Operation DUMBO Date: A Cheap Date Idea

So, you have an upcoming date, but don’t want to/can’t spend any money?  Or, maybe you’ve exhausted the netflix queue with your significant other and want to do something different without being too extravagant.

Strap on that parachute, kids, because I’m about to lay some some Operation DUMBO Drop-sized knowledge on you.  Though, sadly, it doesn’t involve Ray Liotta.

1.  Grimaldi’s in DUMBO:  Probably in my top 2 favorite pizza places ever.  And it’s cheap!  The downside?  Everyone else, their mother, and all her bridge-playing friends (yes, I just referenced Casper: The Movie, starring Christina Ricci and Devon Sawa) have also realized this.  So, it’s ALWAYS crowded.  But, did you know that you can call ahead to order your pizza to go?  Even if it’s just SLICES!   This method is especially good for the warmer months when following pizza pick up you can head directly to the conveniently located…

2. …Brooklyn Bridge park!  It’s one of the nicest parks in the city, and it’s one of the rare ones that’s right on the water.  It’s not as cheesy as Battery Park, and yet not as hipstery as the Williamsburg park on N8th and Kent.  Not to mention that it’s got the architectural marvel that is the Brooklyn Bridge.  And, if you’ve got a good, semi-inexpensive bottle of Chianti in tow with your Grimaldi’s slice, you’ve got yourself a pretty nice picnic.

3.  What now?  If you’re sick of making out under the stars and have got room for something sweet, head over to Almondine (voted the best NYC bakery by NY Magazine this year), and get the best croissants in the continental US. Or,  try Jaques Torres for some amazingly dense and yummy hot chocolate.  It’s like getting all the great little things you receive when hanging out in Western Europe, without leaving Brooklyn.

4.  All in all, you’ll probably spend like $10-$20 TOPS on the whole thing.  If this person isn’t head-over-heels for the gumption, ingenuity, and moxie you’ve displayed, then frankly, they’re probably not worth sleeping with.  But if they are impressed, well, then, mission accomplished, my friend.  The DUMBO has landed!