At the recent Girls on the Grid Most Eligible Bachelor and Bachelorette event at Mix Downtown, I met Jenn, The Queen of Dating, who provides in-person coaching for people who want to improve their dating skills.

As an avid reader of Cowtown Eats, Jenn's been using the site to tell her clients where to go on dates.

While I'm not looking to turn this into Girls Cowtown Eats on the Grid, I thought the Cowtown Eats audience would appreciate some of her professional advice and thoughts.

The Queen of Dating will I will also be teaming up to put on Cowtown Eats happy hours, starting this summer. Look for details coming soon.

So without further delay, here are the 5 most inviting first date happy hours, from Jenn, The Queen of Dating.

Lucca - When you walk into Lucca during happy hour, the room is full of laughter, spunk and optimism.  Great drinks, cheap eats and an upscale environment provide an inviting and cost efficient first date location.  Lucca won’t break the bank and you will get to sample the menu without looking cheap.

May is Bike Month in Sacramento, and to encourage the use of the two-wheeled transportation, local restaurants are offering discounts and freebies. Here's a list (that I'll keep updating as I discover more):

• $10 pizza and pint of Shift Pale Lager at Monkey Bar (2726 Capitol Ave, Sac), KBAR (1000 K St, Sac), R15 (1431 R St, Sac) and Bar Bernardo (234 D St, Davis)
• Happy Hour priced drinks and a special bicyclist only 3 for $10 menu all month long at Kupros Bistro!
• $1 off any draft beer and $2 off any pizza, sandwich, or pasta at Golden Bear.
• 15% discount for anyone who rides to Midtown Village Cafe (19th & I).
• 10% discount Monday through Friday from 11a.m. to 6 p.m. at Streets of London. Also, bicyclists also have access to their industry night, Mondays 6 p.m. to close half off well and draft.
• 10% off drinks and treats all month long at TreyBcakes Gourmet Bakery and Eatery.
• Free bottle of sparkling water with your meal ($10 minimum purchase required) at The Eatery in West Sac.
• All month, bike to either Chocolate Fish Coffee location (Q & 3rd or Folsom & 48th) and mention May is Bike Month for a $2.00 Flat White or Iced Coffee.
• Free side with purchase of a sandwich at Drewski's Hot Rod Kitchen (food truck only), and you must be on your bicycle to take advantage.
• Bicycle over to Rail Bridge Cellars Penthouse Lounge on Saturday, May 18 and Saturday, May 25 to get a personal 7" pizza and a flight of 6 wines for only $15! Don't miss this great special!
• Ride your bike to Tuli Bistro Monday through Friday from 3-6 p.m. and get any pizza and a Track 7 Panic IPA 22-ounce beer for $20.00.
• Go to Yellow Bill on your bike and get a iced tea, iced coffee or fresh brewed coffee with purchase of a pastry all month long!
• Stop by Buckhorn Grill on your bicycle and get any burger for $5 bucks for the month of May.

For more information, or for a list of non-food deals, visit http://www.mayisbikemonth.com/discounts.asp.

* Updated: 5/13/2013.

The holidays are a time for giving. But to me, they're a time for saving too. Restaurants try to entice people into purchasing gift cards for their friends by giving the buyer a little something extra. When I worked near Il Fornaio, I'd eat there once a week (or more). I figured that at $5 a visit times 52 weeks, I'd spend $260 there per year. I purchased $200 in gift cards each year in December for myself, got an extra $40 in bonus money as part of their holiday promotion, and saved a little money.

Just last week, I went to Selland's Market Cafe to purchase what I figured I'd spend at Sellands, Ella & The Kitchen over the next year. It was a lot of money to spend all at one time, but I saved nearly 20 percent by spending the money now. (If you got that type of return on your savings account or the stock market, you'd be thrilled.)

This past weekend, I was shopping at Costco and noticed that they had a full compliment of restaurant gift cards available at a discount, including:

$70 for $100

• Ten 22
• The Firehouse

$75 for $100

• Paesanos
• Pronto
• Mangia

$40 for $50

• Dos Coyotes
• Jamba Juice

One of the best ways to spend a lazy weekend afternoon in Sacramento is to grab brunch and (over?)indulge in bottomless mimosas. Unfortunately for me, it usually leads to being day drunk which leads to the unpleasant day hangover. But still, it really is an awesome way to spend a sunny Saturday or Sunday.

Let me give an obligatory, but important, reminder. Please have a designated driver or indulge within walking distance from a place where you can sleep it off.

Here are 13 16 places in Sacramento with weekend bottomless mimosas.

Saturdays

• Clark's Corner- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., $9
• Iron Steaks - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., $8 
• Kupros - 11:30 to 2 p.m., $12
• Rio City Cafe - 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., $9.50
• 33rd St. Bistro - 8 to 1 p.m., $8
• de Vere's Irish Pub (Sac & Davis locations) - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., $10
• Pizza Rock - 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., $8
• Capitol Garage - 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., $7
• Evan's Kitchen - 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., $9
• Elixir - 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., $12 
• Ink Eats & Drinks - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., $9
• Limelight, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., $5
• Coyote Tap House, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., $12
• Firestone Public House, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., $10
• Broderick Restaurant & Bar, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., $12

R15
1431 R Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 930-9191

Web site: http://www.paragarys.com/go/prg/locations/r15/

Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/r15-sacramento

Happy hour

Monday
3 p.m. to Close

Tuesday to Friday
3 to 6 p.m.