Tom
“Is it cool if I hold your hand? Is it wrong if I think it’s lame to dance? Do you like my stupid hair? Would you guess that I didn’t know what to wear? I’m so scared for what you’ll think. You make me nervous, so I really can’t eat.”
Broken down, this stream of questions highlights the anxiety behind any first date. Whether you’re meeting the girl from the rock show or the sharp socialite from Sparkology, we obsess over every minute detail.
Dinner date or coffee date…maybe a movie?
How much fun can you have slurping down $20 Alfredo and making small talk about the “oddly dim” lighting? You’d have as much fun plopped in front of Netflix, devouring an entire sheet of Rice Krispie’s Treats.
Considering seventy-percent of men and fifty-percent of women won’t bother with a second date if the “chemistry” isn’t right, you better do something damn-exciting if you plan on reaching the intimidating next level of this game.
Firstly, up the attraction. That means, find a way to increase the physiological dopamine levels between you and your date. How exactly do you do this? Consume a lot of bananas and heavy metal music. Or take your date to a peep show. But really, simply excitement, arousal—not necessarily that kind—induces attraction.
Since this is the most exciting city on Earth, here’s a list of ten unusual NYC date ideas:
1. Ping Pong at SPiN: Rekindle the joys from your first ever date. Remember: You saw that amazing Adam Sandler flick and retired to your basement for some ping pong and fear of intimacy. SPiN offers a perfect date environment: Drinks, games, and insight into their competitive nature.
2. Sing Karaoke:Sometimes people like to get-to-know their date through a test. What’s their musical taste? How outgoing are they? Do they have the courage to walk on stage and belt Toto’s “Africa” to a group of strangers? Sometimes you’ll discover a secret talent and other times you’ll feel as though you’re reliving a shitty Blink-182 song (JK, there are no shitty Blink-182 songs).
3. Take a dance class…Hip Hop Dance: On a first date, you don’t need the passion of a salsa or the traditionalism of a Viennese Waltz. A Hip Hop class promises an energetic, light-hearted atmosphere. Benefits of the class: memorable, lively, and it brings the two of you close for an hour.
4. Dress to the nines and head to a LES Dive Bar: In this scenario, there’s no wine list, waiter named Jeeves or Eloise, or a romantic pianist to impress your date. Only you, your jukebox selection, and maybe your billiards abilities. Also, it’s a great test to see how your date reacts to a little bit of must and grime. Could you date someone who scoffs at a The Ramones and cheap booze—well, maybe The Ramones?
The ultimate dive…
5. Eat the messiest food possible: Every dating guide advises against this. “Don’t eat salad…or spaghetti…or sloppy Joes.” Embrace the messy. It shows a real side to your date. How do they tackle a hot dog drenched in chili, onions, and mustard? Tackling a beast like this requires the precision of a heart surgeon—and possibly a heart surgeon once you finish eating. Crif Dog is a good starting point.
6. Take an Improv Class: The quickest way to shatter the nervous-dating-shell is to force that shell to pretend to be a cigar-suckling pilot…and then a toddler. When you’re date sees you laughing, fake crying, and peeling an invisible mango, they won’t help but smile and join the fun.
7. Play hooky from work and enjoy an afternoon picnic at the High Line: This has high-school date story or Taylor Swift love song (“We played hooky/And that’s all there is to know”) written all over it. In all honesty, what’s better than a picnic on a summer’s day? Umm…that’d be avoiding work on a Wednesday.
8. Get thrifty and play dress up: One of the cheapest of the unusual NYC date ideas, this one requires no finances whatsoever, only creativity. Take your date to Beacon’s Closet or some NYC vintage or thrift outlet. Upon arrival, set your watches to five minutes and pick out a ridiculous outfit for them to wear. Try on outfits. Pictures. Laugh. Hold hands.
9. BYOB Painting: Loosen up and uncork your creativity with a little Rosé and rose-coloring. Painting in a fun, relaxed environment allows for playful flirtation, “You call that a rose? It looks more like Clifford the Big Red Dog!” and an outlet to express your inner emotions…like using your partner as a canvas.
10. Explore un-adventured NYC terrain: Jazz in Harlem? Chinatown (the real one in Flushing)? Hidden gems in Alphabet City? So much of this city goes ignored or unexplored. Change that. This date guarantees to be memorable, affordable, and, hopefully, not conducive to straining an ACL.
Hidden NYC station