Colorado Singles Scene by It's Just Lunch

Our Weekly Advice: 4th of July Date ideas!

With the long holiday weekend approaching, we got an email asking for our advice on some date ideas to celebrate the 4^th of July. Of course, there is your standard “go to the lakes and enjoy the water”, “go to an outdoor concert” and “cozy up together for the fireworks” but we wanted to offer you a few unique ideas. Our office advises:

 Plan a picnic: Pack some fun summer brew or a bottle of wine with some classic American fare in your picnic basket and a blanket and enjoy the afternoon together! Yes, it’s a little cliché, but having a picnic outdoors can create a romantic (and relaxed!) setting for the two of you.

Bake a 4^th of July cake together…baking a festive cake together can be flirty and a fun way to spend quality time together! Plus, if you’re at the stage in your relationship that you’ve been introduced to his/her kids, it’s a great project to do together!

Head to the nearest rooftop or patio together: remember our post a few weeks ago about dining alfresco? Now is the perfect weekend to check out the hot-spots! Plus, if you’re enjoying the evening on a rooftop, you will have a great view of some fireworks!

Host a BBQ! It’s not too late to organize a fun get-together. Google some festive cocktails and head to the supermarket…everything BBQ themed is easy to find and affordable! It’s a great opportunity to introduce him/her to your friends if you haven’t yet and who doesn’t love s ‘mores during the evening?

Not wanting to face the crowds? Have a movie night together and watch a festive flick together. Our suggestions: The Patriot, Born on the Fourth of July, 1776 and Independence Day.

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Do you have a dating question for us? Email us at blog@ijlmidwest.com

 

Men are more interested in a relationship than women?

In our 2011 Dating Trends survey we asked singles: “When you are on a first date, what thought is going through your head?”  We received an unexpected result: not only did men and women have different top answers, but the first choice given by 47% of men, “Could we have a relationship together?” was one that in the past would have seemed more typical of women.  Instead, women’s top answer, given by 50% of those polled, was the less stressful “Do I want to see him again?”  Our Dating Trends surveys are beginning to show that men and women are becoming more alike in their dating habits and in some areas, they’re beginning to trade places.  Another area where men and women are becoming more alike, especially over the last seven years, is in how fast they decide on a first date whether or not they want to see someone again. In 2004, there was a huge disparity, where 79% of men took fifteen minutes or less--and 64% of women took an hour or more! In 2011, 60% of men and 55% of women take twenty minutes or less. Unfortunately these results are not surprising.  We are so used to demanding and getting instant information that we are beginning to become impatient and closed off, sometimes to our own detriment.  

So what should we do?  Maybe we all should slow down a bit when meeting someone for the first time.  Give the relationship time to develop.

Some of our favorite feedback quotes from our clients that went out this week:

“My date with Katie went absolutely fantastic! I was really, really pleased. She is really engaging and beautiful. Very pretty eyes and had just a wonderful conversation with her. She is one of those women every man loves I’m sure, but I am certainly going to give her a call!” –Steve, 52

“The date went great on Friday night, thank you for the match! We spent the day together on Sunday and a fun dinner on Wednesday night. We are planning on going to a movie this weekend and we’ve been emailing a lot this week!”-Debra, 42

“He was my best match yet. He dressed well, was very polite. We had a great time together and have lots in common! We are planning on getting together again to play golf this weekend. I can’t wait!”-Karin, 29

What Women Want in a Man

Mens Health recently posted this study on the Top 5 Character Traits, Personality Traits, Practical Skills and Physical Attributes of what women find attractive in men. Here are the top traits in each category. Denver singles, do you agree?

Faithfulness- 84%
More than 8 out of 10 women rated "faithful to me" in the top 10 attributes they find sexy in a man. A woman's tendency toward attachment is a biological imperative, a matter of raising offspring right. Reassure her (often) that you're not going anywhere.

Sense of Humor- 77%
Being able to laugh at the stresses of this world is a must, according to the women on our panel. You get bonus points if you can make them laugh. Humor tells a woman that you can laugh at—read, handle easily—the many difficulties that life throws at you.

Listening- 53%
Pay attention. A woman feels safe and secure when she knows her man will put down his BlackBerry and listen to her. Magic words: "I'm here. Tell me everything."

Sense of Style- 30%
The way you dress reflects on the woman you're with, and she knows it. The man who knows how to match a patterned shirt and tie will notice when she's dressed well, too. (And maybe he'll pay for the Blahniks.) Keep your tailor and your dry cleaner busy, and spring for posh, touchable fabrics like cashmere, suede, pima cotton, and brushed corduroy.

Our Weekly Advice: Why You Should Try Speed Dating!

As First Date Specialists, we believe speed dating is a great way to meet people and to practice those dating skills. You have 5 minutes with the person sitting across from you, to get to know them and see if there is chemistry and if not….you move down to the next table and meet someone new. It’s like multiple first dates in one night, what could be better?

We recommend to our clients to try dating outside of It’s Just Lunch too…it’s good to get out there and meet people to see what works for you and what doesn’t AND fine tune those dating skills along the way so you’re putting your best foot forward. Have you ever tried speed dating? We found this article from Ekaterina Lalo, Editoral Staff writer from BounceBack on why you should give speed dating a chance. Really, what do you have to lose?

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Speed Dating?! 4 Reasons Why You Should Try It

Even if you're willing and ready to start dating again after a relationship breakup, you often have no idea where to begin. On the one hand, you feel tired of being lonely; on the other hand, you are afraid to be hurt again and have trouble trusting another person. Weeks, months, and in some cases even years have passed, and you still haven't mustered up the courage to go on that first date.

If you find yourself stuck in the post-breakup, pre-dating situation and want to move forward, consider speed dating. Many people talk about speed dating jokingly, as if it can't produce real results. In fact, it's excellent practice and a fabulous way to get you comfortable in your dating-again shoes. Here are 4 reasons why: 

 1. Opportunity to meet a lot of people at once. Instead of meeting one person at a time, you can talk to ten or more potential dates. It multiplies your chances to find a partner and allows you to be selective.

2. So many options, so little time. You will not have another chance to meet as many people within an hour unless you are chatting with them online. As opposed to Internet matching, speed dating hooks you up with real people you can look at and find out if there’s any chemistry going on.

3. No commitment at all. When you arrange a date via phone or e-mail, there is usually a follow-up message after every date, which is sometimes uncomfortable if you didn’t like the person and the man/woman was crazy about you. With speed dating, there is nothing of the kind. No one will get your contact information until you agree to have a follow-up date, and most likely, you will never see these people again.

4. Indicator of readiness. Speed dating is a good way to see whether or not you are prepared for a new relationship. It allows you to determine if you can imagine yourself being with a new partner or if you realize that you are still not over your ex.   

Even if speed dating doesn't seem to be your "thing", try it out. It will get you back in the swing of things - quickly - and it's a great first step on the way to a new relationship. Who knows, in all the rush, you may walk out of there on your way to something special.