Chilly Buffalo winters are good for much more than freezing your pipes and leaving salt streaks on your windshield. They provide a great opportunity to stay warm by snuggling up with a cute date on a cold night.
Put a spin on a summer favorite; watching the sunset in winter is a treat to the senses.
Bundle up and head outside to see how the winter atmosphere brings out the deepest purples, pinks and oranges while sharing a thermos full of creamy hot chocolate and miniature marshmallows. The chill in the air will naturally bring the two of you closer together, and an arm across the back will cut through even the iciest shivers.
Playing in the snow will bring out the uninhibited child in both of you.
Sledding is great for a laugh and is sure to bring you closer to your date. Try sledding at hills like Colden Tubing Company or Bond Lake Park where they have lifts to help you back up. Not only will this save you that dreaded trek uphill, it will also give you time to talk between runs.
Be sure to share a sled so you can cling to each other on the way down. This increases the chances that you will end up in a heap when you collapse at the bottom of the hill.
Build a snow fort. Whether you prefer to build the classic igloo structure out of blocks of ice or would rather carve a den out of a big snowy mound, the activity will take a lot of teamwork, and will be a great chance to see how well you work together. The finished product also provides enough privacy for a quick, stolen kiss.
Ice-skating is a winter date staple, and very conducive to handholding.
Amherst Pepsi Arena, just across the road, offers late-night twilight skates - perfect for sweethearts. Admission is just $3, and skate rentals are an extra $3. Keep your balance by holding onto your honey, and bring them down with you when you fall.
If playing outside brings to mind horrors such as runny noses and chattering chins, there are plenty of cozy indoor options as well.
Voelker's Bowling Alley, located at 686 Amherst St., is not just a Buffalo institution. It is also a great date location. At $2.75 per game, it is also a cheap alternative to the wallet-busting traditional dinner date.
Open every day of the year, Voelker's boasts such tried-and-true favorites as moonlight bowling and, of course, the beloved rock-n-bowl, where you can knock down some pins to the tunes of various live local musicians. There are also pool tables available for some one-on-one action.
Buffalo has a vibrant and thriving theater scene. Catch a play at the Kavinoky Theater on the corner of Porter and Prospect Avenues near D'Youville College and Kleinhan's Music Hall. Tickets normally range between $20 and $30, but a flash of your student ID will get you in for $10. Finish the night with a shared dessert at Sweet Treats on Elmwood. Pair a heart-shaped cookie with a glass of milk and add two straws.
Nothing breaks the ice better than bad karaoke. Klub Karaoke on Niagara Street in Buffalo has cheap drinks, a huge, welcoming crowd, and a large, professional-looking stage.
Once you've humiliated yourself by croaking through Madonna's "Like a Virgin," any minor embarrassments you might fall victim to after that will be a breeze. Croon a love song to your sweetie out in the crowd, or bond over a duet together.
As any watcher of the television show "Blind Date" can attest, trying on clothes together can be quite seductive. Second Skin on the corner of Allen and Wadsworth Streets in Buffalo has the craziest clothes for men and women. Pick out wild ensembles for one another - perhaps some leather booty shorts for him, a red negligee and sexy Santa hat for her - retreat to your respective dressing rooms, and step out later to reveal the jaw-dropping results.
Perhaps the best winter date activity is also the most obvious.
If you have a place to yourself, or if you can manage to kick your roomies out for a few precious hours of privacy, a night on the couch with your loved one can be heaven.
Whether you're baking cookies together, studying, or just talking over some soft music, the close quarters and privacy make for great conversation. Better yet, pop a bowl of popcorn, turn out the lights, cuddle up under a blanket and play truth or dare.
