HOT DATE
WHAT A CORKER
Susan McIntosh signs up for a wine tasting dating event
Dutch courage goes a long way when you are trying to find Mr Right. so I suppose that's why I got involved in a new type of dating event. which incorporates cocktails or wine tasting. It shifts the focus and helps numb the embarrassment, which is a pretty tempting mix for someone who‘s confident in every area of her life apart from relationships and dating.
As a bit of a technophobe. I've always been bemused by the whole online thing. I‘d much rather meet someone in the flesh than sift through loads of emails from strangers.
The first couple of times I signed up for wine tasting dating events. I went with girlfriends but that wasn’t very effective. We sat in a huddle before and straight after and it was all too easy to treat it as just another night in the pub. I think men were too scared to come and talk to us too.
More recently, I've been going on my own. At first it was awful; the opening strings of ‘Desperado' by The Eagles still plays in my ears every time I reach the door. But it gets easier and at least I‘m trying. You can tell pretty quickly who‘s serious about the whole business of dating and who‘s looking for an easy fling. The first time I flew solo was comedy dreadful. l drank double gins the whole way round and by the time I made it to man number five. I could barely remember my own name. never
mind judge him on his three-minute showcase.
Sometimes I wonder how many times I should give it a try before I give up and accept he's just not out there and then I remember that it doesn‘t need to be one thing or another. I don't need to choose clubbing with my mates or serious dating. I can do both. I'm just widening the playing field.
Sarah Mitchell. a 25 year-old post—grad student. works in lidinhurgh httt decided to trawl to a speed dating ey'ent in (ilttsgoyy' to help preserye some anonymity. She agrees with the Ditch or Date ethos: ‘l was embarrassed that it tell like I was giving up htit I was getting more and more disenchanted with the whole trying to meet while cluhhing thing.
‘I suppose I just wanted to get out ot' my comfort /one. You just haye to he sayyy. 'l‘here has to he a leyel of awareness that you should trust your instincts. ()nline didn't work t'or me because I didn‘t want to hay e to tilter through mail from a pile ol' nutters. I just w antcd one night‘s fun to see it‘ anyone was out theref
Social networking and dating clubs such as t'rhansocial.com run regular eyents in (ilasgow and lidinhurgh. .-\nd speed dating continues to attract the crowds with mi\ed results. Lock and Key parties are also in yogue. The premise is simple: women are giyen a lock to wear round
their neck and men are giy'en a key. The aim of
the evening is to match as many locks and keys as you can throughout the exciting. Another option is the so-called Your (‘hemistry
12 THE LIST tinc‘t‘ Set‘ "
e\perience. Before the eyent. willing participants can get to know each other yia an online messaging seryice. ()n the night itselt'. potential loy e matches are kept busy with actiyities typically including salsa dancing and speed dating. .-\ wall lull ol' l’olaroid snaps ensures plenty of opportunity to lcayc a personalised message lor anyone w ho appeals.
l‘ood and drink are also playing an increasing role in modern day mating rituals. Dinner in the Dark eyents are generally held in tip-market establishments and tend to attract prolessionals. (iuests are led into a pitch black restaurant one- hy-one hy waiters wearing night \ision goggles and placed at tahles ol tour to si\ people. l‘iyc courses later you call on the senses at your disposal to decide it'you hay e met your match.
.-\lternati\e|y. Dating with Drinks in (ilasgow is less structured still. allowing those attending more time to chat and socialise while haying something to talk ahout in the torn] ol a wine tasting ey em or occasionally c‘ttc‘lslttlls tll' heer.
lior those looking to combine loye with culture. the National (ialleries in lidinhurgh now plays host to special singles nights. .-\nd it doesn't stop
there liayel companies like l \cnts logcthct ottci a lull tangc ol lucaks ill the l ls and aluoad to social‘lc singletons. otten including actiyitlcs such as white water tailing. .il‘sctling and mountain hiking to help lucak the ice
tlnc man or woman‘s romantic hcaycn is anothers hell lint .is our dating hopctuls show. lt‘\t' l\ \‘tll lllt‘lt‘ \t‘ \ll‘ll.l litst‘ llt‘dll. g‘t‘l t‘lll
there and ll at tiist you don‘t succeed
Some names have been changed.
DIARY OF A CYBER SUITOR
Michael Phillips logs on to a lively online dating scene
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