$20 can get you a long way in Uptown Westerville—even in this economy. With graduation and the end of the semester approaching, Amy and I took some time to have a celebratory friend-date. The challenge: spend $20 or less for both of us.
To start off our $20 date, we got two slices of DiCarlo’s pizza—a slice of Amy’s hometown. DiCarlo’s specializes in Ohio Valley-style pizza where the toppings are put on after the bake. We enjoyed our pepperoni slices in Heritage Park for a peaceful picnic—perfect for destressing from finals. Two slices with a 10% Otterbein discount totaled $3.60.
To counter the saltiness with something sweet, we headed over to Whit’s Frozen Custard where we got small slushies: one orange "dreamsicle" and one blue raspberry. The flavors change over time, and you can add custard for $2 more. With the Otterbein discount, the two slushies added to $3.60.
If you’re in the need of some dog cuddles, petting Charlie, the Cinda Lou Boston terrier mascot, is completely free. Unfortunately, she was not in the store when we went, but you can pet her during normal business hours on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
Our next stop was A Twist on Olives. Out of all our stops, this one was by far our favorite. From the moment we opened the door, a heavenly aroma encircled us from the many olive oil dispensers. There were many olive oils with unique flavors, ranging from pears to Italian herbs. There are free tastings available for each of the oils and vinegars, but prices range for different sizes, should you choose to bottle an oil. With so many options, spending an entire day in the shop is easy.
Amy got a maple-infused olive oil which goes well with ice cream, and I got a butter-flavored olive oil that can be used as a substitute for real butter. Each small oil bottle is $5, so we got two for $10.
Next, we headed over to Sugarbee’s, a newer addition to the State St. crowd, complete with a melted chocolate wheel. There were many dessert options, ranging from chocolate-covered marshmallows to gelato. We found a two-pack of chocolate-covered Peeps for $2.49, which Amy and I split.
At this point in our date, Amy and I had 31 cents left, so we headed back to Cinda Lou’s for their famous prize egg machine. For just a quarter, a mechanical chicken laid a blue egg for us. Inside was a pale-pink rubber duck, which we named Robert Duckinson.
$19.94 can get you a long way in Uptown Westerville. For less than $20, Amy and I were able to eat well, taste a bunch of divine olive oils, win a pink rubber duck, and have a unique friend-date worth repeating. So, if you’re looking for a way to celebrate the end of the semester without breaking the bank, look no further than your own backyard: Uptown Westerville.
