A Seattle single shares her ideas for 5 great oddball dates

I had a date several months ago, the planning of which went something like this:

"What do you want to do?"

"Whatever. I'm up for anything."

"Do you like sushi?"

"Not really."

"Hmmm. We could see a movie."

"Great! Which one?"

"I don't care. You can choose."

As you can imagine a romance did not flourish. Nothing kills budding attraction like indecision and apathy. So in an attempt to save myself and other romantic hopefuls from future date-in-the-headlights paralysis, I offer you five fabulous date ideas, all of which I have personally tested on five different men. While it is true that the best dates are spontaneous, it is also true that sometimes spontaneity requires preparation.

May we always have an answer to the question, "What do you want to do?"

1. Hometown tourist

I have always wanted to play tour guide to somebody visiting Seattle for the first time and showcase like a proud parent the incredible features of my fair city. So when I stumbled across a Craigslist ad posted by a witty young man from New Jersey searching for an enthusiastic young woman to show him around Seattle, it seemed the right time to enter the Internet dating world and finally fulfill my unrequited desire.

It's fun to meander around your hometown like a tourist, and while Eric and I did more in those 14 hours than I have room to tell here, one slice of our day is an easy date to re-create.

We ate at Salumi (309 Third Ave. S., www.salumicuredmeats.com), the famous deli where even the mundane act of standing in line feels like an event.

Afterward it must have been fate — not just spicy breath — that prompted us to chew gum, because we soon found ourselves standing in front of the Post Alley gum wall (1428 Post Alley) where a mural of sorts has developed from people pressing their chewed gum onto the brick. I called it gross, but Eric insisted we leave our mark amongst the mess.

From there we continued north and ended inside the men's restroom at Seattle's favorite dive bar, the Five Point (415 Cedar St.), admiring the unique view of yet another Seattle landmark. Once again I will let you discover this for yourself.

2. Smooching in the stacks

I'm not sure what prompted me to suggest the Central Library (1000 Fourth Ave., www.spl.org) as the location for a date, and to be honest I regretted my choice as I rang the doorbell at Andy's house. Earlier that afternoon my co-worker wrinkled her nose when I told her I planned to take my date to the library. "That'll be lame," she said.

Luckily she was wrong.

As we sat down at the catalog computers to search for books, Andy said, "This is exciting."

I knew exactly what he meant. Every time I enter a library my heart races anticipating characters I will meet, skills I will learn, wisdom I will glean. The possibilities seem endless, which is the same for a date: You never know where the encounter will lead.

After nearly an hour Andy and I headed for the foam chairs on the 10th level, where we read, sometimes silently, sometimes in whispers to each other. It felt like heaven, but I couldn't tell if it was the slanted skylights showcasing the clouds or the hushed library restraint magnifying our romantic tension.

If you take a date to the library, find the pink covered book with the call number 394 L194K. I'll let you discover the title for yourself, but will say that it involves movie trivia and kisses.

3. Hip to be square

Alex and I have been swing-dancing together for nearly a year, and in that time we have tackled moves called Texas Tommy and Fly Squirrel. When I got a bee in my bonnet to do-si-do, it seemed only natural to ask Alex along for the bi-monthly Bucks and Does Square Dance in Shoreline (753 N. 18th St., www.bucksanddoes.org).

There are two things I must tell you about our date. First, Alex and I were the only people under the age of 60. Second, there is no way I could have ever anticipated how much fun it would be to twirl around the dance floor in the arms of a man the age of my grandfather.

Square and folk dancing makes a great date because it is active, social, draws a varied crowd and doesn't require exceptional rhythmic skill. Local string band the Tallboys sponsor a monthly square dance at the Tractor Tavern (5213 Ballard Ave. N.W., www.thetallboys.com).

Contra dance is another folk style with moves anyone can learn. Try it to live music on Thursdays at Lake City Community Center (12531 28th Ave. N.E., www.seattledance.org) or Fridays at Phinney Neighborhood Center (6532 Phinney N., www.phinneycenter.org).

If you don't enjoy the dancing, you and your date will, at the very least, be amused at this glimpse of old-fashioned Americana.

4. Classic with a twist

At some point everybody experiences the dreaded encounter of bumping into a blast from the past while looking less than fabulous at the grocery store. When this happened to me several weeks ago I was surprised that, despite my lingering flu and outfit resembling rumpled pajamas, our meeting resulted in an exchange of phone numbers rather than an awkward, "See you around."

Ryan and I followed our classic encounter with a classic date: dinner and a movie. While cliché to some, dinner and movie never tires me. This familiar pattern comforts during a potentially unnerving getting-to-know-you rendezvous. Unfortunately romance wanes in the stale environment of chain mega theaters; fortunately Seattle offers opportunities to save the classic date from uninspired confines.

At Northwest Film Forum (1515 12th Ave., www.nwfilmforum.org) not only will you watch conversation-inspiring films, you'll also be supporting a nonprofit that aids aspiring filmmakers. Add dinner at Dinette (1514 E. Olive Way, www.dinetteseattle.com) for a perfectly engaging evening.

Columbia City Cinema (4816 Rainier Ave. S., www.columbiacitycinema.com) plays first-run films in a historic Masonic temple. Try dinner at Lottie's Lounge (4900 Rainier Ave. S., www.lottieslounge.com) where happy-hour specials go until 7 p.m.

At the Big Picture you can take a cocktail into the theater at both the Seattle (2505 First Ave., www.thebigpicture.net) and Redmond (7411 166th Ave. N.E.) locations. In Belltown I recommend dinner at Le Pichet (1933 First Ave., www.lepichetseattle.com). On the Eastside you can't go wrong at Pomegranate Bistro (18005 N.E. 68th St., www.pomegranatebistro.com).

5. Freedom at the Frye

When I called Michael to finalize our plans, my stomach turned, my hands quivered, my voice stuttered. It was a typical case of pre-date jitters. When we hung up the phone, however, I was unsure if what we had just decided on was an official date or simply a platonic afternoon. (See "Was it a Date?")

Michael and I went to the Frye Art Museum (704 Terry Ave., www.fryemuseum.org), the perfect place for an is-it-or-is-it-not-a-date date. For starters, the Frye is always free, which makes extending a casual invite to somebody you want to get to know better pretty painless. All you have to ask is, "I want to check out an exhibit at the Frye, do you want to come along?" and you are home free.

The museum also provides the perfect amount of stimulation for an ambiguous get together. It's small enough that you can see the entire collection in a couple of hours, but big enough to provide ample conversation fodder, once again freeing your mind from worrying about what to say during uncomfortable silences.

If romance builds as you wander through the galleries, continue your day with an art-show analysis over an artful meal. I recommend lovely Lark (926 12th Ave., www.larkseattle.com) or, to keep the date on a budget, the Baguette Box (1203 Pine St., www.baguettebox.com) for elegant sandwiches and wine.

Amanda Ford is a Seattle freelance writer. She can be reached through her Web site, www.oholive.com.