Kachka

Kachka

If you and your spouse are looking for a new place to try consider Kachka. Kachka is a Russian restaurant with a great cuisine. It is run by a couple, Bonnie and Israel, who from Belarus and Russia. They have many authentic Russian and Eastern European meals for you to try!

Kachka

The unique menu provides a vast amount of options for you two to choose from. Most, if not all, are meals that you have never tried before. So perfect for getting out of your comfort zones!

Chicken Kiev

Kachka offer a full dinner and dessert menus for a complete meal! You can start out with an appetizer like Duck Olivier. Some of their dinners include buckwheat blinis, Borscht, Tabaka, and Pelmeni. They also have some desserts too including Plombri! They have great options for you two to share.

Bird's Milk Cake

Make sure that you make a reservation to ensure your table of date night! They take reservations starting at 4 pm.

Ruskie Zakuski

This is a great restaurant that people love. It is so different and you won’t experience this in a lot of places.. Unless you go to Russia!

Rabbit in a Clay Pot

They have one location and it’s said that there is going to be another one soon, if not already. It is located here.

Hours

Daily 4pm – Midnight

Dinner 4pm – 10pm

Happy Hour 4pm – 6pm & 10pm – 12pm

Relationship Tip! Trying new things with your spouse can really help you two bond. Finding new favorites helps you experience different thing and gain and share experiences!

Cycle Through the London Parks!

When in London, pay two pounds for a day of fun cycling through all of the gorgeous parks of London with Santander Cycle Hire Bikes. You could enjoy Regent’s Park, St. James’ Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Green Park, Hampstead Heath and more!

Cycling is a great way to see London, and if you go through the parks you will stay safe and just be able to enjoy the view! You could even stop to have a rest and enjoy a nice picnic together near Buckingham Palace or in front of the Prince Albert statue in Hyde Park!

All you have to do to rent the bikes is follow the instructions show on the video here and below:

Step 1: Hire

• Go to the nearest docking station terminal with your debit or credit card and touch the screen to begin
• Choose 'Hire a cycle', follow the on-screen instructions and take the printed release code
• You can hire up to four bikes at the same time (you'll need a separate release code for each bike)

Tip: Santander Cycles is for short trips so, once you have paid the £2 bike access fee for the day, the first 30 minutes of each journey is free. Longer journeys cost £2 for each extra 30 minutes.

Tip: Each bike release code is valid for 10 minutes and only at that docking station. Bikes are valuable so don't let anyone see your code before you use it.

Step 2: Ride

• Take a moment to read our tips for safer cycling at the terminal
• Choose your bike and check the tyres, brakes and bell
• Type your five-digit release code into the docking point's keypad and pull the bike out when the green light appears
• Adjust the saddle height and you're good to go!

Tip: The bikes have lights that come on automatically when you start pedalling.

Step 3: Return

• Push the bike firmly into any empty docking point
• You must wait for the green light, which will show that the bike is securely docked (otherwise we will continue to charge you for your journey). If you don't get a green light, call the Contact Centre immediately on 0343 222 6666 (TfL call charges)
• If the docking station is full, choose 'No docking point free' at the terminal and follow the on-screen directions to get an extra 15 minutes free
• To find a nearby space if the docking station is full, choose 'Status of nearest docking station' at the terminal.
• Remember, if you're not using the bike, dock it back!

Tip: If the bike is unsafe to ride, please let us know it needs repairing by pressing the 'Fault' button on the docking point within 10 seconds of docking it. Turn the saddle backwards to show others that it needs repairing.

Tip: You will need to wait five minutes before hiring another bike.

My husband and I love to go on bike rides, it's one of our favorite things to do together! It’s great exercise and great fun! It’s also the perfect way to see the city in a cheap and unique way! I have lots of my own memories cycling through London and they are certain to never be forgotten!

Relationship Tip: Doing exercise doesn’t always have to be boring or miserable. Make a date out of it! You will feel great and have great fun with your significant other!

Image Source for all images except for my personal images.

Elk Rock Garden

Elk Rock Garden

If you and your spouse are looking for a nice and quiet place Elk Rock Garden is a place to consider. This large garden gives you two plenty to look at and space to roam. It is the perfect place to go for some good quality time with your love!

Elk Rock Garden

You and your spouse will have plenty of opportunities to identify the different flowers, shrubs, trees, and more! The garden offers different types of ferns, perennials, tress, grass, and flowers. So there is a lot to look at! Make sure to visit all 13 areas to see all that they have!

Elk Rock Garden

This garden is free, but they do encourage donations. These donations are to help the volunteers maintain the grounds so it’s nice and pretty for visitors like you two! Although this might be an ideal picnic spot, it is prohibited on the garden’s grounds. Also, make sure to use the bathroom before going as they do not offer any at the site.

Elk Rock Garden

Walk around and talk to your spouse in the quiet and sweet garden. The garden typically isn’t busy so it’s a great place to get away from the stress from work and home without distractions from others.

Elk Rock Garden

This little gem is a great spot for you two to check out. Not a ton of people know about it so it’s a great secret!

Elk Rock Garden

Parking is limited there and guests are asked to park in the designated areas only. Guests have said that this wasn’t a problem when they visited.

Hours

Daily 8:00 am – 5: pm

Here are a couple reviews from people who have visited the garden from Yelp:

“This place is an undiscovered gem.  One of the entire purposes of going to a garden is to be able to walk around and appreciate its beauty.”

“It's beautiful and peaceful, and feels like a secret garden.”

Relationship Tip! This garden is a great romantic spot for you and your spouse to go! Bring some romance back and spend some one on one time with the one you love! Reflect on your marriage and relationship during your walk together. What’s something that you can do or sacrifice for the betterment of your marriage?

Lost Lake

Lost Lake

Get out in the sun this summer! Lost Lake is a great place to go with your spouse to be outside whether it’s camping, canoeing, hiking or exploring. They offer a lot of fun things to do while on vacation.

Lost Lake

If you just want to go for a day, they have a day use entrance fee of $8 dollars. Make sure to go to the correct side because there are two areas. The north and south sides of the lake offer different things to do. However, if you have your own boat the south side has the public boat launch. When you get in you can rent some things for the lake, go hiking, and more.

Lost Lake

There are quite a few things that you can rent while at Lost Lake. They have canoes, kayaks, pedal boats, and stand up paddle boards. They also have life vests and fishing poles and more! June through September they have 2 hour minimum rentals so be mindful of that. It’ll be such a fun time with your spouse, just don’t forget the sunscreen!

Lost Lake

During your visit there are many options of lodging that you and your spouse can choose from. They have campgrounds that you can rent out. Bring your tent or rent one while you're there. They also have cabins, lodges, and yurt rooms that you can rent. You can also buy shower tokens to freshen up after a long day.

Lost Lake

Lost Lake

Lost Lake also has a General Store if you forget anything at home. Even if you didn’t forget anything you can head over there to pick up a souvenir or two!

Here are some maps for you to see. It shows the layout of the lake and where things are located. Here are the directions to the Lake!

Lost Lake 

Relationship Tip! This is a great place to go for a getaway with your spouse! Being outside working together will help you strengthen your bond and trust. 

Blue Star Donuts + Coffee

Blue Star Donuts

 Blue Star Donuts is a great alternative if you and your spouse aren’t a Voodoo Doughnut fan! This shop serves up some gourmet donuts that are made daily!

Lemon Poppy Buttermilk

Blue Star’s pastry chefs start at 3:00 am every day to create their unique dough. The dough is from a French recipe and takes 18 hours to make. All of their food they offer is hand-made for some serious flavor! Their donuts, fillings, and glazes will make your mouth water. They have even earned the nickname “Donuts for Grownups” because of their unique and sophisticated (yet tasty) donuts.

Blueberry Bourbon Basil

There will surely be flavors that you and your spouse will enjoy. They have gourmet flavors like Crème Brulee, Strawberry Rhubarb, Passion Fruit with Cocoa Nibs, Valrhona Chocolate Crunch, and many more! With all of these delicious flavors you and your spouse can taste one another’s choice! Or get a few different flavors and taste test them all together!

Orxata Glaze

Because of the popularity that Blue Star has it’s important to get there sooner than later. They sell out of some flavors faster than others. Be sure to make your way over with your spouse to snag your favorite! They also have seasonal donuts so look out for those each season.

Meyer Lemon Curd

Luckily, there are 6 locations in Portland. So there is one bound to be near to you and your spouse for date night! They are located in Portland South, Southeast, North, Northwest, Downtown, and the PDX Airport!

Hours

North

Daily 8:00 am – 8:00 pm*

Northwest

Daily 7:30 am – 8:00 pm*

South

Daily 6:30 am – 8:00 pm*

Southeast

Daily 8:00 am – 8:00 pm*

Downtown

Daily 7:00 am – 8:00 pm*

                                                PDX

Daily 4:00 am – 9:00 pm

*Open until closing hour or all donuts have been sold

Valrhone Chocolate Crunch

Relationship Tip! Pick a few and share with your spouse. Figure out which one is your favorites. Talk about your favorite homemade treats or something you might want to try and make! Make an effort to make those things together!

Timberline Lodge

Timberline Lodge

If you and your spouse are looking to get away for a little while you should check out Mt. Hood’s Timberline Lodge. It is located east of Portland with an hour and half drive. This lodge offers so much for you and your spouse to do. Do whatever you want, just make sure you’re relaxing!

Timberline Lodge

You can look here about transportation. They recommend to be cautious about the weather and to plan accordingly. They have a shuttle for $2 each way up and down the mountain as an option too!

You can look to see if any of their current packages appeal to you. They can help with saving some money during your getaway!

Timberline Lodge

They have a long list of things to do while up near the lodge. First off you may need a room! They have some nice historic lodge rooms that you can reserve. Make sure to do it sooner rather than later to get one! They also have several amenities for guests at the hotel. They have a nice heated outdoor swimming pool, a hot tub, a sauna, and a fitness room. They also have a gift shop, wifi, a game room, and restaurants.

While up there you have options as to what you would like to do! They have camping areas on Mt. Hood nearby the lodge. It’s a lot nicer outside during the summer! They also have mountain biking trails if that’s something you do! Bring your own bikes and follow one of the paths! They have a path that goes from the Timberline down to the Town Trail. Catch a ride back up on the bus with your bikes.

Timberline Lodge

They also offer a ride up to the top and see some amazing views. It’s called the Magic Mile Sky Ride. It’s $15 per adult. You ride up on the Magic Mile Chair lift for about 15 minutes. Staying on the chair up and down will take you about 30 minutes. While up there you can roam around and walk down when ready too! This can take around 2 hours. Check here for the weather on the mountain. The weather is cooler up there so be prepared.

If you go in July, they are having a free stargazing party. July 1^st and July 29^th is when they will be having the party. It starts at 8 pm.

Timberline Lodge

They will also be having a music festival on September 4, 2017! It’s from 12:30 pm to sunset on the back patio. Food, music and fun will be provided! Here is where it is located!

Timberline Lodge

Relationship Tip! Plan a getaway for you and your spouse. Make it special and do the things that you and your spouse enjoy doing!

Cheeky Nando's

If you find yourselves on holiday in the UK, get yourselves what the locals call a "cheeky Nando’s" on date night!

Nando’s has some of the best chicken I have ever tasted! It is a Portuguese restaurant chain that serves Peri-Peri chicken in every type of way: by itself, in a pita wrap, on a bun, or on a shared platter. You can get chicken wings, chicken breast, a chicken leg, chicken thighs, chicken butterfly or an entire chicken if you are hungry enough! All of the delicious chicken comes drenched in a delicious mild, medium or hot sauce depending on your preference.

See the menu here to see all of the delicious mains, sides and desserts Nando’s offers.

Nando’s is the perfect place for a date while on vacation. It’s quick, it’s easy and it’s delicious! Even better, you can find Nando’s all over the UK! Enjoy yourselves a cheeky Nando’s!

Relationship Tip: When you are at the dinner table, put your phones away. This will allow you to have real conversations and focus on each other in the moment.

Image Source for all images.