Need Date Ideas For Seattle, Stat!
June 29, 2015 4:53 PM Subscribe
I foolishly promised a week of interesting evening Seattle dates, but then the potential of shutdown got me swamped by work and I forgot about it until now. Since the first one needs to start in <2 hours, things without reservations preferred. Assume I am functionally ignorant of what the city contains. Please help me cover my error and still have nice romantic times!
- I have a car, so getting around is not a problem but parking might be.
- I do not like to walk, especially up and down hills
- Nothing super expensive, moderate is okay
- Nothing that requires special clothing
- Must be unusual - can't just be 'dinner' unless the dinner itself is weird/awesome.
- No dance clubs.
- I have a car, so getting around is not a problem but parking might be.
- I do not like to walk, especially up and down hills
- Nothing super expensive, moderate is okay
- Nothing that requires special clothing
- Must be unusual - can't just be 'dinner' unless the dinner itself is weird/awesome.
- No dance clubs.
You might want to peruse The Stranger.
I have no idea who your companion is but I know *I* am now thinking about attending the Spelling Bee.
posted by Mizu at 5:12 PM on June 29, 2015
I have no idea who your companion is but I know *I* am now thinking about attending the Spelling Bee.
posted by Mizu at 5:12 PM on June 29, 2015
EMP Museum & Seattle Art Museum are always fun and nicely priced. (Especially combined with dinner)
In particular, for turning Place into Date:
Gather picnic things, picnic at Seattle Center near the fountain. Either watching people/the fountain will be interesting, or there might be something going on, in which case that'll be interesting. Then walk over to EMP Museum.
Pike Place Market is close to the SAM, so wandering through the market (Get bits of fruit and other things to nibble on, if they're into flowers stop by the flower stands, get some ginger beer at Rachel's Ginger Beer, etc) before heading into the museum goes well.
If they're into martial arts cinema at all, heading up to the Seattle Asian Art Museum and stopping by Bruce/Brandon Lee's memorial before heading to The Pine Box would be an interesting progression. (The Pine Box is just about my favorite place in the city for food/taplist, the location itself is beautiful architecturally, and it's also where the memorial was held before it became a bar.)
I'm generally a fan of "X thing, transitioning to Y thing" as a date structure, but if you want to stick to one location, each of these should do well on their own. I'll have to see what else comes to mind, but hopefully this helps.
posted by CrystalDave at 5:15 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
In particular, for turning Place into Date:
Gather picnic things, picnic at Seattle Center near the fountain. Either watching people/the fountain will be interesting, or there might be something going on, in which case that'll be interesting. Then walk over to EMP Museum.
Pike Place Market is close to the SAM, so wandering through the market (Get bits of fruit and other things to nibble on, if they're into flowers stop by the flower stands, get some ginger beer at Rachel's Ginger Beer, etc) before heading into the museum goes well.
If they're into martial arts cinema at all, heading up to the Seattle Asian Art Museum and stopping by Bruce/Brandon Lee's memorial before heading to The Pine Box would be an interesting progression. (The Pine Box is just about my favorite place in the city for food/taplist, the location itself is beautiful architecturally, and it's also where the memorial was held before it became a bar.)
I'm generally a fan of "X thing, transitioning to Y thing" as a date structure, but if you want to stick to one location, each of these should do well on their own. I'll have to see what else comes to mind, but hopefully this helps.
posted by CrystalDave at 5:15 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best date:
-Pick a mildly interesting/quirky natural or architectural feature in the city. (Old building, neat park, lake, etc.) Does not have to be anything of any particular note, just something that maybe you drove past once and thought "hmm."
-Map out in your head a small list of places to pop in to get a quick refreshment (coffee shop, froyo place, etc) within a reasonable walking distance of your interesting place. Does not have to be anything of particular note, just someplace that has a few chairs and a restroom. Smaller is better. Super casual is better. I like to aim for within a half mile radius.
-Pick a boring, known landmark as your starting location somewhere a reasonable, scenic walking distance away from your interesting place. Maybe you walk through a quaint little neighborhood. Maybe it's a street with little boutique shops on it. Doesn't really matter. (You want to avoid sketchy feeling places with gross catcally dudes day drinking on stoops or areas with lots of children because they are noisy and terrible.)
Here's how it plays out. You say, "I was thinking we could go explore [interesting place]. I don't know much about it but it looks interesting and I've always wanted to take a closer look. Let's meet at [start location] at [time]."
So then you meet, and you start walking towards the interesting place. Mostly you are talking and simply enjoying each other's company, which is why you want to avoid noisy terrible people and why it helps to be somewhere scenic, so you have something tangible to talk about to keep the conversation going if need be.
You arrive at the interesting place, look around (again, mostly just talking) and do whatever it is that you can do there. Climb on stuff and take stupid pictures of each other. Look for weird graffiti. Whatever.
Then you leave, and head off on a seemingly aimless, meandering path. Eventually one of you will need to pee, or you'll want to get a drink, or maybe you just want to rest for a while. OK, great! Then you say, "hey, I know there's a [froyo place] pretty close by here, let's head that way." It's seems impromptu but really you're drawing from the list of potential options you've already planned out. You seem so competent and knowledgeable! But also totally spontaneous! This impresses people.
Again, this is mostly just a framework around which you hang a "let's just talk" date, but things always go better if there's a loose plan.
(I've never been to Seattle but this can be applied in any walkable area of any city.)
posted by phunniemee at 5:15 PM on June 29, 2015 [5 favorites]
-Pick a mildly interesting/quirky natural or architectural feature in the city. (Old building, neat park, lake, etc.) Does not have to be anything of any particular note, just something that maybe you drove past once and thought "hmm."
-Map out in your head a small list of places to pop in to get a quick refreshment (coffee shop, froyo place, etc) within a reasonable walking distance of your interesting place. Does not have to be anything of particular note, just someplace that has a few chairs and a restroom. Smaller is better. Super casual is better. I like to aim for within a half mile radius.
-Pick a boring, known landmark as your starting location somewhere a reasonable, scenic walking distance away from your interesting place. Maybe you walk through a quaint little neighborhood. Maybe it's a street with little boutique shops on it. Doesn't really matter. (You want to avoid sketchy feeling places with gross catcally dudes day drinking on stoops or areas with lots of children because they are noisy and terrible.)
Here's how it plays out. You say, "I was thinking we could go explore [interesting place]. I don't know much about it but it looks interesting and I've always wanted to take a closer look. Let's meet at [start location] at [time]."
So then you meet, and you start walking towards the interesting place. Mostly you are talking and simply enjoying each other's company, which is why you want to avoid noisy terrible people and why it helps to be somewhere scenic, so you have something tangible to talk about to keep the conversation going if need be.
You arrive at the interesting place, look around (again, mostly just talking) and do whatever it is that you can do there. Climb on stuff and take stupid pictures of each other. Look for weird graffiti. Whatever.
Then you leave, and head off on a seemingly aimless, meandering path. Eventually one of you will need to pee, or you'll want to get a drink, or maybe you just want to rest for a while. OK, great! Then you say, "hey, I know there's a [froyo place] pretty close by here, let's head that way." It's seems impromptu but really you're drawing from the list of potential options you've already planned out. You seem so competent and knowledgeable! But also totally spontaneous! This impresses people.
Again, this is mostly just a framework around which you hang a "let's just talk" date, but things always go better if there's a loose plan.
(I've never been to Seattle but this can be applied in any walkable area of any city.)
posted by phunniemee at 5:15 PM on June 29, 2015 [5 favorites]
Seattle Pinball Museum -- No good for tonight or tomorrow, but open latish Wednesday through Sunday.
For tonight, I'd punt: takeout and Gasworks Park. Special equipment required: blanket, frisbee, sunglasses. It's going to be a menace later in the week, so get it in there soon. Alternatives: Discovery Park, Carkeek Park, Greenlake. (Greenlake has good restaurant access.)
Ride the Ducks-- not cheap, kinda cheesy, especially if you're local, but go with it.
Underground Tour -- save it if the weather turns; tours hourly, last one at 7. Still fun if you're local.
Glassblowing! -- Not real cheap, but definitely not a common experience. It's close to Seattle Center, probably technically Denny Regrade. $65-150/person, so maybe save it for the climax. (ahem).
Ballard Locks -- should be busy with boats this week, though the water levels in the lake are dropping. Not far from there is the Nordic Heritage Museum. Grab dinner and beers at the Lockspot.
Jurassic World at the Cinerama. Nothing like a good movie date, and they just renovated, so that theater's never been better. Seen it already? What's that got to do with anything?
posted by Sunburnt at 5:16 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
For tonight, I'd punt: takeout and Gasworks Park. Special equipment required: blanket, frisbee, sunglasses. It's going to be a menace later in the week, so get it in there soon. Alternatives: Discovery Park, Carkeek Park, Greenlake. (Greenlake has good restaurant access.)
Ride the Ducks-- not cheap, kinda cheesy, especially if you're local, but go with it.
Underground Tour -- save it if the weather turns; tours hourly, last one at 7. Still fun if you're local.
Glassblowing! -- Not real cheap, but definitely not a common experience. It's close to Seattle Center, probably technically Denny Regrade. $65-150/person, so maybe save it for the climax. (ahem).
Ballard Locks -- should be busy with boats this week, though the water levels in the lake are dropping. Not far from there is the Nordic Heritage Museum. Grab dinner and beers at the Lockspot.
Jurassic World at the Cinerama. Nothing like a good movie date, and they just renovated, so that theater's never been better. Seen it already? What's that got to do with anything?
posted by Sunburnt at 5:16 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Seattle Pinball Museum might be good; I think they're closed today.
Familiar with spite houses? There's one in Seattle. Can't go in, but they're interesting to discuss.
The Walker Rock Garden might be an interesting thing to check out.
The Official Museum of Bad Art is the Cafe Racer. Bad art + food.
posted by caphector at 5:18 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Familiar with spite houses? There's one in Seattle. Can't go in, but they're interesting to discuss.
The Walker Rock Garden might be an interesting thing to check out.
The Official Museum of Bad Art is the Cafe Racer. Bad art + food.
posted by caphector at 5:18 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Seconding Gasworks park, it's fun to walk around, and then you can go get dinner at Ivar's just east of there or continue on to Fremont where you can go to...
Add-a-ball, since arcades are always fun.
Teatro Zinzanni could be fun, not sure if it's still awesome or not.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 5:19 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Add-a-ball, since arcades are always fun.
Teatro Zinzanni could be fun, not sure if it's still awesome or not.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 5:19 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Good to know about the spite house; as long as you're in that theme, be sure to pass by Edith Macefield's house, which isn't long for this world. It was a holdout house that inspired the movie "Up." It's shuttered and fenced off, but the fence is decorated with balloons and messages.
posted by Sunburnt at 5:22 PM on June 29, 2015
posted by Sunburnt at 5:22 PM on June 29, 2015
Porkchop & Co is awesome food, and next to Full Tilt Ice Cream, which has pinball games. Eat, stroll around Ballard, then have ice cream and pinball.
I guess whether that's romantic or not depends on the participants.
posted by Gorgik at 5:26 PM on June 29, 2015
I guess whether that's romantic or not depends on the participants.
posted by Gorgik at 5:26 PM on June 29, 2015
How much walking is too much? I think a lot of folks are missing your "I do not like to walk, especially up and down hills" and a lot of Seattle-specific-awesome things are pretty walking heavy (for example, the Underground Tour is amazing, but it's a fair bit of walking and there's some up and down stairs, if that's an issue for you). If you can update with how much walking is okay, that might help tailor responses. Are museums too much walking, for example? (Also, what's moderate price wise for you?)
It'll seem cheesy, but going up the Space Needle is totally worth it once if you've never been up there, and the observation deck is open until midnight.
It wouldn't be the most interactive of dates, but a friend of mine swears by Seattle Float, and it might be a nice relaxing activity to wrap coffee before and dinner after around.
A very Seattle thing to do is to take a ferry somewhere. There are ferries that let you drive on, and then you enjoy the float and pick a dinner and a drink spot on the other end.
posted by joycehealy at 5:29 PM on June 29, 2015 [2 favorites]
It'll seem cheesy, but going up the Space Needle is totally worth it once if you've never been up there, and the observation deck is open until midnight.
It wouldn't be the most interactive of dates, but a friend of mine swears by Seattle Float, and it might be a nice relaxing activity to wrap coffee before and dinner after around.
A very Seattle thing to do is to take a ferry somewhere. There are ferries that let you drive on, and then you enjoy the float and pick a dinner and a drink spot on the other end.
posted by joycehealy at 5:29 PM on June 29, 2015 [2 favorites]
How about an Aurora Ave ethnic food date? Indocafe is quite delicious and reasonably priced. I believe it is also air conditioned.
posted by stowaway at 5:48 PM on June 29, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by stowaway at 5:48 PM on June 29, 2015 [2 favorites]
Forgot to add, there's a bunch of karaoke places on Aurora, too, to make an evening of it.
posted by stowaway at 5:50 PM on June 29, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by stowaway at 5:50 PM on June 29, 2015 [2 favorites]
Rock Box private karaoke room.
posted by oxisos at 7:13 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by oxisos at 7:13 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
The museums around town have later hours on Thursday nights. My favorite of the Seattle area museums are the Burke (on the UW campus - small exhibits but important collection of native northwest stuff) and the Asian Art Museum (also smallish) in Volunteer Park. Asian Art Museum is very nicely situated to do a picnic in the park and there's good people watching. And there's Seattle Art Museum downtown. SAM has nice exhibits, but I think the best stuff to see there is the PNW native art.
posted by stowaway at 7:27 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by stowaway at 7:27 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Seattle aquarium about 30 minutes before doors close. Place empties out and you have 1.5 hours to wander and enjoy in relative peace until it actually closes (6pm ish?) follow with dinner at the crap pot and/or a trip on the ferris wheel.
posted by HMSSM at 8:58 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by HMSSM at 8:58 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
I think a lot of folks are missing your "I do not like to walk, especially up and down hills"
Yup! My brain definitely mashed those two lines together as one that said "I like to walk so getting around is not a problem." Sorry my advice doesn't help in your case.
posted by phunniemee at 9:04 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Yup! My brain definitely mashed those two lines together as one that said "I like to walk so getting around is not a problem." Sorry my advice doesn't help in your case.
posted by phunniemee at 9:04 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
After dinner, walk onto the ferry to Bainbridge Island. Walk around and see if there's a place to get ice cream or bring a dessert picnic and then walk back on the ferry, aiming to be coming back to Seattle during sunset (sunset time about 9:10pm). It's about $7/ticket to walk onto the ferry from Seattle and no additional charge to come back.
posted by HMSSM at 9:06 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by HMSSM at 9:06 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Belltown on 2nd: Pinball at Shorty's, followed by skeeball at the Rabbit Hole next door. (Bring quarters.)
I just recently learned that the Rendezvous Grotto has shows of all kinds through the week-- comedy, improv, spoken-word; check their calendar. Tonight, for example, is a woman-focused comedy night called "Comedy Womb" at 9PM, $5/person.
Pioneer Square: Comedy Underground has an improv stand-up show on Wednesday called "The Slide Show," hosted by an FOAF.
You can probably find comedy any night of the week.
posted by Sunburnt at 8:35 AM on June 30, 2015
I just recently learned that the Rendezvous Grotto has shows of all kinds through the week-- comedy, improv, spoken-word; check their calendar. Tonight, for example, is a woman-focused comedy night called "Comedy Womb" at 9PM, $5/person.
Pioneer Square: Comedy Underground has an improv stand-up show on Wednesday called "The Slide Show," hosted by an FOAF.
You can probably find comedy any night of the week.
posted by Sunburnt at 8:35 AM on June 30, 2015
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