Have a Laugh - UK Style!

Looking for something to watch... something funny... not too long. Show her you have a sense of humor with an English twist. If you haven't heard of 'Fawlty Towers' do try to extricate yourself from the rock you have been under and get ready to laugh...hard. "Fawlty Towers" is a British sitcom made by BBC and first broadcast in 1975. Now before you cry "That's before my time!", this is timeless. The setting is in a fictional hotel called Fawlty Towers, located in the seaside town of Torquay, along the "English Riviera". Written, created and performed to perfection by the great John Cleese of 'Monty Python' fame, this is one sitcom not to be missed. Considered by many to be the greatest comedy of our time, the show blends sarcasm, biting humor and wit like no other has before and since (except maybe Seinfeld... but it's a close call).

The series focuses on the exploits and misadventures of short-fused hotelier Basil Fawlty, his wife Sybil and their employees; porter and waiter Manuel, maid Polly and chef Terry. The episodes typically revolve around Basil's efforts to succeed in 'raising the tone' of his hotel and his increasing frustration at the numerous complications and mistakes, both from his own and those of others, which prevent him doing so. Much of the humour comes from Basil's overly aggressive manner, engaging in angry but witty arguments with guests, staff and in particular his formidable wife, whom he addresses (in a faux-romantic way) with insults such as "my little piranha fish" and "my little next of vipers". At the end of some episodes, Basil succeeds in annoying (or at least bemusing) the guests and frequently gets his comeuppance.

Due to the show's popularity, DVD sets of the series are a snap to find. If you are out and about, pop into 'Best Buy' or check out 'Netflix' if you can't leave the sofa. Both are sure to have plenty of copies on hand. Episodes are a half hour each and provide that perfect opportunity to snuggle up and laugh with your date while not encroaching too much on the rest of the night. And whatever do, "Don't mention the war!"

Fawlty Towers - BBC - DVD Sets & Additional Information

Written by: SpeedNY Dating

All the help you can get...

Have that special someone you've been dating for awhile? Looking for a little fun with food? I found a website that specializes in all things "Gourmet Food and Cooking" related. Within this treasure trove of information, I found a page dedicated to 'Aphrodisiac Foods'. A bit of history, why certain foods are considered 'aphrodisiac', food list and of course, recipe list. From Almonds to figs, to mustard...some will definitely surprise you. Try not to fancy yourself a Gordon Ramsey while using all the ingredientsand suggested recipes on the first date. It's a lovely bit of fun for that lovely in your life.www.gourmetsleuth.com/aphrodis_foods.htm

After you have feverishly copied the food list and recipes do try to stop by the main site where one can educate themselves, Gourmet Style. Their goal is to help inform and educate people interested in food, cooking and eating. They have a wide assortment of culinary articles on various foods and cooking topics and publish recipes that take a "how to" approach. They also answer culinary related questions and do so eagerly.

In addition to their own content, "Gourmet Sleuth" maintains a huge database of food, beverage (wine, beer, alcohol) related sites. So if you are looking for recipes, looking to add to your culinary database or to act like you know what you are talking about, this is a great place to start.

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/

Written by: SpeedLA Dating

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

Top Chef Masters * First Date Dinner

Bravo's 'Top Chef Masters' sizzle for 60 of our Matchmaking daters!

We had the pleasure of hosting Bravo's 'Top Chef Masters' and their world-renowned chefs for a very special, 'First Date Dinner'. See if our Matchmaking daters found love or fell in love with their dishes!

Top Chef Masters' - *First Date Dinner *

Written by: SpeedLA Dating & Matchmaking

The First Date: Skip Trendy For Timeless

Finding the right place for a first date in New York can be tricky – even frustrating. There is such a sheer volume of variety in places – and, in kinds of people that you might be taking out. Does your date like underground salsa dancing? Heavy metal? Minimalist art shows? The raw food movement? By taking a swing at it and bringing your date to one of the more pigeonhole spots here in the city, you might really win your date over and make the night unforgettable. Or, your date might get the “emergency phone call” eleven minutes into eating seaweed next to a xylophone player.

So, let’s take the safer route and stick to a more general area on the first date. Even here you can run into problems. See, if you’ve lived here even a month you’ve realized that the New York restaurant and nightlife scene – just like every other kind of scene – is borderline unbearably trendy. Many people complain that following all the nightlife openings and staying on top of what’s hot is a full time job. Remember how blazing hot Marquee was for a while there? Yeah, tell your New Yorker date you’re taking him or her there for a night of dancing now. Cue the laughter. It’s impossible for a normal person with a life to constantly have a running knowledge of what places are hot on any given day. So avoid the headache by going somewhere with class, sophistication, and a little bit of edgy fun. These places are perpetually trendy, especially in the new dawn of nightlife in New York: old school, comfy, casual, and chic lounges and bars. By staying on this course, your date will be impressed by how “with it” you are, and how insider New York you are, and yet it won’t look like you’re just trying to show how unbelievably hip you are. Scenester is not the impression you want to give on a first date. Whether it’s always a true assessment or not, people on a date with a scenester assume said scenester is way too wrapped up in nightlife to have any sort of relationship, goes out and meets a lot more of the opposite sex, and just might be a bit shallow and/or superficial.

You can still show some insider knowledge and chic-ness though. Instead of going for a place that might only be cool for a week, go for the trend that’s been solid in the city for a couple of years now, and doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere soon: the Prohibition inspired bar or lounge. “Speakeasies” have been popping up all over Manhattan. These are bars without big flashing signs announcing their presence, so your date will be impressed when you usher him or her up to a non-descript door and suddenly introduce them to a hidden treasure. Gourmet cocktails are the draw at these places, places such as one of the pioneers of this trend, Milk and Honey.

Arguably the best spot for a first date is the somewhat new Raines Law Room, 48 West 17th Street between 5th and 6th Avenue. This bar is described by patrons as decadent, comfortable, and quaint. There is actually no bar, but instead a sort of open kitchen where you can watch your mixologist of the night engage in the art of the cocktail. You can do this from your comfy booth in a bar that has transported you back to the decadent 1920’s. This is the perfect date spot, since you and your date can actually settle in and be comfortable. You canreally relax, talk, and get to know each other. Being able to kick back and talk is the most important thing on a first date, and Raines Law Room will really set the tone and make that happen. Plus that very mentioned decadence will make the mood a little fun and flirtatious. There are even curtains at the booth you can close to really be in your own little world, and you can pull the chain at your booth to summon the waitress. There is definitely a sexy tone, but not overt. Plus, the cocktail menu is unique and extensive, and a different drink menu like this is a great bonding experience for a date. You two can pore over the drink menu and each get something different but that you both like, so you can try each other’s – just don’t go overboard with these deceptively strong cocktails, of course.

Your date will be so pleasantly surprised by Raines Law Room, and of course, by you. It is trendy in a timeless way, and the perfect place to unwind, get to know each other, and flirt. It is one of the very few bars in New York where you can sit – comfortably – for hours without being rushed, and where you can drown out the rest of the world in an overcrowded city.

Raines Law Room - NYC - 48 West 17th Street (Between 5th & Avenue Of The Americas)

Written by: Courtney Iseman - SpeedNY Dating Resident Blogger

More Than I Bid For: First Date at Auction House

I recently went on a first date to a great place, Auction House, located at 2nd Avenue and 98thStreet on the Upper East Side. The atmosphere has a gothic, intimate, velvety feel and was ideal for cozy conversation. The delicious décor is refreshing and down to earth in comparison to most uppity joints I find on the UES, you know, the types of places swarming with men in La Coste shirts and investment- banker hungry women. The music is kept at a low, comfortable volume which allowed for an actual conversation free of sign language, charades and subsequent next-day sore throats, which struck me enough to exclaim to my first date, “Oh my Gosh! We might actually get to know each other!” ( My therapist tells me that shouldn’t be a novel feeling for me, which might highlight some serious issues in my dating habits.)

Some of the unsettling artwork might make one go “Hmm,” and there was a moment, given the dark, spooky ambience, when I felt like I was in an amusement park’s haunted house, but I’d rather that than the awkwardness of fine dining with a first date or the obnoxious club scene where I constantly found myself getting dry humped by sweaty men in striped shirts on the dance floor. As the night ticked on and I downed one too many glasses of red wine, I half expected Scooby Doo and his gang to bust through the front door and unmask an antagonist, but who was I kidding? My life is way too unlucky to be blessed with such random awesomeness.

My date wasn’t so bad either. He was polite, polished and respectful, however he did do this one thing that nearly triggered my irritable bowel : He kept glancing at the front door every few minutes, which gave me the impression that a psycho, possessive ex or current girlfriend was going to storm through the door and attempt to kill me. I tried to control my alcohol consumption just in case I had to keep my reflexes sharp, go into “ninja” mode and fight off a jilted, pissed off lover. The anxiety brewing in my gut served as a reminder to me that eye contact is really important! So men and women, if you are on a date, just remember to LOOK at the person you’re on a date with, otherwise you may do something dangerous, like serve as the impetus to a diarrhea episode.

Also, personal hygiene habits shouldn’t be discussed on the first date. In fact, hygiene should NEVER really be discussed. It should be learned through observations as the relationship flourishes. I mean, if someone smells, you’ll eventually figure it out. You don’t have to ask, “So, do you wear deodorant?”

Anyhow, my date said he always notices a person’s teeth first and asked me how my teeth were. I furrowed, felt uncomfortable, but my autistic characteristics got the better of me, and I tried to answer the question honestly. I said I had braces as a kid, wore my head gear religiously, but had budding wisdom teeth that were causing my bottom half to shift. ( Immediately after speaking, I wanted to slap myself.) Then I mentioned that I drank a lot of coffee, to feed a dangerous caffeine addiction, so my teeth might be yellowish, but I just started brushing with “Go Smile” toothpaste and expected a turn around soon. ( Here, again, I slapped myself and started empathizing with all the women born and raised in West Virginia who get asked this question on first dates. Geez!)

He went on and dictated his daily, dental hygiene routine to me, and went so far as to describe the way he scraped his tongue with a tongue scraper. I mentioned I never scraped my tongue but did thoroughly brush it. He frowned. I felt inferior and drank more. I also didn't get a goodbye kiss. Hmm.

In short, pass on the “hygiene” chatter.

Auction House - Upper East Side

Written by: Erin Stair - SpeedNY Dating Resident Blogger

Bravo's 'Rate The Date' * Fancy a Go?

SpeedLA Dating had the pleasure of hosting Bravo for their very special, 'Rate The Date' series. Viewers chose which couple they felt made the perfect match and the winning couple enjoyed a romantic dinner for two. See if love was in the air or they just got plain cheeky!

The Winners of Bravo's 'Rate The Date' series...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKKI6tSH4s0

SpeedNY Dating * Let's Get Cheeky!

Rate The Date - Bravotv.com

Flute Bar: A Parisian in New York

Nothing says romance like a glass of Champagne and no venue is more appropriate for a date than one dedicated solely to the bubbly cocktail. Flute, a Champagne bar owned by French Champagne ambassador Hervé Rousseau, delivers a romantic piece of Paris to the heart of the city. Couples can fit onto plush couches or lean into a small table while studying the extensive drink menu.

Don’t know a lot about Champagne? Impress your date by ordering one of the tasting flights. With three different types to try, there’s no reason not to share with you date.

Flute has two location in New York, in Gramercy at E. 20thStreet and in Midtown at W. 54th Street, as well as a location in Paris that opened in early 2008.

Flute Bar - NYC

http://www.speednydating.com/

Fancy a Go?

We at SpeedLA Dating are tickled pink to be so sought after by the press and media. Thousands are finding themselves getting cheeky at an alarming rate! Recently, VH1 stopped by to see what all the fuss is about. Cheers to the production and producers for choosing SpeedLA Dating.

VH1 - SpeedLA Dating Promo

Find out if NBC/Oxygen's "Bad Girls Club" found love or just got plain cheeky!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubgkKy-3LNU&feature=channel_page

To view more of SpeedLA Dating's Videos -
http://www.youtube.com/user/SpeedLAdating1

Written by: SpeedNY Dating

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

Getting Cheeky with FOX News!

SpeedLA Dating had the pleasure of hosting Fox News & Good Day LA. When it comes to cheeky - there is no substitute! We are chuffed to have such trendsetting singles and are thrilled to be bringing our unique brand to LA.

We have changed Speed Dating and brought a new way of Matchmaking to New York City. Where we felt other companies lacked with have set out to redefine. For our events, we bring our charismatic British hosts, Complimentary Make Over's for the ladies, the absolute best venues, plate after plate of gorgeous nibbles and cash prizes - our SpeedLA standard. Spoil yourself in our popularity and let us be your Matchmaker. With an audience of thousands from our Dating, Networking and Televised events - we bring together a personalized, straightforward approach to Matchmaking in NYC.

Fox News & Good Day LA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMhmpHLYBMU

SpeedNY Dating & Matchmaking

http://www.speednydating.com/

Fancy a go?

The Perfect Date

One of the biggest advantages about living in a city like New York is the heavy volume of culture and of events. There is so much more than restaurants and bars here. While our restaurant and bar scene is great and perfect for dating, there is also a world of more unique, fun date ideas out there.

When the weather starts to get warmer, New York unleashes a dense schedule of street fairs and festivals. There is at least one per weekend, sometimes two or even three. A street fair is such a great date for a newer relationship still in the first few dates, or a relationship going strong months or years in. The idea is that this activity will shake things up a bit. There is so much to look at, and so there is so much to strike up conversation about.

For a newer relationship, this will help you get to know each other. For an older relationship, this will remind you two that you will never stop learning about each other, that there will always be stories and anecdotes to uncover and laugh about. No matter what stage of the relationship you’re in, a street fair will have you trying new things, finding little treasures, and creating memories. This kind of date is the perfect combination of outside stimulation: lots to see and do, plus the perfect venue for getting to know each other and talk. Try new and foreign foods, check out strange little knick knacks, peruse record albums, look through jewelry and home goods. A good idea is to buy each other one little surprise. Split up for fifteen minutes and find something goofy or sweet or both.

For a definitive list of events, check outhttp://www.nycstreetfairs.com/sched.html. While all street fairs and festivals will do the trick here, there a few with that extra something that really pull out all the stops.

Written by: Courtney Iseman - SpeedNY Dating Resident Blogger

Cheeky Chic Speed Dating!

Spring / 2010

"Hunting for an upscale, classy speed dating event in the Los Angeles area? You won’t find a better speed dating company than SpeedLA! This speed dating company brings you an unforgettable evening of new faces, beautiful venues, and fun. And of course, the perks make the evening even more enjoyable: ladies get a complimentary makeover, appetizers are served, and of course there are nightly drink specials. With SpeedLA, everything is done in classy UK style, even down to the friendly British hosts. Does this sound like the right speed dating experience for you, but you don’t live in or near LA? SpeedLA also has branches in Seattle (SpeedSeattle) and New York (SpeedNY). Why not begin your speed dating adventure today by registering for an event at SpeedLA.com?"

BeSingles.com

SpeedLA Dating / SpeedUSA Group

Simply The Best

The Los Angeles Lakers have won the Championship - Again!

We at SpeedLA Dating love our Lakers and can't wait to share our excitement with you. Sign up for any event this summer, enter LAKERS at checkout and receive $7 Off!

We are changing the Speed Dating scene and attracting a more sophisticated crowd than ever before. Some have called us Speed Dating 2.0; others just can't get enough of the fun! We are holding our Events and being invited to some of New York's most coveted nightspots. From the ultra sexy Flute to the hip and trendy Tenjune. Where we felt other companies lacked, we have set out to redefine. With organized, personable British hosts, Complimentary Make-Over’s for the Ladies, the absolute best venues, plate after plate of gorgeous nibbles and cash prizes, we are all things fun wrapped in a UK bow.

Same great value, same level of service and same cheeky fun to every city in the SpeedUSA family.

SpeedLA Dating - Los Angeles

Written by: SpeedLA Dating

Do You Have a Brit Connection?

This one comes straight from the heart - as anyone’s enthusiasm other than my own, simply would not do justice. Admittedly, I am partial – I love all things English, what can I say?

More so than usual, this time of year drifts me back home ; Christmas pudding, Mince pies, Quality Street, Christmas Crackers (no you don’t eat them!) and so many other favorites, really too many to mention…

For those of you that have not experienced the delight of British sundries; be it Christmas or the middle of Summer it’s always a good time for a cup of Tetley’s and a Penguin. What does all this mean I hear you cry!? For those of you that don’t know – ok the majority of people reading - that would be a cup of the best Tea in the world accompanied by an old favorite; chocolate Penguin bars! Please do take a look for yourself and allow me to introduce your one stop shop for fabulous British fare; The Brit Connection can be found athttp://www.thebritconnection.com/

Pamela and Michael are the lovely owners of this delightful shop – If there is something you want and don’t see it on the website – let them know! They will do their best to accommodate your request.

This Holiday Season, Speed USA Group would like to thank the Brit Connection for bringing us a little piece of home, from far across the pond.

Cheers!

The Brit Connection - Torrance

Written by: SpeedNY Dating

Go Yankees!

"The Yankees are back on top...World Champions for the 27th time!"

We at SpeedNY Dating are tickled pink to see our boys back where they belong and we're celebrating all winter long!

Enter NYCHAMPIONS at checkout for a lovely Yankees discount.

Congratulations to the World Champion New York Yankees and all the millions of fans who adore their Yankees like we do.

Written by: SpeedNY Dating

Fancy a go?

Quickly becoming the epicenter of premiere N.Y. dining, ONE Little West 12 is a feast for the senses, the body and everything in between. It is sexy without trying to be, whimsy in spirit while being theatrical at heart. The staff is excited to be in on the fun, the fellow patrons amongst friends and for a second, it can feel as tho' the cameras outside might just be there for you.

Join SpeedNY for a night of mingling, mixing and matching - UK Style! Nibble on treats from ONE's fabulous menu, Ladies can delight in touch up and tips from our Certified Make-Up Artist, get the conversation going with our 'Cheeky' Ice-Breakers or find Marley, our resident bear, and win $50. All with our compliments.

"Diners savvy enough to slink beyond the velvet rope are led past a packed bar to the dim, brick-lined "candle lounge." UrbanSpoon.com

"There's a decided sexiness to the house style: candles glow from niches in brick walls.Those who venture through One's red velvet ropes will likely want to ensconce themselves for the evening." NYmag.com

"Flashy Meatpacking digs ideal for a night of cocktails, snacking and taking in some serious eye candy." CitySearch 2009

"I walked through the venue without even noticing the tables of daters; SpeedLA events are so chic and low key you might just walk right by." LA Talk Radio.com

"SpeedNY Dating of Beverly Hills will create that absolute romantic ambience which you never get anywhere else." Los Angeles265

SpeedNY Dating at ONE Little West 12th - Meatpacking District - November 11th 2009

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