Center City East

Cheap Date’s 2012 Guide to Summer Screenings!

In addition to compiling a list of this summer’s free street fairs and festivals, Cheap Date Philadelphia is also your go-to guide to summer screenings. Why summer screenings make a great cheap date is a no-brainer! Now the question of what’s showing where this summer is a no-brainer, too! All movies are FEE and begin at dusk, unless otherwise noted. Check back often for updates, and as always, if I’ve missed something, let me know at cheapdatephiladelphia@gmail.com. Saturday, June 9 at Race Street Pier for Awesome Fest: NO ROOM FOR ROCKSTARS: THE VANS WARPED TOUR Sunday, June 10 at The Piazza: Finding Nemo (5-7pm) Thursday, June 14 on the Schuylkill Banks by the Walnut Street Bridge: The Muppets  Saturday, June 16 at Race Street Pier for Awesome Fest: THE SHEIK AND I Saturday, June 23 at Race Street Pier for Awesome Fest: JEFF Thursday, June 28 on the Schuylkill Banks by the Walnut Street Bridge: King…

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Top 5 Cheap Date New Year’s Eve Events for 2012

Photo from NakedPhilly.com

Ahhh, New Year’s Eve – a night of resolutions and countdowns, champagne, good cheer and midnight kisses.  Alas, it’s also a night where most clubs and restaurants plan elaborate RSVP events with expensive eats and costly covers.  For those who prefer to party on the cheap, here are Cheap Date Philadelphia’s top picks for New Year’s events that will help you ring in 2013 with a smile, and within budget! 1. Bring a Flask and Friends to see Free Fireworks on the Delaware! New Year’s Eve draws thousands of people to Penn’s Landing and the Delaware River Waterfront every year for the festive fireworks display.  In addition to a family-friendly first show at 6pm, there is also a second show at midnight, “Pop’n on the Delaware,” which will be set to a soundtrack of dance hits.  The show itself only lasts about 15 minutes, so make sure you arrive early…

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Meet Me Downtown! Happy Hour at Sampan

Sampanbar

A downtown date for happy hour may seem convenient and economical, but it can also be majorly hit or miss.  Overcrowding, poor selection, long waits for service, and lack of food can turn what should have been a happy hour (or two) into a date disaster.  Luckily, my date recently introduced me to the perfect center city happy hour spot: Sampan. Located at 124 S.13th street, Sampan is a contemporary-Asian bar/restaurant that’s sophisticated and modern without being snobby or trying too hard – a good balance for a post-work date. It’s large enough to accommodate a sizeable crowd without feeling cramped, yet the cool lights that saturate the walls cast an intimate and almost sensual glow. There’s also a giant wraparound bar in the center where you can watch the chefs hard at work expertly slicing Satay and garnishing dumplings as fast as the orders come in.  And ordering is…

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It’s back! Hot Chocolate and the Holiday Light Show.

Macy's Holiday Light Show

Traditions are what make holidays special.  (They can play a pretty big part in relationships, too). There is probably no holiday ritual more iconic in Philadelphia than the John Wanamaker (now Macy’s) Christmas Light Show. Since 1955, this dazzling display of lights and music (with narration by the equally iconic Julie Andrews) has delighted children and adults alike. At least it delighted my date and I (two consenting adults) when we went to see it! How cheap we talkin’: The light show is FREE! Hot drinks range from $3-6, as do individual shots for spiking them! Why this will impress your date:  Because nothing beats feeling like a kid again. Except feeling like a kid who’s snuck into the liquor cabinet. The Inside Game: If you can get there on a weekday, Monday through Thursdays are the least crowded shows. Score Extra Points: By planning your visit to coincide with one of the daily concerts on the famous…

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Introducing: Top 5’s! My top picks for cheap fun in Philadelphia.

Introducing: Top 5’s! My top picks for cheap fun in Philadelphia.

First up: Top 5 spots for FREE live music!* The Curtis Institute. Talented young musicians perform solo and chamber pieces nearly every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during recital season at Field Concert Hall in Rittenhouse Square. Fiume. This tiny West Philly hot spot hosts a blue grass night every Thursday featuring the band City-Wide Specials. Bob and Barbara’s. Every Friday and Saturday, from 9:30 to close, veteran jazz musicians, The Crowd Pleasers, bring down the house. The Kimmel Center. Their “Free at the Kimmel” series features a wide variety of musical acts, with most events taking place Saturday or Sunday afternoons. World Cafe Live. Every Friday afternoon at noon, you can get up close and personal with bands big and small, local and national. A great segue to a lunch date, or skip lunch and enjoy a naughty mid-day drink at the bar! *Top 5′s are listed in no particular order…

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For me? You shouldn’t have! Trading Treasures from Flea Markets

For me? You shouldn’t have! Trading Treasures from Flea Markets

On a recent Saturday, my date and I went to the Philadelphia Flea Market held that weekend in Headhouse Square, near the east end of South Street. Dozens of vendors were crowded under the covered walkway between Lombard and Spruce, spilling out onto the sidewalk on both sides. We started at one end and worked our way slowly through the teeming treasure trove of vintage toys, retro clothes and shoes, ceramics, jewelry, watches, furniture, antique cameras, handmade quilts, faded photographs, and every imaginable kind of trinket.

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