How to date dirt cheap

YAKIMA, Wash. -- These days, there's no shame in being a cheap date.

Wining and dining at fancy restaurants and faraway resorts is fun. But for most couples, it's not feasible -- at least not every weekend.

Still, tough times don't have to be boring.

Whether you're trying to win the heart of a new flame or you've been dating for six years or married for 23, it's possible to pull off inexpensive but high-quality, fun and romantic dates. All it takes is a little creativity and planning -- and, in some cases, a small amount of cash.

Here are some ideas for keeping romance alive on a shoestring budget in and around Yakima this summer:

How about a movie?

* Dinner and a movie is the traditional and, depending on the restaurant, often expensive date paring. Make it economical by going to brunch and a matinee, or making a meal at home before or after the fiLm.

* See a movie outside. Allied Arts of Yakima Valley and the Yakima Parks and Recreation Department sponsor the Outdoor Summerma on select weekend nights in Yakima city parks in July and August.

Moviegoers get to watch films on a 16-by-20-foot inflatable screen with a theater-quality sound system. All it "costs" is a canned-food item for Northwest Harvest. And -- talk about romantic -- movies start at sunset, which usually hits around 8:30 p.m.

"Raiders of the Lost Ark" is playing July 25, "Where the Wild Things Are" is on tap for July 30, and "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" will be screened Aug. 8. Check www.alliedartsyakima.org for locations and other listings.

"I think picnics are always romantic and, with the outdoor movie, you get the chance to come by and picnic and see a movie, be outdoors and spread your blanket and snuggle together," says Jessica Moskwa, executive director of Allied Arts.

* If you don't want to huddle with the masses, why not watch a movie in your own backyard? Project it on a sheet on the side of your house. And don't forget the snacks -- maybe a locally bottled red wine and some chocolates, or strawberries and sparkling wine.

* Have a movie marathon. Stick with a theme (Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Frederico Fellini, anything French or set in Italy). Or mix it up with a variety of genres, including romance, classic, independent, foreign and comedy. You might even catch up on or re-live entire seasons of television shows.

Take advantage of the great outdoors

* Feed the ducks at Randall PaRk.

* Go for a hike near White Pass, Chinook Pass or Snoqualmie PaSs.

* "Rent" a dog from the Central Washington Humane Society and take the pup for a walk on the Yakima Greenway. All you have to do is leave your ID at the front desk and promise to return -- and pick up after -- the animal. Call the humane society at 509-457-6854 for available times or more informatiOn.

* You don't even have to borrow a dog. Just go for a stroll -- preferably hand-in-hand -- or a bike ride on the Yakima Green-way, which offers 10 miles of paved pathways.

"It's nature at its best -- and closest," says Al Brown, executive director of the Y Greenway Foundation. "The seasonal changes are absolutely amazing. The winter is stark and you can really see more of the topography. In spring, everything's in bloom. Life is coming back. Summer, of course, is great weather for walking. And into the fall, the colors are just unbelievable."

It's not unusual to see couples holding hands, walking down the path, through the foliage.

"We see young people. We see people my age, the boomers, and even older," Brown says. "I have a hunch there have been proposals out there. I don't know how many, but you can't get any more romantic than that."

For more information, visit www.yakimagreenway.org.

* Take him (or her) out to the ball game. Sit in the cheap seats at Yakima County Stadium and root for the Bears. For more information, visit www.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t419.

* Watch the sun set and the moon rise.

* Go stargazing at the Goldendale Observatory Interpretive Center. It's open from 8 p.m. to midnight Wednesdays through Sundays from April to September. Admission is by donation. Nighttime visitors will receive tips for backyard stargazing as well as the chance to test their new skills and look at stars through a 24.5-inch Cassegrain telescope.

For directions and more information, visit www.perr.com/gosp.html.

* Picnic in the park. Yakima's Franklin Park is a local favorite. So is the replica of Stonehenge outside of Goldendale. Built as a memorial in honor of the World War I dead of Klickitat County, it offers a perfect perch above the Columbia River Gorge. Sit on the rocks and enjoy the sweeping views. Orchards also provide a nice backdrop, if you know someone who owns one. And it's OK to keep it simple: Spreading a blanket in the backyard works, too.

* Go boating -- not the loud, gas-guzzling, speed or motor kind, but something a bit more quiet and old-fashioned. Paddle or row around the lake. If you don't have a canoe or rowboat, rent one or borrow one from a friend.

* Work out together. Go to the gym. Jog. Play tennis or shoot hoops at Kissel Park.

* Enjoy the scenic tranquility of the Japanese garden at Central Washington University in Ellensburg or the Yakima Area Arboretum.

"It's one of the most popular places to get married," says Colleen Adams-Schuppe,
co-executive director of the arboretum, which encompasses 46 acres and has more than 1,000 types of trees, shrubs, flowers and other plants.

"We have 300 roses in our rose garden alone," Adams-Schuppe says. "It's a nice place to just sit down on a picnic blanket. On a Friday night, it's amazing how many people are just strolling the grounds, hand-in-hand, or just sitting, smooching under a tree."

But, despite whatever urge couples might have to leave their mark, she cautions, "Please don't carve your initials in the trees. You're cutting off the life force when you do that."

For more information, visit www.cwu.edu/tour/garden.html or www.ahtrees.org.

The arts are always romantic

* Go to the symphony. Sit in the cheap seats, hold hands, close your eyes and enjoy the music.

"Music is fiwith romance -- from 'Romeo and Juliet' to 'West Side Story,'" says Noël Moxley, executive director of the Yakima Symphony Orchestra, where staff members pick "Boléro" by Maurice Ravel as one of their favorite, most romantic pieces of all time.

Tickets are available for as low as $15. You don't even have to dress up. In fact, it's not recommended.

"We don't want people to dress up," Moxley says. "We want people to come as they are and let the music roll over them. Come, hold hands, let the music wrap you up."

If the cheap seats are out of your price range or you want something even less formal, attend a Saturday morning rehearsal. They're open to the public and are free with a donation of a nonperishable food item for Northwest Harvest and $2 "or whatever your heart dictates," Moxley says. Rehearsals start at 10 on the morning of the Saturday night performance.

For more information, visit www.yakimasymphony.org or call 509-248-1414.

* Take a ballroom dance class. You don't have to be a senior citizen to take one at the senior center. The Harman Center at Gailleon Park, 101 N. 65th Ave., offers once-a-week sessions. The cost is typically $30 for 10 weeks. Call 509-575-6166 for dates, times and more information.

And you can practice your new moves at home for free.

* Visit museums. From the Maryhill Museum in Goldendale to the Roslyn Historical Society Museum and all others in between -- the American Hop Museum, Central Washington Agricultural Museum, Bickleton Carousel Museum and Yakama Nation Cultural Center, just to name a few -- there's much to see. Explore the history of the Valley together, but be sure to call (or Google) ahead. Admission costs and hours vary.

* Check out First Friday events -- drink specials, live music, art shows -- in downtown Yakima and Ellensburg. For more information, visit www.downtownyakima.com or www.ellensburgarts.com/art_walk.html.

* Go to gallery openings. Check out the latest art shows while noshing on free snacks -- maybe even a plastic cup of wine -- and mingling with the artists.

"I think any art date is romantic because it offers you an opportunity to talk, and you can always learn something new about the person you love when you ask them about art," says Moskwa, the executive director of Allied Arts. "Art is really personal. Every individual has a different reaction. Sharing that together helps you build your relationship."

Spend quality time out and about

* Share ice cream at the old-fashioned Museum Soda Fountain. Located at the Yakima Valley Museum with views of Franklin Park, it's a working exhibit of a late 1930s soda fountain. Starting June 12, the shop will be open from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays for the summer season. For more information, call 509-457-9810 or visit yakimavalleymuseum.org/soDa.

* Browse local bookstores.

* Wander antique malls. For a list, go to www.antiquetrip.com/washington.hTm.

* Take a trolley. Fares are $4 for adults and $3 for seniors. Rides run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays throughout the summer more information, call 509-452-7963 or visit www.yakimavalleytrolleys.org.

* Go wine tasting. Most wineries in the Yakima Valley don't charge, and some offer picturesque grounds with vineyard views. Buy a bottle, bring a baguette and some artisan cheese, and enjoy the afternoon.

* Hang out at the coffee shop. Some Saturday afternoons, nothing beats good conversation and a cuppa joe.

North Town Coffeehouse, 128 N. First St. in Yakima, has a basement full of board games and comfy couches (www.northtowncoffee.com or 509-895-7600). And Essencia Artisan Bakery & Chocolaterie, 4 N. Third St. in Yakima, has plenty of desserts ready for a couple of lovebirds to share (www.essenciaartisanbakery.com or 509-575-5570).

* U-pick together. From Naches to Zillah and Wapato, there are a bunch of farms in the Yakima Valley where you can pick your own fruits, vegetables, herbs and berries during the summer season. Prices and hours vary, so do some research before you go. Several are listed at www.visityakima.com/farmfresh/farms.asp.

* Visit local farmers markets. From Yakima to Ellensburg and Prosser, farmers markets offer everything from fresh produce and local honey to live music and entertainment. For a listing, visit www.wafarmersmarkets.com.

* Hit up happy hour. You'll have to start early; most run from about 3 to 6 p.m. and feature food as well as drink specials, up to half off. So share some appetizers, maybe even make a meal out of them. But be sure to check the websites of your favorite restaurants or bars for specific times and offers.

If all else fails, plan a quiet night at Home

* Read romantic poems to each other. Start with "The Captain's Verses" by Pablo NerudA.

* Make dinner for each other. Try a new recipe. Choose it together. Shop for the ingredients together, maybe even at the farmers market. Cook together. Dine together. Do the dishes together. Have dessert togethEr.

* Stage a game night. Get out Scrabble, chess and checkers, Trivial Pursuit and Twister, Scattergories, Monopoly, dominoes. To sit up, make your own rules.

* Eat al fresco.

* Dress up for a night on the town -- then stay in.

* Adriana Janovich can be reached at 509-577-7653 or ajanovich@yakimaherald.com.