Have an Opened Mind

So I recently went to The Park on 18th and 10th to meet someone. I had a good time but couldn't help but notice all the men at the bar, either seated beside me or somewhere near me.

The guy directly to my left was sipping on Cabernet Sauvignon (he told me) all night, and had a YACHT Magazine strategically placed in front of him. I say strategically because literally everyone, down to the three bartenders, stopped to ask him what he did for a living that he was currently reading such a magazine. So of course I asked.

"Basically I build and repair yachts for people and get to travel the whole world," he said, after the guy I was with explained the foreign film he had placed in front of him. It got really interesting.

While I had a good time with the guy I was there with, I couldn't help but keep chatting with the older gentleman on my left. Maybe it was his flowing white hair, chino pants loose button up and leather flip flops, or just how easy it was for him to talk to me. He was talking to me. Interrupting me even, offering me a sip of his wine to see if I'd like it, and then insisting on buying me a glass of wine anyway. I started to get confused about who I was supposed to be focused on.

After he left, the conversation died down a little between me and my date. I felt a little bad, but excited at the same time because The Park is definitely a singles spot. Maybe it was a bad choice for a first date, but it gave me excellent material for Chasing NY!

Tips:

1. Get there by 9. The crowd get's a little wacky on a Friday night after 10, so you're going to want to be intoxicated by the time the rooftop lounge opens (midnight).

2. Be outgoing. No one wants to meet the weird person alone at a bar, with their iPod on in the corner or something creepy. That brings me to tip number 3.

3. Don't go alone! It's pretty awkward for anyone to be somewhere alone, especially women if you're not a social person. So bring at least one friend, unless your confidence is high enough that you'll instantly make friends with someone when you walk in.

4. It's okay to be a lush, but if you know how certain liquors affect you, try to avoid the ones that make you a blubbering fool. No one likes a drunk. But they may have some fun with you.

5. I only have one rule with attire for women. Don't wear jeans. But if you must, make sure you have on some killer heels and a fly blouse.

Keep Chasing NY!

Plan to not Have Plans

So in a night attempting to make it to Pier 1 at the Brooklyn Bridge, the night completely went awry when I got to Brooklyn. As a result of not being able to find parking, I ditched the whole "music on the pier" theme I was thinking would be a great place to meet some interesting people. The other side of that is that they were showing Monsters vs. Aliens so most of the men there were probably married with kids or in a relationship and wanted to do something cheesy with their significant others, or whatever. Bottom line is a single guy would not be at a movie screening for Monsters vs. Aliens if they were planning on meeting any women.

We made our way over to Blockheads on 50th street instead (guaranteed parking spot when I go there) and it struck me: I should've went there first! The place is a sea of young, hip, singles, occasional couples, but no under-21s. Tequila, margaritas, coronitas and Mexican food...You just can't go wrong.

My partner in crime reminded me that we are great at planning not to have plans. So I'm not sure why I tried to have a plan but I'm glad it blew up in my face. Instead of leading you in the wrong direction, I can confidently say that Blockheads is the type of place you want to be. Just get there before 10.

...Seeing as we got there well after 10, and the bar closed at 11, we had to find another place to hang out; we ended up at Mercury Bar a few blocks down. I was worried at first because I hate bars with bouncers, but I really enjoyed the crowd. The place was packed and the drinks were great, and I had my eye on a couple of people that I would've probably approached had I not been sitting with two bulky men.

Bars are not the place to find your soul mate, but they're certainly appropriate for flirting. On 47th and 9th... There was a lot of flirting going on around me.

The lesson learned is simple: Plan to not have Plans. That way, you won't be disappointed if something doesn't work out, and you may be pleasantly surprised at where you end up.

If You're Chasing NY...

You've either been single for a while, have recently become single, or are just curious how to navigate the city. There are tons of places and tons of things to see, but where have all the single men gone? Wouldn't we all like to know. Welcome to Chasing NY, a place (or places rather) you can expect to see something interesting....or someone.


This is a light-hearted, feel-good blog to enhance your social life. For authenticity, I will only post places I have actually gone and paid close attention to the crowd.

So relax, open your eyes and start chasing NY!