Best username of the week goes to...

womanpleaser420

Hahahaha! Cocky much?! I'm thinking our "goals and ideals" may differ in some areas.

Top 10 Locations for Dates in Salt Lake City According to Meg

The following list of locations for dates is simply based on my own experiences. My hopes are that this list will help you make suggestions when planning future dates.

1.     Brewvies Cinema Pub, 677 South 200 West*

Great food, pool tables, pinball machines…And if the conversation winds down you can always catch a flick. If things are going really well, you can venture over to Dr. John’s Adult Novelty Store for supplies!! Wink, wink…

2.     Coffee Garden, 898 East 900 South

Perfect for a first meeting. Grab your coffee/tea/hot chocolate and sit outside and watch all the interesting people that frequent 9^th & 9^th. If the weather is nice enough take a walk. Be warned that it can get quite loud inside the Coffee Garden but step outside the door and you won’t have to shout as you get to know each other.

3.     Mazza, 912 East 900 South

Mazza specializes in Middle Eastern food. If you are looking for someone who is cultural, this is a great suggestion to make. His/her willingness will tell you a lot. Has he/she had Middle Eastern food before? If he/she hasn’t is he/she willing to give it a try? The atmosphere is great, the waiters are friendly, and the food is amazing, and strange as it may sound, they have the best French fries!

4.     Sawadee, 754 East South Temple

Sawadee is a Thai restaurant that would be perfect for a lunch date. Great décor and atmosphere. The waiters are fast and efficient and the prices are reasonable. The food is phenomenal. The volume inside the restaurant is low and when weather permits there is also outdoor seating.

5.     The Beerhive, 128 South Main*

Patio seating, hundreds of beers to choose from, German and pub food, pool tables and foosball make this a great downtown meeting place. With Utah Trax running right in front of The Beerhive, you may even factor in a Trax ride (to or from) for some extra “get-to-know-you” time.

6.     Desert Edge Brewery, 273 Trolley Square

Located in Trolley Square, Desert Edge Brewery (aka The Pub) is a great place for a date. The laid back atmosphere, efficiency of the staff, and flattering lighting will put you at ease, take the pressure off, and give you an opportunity to eat some amazing food. If you find yourself having a good time, you can extend your date by doing some window shopping in Trolley Square.

7.     Fiddler’s Elbow, 1063 East 2100 South*

Fiddler’s is located in the heart of Sugarhouse. If you are a sports fan, this may be a good option for a date (not a first date, mind you). If you get distracted easily, the vibe you give off may not be what you want your date to see early on. The food is great and the beer is cold. Beware: if a big sporting event is going on, it may get a bit loud. But if you are looking for a way to break the ice, sports may be a great start.

8.     Coffee Connection, 1588 South State Street

At Coffee Connection, just west of Salt Lake Community College’s South City Campus, you can sit and drink coffee for hours and not be bothered. If you hate being the one to walk in to a place where your date is already waiting, get there early, bring your laptop, use the wifi, and turn the tables (let your date walk in to you).

9.     Oasis Café, 151 South 500 East

At Oasis they believe in balance, not only in the food they serve, but also in the environment. Sit inside or in the courtyard, you will be able to hear each other talk just fine. Oasis also offers many vegetarian and vegan options. Support a local business and enjoy good food and (hopefully) good company. Peruse the Golden Braid Bookstore while you’re there. Don’t forget to share a piece of Decadent Vegan Chocolate Cake!

10.  Tony Caputo’s Market & Deli, 314 West 300 South

Tony Caputo’s is perfect for a no-pressure meet and greet. If you live in Salt Lake City, you probably already know how amazing the food is at this place. You can get a meal, and then buy some olive oil and chocolate. Outdoor seating is perfect for conversation, especially since it is across from Pioneer Park.

*Must be 21 to enter.

Please contribute! If you have other suggestions, I would love to hear them!

Best username this week goes to....

PyroGuy77!

Um...scary...

Reading between the lines or simply reading into things?

As someone who is quite jaded for such a young age, I have a bad habit of reading into every action or inaction taken or not taken by a perspective suitor. Example: After talking to a new match through email, text, and phone, a friend of mine and a potential suitor arrange to meet for coffee in five days. Today is day five and she hasn’t heard from him since they made the date.

So if I were in this situation where would my mind go? Take a wild guess: There MUST be something wrong. Did I say or do something to turn him off? Why hasn’t he called to confirm? Should I call/text/email/cyber-stock him? Is it me? Is it him? WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME?!!!

Oh boy. As a woman I am well aware that we tend to read way too much into things men do. Women are guided by complex thoughts and feelings, while men are more practical: I am hungry so I must eat. When I’m thinking of every possible scenario as to why I haven’t heard from him in the past 5 days, he may have not given it a second thought.

So how do I stop overreacting? Here is my list of steps to avoid it:

STEP 1: Remember the differences in thought processes between men and women (usually simple ideas vs. complex thoughts and feelings).

STEP 2: Recognize my irrational thoughts. This is easier said than done. Because women are so emotionally driven, our thoughts can wander and snowball into big ol’ messes.

STEP 3: Stop my overreaction dead in its tracks.

STEP 4: Ask myself the following question: “Instead of overreacting, what can I do to alleviate my concerns?”

STEP 5: Choose the best plan of action. This is BY FAR the hardest step because, again women are very complex thinkers so when we try to choose answers to our problems, we come up with a lot of “solutions” that may make things worse in the long run.

Plan of Action: Do something (aka contact him). Thought process:

·       If I’m too forward he might run screaming in the other direction.

·       If I’m too nonchalant I run the risk of him misunderstanding my intention.

Plan of Action: Let it be (aka leave it alone). Thought process:

·       If I don’t hear from him do I still show up?

·       What if he doesn’t show?

·       What if I decide not to go and he shows up and wonders where I am?

After looking at these particular action plans it seems to me that it would be in my best interest to send him a text message or make a quick phone call. When I put on my practical hat, I recognize that I need to know whether or not he is planning on being there. If I have a clear answer right from the horse’s mouth, I can make plans accordingly.

Text Examples:

“Hi there. I haven’t heard from you today. Are we still getting together tonight?”

“What time do you want to get together tonight?”

“Still want to see me tonight?”

“I’m looking forward to tonight!”

STEP 6: Follow through; whether my answer in a similar situation is to do something or let it be. When those irrational thoughts creep up again, stop them in their tracks!

STEP 7: Live with my choice. I can’t control the way he reacts but his reaction will tell me a lot about him.

And finally, if there still seems to be potential with this guy, I’ll put on my big girl panties and tell him about my concerns at the appropriate time.

All in all it is important to remember, it may be nothing. And if by chance it is something, wouldn't it be better to know?

Best profile misspelling this week.

Most passionate about: New perspectives, not being board, keeping it simple.

Being a board is a bad thing...

Review: Liquid Joe's

Last Friday I went to the Royal Bliss concert at Liquid Joe's, located on 3300 South and 1200 East. As you may know, Royal Bliss is out of Salt Lake City, specifically Highland High so any time they play in town the crowd is huge.

I arrived late (the band doesn't start until 11 p.m.) and pushed my way through the crowd. Luckily a friend of mine arrived early enough to get a table. These were my observations:

• The Music - Royal Bliss is extremely talented and I really do enjoy their music, although the volume is excessive especially with cement walls. I've known three of the band members personally for nearly 12 years. I actually like to attend their shows simply to watch the crowd's reaction to them!
• The Crowd - Two-thirds are standing as there is very limited seating and space. When the band starts all of those standing move as far toward the stage as possible. Predominantly men.
• The Men - A lot of body builder types with very upright posture to balance the weight of their pecs. Lots of spiky hair, cologne and spray-tans.
• The Women - Lots of skinny intoxicated girls in tank-tops and sleeve tattooed arms. The line for the bathroom - ALWAYS long.
• Hovering Guy - For whatever reason there always seems to be one of these at most bars/clubs. The guy who is obviously intoxicated and just so happens to be standing right behind me, swaying back and forth. As people walk by the table, he moves out of the way and right into me. His hair is slicked back and he has bulky black leather jacket on that seems to run into my shoulder, back, and at one point, my left hip. From the corner of my eye, I notice that he is hovering over me staring intently. Is he waiting for me to make eye contact? To say something? Luckily a male friend of mine wedged himself between me and Slick.
• Girl on Girl Action - At the next table, girls performing for the audience of guys standing nearby. Kissing, touching, flirting; all the while looking to make sure the guys are still paying attention. Why are there always women who feel the need to put on a show for the men around them? I think it's tacky.

The end of the show. A low-voiced crowd chanting "Roy-al Bliss! Roy-al Bliss!" One encore.

A place to meet up with someone you recently started dating? NO!
A place to meet someone new? NO! Unless you are looking for a make-out session or a one night stand.
A place to listen to music and drink booze? Yep, absolutely.