Planning the Perfect Dance

Let me tell you a funny story: I went on a first date with a really cute guy who liked to dance. Eager to impress him, and excited to kickup my heels, I spent a week researching the perfect dance spots forour tryst. I ended up going with a friend’s recommendation for LaCaverna, a lounge/restaurant located on Rivington. She assured me that the music was good, the crowd was lively and the décor would keep the conversation flowing.

When my date and I arrived, we were directed down a tunnel-like flight of stairs and—to my horror—into a large, dimly lit room where plaster stalactites hung from the top of a plaster cave ceiling. The worst part was, the dance floor was empty and the DJ was playing songs I hadn’t heard since junior high. I did a mental gasp, and tried to quickly think of a good excuse for having wound up at a dingy version of Mars 2112. Luckily, my date was a gentleman and we both laughed the experience off over a round of molten lava cocktails.

Sometimes friends don’t always offer the best advice when it comes to suggesting the perfect place to take a date dancing. But there is one thing that never lies—and that’s TV. Take shows like Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance and America’s Best Dance Crew for example. Each show is leaving its mark on the nation as ballroom dance classes are now flooded with fans and retailers are describing a new trend towards hip hop-inspired apparel. Inspiration for the perfect dancing date is right in front of your eyes and New York City has all the resources you need to make it happen. Here’s a quick guide to some of the city’s best dancing:

Make like The Knick City Dancers and sign up for two spots in one of Broadway Dance Center’s hip hop classes. The school boasts top-notch teachers and basic and beginner level classes. If you’ve been practicing the moves to Beyonce’s Single Ladies, this is the place to finally show them off.

If you were inspired when Mario Lopez and George Hamilton hit the stage in the first season of Dancing with the Stars, sign up at one of the city’s schools that boast lessons in swing, salsa, tango and merengue. Dance Chelsea offers an introductory lesson that runs through a variety of styles in one 30-minutes session. To master the moves you and your partner can commit to a longer string of sessions atDance Manhattan Ballroom Swing & Latin Studio.

Once the weather heats up you may be inspired to do a little dancing under the stars and New York’s got plenty of places for outdoor practice. Starting July 7th, head to Lincoln Center for their annual Midsummer Night Swing series. For $30 dollars you can enjoy an hour-long dance lesson,followed by live performances. This year they’re featuring Chubby Checker, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and the Harlem Renaissance Orchestra

Written by: Libby Dowd - SpeedNY Dating Resident Blogger

The Seduction Shuffle

Alright, so you and your significant other are about to enjoy one of the perks of a perfect match -- otherwise known as 'getting busy.' You've got the candles lit, the curtains drawn and the massage oil standing by. Sweet, sexy sounds are streaming in from your iPod, and everything's perfect. Until the next track comes on.

Nothing can ruin the mood quite like your date finding out your iPod is just as likely to play Miley Cyrus as Marvin Gaye. Of course, you can always build a 'passion playlist,' but that takes time. And, if you've got any sort of sex life, that playlist will probably play itself out after a few rounds of play. The last thing you want to do in the bedroom is get stuck in any sort of routine, and nothing says stale faster than finding yourself choreographing your moves to the same predictable rhythm every time you get it on.

That's why God (or Cupid) invented Pandora. Using its proprietary music genome technology, Pandora will automatically build a custom playlist based on any artist or song. Basically, Pandora hones in on certain traits of the tunes you give it, and uses those traits to pick a whole playlist of similar songs. If you're into rhythmic drums, hard bass lines and minimal vocals, it'll build you what amounts to an entire radio station of that particular kind of music. If uptempo jazz beats and classical orchestration are more your thing, then that's what you'll get. And, with almost a century's worth of music in their database, Pandora will keep serving you up with something different every time you turn it on. With Pandora, you'll always have a new playlist to put on when you're looking to get turned on. And anyone who has ever gotten it on to the sweet sounds of a Sade or a Sam Cooke knows that nothing makes the mood quite like a little mood music.

Basically, if variety is the spice of life, think of Pandora as cinammon for whatever you're baking in the boudoir. Because a little sugar in your bowl is good and all, but sugar and spice is just so much more nice.

Written by: Mollie Vandor - SpeedLA Dating Resident Blogger

A Lovely Bit of Culture...

If you’re shy and sometimes short on words like me, museums can be a great place to take a girl. It’s easy to make conversation when there’s a dinosaur in the room, a Manet on the wall, or a life-size model of a whale hanging from the ceiling. In New York however, there are so many museums that deciding the ideal one for your date can be confusing.

Below, I took a handful of museums and wrote a few reasons for and against taking someone special there.

Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street
For: The old stand-by date museum. This museum is one of the world’s largest, holding pieces from some of the most highly regarded artists.
Against: A little predictable as far as museum dates go.

American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West and 79th Street
For: I feel like a kid in this museum. There is such a great variety of interesting so many things to see. If your date is not interested in South American cultures, there’s always the thirty-four ton meteorite. Is she not a fan of North American birds? Just continue on to the Hall of Human Origins. By far, my favorite museum.
Against: Often overcrowded and full of real kids.

Whitney Museum of American Art
Madison Ave at 75th Street
For: There is a really great place to get dessert across the street.
Against: As innovative and thought provoking as the modern and post-modern exhibits are, there’s not much room for romance here. The combination of exposed concrete and avant gardefilmdoesn’t set the right tone. In addition, I felt I was constantly at risk of getting into the “What is art?” argument on a first date when viewing exhibit in which consisted of a video game projected onto the wall.

Neue Galerie for German and Austrian Art
1048 Fifth Avenue at 86th Street
For: A smaller, more intimate museum that is much less touristy than the others. Taking a date to such a specific gallery makes you seem as if you really know your art. Also, the hot chocolate in their restaurant is the best I’ve ever had.
Against: The admission fee is a little high for how long it takes to view the entire museum.

Written by: Joe Pera - SpeedNY Dating Resident Blogger

Creative Ideas Anyone Can Afford

Unfortunately, getting a date these days is only half the battle. Now what? In these tough times, not everyone has the funds for five star dining every night. Instead of trying to pass off two star dining for five star (this will not go over well), skip the idea of fancy schmancy all together and get creative. Really, putting cost aside, this is what you should be doing anyway. Your date has gone on dinner dates hundreds of times. Have they ever gone to a huge public pillow fight on Wall Street? I’m going to venture no. A creative date will make you stand out and seem pretty awesome. You and your date will have tons of fun doing something different, you’ll build memories, and you’ll build a foundation for a potential relationship that will never grow dull. And you’ll still be able to make rent that month, bonus!

Meet your new date idea resource: Time Out New York, orhttp://newyork.timeout.com/. And those ideas are infinite. Time Out has a database of cheap and free events, activities, and date ideas, and there is also a constantly updated list on the homepage for each day. Here you will find where to go for underground comedy shows, offbeat concerts, food and/or drink tastings, late night museum exhibits, free movie showings, festivals – need I continue? You could keep your significant other guessing for years with this handy guide – imagine that excitement! Dating that never gets old! A good idea is to take turns planning unique dates and surprising the other person.

Need more proof? For example, here are some events from the list of suggestions for just one Saturday (May 9th. Remember, most of these are time sensitive or even one-night-only’s, so make sure to choose the day you’re planning a date for).

An Affordable Art Fair: Art normal people can afford! Even if you don’t buy, there’s tons of art to peruse! $20.00 admission.

The BellRays perform at The Delancey: Hot downtown band that mixes punk and R&B and will make you seem very in-the-know performs at a Lower East Side staple, for only $10.00 cover.

Binibon at the Kitchen: For $15.00, see a musical theater piece about a 1981 murder. Interesting…

Bicycle Fetish Day Party Block Party: Take bike ride – or subway ride, if you two aren’t avid bicyclists – over to Williamsburg to see some crazy blinged out bikes, hang out with hot dogs and beer, and top off the night with dancing at the after party. All for a suggested donation of five bucks!

Gameshow Speakeasy at the Slipper Room: Join in on this monthly celebrity-themed game show at the very hip burlesque joint on the Lower East Side for only $5.00! (And no, there is no burlesque on game night!)

Written by: Courtney Iseman - SpeedNY Dating Resident Blogger

Lovely - Jubley on a dime...

These recessionary times, call for frugal measures. And when it comes to romantic dates, New York City is the one place you can easily show your mate that your love don’t cost a thing.

When the weather is nice, head down to the tip of Manhattan for a leisurely stroll through Battery Park. As the temperature climbs, the crowds will begin rushing to Central Park, so take advantage of your nearest downtown subway line and book it to South Ferry.

Rich with history, the waterside location offers views of The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island that are sure to fuel conversation all afternoon. For a more intimate affair bring along a blanket and a picnic lunch. If it’s an active date you are interested in, hop on your bike and ride through the ferry docks and flower gardens with that special someone.

When the views from Battery Park aren’t enough, head over to the Staten Island Ferry for what may possibly be the best sight in town. The free, 25-minute boat ride departs from South Ferry in Manhattan—about every half hour on the weekends. Grab a seat on the outside deck where you’ll catch breathtaking views of Lower Manhattan, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. Like many of the other passengers onboard, getting back to Manhattan is top priority. But you’ll have to hustle through the St. George Ferry Terminal Station as the schedule leaves only a few minutes for round trip passengers to catch the next boat.

By the end of the date, you’ll have taken in the rich culture of Lower Manhattan with out having spent a dime.

Written by: Libby Dowd - SpeedNY Dating Resident Blogger

An Old Timey Date...

Sunday evenings are perhaps the most depressing of evenings. Condemned to think about the upcoming workweek while watching Celebrity Apprentice is an unsatisfying closure to even the best of weekends. However, one Sunday evening a month is not so bad. Matt Diffee, a cartoonist for The New Yorker, hosts the “Steam-Powered Hour”, a live variety show featuring bluegrass music and comedy.

Though it seems like an odd combination, especially for New York City, the show is unique in how the musicians tell jokes and the comedians sometimes show up with instruments. Hosted from his on-stage rocking chair, Matt sets the laid back, easy tone that makes it easy to imagine that you’re in the living room of an old friend from Kentucky. (I tried to think of other ways to describe it, but couldn’t).

Having ties within both the comedy and bluegrass industries, Matt is able to bring in exceptional performers. Past musicians include Gillian Welch, The Steep Canyon Rangers, Chris Thile, and even Steve Martin stopped by to play his banjo. Also, comedians from Comedy Central, Conan O’Brian, ESPN, and even a storyteller from NPR have performed. Dmitri Martin has made an appearance.

On top of this, Matt presents videos and shows off his cartooning work. For a mellow, but interesting Sunday evening, the Steam-Powered Hour just feels right. If you can’t wait until next weekend to see that girl you took out on Friday night, it’s the perfect excuse. Leaving, at least you’ll be happy you didn’t spend that time with Mr. Trump.

The final show of the season is on May 17th at 8pm at the Tank Theatre 354 W. 45th St.. For information, http://www.steampoweredhour.com/.

Written by: Joe Pera - SpeedNY Dating Resident Blogger