Relationship Renewal!

Bursts of crimson, gold and orange still delight us with sudden color after the sameness of green foliage. Relationships can bring the same delight. Crisp fall days are made for relationship revivals. It’s the perfect time to plan a overnight get-away.

Bed and Breakfasts always jump to mind…and there is none better than the Out of The Box Date offering called Pillars of Love.  It’s a beautifully packaged romantic weekend at the lovely Pillar Inn in Cold Spring MN.

 Another idea? Homeaway.com gives you the chance to relax around a house with a twist – the novely of a house that isn’t yours, with the time to enjoy the amenties, read a book or take a nap without guilt.  You can rent a lovely home for a night or a weekend, with none of the long lists of things you need to do around your own home running through your head.  And even more delightful, many of Out of The Box Date adventures can go along with you! Try a log cabin on Lake Superior with it’s own semi-private island close to a casino. Or a cottage in Duluth with a private sand dune  just made for romantic beach walks in the fall.

Want a wild and crazy idea? This may take a little planning, but if you don’t mind a road trip or can find a great airfare, many ports on the east or west coast offer a Cruise to Nowhere.  You get great off-season prices on cabin’s for 1-3 day cruises with no ports of call (usually a repositioning for the ship).  You get to enjoy all the amenities of the cruise ship, while cruising nowhere! Sometimes it’s a transfer ship from one city to another. Sometimes they just cruise out for two days and return to the same port. But the prices can’t be beat, and you get to enjoy the spa, casino, multitudes of buffets, wave pools, movies, deck games, night shows and any specialties they offer like wine tastings.  Go wild and crazy!

Sometimes the ”short trip” planning can be more fun than a long vacation. It allows a change of pace that revitilizes you as a couple, leading to opportunities for new activities, and extra one on one time that comes with enjoying a get-a-way!! Enjoy your Fall Get-Away!!

We are all wondering about these whimsical summer evenings – 72 degrees some eves’, 62 others.  Does it make it hard to plana little couple-only time away? Not at all! You always deserve a date night, a relationship boost, a refreshing night of something different, unexpected or nostalgic…

While it may not always be warm enough for a hazy dreamy twilight walk and kiss, (at least this summer!) there are some lovely alternatives.  The UofM Showboat Theatre review is raving “a cut above”  for both the production and the acting talents of   ’The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’. What could be more novel than a theatre production on a floating showboat?!  It’s got date potential and will be playing all summer! Check out the other river cruises for their possibilities!

How about a bit of nostalgia?  Try Mini Golf!   The Adventure Gardens Mini Golf has 18 holes of miniature golf surrounded by attractive gardens, landscaping, waterfalls, ponds and streams.  It is located on the west edge of Veteran’s Memorial Park on 64th and Portland.

Perhaps some music outdoors at twilight will beguile you both into a summertime frame of mind?  The Music in the Zoo has tickets for many different July and August events. There is a little something for every musical taste – try the Monkey’s (for anyone who grew up in the 70′s!) to Los Lobos, or BoyzIIMen or HippieFest 2011, or Gaellic Storm! You can’t miss, it’s a guaranteed date night winner!

And if you are looking for a truly unique date, then go no further than Out Of The Box Dates.  You simply must try “Somethin’s Cooking” or “Let the Games Begin!” Check out all our dates, games, love notes or conversation cards. And then write us with your exceptional date experiences – we’d love to hear!

Dates made for Walking!

There is nothing better for relationships than walking.  You walk, you talk, your natural seratonin production puts you both in a great mood. Walking and talking is for connecting, communicating, and cultivating a great relationship. And we’ve got some great places…..

Need some fresh ideas for where to walk? You probably know some spots near you, but maybe you should try another part of town! Check out these ideas:

What could be a better romantic view than the Mississippi River Gorge and Stone Arch Bridge? Try Father Hennepin Park - 8 acres with footpaths, picnic tables and even the occasional wedding!

 Try this one in St. Paul – 160 acres located in the SW corner of Shepherd Road and 35E – Crosby Farm Park.  With about 6.7 miles of paved trails, the park provides a beautiful setting for an afternoon’s walk, run, or ride. Trails run along shady, wooded bottomlands next to the Mississippi River, along the marshes of Crosby Lake, past scenic picnic areas, and connects to the Mississippi River Boulevard parkway.

Or try the Anoka County Riverfront Park along the east side of the Mississippi River.  An excellent bicycle/walking trail connects this park to additional trails north of the park, and south to the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway trails. Two bridges in the area span the river allowing for a pleasant loop along the Mississippi River.

In South Minneapolis, you could try Roberts Bird Sanctuary.   During April and May Thomas Sadler Roberts Bird Sanctuary is a great location to observe spring migratory birds, especially warblers. The main entrance to the sanctuary is at the new visitors shelter that is adjacent to the Lyndale Park Gardens parking lot near the Peace Garden.  The bird sanctuary is located on Roseway Road, 1 block east of Lake Harriet Parkway.

Perhaps get a little history while you walk, at  The Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary, located along the north shore of the Mississippi River east of downtown Saint Paul (near corner of Commercial Street and 4th Street E.).   It was a significant site for Native Americans; Wakan Tipi (Spirit House), a cave, is located in the sandstone bluff that rims the north edge of the park.  There are walking and biking trails, and nice views of the Saint Paul skyline upriver.

The newest addition to the Minneapolis Riverfront District is a piece of land that has never before been walked by the general public.  You can experience the power of the mighty Mississippi River as it flows over St. Anthony Falls. You feel the power of the river, the spray from the falls as you stand on one of the three overlooks with the skyline of downtown Minneapolis in the back round in Water Power Park.

Overlooking St. Anthony Falls located on the upper portion of Father Hennepin Island on the Mississippi River, Water Power Park is accessible from Main Street just across from St. Anthony Main. Park in the St. Anthony Falls Ramp and take the connecting tunnel to Main St. and you will find yourself just across the street from Water Power Park.

  The possiblities are almost endless! You could turn these into summer walks as well, and and your relationship will soar!  Write comments and tell us if you try these parks or have others to tell us about!

Date Opportunities!

The Holidays are more than gift giving time – they are date opportunities for spending quality time together.  It doesn’t matter if you are dating, or married 20 years, amidst the “musts” and “shoulds” of holiday preparation, consider some true stress relief by spending intentional time together.

Avoid the stress – look for some great dates! We have a few suggestions for activities around town. Perhaps slip back to a simpler time?  A Victorian Christmas at the Ramsey House (Alexander Ramsey House, St. Paul MN).   Visit the Alexander Ramsey House this holiday season as Christmas 1875 comes alive. Take in a Victorian holiday with heirloom ornaments on the 12 foot parlor tree, period china on the dining room table, and fresh cookies from the wood-burning stove.

The popular “Homecoming” holiday tours run through Jan. 3, 2010. Other special programs include Annie’s Kitchen baking classes, Victorian floral workshops and special carriage rides around Historic Irvine Park. Visitors should make their reservations early for these popular events.

Need a date with a few laughs?  A holiday favorite returns with Triple Espresso – A Highly Caffeinated Comedy.  It is back at the Music Box Theatre on Nicollet Avenue through Jan 9.  Triple Espresso tells the story of three guys whose bid for showbiz fame and fortune ended in 4-minutes of magnificent failure on national television. Hugh Butternut, Buzz Maxwell, and Bobby Bean tell their rags-to-rags story earnestly, with hysterical results. Butternut is a musician, a vulnerable soul with a lounge lizard smile; Maxwell is an uncertain magician with an attitude; and Bean is an irrepressible, all-over-the-map entertainer with big dreams. The laughter is infectious and the comedy appeals to everyone from first graders to college students to baby-boomers to grandparents.

Or perhaps a Nostalgia Date with some charitable overtones. Check out the Riverview Theatre!  In what is becoming an annual tradition, they will have screenings of A CHRISTMAS STORY on December 20-23. This year they will also have IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE on the schedule. Admission to either of these films will help benefit the local Food Shelf.  Popcorn and soft drinks will be available for just $1. Click here for more information. (Advance tickets are now on sale on their website.)

Another intimate date idea?  Consider improve theatre at Stevie Ray’s Improv company at the Chanhassen with a brand new holiday show.

Stevie Ray’s proudly presents its newest holiday comedy with music, O Little Town of Chanhassen November 19-December 30.  Enjoy holiday music and comedy!

Of course the best stress reduction is fabulous easy-to-find-gifts for your special someone – you  can shop for a unique and memorable date to give as a holiday gift! Just shop here – at Out of The Box Dates – see our exciting romantic adventures!  We wish you the best holiday season ever!

Halloween Date Night

Need a fresh idea for date planning around Halloween?  Read on for great ideas around town!

How about the BareBones Theatre,  Friday October 29 to 31st based on Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes!  It is outdoor puppetry and performance art at it’s best. Held at the Hidden Falls Regional Park, just south of Ford Parkway and Mississippi River Blvd in St. Paul, this show features  pyrotechnics, puppetry, stilt walkers, aerial feats, and live orchestral music.  This is set up to be a stellar spooky date night!

All show times are 7pm and tickets are not required for admission (cheap date night!).  A free-will offering of $5 to $20 is suggested to support BareBones Productions and their future endeavors.

If you feel like bringing out your creative side, then create the best couple-combo-halloween-costume you can think of! Strut your duo-stuff at Red Carpet to Hell II at the Living Room and Prohibition  in the fabulous W Hotel, located inside the Foshy Tower, downtown Minneapolis. The event on Saturday October 30th kicks off at 9pm and you can party till closing time at 2am.

Stop by the Living room, have a cocktail and mingle with other vampires, ghouls and beasties. Then head up to Prohibition on the Foshay’s 27th floor for the Dead Celebrity Lounge. Stick around for a chance at some prizes, as thousands of dollars worth will be given away.

Dress up in your most creative or scary (but appropriate) getup for the costume contest for a chance at your piece of the prize pie. You have to be present to win, so if people are coming and going, your chances of winning may be pretty good.

This event is for 21+ and there is no cover. The Living Room is located at 821 Marquette Avenue in downtown Minneapolis, in the Foshay Tower.

Spooky date night is a great chance to be in each others arms! How is that for couples therapy? Enjoy these A+ Romantic ideas!

Down through the ages, has there ever been anything more romantic than a scary movie, drawing the two of you into each others arms? It worked at 15, at 25, and we are fully confident it can also work at 35, 45, 55, etc, etc, etc.  It’s time to check out the  Scare-Fests with your spouse/date, and rediscover the best scary romance times!

 There are quite a few Scare-Spots to choose from around the Twin Cities.  Even if it is a road-trip, try  Zywiec’s Landscape and Garden Center in Cottage Grove, for the Haunting Experience 3D.  Visitors begin their exciting excursion in a 3-D haunted house, where special glasses provided by the center will have you leaping into each others arms.

Next, thrill seekers are ushered into the haunted mansion, where they discard their special-effects lenses as maniacal, bloodthirsty flower fans chase them through 20 horrifying rooms and out to the waiting hay wagons. After being briefly schooled on the horror of hay-fever allergies, the daunting descent into the frightful forest begins with a mile-long hayride through haunted woods and panic-ridden cornfields.

Visitors who manage to make it out of the haunted attraction alive can enjoy Zywiec’s nightly bonfires, as well as free movies projected on a large outdoor screen, while munching on snacks and perusing seasonal décor such as Indian corn, mums, pumpkins, and candy-corn seedlings in the garden center. The entire haunted experience lasts at least an hour and a half and stays open from dusk until 10 p.m. on weekdays and until 11 p.m. on weekends, though guests should check out the calendar before they leave to make certain the attraction is open. 

Another Twin Cities option is ValleyScare. Valleyscare is happening at Valleyfair Amusement Park throughout the month of October, mostly on weekends. 

Indoor mazes and spook houses abound, such as Chateau du Damné, a vampire-infested Renaissance castle, the posse of insane clowns at CarnEvil, the Mangler Asylum, where Dr. Mangler performed twisted experiments on the residents, and finally, Mr. Cleaver’s Bloodshed.  

The hours between now and the 31st are Saturdays from noon to midnight, Sundays from 6 to 11pm, and Fridays from 7pm to midnight. The only exception to these hours are Wednesday and Thursday (the 20th and 21st), the park is open from 7pm to midnight as well.

If “Scare” is just not in your future as a couple, perhaps try a corn maze to test your couples team-building abilities! (Of course there might be a few scares as you try to find the exit!)

Berry Hill Farm in Anoka has a field maze

Shafer Corn Maze – Hwy 8, Shafer, MN 55074

Apple Jack Orchards – 6 acre corn maze – 4875 37th St SE, Delano, MN

Sever’s Corn Maze – Shakopee, MN (by Canterbury Downs)

Sponsel’s Minnesota Harvest Apple Orchard – Jordan MN 

Afton Apple Orchards – 12 acre Corn Maze – 14421 90th Ave. S, Afton, MN

Gilbertson Farms – 12791 Oakhill Rd, Scandia, MN

Enjoy being Scared Romantic! Relive the thrill!

Perhaps it feels a little early for such crisp air, but it’s a chance to embrace the Fall with a romantic road trip.  Consider a fun fresh day-date with a search for tart apples and the beginning blending of fall colors!

Bite into Fall with an apple/leaf road trip!  If you haven’t headed SW of the Twin Cities in a while, take a spontaneous road trip down 169 south. Once  you pass the town of Jordan, just a little further on your right, you will find an amazing sunshine yellow building with multiple signs about apples, candy, and baked goods.

 They even promise 64 kinds of rootbeer and some 70+ kinds of licorice!  Pull in, and you will find 10-15 varieties of apples, which you can sample before you choose your favorite. You’ll find yummy extras from a huge variety of salsa’s to an amazing array of smoked bacon and jerky.  They always have fresh pies, strudel, and a whole room filled with candy, from old fashioned kinds you haven’t seen in years (Turkish Taffy anyone?) to European candies, to current favorites.  It’s a dream day-date guaranteed to make you giddy!

While you are in Jordan, hit a few antique stores - there are 4– one of them in an old brewery.  And maybe try the local meat market, still family owned and famous for it’s ring bologna.

Or maybe you’d like to pick your own apples?

It’s the original date!

Find your closest apple orchard by visiting Minnesota Grown‘s website. They have 108 different apple orchards to choose from!  They also have directories for Fall raspberries, pumpkins, winery’s, and farmer’s markets. Lots of possibilites for Minnesota-grown dates!

So get in the spirit (before leaf-raking time hits!) and make your own unusual date of apple picking, apple tasting and some antiques. Think of it as Couples Fall Therapy!

We promised to look for other dates that inspire, by helping out with something larger than both of you.  Our next suggestion is for the two of you to volunteer at ”Feed My Starving Children”…and you don’t have to have kids to be part of this inspiring date!

One of Feed My Starving Children’s  (FMSC) belief statements is:  We believe that our lives are enriched when we graciously give our own time and resources to help others in need.  So why not enrich your relationship the same way?

Find something you both believe in, and a way to support it together.   FMSC makes it super easy – with 3 locations around the metro area (and 5 other states as well), and an online sign up to volunteer,  which allows you to search available timeslots in a date range. (Try signing up under “family” to get 2 or more spots). Sounds like a great date – both cheap and full of value!

FMSC is a  faith-based charity, headquartered in the Twin Cities, that is having an international impact.  FMSC seeks to ensure that every child in the world can receive adequate nutrition for healthy physical development.  In 2009, they were able to supply 96 million meals for distribution in over 62 countries.  The meals provided by FMSC are carefully designed by food scientists to provide the nutrients that malnourished children need and the success stories are impressive. 

Helping to solve the world hunger crisis is great fun at FMSC.  The volunteers (you and your date!)  will arrive for a 1.5 to 2 hour shift and watch a short motivational video,  receive a briefing on how the assembly process works, and then the take their place in the meal packing process.  The atmosphere at FMSC makes the work game-like.  Workers will give a shout when a bag of meals weighs exactly the right amount.  The music is fun and light-hearted competition is encouraged.  At the same time, the work is taken very seriously.  The ratio of ingredients is carefully maintained and the work flow maximizes output and minimizes stoppages.  When the shift is over, a staffer will tell the group what they have accomplished.  The result is always satisfying.  

So don’t delay, sign up on their website, or search out your own charitable challenge that means a lot to both of you, and find your relationship inspired on an unusual and unique date!

A Charitable Challenge

What  better way to embark on an amazing date than by trying The Great MN Race?!  Challenge yourself and your spouse/date to try something totally different in a couple’s teamwork unique date.

The Great MN Race is modeled after CBS series The Amazing Race, with a few original twists thrown in to give a local appeal. The race will benefit Urban Ventures, a faith-based non-profit that works to break the cycle of generational poverty, specifically in the Central and Phillips neighborhoods of South Minneapolis.

The Great MN Race will take teams of two across the metro area of Minneapolis & St. Paul, Minnesota. Teams will be solving clues and performing challenging tasks that are both mental and physical in nature as they race across the city (by foot, by bus, or by train).

The Great MN Race is unlike any race in the area, combining the fun elements of racing, solving clues, and completing tasks all while exploring the urban areas of the Twin Cities.

There’s still plenty of time to find a partner and register your team of two to participate in the race. Register online for $45 before 11:59pm Friday August 27^th.  

Registration and check-in is at 8:30am on Saturday and the race begins at 9:30 at 1199 Midway Pkwy, the north side of Como Pavilion in St. Paul.

For challenge examples, race details, and other information, email info@greatmnrace.com or visit http://www.greatmnrace.com/.

We are so inspired by this charity event, we may look for more A+ romantic idea as date opportunities that allow you to both enhance your relationship on a date and support a fabulous charity. Dates that Inspire! Watch for more ideas….

Summer’s Date Night!

Every summer night can be your Summer Date Night when you start looking around at the possibilities!  Dancing under the stars?  Perhaps some live music? What better way to replenish your relationship than checking out the ready-made date nights in the Twin Cities!

Thursday evenings through August 12th, the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts and several partners team up to turn Landmark Center Plaza into a venue for dance.

This Thursday, July 29th is Rock ‘n’ Roll night. The evening kicks off at 6pm with instruction by Arthur Murray Dance Studio, followed by live music  from the Rockin’ Holywoods from 7:30 until 10, giving you some time to practice what you learn and dance the night away.

Beer and wine is available for purchase starting at 5:30, so you can come early and mingle with other couples before class is in session.

August 5th, the schedule remains the same for Ballroom Dance night. Cinema Ballroom will provide instruction and live music is by the Jerry O’Hagan Orchestra.

But if dancing isn’t the way to your collective heart, you and your date could check out some upcoming free movies and music. Loring Park has some A+ Date Night opportunities!

 Tuesday nights starting August 3rd and wrapping up August 24th, the live music starts at 7pm followed by the movie screenings at dusk. Then you can head over to Nick and Eddie for more live music at the afterparty.

The series kicks off August 3rd with a live set from local heroes Communist Daughter followed by a showing of Raising Arizona, written, produced and directed by St. Louis Park natives Joel and Ethan Coen. Then at the afterparty, catch local electro pop outfit Estate.

What could be better than a ready-made fresh date night with no planning required!  So if you need something more spontaneous, on a date night of your choice, visit our website.  And enjoy a summer of unique romantic adventures!