Posts Tagged ‘Where to go on a date’

How men should convey themselves on a first date

Sunday, December 18th, 2011

Introducing Adam Cumberland of BMG Connections, the leading European Authority on communication and social interaction……
Photo of Adam Cumberland
When planning on first dates, most guys plan on typical dates like going out on to dinner, a movie or drinks at a bar.  These are the last things you should be doing.  The point is, when taking a woman on a first date, most men should try to not be like most guys, because most guys don’t have success like they should be enjoying. They must be that one guy that stands out among the rest.  Some men unconsciously feel that the cuter the women (in their eyes), the more expensive the date should be.  There is no reason why the average guy in the street can’t be dating A Lister celebrities, in fact one of my clients went on a date last week with one that he met in a gym in North London.

So where to go for the date?  Coffee dates are great.  You are probably thinking this is a bad idea but its counter intuitive.  Gentleman, on first dates, the more money you spend, the less attractive you become.  It’s the truth.  Limit yourself to £30…even if your loaded.

A guy should always act natural on their first date. Don’t pretend to be someone that you are not.  Men shouldn’t brag about their salary, job or position in life as it subcommunicates ‘approval seeking’ which is one of the most biggest attraction killers.

Keep the conversation away from debates about religion or politics. Many a good man will often fall into the trap of talking in logic as men for the most part are very logical.  Women are emotional creatures so therefore you want to convey stories and conversation which create an emotional impact. This is an art and a science in itself.  If a women tells me “Im going to the park” I wouldnt respond with “Have a good time”  what is that? Boring at best.  Instead have fun with it and say something that is emotionally charged like “Try not to scare all the kids”.

Guys must stand out among other men and remember the things that make them unique and an interesting person. Right now, you might be thinking how you can make yourself sound cool.  This kind of thinking will not serve you.  Instead, realise that we are all unique and therefore different.  I want you to bring your own life experiences to the table and share of them.

Share fun and exciting things you are doing now in your life.  If you’re not doing any fun things, share about what you want to be doing so the women can get a sense of your character and where you are going in life.  Hopefully you’re not sitting in front of a Sony Playstation for the rest of your days..that will certainly kill your chances.

Also, remember the most unforgettable dates are those in which a person feels somebody is ‘genuinely interested’ in getting to know them. Once you discover a unique thing about the women, continue to ask them about that subject. Women will feel comfortable about themselves. Validate her for that unique thing.  If she has a sense of adventure, maybe say “I like your sense of adventure” She will now feel validated for her unique qualities and therefore feel free to express more of herself to you.

To find out how to approach women in any situation including social and non social environments and how to escalate the interaction to a satisfactory close within just a few minutes – then visit me at here where we have seminars and weekend Bootcamps with live interactions…lots of fun.

Kind regards.

Adam Cumberland

A Date With The Doctor

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

A friend of mine recently went on a date with the most gorgeous doctor. Not her usual type (she works in production and prefers a more Shoreditch style) and GP doesn’t conjure images of her ideal East end quirky beau. He took her out to an amazing restaurant and then for a cocktail experience she won’t be forgetting any time soon. I couldn’t possibly keep this one to myself…

Moro
Moro Restaurant, Exmouth Market

Moro in Exmouth Market hits at the Moorish roots of Spanish heritage. Fusing tapas with North African cuisine is the genius idea of Sam and Sam Clark. A match made in heaven has meant that Londoners have been enjoying their food since 1997. As soon as you walk in, you’ll be instantly hit with the aroma of the wood burning oven and charcoal grill that has been in preparation for delicious food all day. Wood roasted pork with patatas aliňadas, Yoghurt cake and Manchego with Membrillo (tapas menu) might not seem like obvious combinations on a menu, but they play really well together as does all of the food at Moro.

The Whistling Shop

worship_street_whistling_shop
Straight from the horse’s mouth, The Whistling Shop on Worship St in Shoreditch is the “next best thing to hit London’s drinking scene and the last great thing in London’s drinking history”. A slightly confusing albeit quirky description, this place does offer something different to the cocktail lover’s experience. My friend whilst on her date ordered an Amaretto Sour. She was politely told that all cocktails served at The Whistling Shop were in house and signature…no Amaretto Sour, no Singapore Sling and you can forget about a Mojito. “What kind of bar doesn’t serve an Amaretto Sour?!”
The barman offered to make her something that would “itch that craving for sour” and sure enough, he did not fail her. To use their words as they invariably describe it better than me, by controlling what is drunk they have “completely independent control over taste, aroma, sound and vision”. The doctor did very well indeed.

Don’t want to date alone? Why not create a group and get a rabble together for drinks this week…Trust me, there’s a lot of fun to be had!

Shhhh! Best Kept Secret In Mayfair

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

Don’t tell a single soul I told you. One of London’s most exclusive and beautiful restaurants – the place gastronomic dreams are made of – is offering up the deal of the year. Notoriously expensive, this is the perfect opportunity to treat your date to an evening in this stunning Mayfair restaurant at a complete steal. Result.

Quaglino's, MayfairIn conjunction with the Evening Standard, Quaglino’s is offering up a £25 two course meal and a cool glass of Piper-Heidsieck. Recently available this week up until September, this Mayfair hotspot will set the scene for the ideal date.

A favourite of celebrities, Quaglino’s originally built up its reputation as dining room of the stars and its crustacea bar of course. The fruits de mer platter and Maldon rock oysters are famous in their own right.

Michelin star chef Darron Bunn heads up the contemporary take on a brasserie style menu offering up treats like hand-dived scallops, confit duck with mustard potatoes and not forgetting the grill option for steak, lobster and salmon.

The cocktail bar is on a mezzanine level overlooking the restaurant below. It pays homage to the opulence and glamour of the 1930’s with its live daily music programme.

You can reserve your champagne menu online and it allows you to be proactive and take care of the bill before the date. Check out Quaglino’s on our Places page and let us know if you go. This isn’t a secret, but you can also find other great restaurants, bars and clubs suggestions there. Trust us, we know where you need to be making plans. People, Places & Parties are our thing.

We All Love A Good Bit Of Meat

Friday, June 10th, 2011

It’s an undeniable fact that there are some great restaurants in London. A few are simply amazing. We all have our favourite go to restuarants for Thai, Japanese, Italian, fusion whatever, but you really can’t do much better than a good steak. Combine that with an elite dining experience, innovative cocktail menu and luxury interior, you have something really special.

Steak @ The Hawksmoor

The perfect steak dinner

The Hawksmoor @ Seven Dials, Langley Street takes up residence at the old Watney-Combe brewery- the perfect setting for a restaurant that is centred around tradition and gastronomy. Specialising in various cuts of meat (you can give 48 hours notice for rare meats and they promise to get it for you), order your steaks by the weight and add half a lobster for a plate of rapture or be tempted by grilled bone marrow.

Make sure you get this early though as it’s a house favourite and is often sold out by 9 p.m. The side dishes cannot be overlooked and you should not miss out on the opportunity for beef dripping chips.

The drinks menu is an adventure through traditional English drinking rituals. I definitely recommend trying “The History of the Cocktail in Ten Drinks” – brownie points if you make it to the end. Punch cups are amazing and the famed Juleps that hold their origins in Opium are a perfect after dinner tipple. If you’re a true steak enthusiast, The Hawksmoor also invites you to engage their private rooms and start your own Supper Club.

I think there are some brilliant date restaurants each perfect in terms of suitability for different situations. Save The Hawksmoor for a truly special occasion and for the time when you really to need to bring out the big guns as it promises an unforgettable dining experience.

For more amazing restaurant suggestions, check out our Places page.

Let’s Do Lunch!

Friday, October 29th, 2010

Pho

If you’re really committed to the idea of finding that special someone, then you have to have to put the time in. But where to find it these days? Between work and a hectic social schedule, finding time to squeeze in that extra date can prove somewhat of a challenge. The solution? Sometimes like your lunch, your dating schedule has to be “on the go”. More and more I hear about friends opting out of working lunches in favour of dating lunches. So, let’s do lunch.

A great lunch date venue has to be Pho. Promising “Vietnam in a bowl”, this restaurant has a fast paced environment and doesn’t waste time in getting the food out to you. So busy you can’t book in advance, if it’s just the two of you then you can find your seats pretty quickly. Pho’s are considered the national dish of Vietnam and is essentially noodle soup made with fresh stock, herbs and spices. Served in big bowls with ladles, the concept is fun though you might want to bring a bib as it can get messy! A few locations dotted around London, you can dash in, date and be back at your desk within the hour.

VapianoVapiano on Great Portland Street is another excellent option especially if you like your Italian food fast and furious. Queue up canteen-style for authentic Italian cuisine in a well decorated restaurant where you can watch the chefs making fresh pasta throughout the day. There is no service in this restaurant so you can dictate your own pace whether you’re keeping it short and sweet or taking a long lunch. If you can manage the whole Oyster card concept, then you’ll love the mechanical like efficiency of the self service option.

Like Dim Sum? Have your lunch date meet you at Ping Pong. Spread out in eight different locations in London, it’s a favourite of celebrity types like Kate Winslet, David Schwimmer and Danii Minogue. Like Vapiano the ordering process is independent of service where you’re given a paper menu and it’s very much a case of ticking the right boxes. Everything is quick and it’s easy to re-order more food. The duck sticky rice, pork puffs and green lipped mussels are a particular house favourite and the sharing opportunities make it a great option for a date. Each dish presents a talking point. Ping Pong is essentially a modern take on a traditional Chinese tea house so enjoy the experience and finish lunch with a traditional flower tea or one of their exotic cocktails.

ping-pong-london Things seem to move so quickly at the moment and though it’s hard to keep up sometimes, we have to adapt and learn to compartmentalize our time. It’s all about proportions. How we divide up our free time is important and when it comes to dating, the more time – even that extra hour once a week during lunch can make all the difference.

The Dating Monologues: On the Non-Plan Plan

Friday, September 24th, 2010

I was having a small debate the other day with a colleague about making arrangements. To clarify, dating arrangements. Where do we meet? What time? More importantly perhaps, what are we going to do?

There needs to be a plan in place, she tells me. What kind of plan? She looks at me as if she’s spoken a completely foreign language. A plan! Ok, dinner at 8, then drinks. A movie and then drinks. I don’t know, quasar- somethin

The dating monologues

Taking me somewhere special?

Quasar? Are you joking? No, she tells me. Basically a pre-requisite for her, is that the night is planned to perfection. Every minute accounted for. As far as I’m concerned, she might as well be carrying an itinerary! I need a male perspective. Oh yes, my male friend tells me. It has to be well thought out. More often than not, you only get one chance so you have to strategise, so you should do as much as possible to ensure that nothing can/ will go wrong. Why not, I’m managing my expectations, measuring the risk factors involved and if necessary, formulating an exit strategy.

Is this what dating has come to? I never really like strict social plans and dating can be complicated enough without throwing a complex schedule into the mix. What ever happened to spontaneity? Sometimes it’s the unexpected, the unfamiliarity of not knowing what/ where/ when, that can catch you unaware and leave you pleasantly surprised. Meeting up for “a few drinks and see how things go” sounds like a terrible plan to my colleague. “I wouldn’t even bother!” Apparently it shows that someone doesn’t care enough to make the effort.

Au contraire, it’s my favourite kind of plan. It takes the pressure off both parties and leaves you free to worry less about the logistics and spend more time enjoying the date. Plan special occasions, surprise every now and again, catch us off-guard. Every date that has been over-thought has gone horribly wrong. I have the same feelings towards New Year’s Eve: the plans you make never quite work out and the party is never as good as it seems when you’re there. Frankly, I would much rather be on the non-plan plan because you never know what might happen. How’s that for managing expectations…