‘I went on a first date with a good-looking South African, but he suggested a bar specialising in craft beer. I hate beer – why would anyone want to pay more for it? And my profile specifically included “oenophile.” It wasn’t like he needed to Google stalk me to discover that much,’ my friend relayed the details of her one and only Tinder date.
Meanwhile, Susan Sarandon recently revealed her ideal first date venue to the Evening Standard: the pet cemetery in Hyde Park, explaining that, ‘It’s probably something you’ve never done before and will give you lots of time to talk.’ It’s not likely that everyone wants to be thinking about death during a first date, though.
While it might not seem romantic, I don’t mind a guy asking me to suggest a venue for our first date. It suggests a willingness to put my preferences first. I’ve also had male friends ask me for first date suggestions, which then leads me to ask what they know about their date’s tastes.
A girl friend was recently asked for first date suggestions by a guy friend, to which she responded with some flashy, pricy restaurants. ‘Unless the guy is a multimillionaire – which he isn’t – that is too much pressure for a first date,’ I said.
So what’s my ideal first date? As a romantic, I’d like a guy to risk spending time to eat with me in a restaurant rather than chancing a speedy drink at a bar. Somewhere serving honest, wholesome food in intimate surrounds is a good place to start.
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