that makes clouds continuously march across the sky. If you come early enough, you might just luck out and catch a glimpse of The Kiligan Organ. My favorite events this year have been “The Twilight Zone Fest”( featuring 4 classic episodes) and The 1925 version of The Phantom of the Opera. The Phantom of the Opera was especially cool because the organ was played during the silent film just like it was originally intended. They also host some great events! For example, I got to go see Hank and John Green this past fall! Check out their website here.
Visit Gervasi Vineyard. Gervasi is incredible and quite a treat for those who live in or are visiting Canton. It is a winery that offers guests fine Italian dining on their beautiful grounds. If you are looking for a fancier night out, opt for The Italian Bistro or The Twisted Olive. Looking for something a little more casual? Grab a pizza at either The Crush House or the Piazza Outdoor Patio. They offer so many different events, tours, tastings, and culinary classes! Read all about their wonderful charcuterie board here and check out their website here.
Visit the Exploration Gateway at Sippo Lake Park. The park is beautiful and well-kept and makes the perfect place to take an evening walk or a long bike ride. Enjoy the scenery best in the fall when all the leaves are turning for the season or in the summer when the wildlife is buzzing.
Check out the Perry Sippo Library. The Stark County Library has SO much to offer. There are book clubs, a chess club, and many different classes you can take advantage of but I most love about the library is all the free content you have access to. I no longer buy my own books because I have such immediate access to them at the library. Plus, you can access a lot of digital media via apps like Hoopla and Lynda. Perry Sippo is one of my favorite branches for a couple of reasons: 1) the cichlid fish tank is absolutely incredible. I could stare at it for hours AND 2) I love to sit in front of the fire place and enjoy the picturesque scenery while I’m reading a good book. Learn more about the Stark County Library and all it has to offer here.
Visit the Football Hall of Fame. Although I’m not a big football fan, The Hall of Fame is definitely one of Canton’s claims to fame. Even I will admit that the annual Hall of Fame weekend can be great fun. I especially enjoy the ballon launch and the parade, but if you don’t happen to be around for HOF weekend, you can still check out the museum. Especially with all the revamping going on as they construct HOF Village, I’m sure it’s a place worth checking out. Maybe I’ll even get there soon?
Grab a glass of wine at Grapes in a Glass. I love to try different types of wine, however, my budget rarely lets me indulge in it the way my heart urges me to. The solution? Go to Grapes in a Glass and try a glass of one of their many selections. I love this because I can taste different types of wine without having to buy a bottle. Plus the jazzy, sauve atmosphere make for an enjoyable girls night out.
Go see the Canton Symphony Orchestra. The Zimmerman Symphony hosts a wide array of performances to up your knowledge of classical music. Plus, it is very affordable, especially for students. The Canton Symphony offers $10 tickets for students! Learn more about their events here.
Grab at burger at George’s Lounge. Honestly it will be one of the best burgers you’ve ever eaten. Plus, if you find yourself their on a Friday or Saturday night, there might be some live music to keep you wonderfully entertained.
Grab a waffle at Cultured Coffee and Waffles. Two words: Reese’s Waffle.
Visit the Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography. This is where Noah and I originally wanted to have our wedding reception. They are constantly displaying new exhibits for you enjoy. If you like photography, this is a must see.
Last, I want to share another one of my favorite Canton food joints: Deli Ohio. Honestly, they’ve raised the bar when it comes to local food joints. The restaurants features mostly local products that have been sourced directly from farmers. Plus, they put a huge emphasis on community. Placed in a bit of a dark area of Canton, Deli Ohio has made huge steps towards bringing it back to life. Plus, their food is simply delish. Check them out here.

And there you have it! Some of the best things to do while you are in Canton! Enjoy and if you are familiar with Canton, drop me a comment about your favorite things to do!

*Disclosure: I’m sharing this with you because I love the city of Canton and wanted to share some of my favorite places. No compensation was received. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

The Perks of Minimalism: A Work in Progress

I’m going through a minimalism/zero-waste/low-budget phase. I’ve been taking a lot of different concepts that I’ve been exposed to and combined them into one. For me, being minimal is very budget friendly and can also translate well into a sustainable lifestyle.

If you all haven’t watched “Minimalism” on Netflix, I highly recommend it. In many ways, it really puts things into perspective. The documentary is “about the important things” and tracks the life of two men who have decided to travel the country, sharing their message on living on less.

I’m at a point in my life that I’ve been focusing on saving as much money as possible, that means I have to reign in my shopaholic nature. Let me tell you, this is DIFFICULT but it has improved my life in many ways. Listed below, I’ve come up with a list of ways that beginning my minimalist lifestyle has changed my life.

FOR THE RECORD, I do not live a perfectly minimal or zero-waste life. It is all a work in progress, but no criticism please.

I eat better. I’ve tried practicing minimalism in every sector of my life, including my diet. I hate wasting food! There is nothing worse to me than finding a pack of moldy produce in the back of the fridge. To me that is unacceptable, so I’ve gotten into a habit of carefully planning my meals every week. I plan for breakfast, lunches, snacks, and a couple dinners (I still live with my parents, so we mostly eat dinner together). Not only am I saving money, but I can work fruits and vegetables into my plan so I am also eating healthier. Honestly guys, there is no excuse for wasting food.
I don’t take as long getting dressed in the morning. I have been following The 333 Project for the past two months and have really enjoyed it. I chose 33 pieces including clothes, shoes, and accessories that I felt complimented each other. The 3rd 3 signifies 3 months. After the 3 months you can re-evaluate your wardrobe and trade in different pieces. Limiting the amount of clothes you wear to what you truly love makes it so much easier to get ready in the morning.
I spend less on stuff! I used to spend a huge amount of money on make-up, cookware, and other junk. And to be honest? most of it didn’t get used. It just sat at the back of my closet gathering dust. I try to only buy things after giving it a lot of thought. For example, I recently bought the Ozark Trail tumbler. I got my mom a Yeti tumbler for her birthday and desperately wanted one for myself, but did I want to buy a $30 cup? Not really. Wanting to ditch the plastic water bottles for good, I knew I wanted to get a reusable water bottle. So I opted for a lower-cost yeti alternative for $8 (Ozark Trail) but I gave it a lot of though beforehand. PLUS, it is something I use everyday.
I have to clean up less. When you have a lot of stuff, it tends to be difficult to keep things tidy. If you limit the amount of stuff you have, you ultimately don’t have as much to clean up and take care of.
The things you do invest in, can be higher quality. Since you are saving money on spending money on random stuff, you can actually invest your money into high quality items. For example, my fiancé recently bought a Stanley thermos. He chose to invest in this item because his grandpa’s had lasted decades. Personally, I would rather have a handful of high quality items that are going to last than a bunch of crappy stuff that breaks easily.
You can focus on things you really enjoy. Since you are now freed from all your stuff, you can really focus on things you enjoy! I love maintaining my fish aquarium, and practicing minimalism has given me more time to focus on the hobby I really enjoy.

Overall, I’ve really embraced the minimalist lifestyle. Although I am a long way from where I would like to be, I’ve definitely stopped brining things into the house. Noah and I are planning on moving out soon, so I feel like I’ve gone into nesting mode. I need to remind myself that I do not need a bunch of things to be happy AND I’ve concluded that we need to put a lot of thought into what things we want to welcome into our new place.