Have Your Cake (and stay on budget, too!)

German Chocolate Tart- Rick's Dessert Diner, Sacramento CA

It's Summertime and the livin', unfortunately, is not easy for most people right now. Am I right?
Money is really tight for a lot of us and Summertime is all about getting out & having fun.  But what kind of fun is there to have when you're on a budget?
Well, one of the things we like to do is go out for dessert instead of dinner.
We have a simple meal at home, then head out to Rick's Dessert Diner for a yummy treat.
Dessert generally runs about 1/4 to 1/10 the cost of a dinner (depending on how fancy your dinners out are!) and you feel like you're getting something really special. Because it's DESSERT. And I don't know about you, but my husband would probably rather have cheesecake for dinner anyway:

Jude & his Spring cheesecake

Rick's Dessert Diner is located in Midtown and is a teeny little place with a kitschy 50's diner look- all pastels & checkerboard.  The pies & cakes are amazing! My favorite by far is the German Chocolate Tart, while my husband Jude prefers the cheesecake. Any cheesecake. The folks behind the counter are really friendly & don't seem overwhelmed even when the line is going out the door and the A/C is pretty much non-existent. 

Two pieces of cake + an iced tea & a coffee runs us about $16. I always feel satisfied when we eat there, and I never feel like our money has been wasted, the way I do after plunking down $50 for a mediocre dinner at some boring chain restaurant. 

And if you're like me and don't drink, it's also a good alternative to the usual Girl's Night Out.

Desserts are sinful in a good way, and the guilt you get from eating cake most certainly beats that Sunday morning walk of shame, ladies & gentlemen. You know who you are!

So anyway, if you're thinking you need some alone time with your significant other but you don't want to break the bank, look up your local dessert cafe. And if you're in the Greater Sacramento area, be sure to stop in at 2322 K Street and order a piece of Rick's towering red velvet cake. I dare you.