Singles Event Pick: Young Wall Street and CC4C Happy Hour

City Chicks 4 Charity and Young Wall Street are teaming up for Happy New Year Happy Hour.

Set for tonight from 630-930pm, the event will take place at Traffic Bar and Lounge in Midtown. The $20 donation at the door covers beer and cocktail specials and light snacks, and there will be a raffle as well.

Proceeds from the event will benefit Chess-in-the-Schools, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to improving academic performance and building self-esteem among inner-city public school children.

For more info, click here.

Singles Event Pick: Anti-Valentine's Day Party

If you’re unattached on February 14th, there’s no better way to celebrate being solo than by mingling. And you can do just that at Pros In The City’s Anti-Valentine’s Day party.

Amnesia: Get your flirt on February 13th at this cavernous Midtown nightspot

Scheduled for Friday February 13th, the party will be held from 730-11pm at Amnesia nightclub. Along with icebreaker games, the evening includes hors d’oeuvres and drink specials from 8-9pm, prize giveaways and DJ dancing.

Dress code is business casual and tix are $19.99 if purchased by this Friday. Click here for more info.

A Delightful Dinner At Rue 57

Last night, I met up with London-based longtime family friends Charles and Diane at Rue 57 in Midtown.

Rue 57: One of Midtown NYC’s best bistros

One of my favorite restaurants, Rue 57 serves up an expansive menu of pasta, steak and seafood (including sushi) in an inviting bistro setting. The wait staff is always friendly and swift, the food delicious.

Over a delightful dinner (potato crusted salmon with crimini mushrooms and Barolo sauce for me), we talked about cruise travel, shopping in NYC and the various phases of romance.

Charles and Di will celebrate their 35th anniversary later this year, while their son Kane is in the throes of true love with his girlfriend of eighteen months.

The young lovebirds are navigating the interfaith terrain -- he’s Jewish, she’s Protestant. We all agreed that, as my late and beloved parents demonstrated so beautifully, a religious divide needn’t be an insurmountable obstacle. And that if it is, you tend to know early on (like, for example, the JDate guy awhile back who bolted after 60 minutes upon learning I’m Catholic).

I also shared with Charles and Di my Grand 2010 Plan, and they shared my excitement about what lies ahead during this decade-launching year. Stay tuned for details, including how Single Gal In The City readers will be a big part of the fun.

Coming up…a record-breaking singles event and a Broadway smash gets a cast makeover.

Girls Day Out: Midtown East

Tuesday, my friend Bobbi and I enjoyed an afternoon of pampering at Metamorphosis Day Spa in Midtown East.

Hidden away on the fifth floor of an office building, Metamorphosis offers quiet relaxation in a small yet well-outfitted setting. If you’re looking for a full-blown spa experience, though, this isn’t the place for it.

Metamorphosis has only a tiny relaxation room, and there’s no opportunity to unwind in a bathrobe before your treatment. I also had to ask where the shower was -- there’s only one -- so I could rinse off after my massage. That said, the staff is friendly, I thoroughly enjoyed my 50-minute Swedish Massage, and the heated table is a nice touch.

Afterward, Bobbi and I headed over to trendy nearby Italian bistro Serafina. Over a delicious late lunch (the vegetarian lasagna is light and delish), we talked about men who say one thing but do another and our travel plans for 2010.

Bobbi is an avid skier. It’s been about fifteen years since I’ve hit the slopes, so I think I might just have to join her this winter.

Coming up…dinner with a charming restaurateur and ringing in 2010 with The Lost Girls.

When PDA Attacks

It’s not often that a public display of affection lands you in the doctor’s office -- but that’s exactly where I hobbled to this afternoon with a badly bruised leg and possible fracture.

The injury happened Saturday, during date #3 with adorable PR exec E. Having just sang karaoke at Top Tunes in Midtown, we were feeling particularly celebratory. E and I began smooching until, all of a sudden, we both lost our balance and I fell backward.

As it turns out, we had an unexpected audience for our PDA. I received an email from my cousin the next day saying that she and her husband spotted us at Top Tunes, but refrained from saying hello since we were…otherwise engaged.

I guess the moral of the story here is make sure you’ll holding onto something other than your date when engaging in PDA. Or at least, that you’re both surefooted.

Coming up…drinks with two fellow NYC dating bloggers and a special event perk for SGITC readers.

Dinner With An Online Dating Trailblazer

Wednesday, I headed over to Tenzan restaurant in Midtown for dinner with Dating Revolution founder and CEO Ross Felix.

Tenzan: The Midtown outpost of this Upper West Side eatery offers swift service & tasty sushi

Over a delicious selection of sushi rolls, we talked about the highs and lows of online dating, and being single in New York.

Whether it’s following certain rules or throwing out the playbook altogether, many Gotham singles seem to think there’s a strategy that has to be followed when it comes to making a lasting connection. Ross and I both agreed that common sense and putting yourself out there are the most important keys to dating success.

A JDate.com success story, Ross -- with the support and creative input of his fiancée – is breathing new life into the Internet dating space. Currently in beta testing mode, Dating Revolution will offer a number of safeguards and tools that Match.com and other existing sites don’t.

Dating Revolution will solicit member feedback to help enforce dater honesty, while color coded searching will make it easier to find matches faster. And you can also maximize opportunities for connecting by joining niche communities within the site specific to religion, hobbies, etc.

For a limited time, membership to the site is free. Click here to find out more.

Girls Night Out: Whiskey Trader

Tuesday night, after seeing “Superior Donuts,” I headed over to the Whiskey Trader in Midtown for a happy hour hosted by The Lost Girls.

Bartending Goddesses: (from left) Lost Girls authors and bloggers Amanda, Jen and Holly

While enjoying a couple of cosmos mixed perfectly by Jen, my Divalicious friend Heidi and I talked about male profiling -- i.e., making assumptions about men in suits. She presumes they’re dull and conservative, I think a suit usually spells sophistication.

Speaking of assumptions about the opposite sex, I decided to vet my theories on texting versus calling with a couple of friendly guys at the bar.

When I said that texting to make plans is less considerate than making a call, both men balked. They maintained that it’s hard to know when is a good time to call a woman, and one even tried to liken texting and emailing to the lost art of letter writing.

With all due respect, I think these are just excuses for not taking initiative and picking up the phone. As DatingRevolution founder Ross Felix puts it so well in this blog post, guys need to man up here. A quick call goes a long way toward making a girl (this girl, at least) feel courted.

Coming up…a look at Broadway’s sizzling “Burn The Floor” and an action-packed night out in Hell’s Kitchen.

Another Great First Date...To Nowhere

Tuesday night, I enjoyed another fabulous first date with a guy that I met at HurryDate – one that has me rethinking my approach to dating in NYC.

Bombay-born Taz and I met up at the swanky Chambers Hotel in Midtown for drinks. We settled into a cozy corner of the upstairs bar (complete with a sofa and hardcover coffee table books), where the conversation was as smooth as the service and menu selections.

The Chambers Hotel: A great date spot

Over cocktails, yummy appetizers and – unexpectedly – milk and cookies, Taz and I found plenty to talk about. Along with the usual first date subjects of career, travel and hobbies, we chatted about U2’s brilliant shows at Giants Stadium and the merits of speed dating versus online dating, i.e., less time wasted on interminable back and forth.

Though we lingered until closing time, neither of us wanted to call it a night so we walked a few blocks to Papillon, an inviting bistro and bar.

Finally, after nearly four hours of effortless conversation and playful teasing, it was time to say goodnight. Taz leaned in for a quick kiss before taking off.

He texted me the next day to say what a great time he had. And, much like fellow HurryDater John, that’s the last I heard from him.

Having gone on two great first dates to nowhere in a row now, I can’t help thinking about the lopsided female-male ratio here. And how it breeds a plenty-of-fish mindset among NYC men – especially among those who belong to the thirtysomething age bracket.

I’m also thinking that I had it right in my early twenties when I dated older men. It’s time to up the age ante and go for the fortysomething bachelors.

Coming up…my first Twitter flirtation and another HurryDate date.

Women In Digital Media Mixer

Tuesday night, I joined my new friend, SingleEdition founder Sherri Langburt at a Women In Digital Media (WIDM) cocktail party.

Held at the fabulously futuristic Sony Wonder Lab in Midtown, the mixer attracted over 100 women from a variety of industries working in the digital media space.

The Schmoozing Scene At Sony (photo courtesy: Aileen Atkins)

Since launching less than a year ago, WIDM has quickly grown from 4 to 400 in membership. Based upon the smart, savvy ladies I met the other night, I’m not surprised.

I chatted with branding consultant Jennifer and TV host Vanessa about the upcoming new webisode series “Girl Blog” and the need for more shows profiling intelligent women.

Upon mentioning Single Gal In The City, Vanessa asked me about the pros and cons of online and speed dating. I told her I’m all for both -- as long as you don't rely on them as your only mechanisms for meeting new people.

Sherri, whose hubby is New Jersey born and bred, says I should cast a wider net geographically speaking. Brooklyn and Westchester speed dating, here I come.

Much as I wanted to continued schmoozing, I had to make an early exit....for my date with HurryDate guy #2.

Singles Event Pick: Vino-Versity At Divine Bar

One of my favorite activities for mingling is wine tasting -- and no place in NYC does it better than Divine Bar in Midtown.

Divine Bar’s Vino-Versity series offers thematic wine tasting sessions in a social, cocktail party setting. On November 24th, Vino-Versity will host “Tuscany and Parmesan” from 630-830pm.

The tasting will feature dozens of Tuscan and Central Italian wines paired with warm garlic-crostini bread topped with fresh parmesan shavings or a Reggianito Parmesan and olive tapenade puff pastry. Wine professionals explain each variety as they pour, and take-home help sheets are also provided.

Tickets are $40 per person. Vino-Versity events always sell out, so click here if you’d like to be part of the wine and cheese-enhanced fun.

A Double Dose of Charitable Fun

Last week, I enjoyed a double dose of socializing for two very worthy causes.

Tuesday, I attended a benefit at the W Hotel in Midtown for Women Of The Congo. Nearly 200 guests schmoozed and listened intently to sobering remarks from some high-profile speakers.

Whoopi Goldberg talked about the urgency of responding to what’s happening in Congo

According to New York Times East Africa bureau Chief Jeffrey Gettleman, despite U.N. and U.S. involvement, brutality toward women in Congo has escalated. Whoopi Goldberg put the conflict in a historical context.

“When I was growing up, women were second class citizens,” she said. “So it’s not unusual for this to go on in other countries where women aren’t seen as 100% human beings.”

Whoopi introduced activist and playwright Eve Ensler, who’s been working on behalf of the women in Congo for years.

Eve Ensler spoke of her first-hand experiences in Congo

Eve shared astonishing anecdotes and statistics -- from a nine year old girl who was raped to the 500,000 women in Congo who have been brutalized, many with guns.

“When you allow human beings to be desecrated in this way, you license it everywhere,” she said.

A few days after Women Of The Congo’s powerful, standing room only event, I headed down to trendy SoHo nightspot Greenhouse for the Lighthouse International’s cocktail party fundraiser.

The crowd at Lighthouse Foundation’s party

I enjoyed some tasty hors d’oevures and signature green cocktails made with Veev, an eco-friendly Acai spirit that also supports the Brazilian Rainforest ($1 from each bottle goes to rainforest preservation). Sweet.

While Veeving it up, I chatted with cute Internet technology entrepreneur Robert, in town from Baltimore. Unfortunately, he lost his charm pretty quickly when he said that I’m nice -- for a native New Yorker.

Speaking of open mouth-insert foot syndrome, I had a good laugh with spirits marketing exec Michelle about this frequent male tendency.

She filled me in about some of her memorable NYC dating experiences. Among them -- a guy who claimed to “know a lot about women” after co-habitating as part of a threesome for years, and the player who insisted that a week was long enough to know someone before having sex.

No wonder Michelle is now happily reunited with her college sweetheart from elsewhere. I might consider that route myself, were it not for the fact that I went to a women’s college.

Coming up…speed dating at last and the small world of singles online.

Girls Night Out: Club Rebel

Last Thursday, I headed to Club Rebel in Midtown West with galpal Bobbi and her friend Michelle. The occasion – a performance by lanky Russian pop star The Oskar and Bobbi’s aspiring rapper beau Pasha (a.k.a. P Gunner).

Hot Stuff: The Oskar, me and P Gunner

As an opening band warmed up the small crowd, we took in the colorful scene. A group of Oskar’s twenty-something fans gathered around him while a crew with NTV, the top Russian-language channel in the U.S. filmed it all.

Over a few cocktails, the three of us dished about dating and nightlife in NYC. I filled the girls in on current distractions of the male variety. Bobbi mentioned a recent night out that found her surrounded by a dozen single men. She agreed to call me next time she finds herself in such a predicament.

Michelle, happily ensconced with her live-in boyfriend, shared details about a swanky tennis-themed party she photographed at NYC’s Hudson Hotel. A true talent behind the lens (she snapped the new signature pic of me you see on the right), she’s been capturing some of Gotham’s hottest events for years.

A little after 11pm, Oskar, joined by a few equally lithe backup dancers, took to the stage. His energetic five-song set included the catchy electro pop rock tune “Barbie Doll” and featured a duet with Pasha.

I missed the finale – sleep was beckoning me – so I’m looking forward to downloading some of The Oskar and Pasha’s repertoire. I can’t wait for their next gig.

Celebrating An SGITC Milestone

Next week, Single Gal In The City will hit the one year mark. This week, I’ll be celebrating the 365-day milestone with a festive happy hour at Haven, a fabulous new restaurant and lounge in Midtown NYC.

A duplex venue with what New York magazine describes as “the air of a cigar club,” Haven is decorated with such exotic accents as velvet wallpaper, Chinese swords and Balinese masks. Perfect for singles, the bar offers themed nights such as Jezebel Thursdays and sweet drink specials ($13 for a pitcher of the mixed drink of the day).

The SGITC Anniversary Party will take place on Tuesday June 23rd at 630pm. I’m looking forward to raising a glass to my first year of life in the blogosphere. If you’re in the neighborhood, feel free to stop by and join me.

Coming up...a first date with a lengthy preamble and a look at friends who exit when romance arrives.

A Very Happy Hour

Friday night, I headed over to Faces And Names Lounge & Bar in Midtown for a very happy hour. The occasion – my friend Amanda completing the first draft of her upcoming book The Lost Girls.

Faces And Names Lounge & Bar: A fun and festive watering hole in Midtown

Amanda and her lovely BFF co-authors Jen and Holly have been hard at work – and in virtual hibernation – for several months on the upcoming memoir, which chronicles their year-long journey around the world.

In addition to catching up with Amanda (and talking about our shared passion for writing), I had the pleasure of getting to know her friend and fellow blogger Dean and his lovely, British-born fiancée Holly. Upon learning she does facials at Great Jones Spa, I raved about the one I enjoyed there last fall. I also mentioned my affinity for British men and she promised to keep me in mind for any eligible bachelors from her side of the pond.

While Dean and Holly filled me in about their August nuptials, happily married Sarah mused about domestic bliss.

Sarah joked that the biggest recent excitement was staying up til 1am with her hubby, talking, having green tea ice cream – and wondering if they would turn into boring people in their old age. If they’re still talking until all hours of the night in twenty years’ time, I said, that sounds anything but boring to me.

Up next...celebrating Earth Day at a swanky downtown soiree and the scoop on my new writing gig.

Lunch With A Fellow J-Schooler

Yesterday, I enjoyed a rare lunch out of the office, mixing business with pleasure as I caught up with journalism school classmate Rebecca.

Rebecca and I last saw each other at a five-year reunion happy hour back in ’04. Now a web producer for “The Rachael Ray Show,” she ushered me backstage briefly, where a taping was in progress. A super thin primetime actress was waiting in the wings, raving about a recent meal at Blue Hill and looking impatient for the interview to be over.

Over a delicious lunch at nearby Comfort Diner in Midtown, Rebecca and I talked about how we can work together – and how astonishing it is that we’re coming up on our ten-year reunion in just a few weeks.

Comfort Diner: This Midtown eatery serves up a mean BLT and heavenly fries (of both the regular and sweet potato variety)

Happily married after years of doing the bicoastal thing (she’s from California) with her husband, she acted quickly when I told her I’m still a single gal, calling one of her producer colleagues to pitch me for a dating segment. Turns out they’re only interviewing men. Hopefully, it's not for the upcoming segment mentioned on the show's website about how difficult it is to meet people. Call me crazy but I think the opposite sex has little to complain about, considering they’re outnumbered here by more 100,000 single women.

Rebecca and her hubby met through a blind date, so she promised to keep me in mind should any eligible bachelors cross her path. My friend and Quinn & Co. colleague Carla is also keeping an eagle eye out for me – proof that, when it comes to matchmaking, sometimes the best Cupids are people who’ve already found their happily ever after.

Up next…Bryan Adams rocks the Big Apple and my first visit to Williamsburg in more than a decade.

Outrageous Online Dating Tales: Part One

Friday night, I went out on a date with Howard, a 40-year-old lawyer I met on Match.com.

We met for drinks at the swanky Royalton Hotel in Midtown. With soft lighting and fireplaces, the cozy chic ambiance was perfect. Even better, 80’s music played for most of the evening -- providing the perfect icebreaker as Howard and I compared favorite tunes from the era of leg warmers and jelly bracelets.

NYC’s Royalton Hotel: Cozy chic ambiance and a nostalgic musical groove

Conversation and witty repartee flowed freely -- until Howard made a few unintentional missteps, namely talking about other women he’s dated and going off on a lengthy tangent about his experiences with speed dating and Match.com.

Howard told me the average number of times he’s gone out with women from speed dating (3-4) and his theory that Match.com makes it difficult for people to truly connect. Why? Because, he said, it’s so easy to go home right after a great date, and logon to the “panoply” of other available women so that your date becomes a “distant memory.”

I told him if a date was so easily forgettable, then there wasn’t real chemistry in the first place. I also pointedly added that if we had met through any way other than the Internet, chances are this unromantic line of conversation wouldn’t have come up.

I let Howard chew on that while I went to the bathroom. By the time I returned, he apologized for his gaffe and said I’d taught him something about what’s not appropriate to talk about on a first date.

Howard’s not the first Internet guy I’ve gone out with to bring up online dating and other women during a first date. Whatever happened to the pretense of romance?

On the plus side, at least he spoke nearly as much about his desire to settle down. Unlike another Match.com guy, whose invitation by email for drinks said--

“How do you feel about starting things off as friends with benefits?”

Thanks but no thanks.