Celebrating National Singles Week

While reading Glamour.com’s fabulous Single-ish blog, I learned that this is National Singles Week. It may not be a well known occasion (truthfully, I never even knew it existed), but I think it’s definitely one worth celebrating. Especially because there’s plenty to celebrate about being minus a plus one, as I’ve rediscovered over the last couple of days.

The other night, I headed out to happy hour on my own. It had been several months since I’d flexed my flirting muscles in this way, so I was both exhilarated and a little nervous.

Butterfield 8: A great place for happy hour fun and flirting

Thankfully, I picked a great spot -- lively midtown hotspot Butterfield 8 – with a good crowd. Within a matter of minutes, I found myself talking to charming gadget salesman Milton about everything from the search for happiness to what exactly constitutes good sex.

My conversation with Milton reminded me that, when you’re single, adventure is always right around the corner if you know where to look. Last night, my newly-single trainer was beaming about the possibilities that lay ahead for her now that she’s exited an unhappy relationship.

Of course, one of the best things about singlehood is the tradition of girls night out. Tonight, I will be enjoying a big night out with three of my best galpals – and U2 at Giants Stadium.

How are you celebrating National Singles Week? Whatever you do, make it fun and fabulous. After all, that’s what being single is all about.

Say It With SingleTease

When it comes to meeting members of the opposite sex, I’m a big believer in thinking outside the box -- or, in the case of SingleTease, inside the wardrobe.

Launched by single ladies Tamera Lawrence and Kristin Moore, SingleTease makes fun and flirty t-shirts designed to be conservation starters.

“Our male friends are surprised when we tell them that guys don't approach us,” the duo writes on their website. “So we started to think…are they intimidated by the idea of starting a conversation? Is there a way we could let them know that we’re available…and approachable?”

Their sassy SingleTees keep it simple, emblazoned with quick one-liners like “just ask me (out)” and “support your local library (check me out).” Mariah Carey wore one -- “boy scouting (are you prepared?)" -- in her “Touch My Body” video.

The pre-shrunk cotton shirts cost $28 -- cheaper than two months of online dating membership. That's my kind of recessionista bargain. I can’t wait to order mine and let the flirting begin.

Saturday Night In SoHo

Saturday night, after my friend Cindy’s engagement party in Westchester, I returned to the city and headed downtown for another soirée – celebrating my fabulous cousin Carla’s birthday.

My cousin Carla and me at her birthday bash in SoHo

About a dozen of Carla’s close friends joined in the fun at SoHo nightclub Santos Party House, including her adorable colleague Seth.

A 32-year-old teacher, Seth spends his after-school hours working (and working out) at the gym and taking post-graduate classes toward his administrative degree. We talked about the charms of Long Island, where he grew up and still resides, and the merits of Stephanie Meyer’s popular “Twilight” series.

Upon deciding to get a drink, Seth took my hand and led me through the crowded bar area. I didn’t mind the brief wait for a cocktail -- it forced us to stand thisclose as the easy conversation between us continued. I’d almost forgotten how much fun it is to flirt when the chemistry feels mutual.

Seth and I are now Facebook friends and have emailed back and forth a few times this week. He’ll be joining Carla and me for drinks when I head out to Long Island on Saturday. I’m looking forward to seeing where our second encounter leads.

Up next…Time Out New York’s The Set showcases some of the city’s best rising stars and a singles schmooze fest for a good cause.

Girls Night Out At O'Flanagan's

Last Saturday, I caught up with my cousin and soul sister Alexandra for an eventful girls night out -- one that offered an enticing glimpse at what the new year might bring.

Over a few glasses of sangria and sublime Mexican food at Cilantro on NYC’s Upper East Side, Alexa and I had (as always) plenty to talk about. Along with the potential pitfalls of reconciling with an ex, we covered the challenges of juggling work and school (Alexa’s pursuing a degree in music education) and the joys of recovering from a physical setback -- i.e., my foot surgery back in October.

Best Friends: Me and my cousin Alexandra having fun at O'Flanagan's

My cousin hadn’t seen me since the weekend of my surgery, so she was happy to see I'm back on both feet again. That, along with her recently completing finals, gave us plenty to celebrate when we moved onto O’Flanagan’s, one of the best pubs in my neighborhood.

In addition to a friendly and attentive bar staff and down to earth, unpretentious crowd, O’Flanagan’s offers great live entertainment. While Alexandra and I were at the bar, she struck up a conversation with one of the vocalists for the night’s cover band, East Coast.

East Coast: An awesome cover band with talented and friendly musicians

East Coast had everyone on the dance floor with their rollicking renditions of hits from the last 40 years. As we shook our groove things to Rihanna's “Please Don’t Stop The Music,” I couldn’t stop smiling -- savoring the delight of dancing for the first time in months.

During a break to catch my breath, a guy leaned over and asked me if I was single. When I said yes, he asked--

“How is that possible?”

“Actually,” I said bemusedly, “That’s a good question.”

I also had the chance to flex my flirting muscles while watching a couple of guys play pool in O’Flanagan’s back room. One of them, an adorable forty-something named Dave, quickly invited me to join the game and proceeded to engage me in a round of TV trivia.

Before the night was over, Alexandra -- a talented singer -- joined East Coast in belting out Alicia Keys’ “No One.” I, meanwhile, offered my more limited vocal talents in supporting the band’s rendition of Billy Joel’s “You May Be Right.”

As we headed home around 3am, I couldn’t help thinking that the night marked a fresh start for me. I’m ready to, literally, hit the ground running now that it’s a new year, and get back into the dating scene. And I will definitely be dropping by O’Flanagan’s again soon. After all, my pool skills could use a little practice.