The Final Post May 6, 2009

So after a semester of dragging my boyfriend around to new places in New Jersey and spending a ton of cash on all of these “Cheap Dates,” my initial feelings are hard to explain.  Because of this blog I am now the proud parent of  a malti-poo puppy named “Osi-Margarita.”  I am responsible for her for the next 15 years.  Because of this blog, my relationship with Dustin has been on an emotional roller coaster.

Overall the experience I gained from this blog was great.  I feel that I will be able to apply it to my career and hopefully I will continue to blog, but instead of blogging about my relationships I will now move on to blogging about Osi and raising her.

I would not recommend anyone to blog about their personal lives.  It’s not fair to anyone involved.  I will not delete this blog, but I don’t think I will continue to maintain it.  I hope everyone enjoys it!

Thanks,

Veronica Martinez

Turnpike cheapies May 6, 2009

Since the Turnpike is so expensive already, I have decided to compile a list of cheap dates at each exit from 1-18.  I have either been to these places already or have heard great things about them.  Hope you enjoy!

1- Deap Water Diner in  Carneys Point. Greasy, cheap food that is minutes from the Turnpike.

2-Beckett Golf Club in Woolwich. Not the cheapest of dates but pretty cheap for a golf date.

3- Clementon Park is a small amusement park. Its fun for kids and those who are kids at heart.

4-The Igloo of Mount Laurel. Indoor ice skating is always cheap, but it’s kind of cool to say your going on a date to an igloo.

5- Dadz Bar and Grill in Westampton is a great hang out spot and bar. It is really a lot of fun for a date or just to hang out with your friends.

6- The Musconetcong River in Mansfield is absolutely beautiful and free. A great place to hang out or go for a walk.

7- Mastoris in Bordentown is a great restaurant. The inside of it is unique and very different from the typical diner.

8- Americana Diner in East Windsor is my favorite diner ever. The food and service is great and to top it off it has a bar. A great place for a date.

9- Sayreville Bar & Restaurant in Sayreville is a little bit more expensive than most of the other places in this list, but it’s still relatively cheap and a good splurge for college students.

10- Edison Bowling in Edison is a great bowling alley. It has special events such as karaoke night. Fun and very close to Rutgers University.

11- Starplex Cinemas, Woodbridge Dollar Movies. Dollar Movies–enough said.

12- Bus Stop Diner in Carteret is the cutest old style diner ever. It has amazing food.

13- Ellis Island is a great day trip. There is a museum and of course the Statue of Liberty. You only need to pay for the Ferry and any food you buy there.

14- The Sangria in Newark is my favorite Spanish Restaurant. The outside doesn’t look that great but the food is amazing. For about $30 a person you can have a great meal.

15w- Euro Lounge in Kearny is a great night life hot spot. There is usually drink specials and it is always a good time.

16w- Garden State Plaza in Paramus is a huge mall with plenty of things to do including a movie theater and a pet store. Warning: This date has expensive potentials.

18w- Jay Dee’s Pub in Carlstadt is a great hangout spot and date location. It is always a good time and there is always cheap drink specials.

So where ever you are on the New Jersey Turnpike, now you know you can jump off the next exit and find something fun to do. Enjoy!

Minor League basball date ideas April 21, 2009

Watching baseball can be a fun and relaxing experience, but having to travel into a city to watch a Major League game can become an expensive ordeal. New Jersey though offers many minor league baseball games that only cost a few bucks to attend.

The most popular team is probably the Trenton Thunder– The New York Yankees AA affiliate.  Successful Yankees such as Joba  Chamberlain, Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter and Hideki Matsui have all played for the team at some point. Chances are either a future Yankee or a rehabing one will be on the field during any given game.

The games are fun, interactive and are a perfect way to entertain a date on a college budget. Here is a list of other minor league baseball teams in New Jersey.

Mountain Creek Waterpark April 21, 2009

Last summer Dustin and I went to Mountain Creek Water park in Vernon two times and absolutely loved it.

The water park is huge, has long and intense rides, and is surrounded by a mountain atmosphere.  This season the park is offering two season tickets for $99–an amazing deal.   Each season pass includes:

• UNLIMITED admission all season – over 80 days to enjoy it
• TWO Bring a Friend for FREE Days – a $69.98 value
• $5 discount on additional park admissions for friends and family.
• Receive additional discounts via email through out the season.
• ALWAYS free parking

It is definitely worth it for the summer, especially if you are a college student and have nothing else better to do.  If you go a couple of times, it is definitely worth the investment.

A map of great date locations in NJ April 21, 2009

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The not so cheap Puppy Stop Date. April 17, 2009

I blogged about The Puppy Stop being a great cheap date a few weeks ago and I mentioned it had expensive potentials.

I was correct.  Last week we went to the shop and I bought a $700 mali-poo puppy.  Her name is Osi- Margarita, weighs 2.5 pounds and is only 9 weeks old.  By no extent was she cheap, but the opportunity of being a dog owner will provide with ample chances to go on dates to dog parks, regular parks, and ordinary walks.

I am excited about being a dog owner and I hope it will prove to be a great way to enjoy the outdoors and life’s simpler rewards– love, happiness and laughter.

Here is a directory to New Jersey Dog Parks.  Its a cheap way to entertain your pet or to go on a date and just watch dogs play.  They are all fun, entertaining and a great way to to spend time with a significant other.

Picture by Beatriz Romero

NCAA Bracket Champion… April 16, 2009

An update to the NCAA Tournament brackets Dustin and I made:

WINNER= Veronica 149 points

LOSER= Dustin 86 points

To celebrate my large victory margin and first win ever, Dustin took me to Olive Garden.

Total Cost for me: $0

Another golf date April 8, 2009

While looking through old pictures on my computer I found pictures I took last summer at Pine Creek Miniature golf in West Amwell.   Dustin and I went there last summer on a date and it was awesome.  The facility has two beautiful 18-hole courses that feature waterfalls, ponds, streams, fountains and beautiful landscaping.  It is unlike any other mini golf course in New Jersey.

Each course takes over an hour to go through, but it is well worth it.  The holes are challenging and long–some even have a stream cutting through them.  The course is so difficult that they give you two balls when you start because you are almost guaranteed to lose one.  The price is either $9 or $10 per person depending on the course you choose.

I would recommend this date to everyone who enjoys the outdoors, golf and romance.  It is another of New Jersey’s hidden treasures.  Here are some pictures from when we went there last summer.

Par 3 Golf Date April 7, 2009

When I first met Dustin, he informed me that he was a golfer.  Little did I know how much of a fanatic he was.  He works at a golf course in West Windsor called Cranbury Golf Club and during the summer golfs almost everyday. Since I am such a good girlfriend and am interested in his hobbies, I let him teach me how to golf so I could spend more time with him.

Although now I can actually hit the ball decently, I have come a long way from hitting balls a couple of yards at the driving range (Now I hit the ball a couple of yards in nice golf shoes).  So now I have been promoted to a Par 3 Golf Course.

To celebrate my promotion from very bad to just bad, we went to Hole in One Golf in Millstone Township.  The golf center offers mini golf, a driving range and a par 3 course.  The Par 3 course offers 9 holes that are approximately 80-100 yards in length, a few water hazards and several sand traps.  Dustin was pretty good, but I was awful. I lost several balls in the one and only pond.:(

Overall it was a lot of fun.  The environment was nice but the one downside of it was that the putting greens were in bad shape.  According to Dustin, it was obvious that the greens were not well maintained. After getting the ball on the green, there were dirt patches that prevented golfers from actually putting.

I would recomend this course to go on a date, but if you are both good at golf I would go somewhere else.

Total cost: $30

Roommate date challenge.. success?? April 3, 2009

So i decided to challenge Mollie and Riley (my two roommates) to find a cheap date for under $15. Since they are both single they went out with each other. This is what they came up with:

Me: Where did you guys go?
Riley: (giggles)
Mollie:(giggling) We went to the Goodwill store and Rita’s.

Me: So what did you guys do at the Goodwill store?
Riley: Well, we just walked around and looked at used furniture and clothes. It was fun.
Mollie: We also tried on some funny outfits.

Me: Did you buy anything?
Mollie:(blushing and laughing) We each bought an outfit for $5. I bought a giraffe print t-shirt and a sequin mini skirt.
Riley: (laughing) I bought a red tube top and daisy duke shorts.

Me: Did you wear the outfits?
Riley: (laughing) Maybe.

Me: (laughing) Did you guys wear the outfits to Rita’s?
Mollie:(giggling) No. We went to Rita’s right after going to goodwill.

Me: So how much did you guys spend at Rita’s?
Mollie: $2 each on water ice and since we had an extra dollar, we gave it to the server as a tip.

Me: Would you consider this a good date?
Riley: Yes. It was so much fun.
Mollie: Yeah we should do it more often.

Me: Would you go on this date with a guy?
Mollie: Maybe. Only if I know him really well though.
Riley: Probably not.

Me: Would you recommend this date to other couples?
Mollie: Yeah.
Riley: Depends on the couple.