Over the course of the last couple of weeks I've been compiling a list of lounges that are popular amongst singles in Los Angeles. The list covers my top five lounges on the westside. My criteria in determining this list were the following:
- Affordability
- Location
- Ambiance
- service
- Male to Female ratio
- Ease of interracting with others
- Low couple count
Lets start with the countdown:
5 - The Good Nite. Located in North Hollywood, The Good Nite is a swanky lounge located in the art district. The decor may seem like it's a very expensive and very upscale lounge, but the vibe is very upbeat and the crowd is very diverse and easy going. At first glance it seems like a lounge that seems like it belongs in a movie. The lighting is blue and purple, there's velvet curtains, low leather couches and candles lit at every table. It's a very intimate setting but the crowd is lively. I talked to 10 people (not hitting on them, just starting conversation). Of the 10 people I initiated conversation with, 4 turned into conversations that lasted more than 5 minutes. 5 minutes may not sound like a long time, but hey, this is for testing purposes.
4 - Air Conditioned. Located in Santa Monica, Air Conditioned was definitely one of the funnest places. It's located near Santa Monica Community College and it gets jammed with college students. This may sound like it's more of a party joint, but it's actually a really low lit lounge with really social and smart people. It's very easy to start conversations and make friends. Of the 10 people I spoke to, I actually got a group of 6 to get together and actually conversate. As the night grew, so did the size of the group. It's a really affordable place with a really upscale feel to it. It's an elegant retro joint. If you're in Santa Monica, you have to check this place out.
3 - Rush. Located in downtown culver City, Rush is one of the most elegant places. The atmosphere is very relaxed and the staff is very nice. The drinks are affordable and they offer a killer happy hour special. At first glance it may look like more of a restaurant, but if you work your way up the stairs to the second floor, you'll be pleased to see 20 comfortable couches, a very nice bar and a dj that plays everything from rythym n blues to classic rock. It's rockin! At this place, I spoke to only 6 people, of which I was able to hold conversations with 4. 1 of them turned into more than an hour long conversation. I'm not giving this rank because of the great conversation, but I felt really comfortable, the staff was really nice, the drinks were amazing and the crowd was fun. You should make it out here.
2 - Angelenos. Yes, the hotel off of Sunset Blvd and the 405. For starters, it didn't start off great as it's valet parking only ($7). I took the elevator to the top of the hotel and the view immediately made me forget about the parking fees. You have a 360 degree view of the city and you really get the feel that you're on top of the world. The staff was knowlegable and very friendly, even offering to expand your horizons with specialty drinks that will knock you off your feet. The ambiance is very soothing and romantic and I quickly got the feel that this is a place where people who are in the know spend their after hours here. The crowd is very friendly and very approachable. Of the 10 people that I spoke to, 8 of them responded pleasantly and even found the number one place on this list from one of the people. Come here one day.
1 - The Doheny. Located in downtown Los Angeles two blocks south of the staples center. I was lucky enough to get an invitation to this private lounge (membership fees apply) and I'm strongly considering becoming a member. The Doheny is hands down the most knowelegable bartending staff I've come across - these guys know what they're doing. The staff is the friendliest i've encountered and one night here and you'll know where that membership fee is going to. Simply put, you have to go. Put it on your wish list or your bucket list. Network through friends and find someone who has a membership. Be prepared to be blown away.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Another online dating success story
One of my best friends, Jonathan, called me up today with news that he had proposed to his girlfriend Rebecca and she accepted. Rebecca is a 29 year old gorgeous brunette with a masters degree in psyhology and a stable career. Jonathan is a handsome 36 year old marketing executive with a bachelors in communications and a very colorful background.
Jonathan has never really been the type of guy that could settle down. He was a star athlete and a model student who never had a shortage of beatiful women to choose from. He was the type of guy that would openly tell us "If I ever decided to marry, it would only be to Marilyn Monroe and she's no longer with us". We were certain that
Jonathan would remain a bachelor forever. What happened?
About a year ago, Jonathan had been completely dedicated to his work. The company he works for was moving up the ranks and becoming very successful. He spent a good part of the year on the road, at conferences and at the offices. He was rarely home and rarely had time to spend with his friends. He told me that he decided to join a dating site because his work didnt leave him with much time to socially meet new women. I confess, I was shocked when he told me, but I could understand, after all, I've been down that road before.
He joined a dating site that catered to singles interested in dating professionals. It was there where he met Rebecca. They dated for months before he brought her around the friend circle. When I first met her, my first impression was that she was some sort of a model. She's tall, has a great figure and has a thousand watt smile. As we began to conversate, I quickly realized that she wasnt like the average girls Jonathan would generally bring around. She was intelligent, she carried herself with grace and dignity, and she had a great sense of humor. Later that evening, it became known that she loves snowboarding and is a huge football fan (two of Jonathans greats joys). I could see immediately that she was perfect for him. Jonathan on the other hand kept it as cool as Fonzy, repeating his usual "Im a bachelor for life" speech.
As he's telling me about how lucky he is for having been able to meet such a wonderful woman, I couldnt help but to wonder how someone who had dated so many women, would actually find the love of his life through an online dating site. Cheers to Jonathan and Rebecca
Jonathan has never really been the type of guy that could settle down. He was a star athlete and a model student who never had a shortage of beatiful women to choose from. He was the type of guy that would openly tell us "If I ever decided to marry, it would only be to Marilyn Monroe and she's no longer with us". We were certain that
Jonathan would remain a bachelor forever. What happened?
About a year ago, Jonathan had been completely dedicated to his work. The company he works for was moving up the ranks and becoming very successful. He spent a good part of the year on the road, at conferences and at the offices. He was rarely home and rarely had time to spend with his friends. He told me that he decided to join a dating site because his work didnt leave him with much time to socially meet new women. I confess, I was shocked when he told me, but I could understand, after all, I've been down that road before.
He joined a dating site that catered to singles interested in dating professionals. It was there where he met Rebecca. They dated for months before he brought her around the friend circle. When I first met her, my first impression was that she was some sort of a model. She's tall, has a great figure and has a thousand watt smile. As we began to conversate, I quickly realized that she wasnt like the average girls Jonathan would generally bring around. She was intelligent, she carried herself with grace and dignity, and she had a great sense of humor. Later that evening, it became known that she loves snowboarding and is a huge football fan (two of Jonathans greats joys). I could see immediately that she was perfect for him. Jonathan on the other hand kept it as cool as Fonzy, repeating his usual "Im a bachelor for life" speech.
As he's telling me about how lucky he is for having been able to meet such a wonderful woman, I couldnt help but to wonder how someone who had dated so many women, would actually find the love of his life through an online dating site. Cheers to Jonathan and Rebecca
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Race for attention on an online dating site.
Online dating sites are often called a supermarket of singles. The recent explosion in the online dating membership size has baffled industry experts. According to a survey approximately 30% of singles in United States have tried online dating. This means that the competition to stand out on an online dating site is tougher than ever. However with the following tips on your hand, you will be able to attract the attention you deserve from other quality singles in your area
1. Keep it fresh. One of the most effective way to attract singles to your profile is to keep your profile title fresh. You should change it often say once every two weeks. This goes to show that you're an active user of the online dating site and other users feel more comfortable in contacting you.
2. Change your profile picture. Similar to tip #1, changing the profile picture also brings singles to your profile and increases your chance of attracting them.
3. Choose awesome profile pictures. Your profile pictures are the biggest selling point on your profile. Having a well selected profile picture will help you attract the attention of other professional singles on the website.
4. Keep logging in. On most of the dating sites, search results are by default sorted by last login time of the users. You should log into the dating site at least once every day, so that you are always on top of the search results when singles are looking for partners in your area.
5. Have an interesting profile. If all your profile reads is that you like to take long walks on the beach, congratulations, you're among the 10,000 singles who like to do the same thing. To motivate another user to write to you, you should let them see the true self of yours. You should feel free to share your interest, hobbies and activities on your dating profile. Hobbies like cycling, surfing, running can help you connect at a deeper level with singles who share similar interests.
6. Be proactive. If you get a message from another interesting user on the website, you should be proactive in responding back. The popular 3 day rule of not calling back does not apply to online dating. Online dating is a very fragile dating process which requires constant attention and nourishment till it transforms to real life dating. You should be proactive in checking the online dating site for messages and respond back when you get a chance to do so.
Online dating over the last few years has become the most effective way to meet single professionals. Using the opportunities and tools provided on dating services, you too can meet the partner of your dreams. Whether you desire to meet a single lawyer, a single doctor or a single accountant, online dating can help you realize the dream like it has done for hundreds and thousands of singles before you.
1. Keep it fresh. One of the most effective way to attract singles to your profile is to keep your profile title fresh. You should change it often say once every two weeks. This goes to show that you're an active user of the online dating site and other users feel more comfortable in contacting you.
2. Change your profile picture. Similar to tip #1, changing the profile picture also brings singles to your profile and increases your chance of attracting them.
3. Choose awesome profile pictures. Your profile pictures are the biggest selling point on your profile. Having a well selected profile picture will help you attract the attention of other professional singles on the website.
4. Keep logging in. On most of the dating sites, search results are by default sorted by last login time of the users. You should log into the dating site at least once every day, so that you are always on top of the search results when singles are looking for partners in your area.
5. Have an interesting profile. If all your profile reads is that you like to take long walks on the beach, congratulations, you're among the 10,000 singles who like to do the same thing. To motivate another user to write to you, you should let them see the true self of yours. You should feel free to share your interest, hobbies and activities on your dating profile. Hobbies like cycling, surfing, running can help you connect at a deeper level with singles who share similar interests.
6. Be proactive. If you get a message from another interesting user on the website, you should be proactive in responding back. The popular 3 day rule of not calling back does not apply to online dating. Online dating is a very fragile dating process which requires constant attention and nourishment till it transforms to real life dating. You should be proactive in checking the online dating site for messages and respond back when you get a chance to do so.
Online dating over the last few years has become the most effective way to meet single professionals. Using the opportunities and tools provided on dating services, you too can meet the partner of your dreams. Whether you desire to meet a single lawyer, a single doctor or a single accountant, online dating can help you realize the dream like it has done for hundreds and thousands of singles before you.
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