“My Amazing Cheap Date” explores fun, romantic, unique things that can be done in New Orleans — all for $50 or less. Host Amy Brassette provides color commentary throughout the dates and is the ultimate decider as to which couple had the best date and most creatively spent their fifty bucks. The winning couple will receive a prize to local establishments so that they can have another awesome, free date. Stream all of the episodes for free on the Very Local channel.

Couple #1: Jahireen & Yamoto

• Jahireen Hebert is a local designer, artist and performer, also known as the Venusian creator of queer content. Jahireen is also an innkeeper at the Margaret Place Hotel.

• Yamoto O’Connell is a server at Royal Sushi and Bar and is finishing a film degree at UNO.

Couple #2: Whitney and Mark

• Whitney Nazel is from Oakland, California, and moved to New Orleans for a job. 
• Mark Berger is an avid traveler and has traveled with Big Freedia mixing fitness with yoga and bootie shaking. 

Great cheap date ideas: give back, barbecue (meat and jackfruit), spots for unique drinks in New Orleans and a twerk out workout. 

In this episode, couples are challenged to create dates with these three themes:

• Do something good
• Pig out
• Unique drinks

❤️️ Do something good: Walk dogs and cuddle kittens at Zeus’ Rescues is a non-profit on a mission to eradicate homelessness for pets in the New Orleans area. Looking for more ways to help four-legged friends? Head to Animal Rescue New Orleans. Volunteers are needed daily at the animal rescue to walk dogs and help with cleaning. 

☕️ Unique drinks: Grab a fancy coffee at the Petite Rouge Cafe. Petite Rouge started as a coffee truck in 2017 and expanded to a cafe on Calhoun Street in the Uptown neighborhood. 

🍽 Pig out: Planting out at Original Thought. Instead of meat, try bbq jackfruit from this plant-based food truck. You can find Original Thought food truck at 1857 Agriculture St., daily. Follow @originalthought_nola on Instagram for updates. (Want to know about more vegan treats? Check out our of list of vegan desserts here.)

❤️️ Shop for good: Bonfolk is a New Orleans-based business that sells socks and towels. For each pair of socks or towel sold, Bonfolk donates a pair or a towel to a shelter. Check out the very New Orleans snoball towel (and watch the episode to see how this towel makes an appearance).

⭐️ Shake your booty: A workout on a date? Why not try a twerk-out workout at Earn Dat Body. Gentelle Pedescleaux is the fitness instructor who will give you and your date a booty-shaking workout that is sure to help you shake off any first date anxieties.  (Looking for more twerking date options? Check out this episode of My Amazing Cheap Date to learn more about Twerk Ya Brass’s workout classes.)

🍹 Unique drinks: try a shot of Malort Pepp’s Pub. This dog-friendly neighborhood pub has Chicago roots and serves up the uniquely Chicago spirit of Malort. The spirit has been described as having the flavor of grapefruit and burning tires. Definitely a uni

[Check out our story on Pepp’s Pub to learn more about this neighborhood bar. If you are looking for more great spots for a socially distant date, we’ve got some ideas for the best spots for outdoor drinks in New Orleans.] 

🍽 Pig out: Try some elevated barbecue at Boucherie. Chef Nathanial Zimet brings barbecue from his North Carolina roots to New Orleans.  

[Got BBQ on the brain? Check out our Top 5-04 guide to the best BBQ in New Orleans.]

Watch these dates in action and see who wins!

Want to learn more about these great cheap date spots? Check out the “My Amazing Cheap Date: Pig Out” episode to see the two couples compete for a gift card to Apolline. In addition to seeing the twerk out work out, you can see both of the couples show off their twerking skills.

You can watch all of the episodes of “My Amazing Cheap Date” for free on the Very Local channel. Click here for details on how to get the channel.