Stimulate Your Love Life, Cheap dates without that cheap feeling

Our once robust investment accounts are dwindling, and it's not just your imagination, things are more expensive. Recession madness is here, we weep, we cry, we cut coupons...but at some point, it's time to move on. Get about town already!

Start with a late morning coffee and a bag of choquettes at St. Honore.
http://www.sainthonorebakery.com/. Everything in the case is to die for. If you want savory, I reccomend the croque monsieur. This is what a latte/cappuccino really tastes like.
Weather you're in at the NW Thurman location or the Lake Oswego location, grab a bag of choquettes to go and take a turn around the neighborhood. Both locations are ideally placed amongst great little shops and conviently enough, both are near libraries (in case you were a little fuzzy on that, a library is a place where you can check out and read books for free).
Estimated Total Cost:

2 cups coffee & bag of chouquettes: $11



Are you salivating yet?

Want to get out of dodge? Head for Oregon's wine country. It's about a 45 minute drive from Portland, and once you get there, you will feel like you are in another country. The Domaine Drouhin has a pinot noir that's so good, last time I was there, I loudly announced I would happily take a bath in it (in my defense, I had a few glasses down the chute at this point). A flight is about $10, and they tend to be more heavy handed during the week, so if you have a group, spring for a bottle at about $45 to share. http://www.domainedrouhin.com/

Another great winery is Erath, if you go tasting here, the first three or so glasses are free! They have (in my opinion) a stand-out riesling and of course being Oregon, pinot noir as well. Their estate is somewhat more humble than the commanding Domaine Drouhin, but beautiful nonetheless. http://www.erath.com/.

On your way out of Dundee, stop at Argyle. Just make sure you have a DD, because their sparkling wines are the bomb! Last time I was there, I didn't have such a happy ending, but I don't blame the wine, I blame it on riding in the back of a minivan.

http://www.argylewinery.com/

estimated Total Cost
2 Flights at Each Winery (give or take) and gas to get down there: about $35

When all else fails, there's always Happy Hour!

1) One of my all-time favorite happy hour haunts is La Casa Del Matador on NW 23rd http://www.matadorrestaurants.com/%20AsideAside from making a very decent sangria, their happy hour menu is not the usual sparse selections of quesadillas and boring tacos; and the happy hour portions are close to, if not the same as the portions of regular appetizers. Try to get a seat near the fire pit in the bar!

2) Always great for views with a decent happy hour selection is the Portland City Grill. On the 30th floor of Portland' tallest building, the US Bankcorp Tower (Big Pink). They have happy hour all day on Sundays!

Ever the purveyor of a good time, sometimes lack of "cash-money millionaire" status just calls for a little creativity...

Have a recession pub crawl! Hit every bar along the drag. The only rule is that you can only order the cheapest drink on the menu. Prepare to experience exotic tall boys of PBR, other random beers you've never heard of, jello shots, and of course the infamous $2 mystery shot!

You will also meet some very interesting people. At one "bar" that strangely resembled a living room, we randomly ended up jamming to the rhythmic stylings of the drummer from Pink Martini and scored some free creepy halloween masks in the process! Success!