Update Your Dates Stuck In Date Doldrums Going To Dinner And A Movie? Check Out These Ideas To Perk Up Your Partnership

FROM FOR THE RECORD (Tuesday, June 24, 1997): Correction Day wrong: The carillon concerts at St. John’s Cathedral in Spokane will take place Thursdays in July at 7 p.m. The day of the week was incorrect in a Saturday IN Life story.

There are fun dates, there are typical dates and there are, well, the dates from hell. Is there a sure way to avoid the latter? Probably not, but elevating dating from the typical to the really fun level can be done with a little creative planning.

Most of us think of dates as dinner and a movie on Saturday night. Typical, maybe even fun, but ordinary. What if cash is too short to fund an evening out and your schedule allows only a Sunday afternoon outing?

Not to worry. Summer offers a plethora of fun things to do, many of which are relatively inexpensive. We’ve put together a list of summer dating ideas which are fresh and will allow you to enjoy the weather. And you don’t need to take a second job to bankroll most of these dates.

Pick up the phone and make the call.

We’ve divided some ideas by category. Use them as a jumpstart for a summer loaded with fun, be it dating or with a group of friends.

Active dates

In-line skating: Slap on some blades and get some fresh air. It feels great to glide along the Centennial Trail and enjoy the weather. But be sure to wear all the proper equipment, especially if you’re a first-timer. Sure, you may get funny tan lines, but it’s better to scrape off layers of plastic protectors on the pavement than layers of your elbows or knees. Quinn’s Wheel Rental in Riverfront Park rents in-line skates for $5 an hour or $20 for the day. (Quinn’s is located on the footbridge near the Carrousel.)

Visit a gym: If you both have a membership, work out together; if only one of you belongs, guest passes are available from Sta-Fit for $10, and Gold’s Gym for $5. There’s more to do at a gym than just lift weights. Most have swimming pools, spas, basketball or racquetball courts and aerobics classes. Make an afternoon of it. (A dating hint: Don’t ogle others in the gym; it’s insulting to your date, and pretty much assures you there won’t be a second one.)

Volleyball: Bump, set, spike! Get out the net and organize a game in your back yard. (It helps if the ball is broken in so your forearms aren’t hamburger when you’re done.) If that’s too much organization, head for Coeur d’Alene and join a game at City Park (call (208) 769-2249 to borrow nets and balls).

Bike rides: Go for a peaceful ride on the Centennial Trail, check out some historic Spokane neighborhoods, or go hard-core on some trails at Mount Spokane. If you don’t have a bicycle, you can rent from Quinn’s at Riverfront Park. Mountain bikes are $5 an hour, $20 for the day. Tandem bikes (bicycles made for two) will really make you feel like you’re on a date. They rent for $10 an hour or $40 for the day.

On the cultural trail

Visit a museum: Ever been to the Cheney Cowles Museum in Browne’s Addition? If not, it’s an interesting way to while away the afternoon in a quiet setting. Been there, done that? There are other museums in the area. The Museum of North Idaho, 115 Northwest Blvd., in Coeur d’Alene, is open Tuesdays through Saturdays ($1.50 admission). If you’re up for a drive, head to the Oasis Bordello Museum in Wallace. It’s an old brothel dating to the mining heydays of Wallace. It closed in 1988. The women left in a hurry, so all their belongings are still intact. Tours of the Bordello Museum are $4; it’s open daily.

Tunes in the great outdoors - We may not have the famed outdoor amphitheater of Redrock, Colo., but this region does have its musical moments. And here, it’s easy and sometimes free.

All you have to do is bring a blanket and your ears to St. John’s Cathedral where there are free outdoor carillon recitals every Saturday in July. The Mozart on the Lawn concert at Manito Park will be July 22 and 23 at 7 p.m. (Tickets for seats at a table and dessert are $15, but you can bring a blanket or chair and listen for $5. Or sit outside Duncan Garden and hear the tunes at a distance for free.)

Also, the Summer Sounds in Park Place series in Sandpoint offers free live music every Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. at Park Place, First and Cedar. (Watch the Friday Weekend section for details.)

Beyond coffee - For a mellow date or for an energy boost, grab some coffee and enjoy some live music. Espresso Delizioso, 706 N. Monroe, has coffee and live music most nights of the week. If there’s a cover, it’s usually a nominal buck or two.

You might get wet

Water slides - So what if you haven’t done it since junior high? Suit up and slide down for the day. Splash Down and Wild Waters have plenty of water and slides and what better way to spend a hot summer afternoon? Admission to Splash Down, located at Mission Park in the Valley, is $10 if you’re older than 12. Wild Waters in Coeur d’Alene, costs $13.95 for those 12 and older.

Boating - Borrow a boat. Or better yet, double with friends who own a speed boat and spend the afternoon waterskiing or just cruising the shoreline of one of the many area lakes. (Hint: Bring sunscreen, a hat and lightweight clothes to cover up when you’ve had enough sun.) If that’s not your speed, slow it down by renting a canoe or paddleboat at Independence Point in the Coeur d’Alene City Park. Canoes will run you $8 an hour, paddleboats (they seat four people, too) go for $12 an hour. You can rent daily between 11 a.m. and sunset.

Dates that become memories

Make a movie together - Borrow or rent a video camera and make your own flick. Or just a tape of yourselves goofing off. Huppin’s Hi-Fi rents VHS and 8mm cameras for $30 a day. Kind of spendy, but very original and you’ll never be able to forget this date; it’s filmed for posterity.

Models for a day - Grab your camera or buy a disposable one and take pictures of one another having fun. Go to a one-hour photo lab, order doubles and you’ll both have a set. An outdoor 24-exposure disposable camera will run you $6 to $9. Developing doubles of 24 pics in an hour costs around $14.

Chow time

Al fresco dining - Go to an outdoor cafe (we like Fitzbillies and Cucina Cucina in downtown Spokane, Capone’s in Coeur d’Alene or The Scrapbook on the South Hill, to name only a few), get a beer or an iced latte, and do some quality people watching.

Barbecue - One of the defining activities of summer is grilling. If you don’t have a barbecue, you can buy a tabletop habachi for $8 to $10. Pick up some chicken, steaks, shish kabobs or veggie burgers at the store. (Don’t forget the marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate for smores.) Fire up the grill and open up your favorite lawn chair and microbrew while you wait.

An eclectic mix

Tour a brewery - See where and how those hops-filled beverages are made … then sample the different varieties. The Fort Spokane Brewery (838-3809), Ram Brewing Company (326-3745) and Bayou Brewing Company (484-4818) in Spokane, and the Coeur d’Alene Brewing Company (208-664-2739) offer free tours by appointment.

Stop to smell the flowers - Visit the Japanese Gardens or Duncan Gardens at Manito Park. While you are there, swing by The Park Bench (the cafe south of the pond) and get a latte or brownie. The Park Bench will pack a “picnic in a bag,” if you don’t feel like making your own.

Watch the sparks fly - Plan to watch the fireworks display July 4th with a date. Get to Coeur d’Alene or Riverfront Park early for optimum viewing spots. Bring a blanket to sit on or sand chairs and some chow to while away the hours while darkness falls.

Wax on, wax off - How about starting the date by washing the cars together and then taking a drive to the country? (No map needed, just drive 30 minutes from downtown in any direction.) Folks used to do this on Sunday afternoons but, really, it can be done on just about any pleasant afternoon.

Watch today fade to tomorrow - Pack a blanket, drive to one of the areas many view spots (we like Cliff Park, Palisades State Park, High Drive, or Tubbs Hill in Coeur d’Alene) and watch daylight fade to twilight. Wine and music go well with sunsets, so bring a tape player and some chardonnay. And don’t forget the corkscrew.

Group get-togethers

Around the world party - Assign your friends a country. Have each person (or couple) bring a dish and drinks traditional to that country, and dress the part. The choice is yours - go simple and grab some chips, salsa and Corona, or invest some time into making enchiladas and margaritas.

A friend in need… - Help a friend move, paint, do yardwork. If it’s your first date, just skip this idea. But for couples, this kind of thing can be fun in a group. And as they say, what comes around goes around.

Why wait for New Year’s? - Have a party on any night and celebrate midnight for no reason. How about July 1? It’s New Years-and-a-half. Add a Canadian theme and help Canada celebrate its Canada Day.

Things that sound fun, but…

Take out some frustrations - Buy some cheap dishes. After each course, throw the dishes at the fireplace and watch them shatter.

Karoake - Depending on how brave you are, this may or may not be an option. It’s a great way to show your stuff if you have a good voice. And sounds like a mating call if you don’t. Either way could work to your advantage.

Required: a chunk of change and courage

Parasailing - Just go for it; this would make for an unforgettable day. Parasailing involves you and a parachute sailing behind a speed boat. We are not exactly sure how this works, but you’re guaranteed not to get wet. You are launched from and land in the boat. A trip with Coeur d’Alene Parasail costs $40, or $70 a couple.

Skydiving - Got a strong stomach and neither of you is afraid of heights? What a great date. And it guarantees memorable stories for your grandkids. Instruction and one jump cost $160 at Spokane Skydiving School (466-2408).

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Staff illustration by Bridget Sawicki