More Than the Movies

The tried-and-true dinner and a movie formula for dating has gotten scores of us laid, but there’s something to be said for avoiding a rut. So the next time you want to plan a date, try switching it up just a bit.

Daring types can check out Fetish Night at Diablo’s Downtown Lounge, which is actually a pretty safe way for a couple to explore their kinky sides, complete with monitors and safe words. The Fetish Nights take place every three to four months, but if you’re into regular near-nudity, drop by Diablo’s for Undie Sundays, a gender- and sexuality-inclusive night to shimmy in your skivvies. Patrons are given a paper bag for their clothes, then everyone — including male and female go-go dancers on platforms — dances in their underwear. Tom Cruise, eat your heart out.

If you’re into a different sort of screaming and yelling, drop by an Emerald City Roller Girls bout or Eugene Generals hockey game, then take the short walk downtown to talk about the game and grab snacks at a late-night food cart or a drink in downtown’s booming Barmuda Triangle.

Those who aren’t content to just watch can romantically run short races like the Dirty Dash, Color Run or bike the Eugene Roubaix. If you’re not particularly competitive, buy a copy of Bill Sullivan’s 100 Hikes in the Central Oregon Cascades or 100 Hikes on the Oregon Coast and base a day or weekend trip on one of the hikes, or consult EW’s handy trove of Outdoors columns online. On that note, remember EW’s What’s Happening calendar for anything from bike rides to activist organizing — some of those work for dates.

If you’re dating a brainiac who’s always fun to talk ideas with, check out lectures at the UO and LCC. The Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics offers events like Woody Tasch’s Feb. 17 lecture on “Slow Money: Investing as if Food, Farms and Fertility Mattered.” After a talk, use those big ideas as an icebreaker. Talk economy to me, baby.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!