The next time you’re planning a date, how about you skip the High Line-biergarden route in favor of something a little less. . . standard. Whatever makes your heart beat faster–be it biking, barbeque or burlesque –oM’s got some titillating tips for how to make magic happen offline and off the main island.
Stay Classy
The only thing hotter than having a date teach you something new? Learning something new together. Take it to the classroom and worst-case scenario, you’ll have plenty of distractions and leave with a few new tricks and treats.
1. Gowanus’s Brooklyn Brainery offers an eclectic range of affordable lectures and workshops, from mixing seasonal cocktails to sunset street art tours to one-on-one literary agent advice. (Most classes $10-30/person) Brooklyn Brainery: 516 Court Street, Carroll Gardens
2. For your next rainy day date, why not bring the outside in? Grab a few figurines and a container and get your hands mossy in a terrarium at Sprout or Twig. Private workshops and for-purchase materials (Twig boasts figures “from hikers to hookers”) are also available. ($35-45/person and up) Sprout: 44 Grand St, Williamsburg and Twig: 274 3rd Ave, at President, Gowanus
3. Pick your painter and your poison. At each of Painting Lounge’s BYOB classes, students learn how to create a different design and leave with their 16×20” masterpiece in hand (or their date’s). They’ve got the art supplies, corkscrews and cups covered; all you have to bring is some liquid courage to get those creative juices flowing. ($50/person). Painting Lounge: 438 Union Ave, Williamsburg
4. There’s something for every taste bud in Brooklyn Kitchen’s culinary laboratory, from “How to Become a Cheese Wiz,” to “Ice Cream Making,” “Veggie Burgers 4 Ways,” “Vietnamese Street Food” and a even a romantic “Couples Dinner Class.” (Most classes $50-85/person). Brooklyn Kitchen: 100 Frost Street, Williamsburg
For more NYC classes, visit coursehorse.com.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram