MR. TAKE FIVE ANSWERS THE BIG QUESTIONS

TINDER DATING

TAKE FIVE customer Shauna asks:

I’ve been chatting with this guy on a dating app for a while now. We’ve definitely hit it off, but I’ve had a lot of samey Tinder dates at coffee shops and can’t think of what to ask him to do. Any ideas for a great first date?

Now this is a great question. Too often we consider the dimly – lit bar or the little cafe the end all be all of a good first date, but then end up staring awkwardly into our overpriced cappuccinos or barely able to hear each other over an unexpectedly rowdy night at the sports bar. A dull setting can totally take the wind out of your date’s sails before it even starts, and you just have to think a little harder to come up with something fun and unusual. I’m no love guru at all, but I’m like a bloodhound when it comes to sniffing out a good time so I can happily fire off some ideas to spice up a first meeting.

A date combination as old as time has been the pair of dinner and a movie. Dinner and a movie are basically the dating equivalent of a married couple that stayed together for the sake of the kids, but there’s plenty of fresh spins on it. Maybe instead of dinner and a movie, you grab brunch then see the cheaper matinee. You could go for an even crazier combination altogether. What about dinner and some mini – golf, breakfast and row – boating, or evening tea and paintball? For traditionalists that still want a bit of a modern twist on the usual formula, dine-in theaters have also come back in style especially in New York. There are even some great smaller places, like Bushwick’s Mao Mao, which offers a small but authentic Thai menu, full bar, and a slate of screenings and shows throughout the week.

If you and your date are more the active types, there’s plenty to do out and about. If you’re one of those crazy people that likes to exercise on a date, go for a run or bike ride at a local park. If you’d rather sweat it out by dancing and shaking it outdoors, most cities have free outdoor concerts at their local parks. In New York City where I happen to be located, there is the awesome Summerstage Program that operates in Central Park and other locations, and the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival out of Prospect Park, which both have great free going on programming this month.

If you’re truly at a loss for what to do with this first date, just take him to the cheesiest, most touristy place in your city imaginable. Gawk at whatever the touristy marvel is and act like it’s your first day in the big city. At the very least, it’ll be good for a laugh and a story and maybe if you haven’t seen the place yet, it’ll actually be fun for you! Finish the day with a chilled can of TAKE FIVE spiked seltzer to guarantee it being one to remember!

I hope this gets your wheels turning a bit, Shauna, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and ask him to do something strange! Most people have trouble even replying to their best friends, so if he’s been talking to you for long enough I’m sure he’ll have a good time whatever you end up doing.