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 #20: See Movies for $3

The Academy Six is a movie theater in Pasadena that shows movies that have recently left the mainstream. The theaters have only started filling up as the economy tanked. Great way to see that $14 movie you weren't sure about for nothing.

PRICES
Matinee: $2
Evening (After 6pm): $3

WEDNESDAY NIGHTS
See a Movie after 6pm. 2 admissions, 2 popcorns and 2 sodas for $10.00 total!

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