Date #24: Grilled Cheese & Anaconda Night: A Date that's Easy and Cheesy

THE PROBLEM
Now I'm not complaining but there is definitely a certain amount of "Home-Ec" I missed out on in high school that has resulted in a declined capacity to...play housewife [although I play scrabble and soccer very well]. Unfortunately, we are now in this epic zeitgeist where cooking is cool: it's Bourdain, it's the cooking channel, it's something you're going to have to do on a date eventually.
THE SOLUTION
Although I do recommend learning to cook [Old Town Cooking School Date] there is an easy, albeit cheesy, romantic solution to the microwave-tv-dinner problem. So I introduce: The Grilled Cheese night.

GOOD FOR
Third dates: Perhaps a home visit.
YOU NEED
1. Stovetop/Panini Maker: You will be mocked if you use a microwave.
2. Wheat bread: No panini maker, go with sliced bread
3. Cheese: Can't go wrong with kraft singles (my mom would kill me), chevre noir is a fancy goat cheese that's cheddared I recommend it for grilled cheeses so good.
4. Butter or olive oil: use this to lubricate the bread for grilling (butter is always better)
5. Wine and beer and your favorite dessert of your youth
6. Accoutrements: there are several different ingredients that can go on grilled cheese. I like sliced tomatos, others like bacon and pickles. have several options to customize.
6. Aprons: sexiest apron, men and women, is the half apron that goes from your waist down like chefs wear, hell yeah.
7. An awful movie: I recommend Anaconda or Zombieland

THE DATE: GRILLED CHEESE NIGHT
1. Invite your date over to your home tell them to bring their favorite childhood snacks .
2. Prepare ingredients, clean up your damn house, prepare roommates, light some candles.
3. When your date arrives you already have on your apron. Pop the cork, have them sit. Ask what they would like on the sandwich (show the accoutrements) and watch you put ingredients together and grill em. Chat about the favorite foods of your youth: Gushers, Snickers, Black Licorice (ew).
4. Finish the sandwiches, and sit down by the tv giggle about burning them insensitively, pop some gummi worms and watch your awful movie. Put your hand on their leg, put your arm around their shoulders. Anaconda will take care of the rest.

GRILLED CHEESE RESOURCES:
http://www.grilledcheeseacademy.com/
http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Main-Dish/Sandwiches-and-Wraps/Grilled-Cheese-Sandwiches/ViewAll.aspx

Date #22: Wurstküche (Not pronounced in a way that will offend her)

Wurstküche is the hottest dog place in Los Angeles right now. They have a gorgeous GORGEOUS array of sausages from Bratwurst to Filipino Marharlika. Here's the plan:

TIMING
Definitely a Great Datey Experience for Late at Night. After a fancy show at the Walt Disney Hall it's a fun way to mix it up.

PARKING: UGLY PLACE, LOTS OF SPOTS!
Although it looks pretty terrifying near Wurstküche just park close if the area makes you nervous. The scariest people there are NoHo Hipsters with creeper mustaches, "Creepsters" if you will. In any case, it may make your date nervous (it's in the heart of the Toy District) but its pretty innocuous.

THE WAIT
Because the restaurant portion is pretty loud, the major portion of your date here will be in line. It's a good opportunity to cruise the menu, ask about Beer preferences (they have a great selection of Belgian Beers) and talk about which animals you're interested in eating today. Rattlesnake, Buffalo, Pig or Monkey**.

SAUSAGE TRIVIA
Waiting in line can be tedious for any couple, here are some little facts to get you through the standing part of the evening. Here's my Portuguese Sausage Story if you need material, leads into some good international animal name play.
• Sausages are mentioned in The Odyssey which was written by Homer more than 2,700 years ago.
• Sausages were called bangers during the Second World War because they contained so much water they exploded when fried.
• More sausages are eaten on Saturday than any other day.

THE PLACE
So delicious, bring a pen and draw on the long papered tables, write little valentines and Hot Dog wishes. The restaurant is biggest in the back and you'll probably sitting next to all kinds of people from Los Angeles.

THE TASTE
Magnificent. I adore the "Rabbit, Veal & Pork Seasoned with White Wine" but you could definitely be adventurous and show off a little. Unfortunately everything with Rattlesnake and Alligator isn't that awesome, do you want to show off at the risk of not eating your food. That's lame.* Don't miss the fries and as many of the sauces that sound good to you. I'm talking, Tzatziki, Curry Ketchup, Bleu Cheese Walnut and Bacon.
SAUSAGE LINKS
Here are some good resources if you want to know more about those little tubes of delicious...whatevers.


*Ignore anything with Alligator or Rattlesnake not very delicious.
**Seasonal...***


*** It's more of an Orangutan...****
**** Maybe it's human...*****
***** They're so like us...******
****** No monkey at Wurstküche...*******
******* ...This time of year.

Date Idea #21: Laughgasms in Laughing Yoga

DATE THEORY
Some dates can be awkward.
Laughing yoga starts awkward.
But eventually, you're having such a good time that the rush of all the laughter results in riotous making out (with your date of course). It's worth a try: perhaps as a first date if you're sick of the usual internal laughter and awkwardness.

LAUGHING YOGA
Essentially, for an hour you are forced to laugh through non-physically strenous "hee hee, haa haa" exercises. At first, it's completely awkward (knowing this in advance is key), but suddenly it actually becomes funny and you're laughing for real. The result is giggly fits of refreshing and revitalizing giggly giggles.

CAUTION
1. Dates should be told about this in advance.
2. JUMP OUT OF YOUR HEAD: Forget your every day and decide to have a good time for an hour. I noticed that closing my eyes creeped me out a little bit, opening up and watching your colleagues laugh their faces off totally helps.
3. TOUCHING: There are parts of the class where people tap you on the back and even massage (as part of an exercise). If you or your date are uncomfortable with this, feel free to step out of those exercises and continue laughing on the sidelines.

THE DATE
1. Find a local laughing yoga group. All the Laughter Yoga Groups in LA Area
2. Take your date to the event. Stretch a little bit, say hello to the others (establish you're on a date), maybe tell some jokes.
3. Get into it. Laugh and be creeped out at first and then really start to dig it. There are a couple key points where you're told to close your eyes and laugh. I found this uncomfortable, I decided to open my eyes and watch the people around the circle laughing and it was HILARIOUS.
4. Finish the session with some high fives and head to a local burger joint and a milkshake (Johnny Rockets)

DATE BY KATE #14: Winter WonderBra, A HoliDate

The Balian Mansion is owned by an Ice Cream Family in Pasadena,
they light it up so gaudy and good.
Great for watching tourists and kids wave to baby Jesuses.

This is a Classic Pasadena Date especially because it's starting to get cold, you won't look so doofy in your scarf, coat and ugg boots...which still look doofy with that mini skirt, but I digress. Here is your Winter Wonder Date, see directions at the bottom.

YOUR DATE

1. HOLIDAY NOSH AT PASEO
Start the evening with a little nosh. Something warm and cozy. Although a little pasadena odd, I would like to suggest perhaps Paseo. Tokyo Wako is great for some sushi and a sake while the Yard House is good for a beer and a skanky burger. Go with Tokyo Wako, it's usually pretty quiet, big glass window romantic while remaining not as trashy as the Yard House.

2. GOOFY CHRISTMAS MOVIE
Trust me on this one. Hop right over to the Paseo movie theater and see some totally inane Christmas movie. Giggle over some Rudolph the G-Rated Nonsense. Grab some snowcaps or a slushy to meet the frosty mood....frosty here is code for sexy and actually funny enough to get you to part three.

3. Sip STARBUCKS
Get over to Starbucks at North Allen. Treat your date to some Cider or a Hot Chocolate to go, open her door (even if she's driving) and hop over to....

4. THE BALIAN MANSION
And Behold! The most gaudily decorated Christmas Mecca in the World. That's right! This Christmas Mansion, owned by the Altadena Ice Cream Family is complete with Christmas Trees, Christmas Dinosaurs, Baby Jesuses and the cutest tourists Pasadena has to offer. So take a walk around or have a seat and listen to the kids jeer the Christmas Stegosaurus, scream and wave at the Christian Saviour like a celebrity or their best friend.

DIRECTIONS

TO NORTH ALLEN STARBUCKS
Directions: Leave Paseo and go east on Colorado. Take a left on Allen (heading towards the mountains). At the corner of Allen and Washington. 1390 N Allen Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104 map

TO THE BALIAN MANSION
Directions: Go north on Allen (towards the mountains), take a right at Mendocino