By The Numbers: Married Or Not Edition

I recently went to my first-ever engagement party. The bride to be is my first galpal here in New York to find Mr. Right -- so the occasion got me to thinking about the role of geography in finding true love.

The Big Apple doesn’t rate highly in most surveys about top dating destinations

Most of my friends who have tied the knot are from smaller cities. Many surveys support the idea that New York is a challenging place to be a single. The Big Apple failed to make either of The Top 10 lists in a Sperling roundup of best and worst dating cities in the U.S. (for the record, Austin, Texas was the winner).

In my own social circle, I’ve definitely seen the effect that where you reside has on who you end up with. Here are some examples of this dynamic -- By The Numbers:

Number of married girlfriends: 7
Number of married girlfriends who live in NY: 1
Number of single girlfriends: 13
Number of single girlfriends who live in NY: 11
Number of NY girlfriends in serious relationships: 2
Number of NY girlfriends who found love within days of moving back to the Midwest: 1

One of my best friends once asked if it has ever occurred to me that my soul mate isn’t in New York. The honest answer to that is no. And not just because I’ve been there and done the long distance thing, or because I’m not open to Mr. Right candidates outside of my zip code.

No, it’s for the simple reason that home is where my heart is. And I believe that even in a competitive dating marketplace like NYC, when your heart is truly in the search for happily ever after, eventually--statistical odds be damned--you’ll find it.

Girls Night Out In Westchester

Friday night, I headed out to Westchester for a belated birthday celebration with my friend and colleague Carla.

After picking me up at the train station with her gorgeous little girls -- two-year-old Georgianna Jean and one-year-old Nancianne -- in tow, the four of us went to Mary Ann’s for dinner.

Grinning Gals: Carla and one-year-old Nancianne during our girls night out

A cozy, casual Mexican chain, Mary Ann’s serves a mean chimichanga (I tried the ground beef and cheese varieties) and a chocolate confusion cake that leaves no doubt you’re in dessert heaven. A scrumptious mix of mousse and sponge cake, this is a must-have when you’re dining at Mary Ann’s.

From there, Carla and I dropped the little ones off, then drove over to a packed neighborhood pub for some cocktails and girl talk. On the conversational menu -- applying PR savvy to the search for Mr. Right and gratitude for the good friends we’ve made through Quinn & Company. I’m especially thankful that Carla is one of them.

Up next…my first foray into NYC’s Fashion Week and a big Valentine’s night out.

The Most Important PR Campaign Ever

In the course of my four+ years in travel PR, I’ve had the good fortune of working on some groundbreaking campaigns.

From Starwood Caribbean’s award-winning Procreation Vacation package (named by yours truly) to Tourism Queensland’s current global phenomenon, Best Job In The World, these initiatives have taught me the tremendous value of getting your message out to as broad an audience as possible.

Now, inspired by friend and colleague Carla, I’ve decided to apply my PR savvy to a more personal objective -- finding Mr. Right.

When it comes to PR, the best ideas are often the simplest ones and so, I’m forgoing stunts in favor of deploying good old fashioned word of mouth to achieve my goal.

Who Should I date? You tell me!

I’ve already taken a few steps in this direction, putting friends, family and business associates on notice that I’m open to matchmaking attempts. Now, I’m asking you, dear readers, to play Cupid and answer the question -- who do you think I should date? Do you know a great guy -- or know someone who might know one -- that’s single and looking?

When it comes to bachelors, I don’t necessarily have a physical type. As I once told FoxNews.com, I’ve dated everything from short and balding to tall and muscular. I do have a few prerequisites, though. Here they are:

Age range: 35-45
Zip code: Anywhere in the tri-state area (NY, NJ, CT)
Must Haves: Intelligence, spirituality, ambition, a well-worn passport
Dealbreakers: Cats, dogs, small kids, no sense of humor
Optional: Enjoys Scrabble, concerts and a good meal

Feel free to forward this post far and wide -- viral marketing is key to any successful PR program -- and email me your suggested Mr. Right candidates at bravermanmelissa@gmail.com.

I can’t think of a better date than February 14th to launch a plan for finding a permanent sweetheart. Happy Valentine’s Day, Everyone!

A Milestone Birthday

Today is my 35th birthday. One of my favorite pick me up books, The Portable Best Friend, says that your thirties are when you really start hitting your stride. I couldn’t agree more, especially when it comes to my life and career here in NYC.

Work wise, I’ve never been happier. Having spent most of my twenties being something of a professional gypsy feeding the TV news beast, I’m thankful to have found both fulfillment and stability in travel PR -- at an agency run by three accomplished women who continually inspire me with their talent and creativity.

Speaking of fabulous ladies, I’m blessed with a truly amazing circle of friends, many of whom defy geographical distance with their devotion, all of whom enrich my life and make everything a lot more fun.

In looking back on the milestones I‘ve achieved, I can’t help pondering the life stages I haven’t yet reached, namely marriage and starting a family.

I take great comfort in the fact that my beloved late mom was in her thirties when she fell in love with my dad. Their passionate and enduring love remains the gold standard of relationships for me, and a source of hope that my own happily ever after is out there too.

As the iconic Carrie Bradshaw herself discovered, 35 is a good age at which to start focusing on finding a soul mate. I’m excited to ramp up the search for mine now that I feel truly ready for him.

So far, being middle aged isn’t so bad. How can it be when you live in the greatest city in the world…and have a steady supply of anti-wrinkle cream?