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Ready, Set, Date! |
Walking through the door of The Foundry Grill, a new West End restaurant, my mind raced. Will I meet someone special? Will anyone choose me? Does this type of thing really work? I was about to enter the world of speed dating, a concept that offers an alternative to the bar scene for singles burdened by long hours and tight schedules. How does it work? Each woman sits at a numbered table throughout the evening. The men receive a starting table number and work their way through the company of the women. The couples have five minutes to find out as much as they can (or care to) about each other. When time is up, a bell sounds and there’s a one minute wrap-up. Then the next man approaches and so forth. All the participants receive a list with the names of the members of the opposite sex and a simple yes or no to circle. This gets turned in, to match up people who chose each other.  Carrie Daichman, the founder of It Takes 2, the Innsbrook dating service sponsoring the event, personally interviews and profiles all clients, choosing each prospective relationship according to the specific needs and wants of the client. As for me, the first "round" was actually my favorite. Evan, the youngest of the men there, had a great sense of humor that allowed me to relax and have fun. We flirted and then it was time to move on. A few of the men took one look at me and concluded "too young – can’t go there." Others noted that I seemed "artsy." I don’t think this was a good thing. Some men began the minutes by taking notes on their previous chats, thus branding a solid circled "no" in my mind from the start. The one-minute conclusion was an amusing barometer for a round’s success. Some lingered, while others jumped up immediately, leaving me in their speed-dating dust. How did I fare, you ask? I had four matches. Not bad for a novice. I’ve e-mailed one of them. Maybe there will be a Part Two. Speed-dating events are held at various local restaurants about every three months, depending on interest. For more information, call 967-9911. – Adrianna Gallo |