New Year's Eve: Give Old Traditions a New Dating Spin

New Year's Eve has taken over from Valentine's Day as the world's most high-pressured and overpriced date night.  During the early throes of a relationship, it is easy to expect to ring in 2015 with a midnight kiss from your new crush. But perhaps you should start the new year off by marching to a different tune. Not doing the same thing for New Year's Eve date night can open you up to new experiences, new people and new foods. Use...

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Ask the Matchmaker: How Do I Find My Dream Guy?

Q: How would I go about meeting someone 50- 60 white professional male? -- Posted to the It's Just Lunch Toronto Facebook page A: This is one of the more frequent questions I receive from friends, family and even people who I cross paths with at cocktail parties: how do I meet my ideal mate? The top three challenges singles face when searching for their match is making the time for dating, knowing where to find like-minded people and keeping...

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Four Tips for Finding Love During the Holiday Season

I know the holiday season can be a bit humbug for singles. Family events highlight your solo status and it doesn't help that Aunt Myrtle always asks for an update of your love life when it is clear that it hasn't changed. The good news is that there is an upside to being single during the holiday season. There are so many events and community activities to get you into the season and shaking off the single blues. Here are just a few ideas...

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Single? 4 Ways to Approach the Holiday Season

I know someone who claims to hibernate during the winter because all of the couples she sees snuggling up and keeping each other warm make her want to burrow under her duvet and wait for spring. Perhaps she, and those like her, should focus on the basics of the holiday: connecting with the people we care about. The spirit of the season is taking a moment out of our busy lives to appreciate those we hold dear. It's not a couples holiday season...

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Show It's Just Lunch Your Movember 'Stache to Save Cash on a Membership

'Tis that time of year when men across the world start growing their moustaches to spark conversation and raise vital funds for men's health programs. These programs save and improve the lives of men affected by prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health issues. According to the Movember Canada website, to date, 4 million moustaches have been grown worldwide. And in honour of Movember, we would love to see your 'stache! Any man...

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Add a Spark to Your Dating Life with Creativity

When you are in the throes of dating, it is easy to feel like you are in a rut. Each new face is met in the same way - over dinner, lunch, coffee or after work cocktails. Does this sound like your last date? The one before? How about before that? Opting for the same, repetitive type of date for each new person can become routine and boring for you. The meal date covers something you both need to do -- eat but rarely touches upon what you find...

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Work from Home? Get Out of the House!

The boundaries between work and home have shifted drastically in recent years. Many of us have found that our career goals can be accomplished from our home office (or breakfast table). What used to be a considered the grind is a luxury that can be done in our bedroom slippers. The benefits of working from home outweigh the hassles of commuting but ranks very low in the finding love department. Why? Unless you fall in love with the mail carrier,...

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Top 3 Dating Tips from It's Just Lunch Matchmakers

Okay, you've got a date. Great! You mustered up the courage to suggest an outing and got a "yes."  Feeling good? It's perfectly normal to be nervous about looking good, anticipating conversation topics and wondering about post-date etiquette. What if it doesn't go well? What if it does? Hold on. The truth of it is - dating is way more simple than all that. In fact, dating is about getting to know someone better. You're only goal is to discover...

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What Are You Dressing As? Approachable Vs Sexy Costumes

From lavish costumes to the electric vibe of the evening, it is easier than normal to approach that special someone on Halloween. Turns out that while men and women are more attracted to singles in sexy costumes (no surprise, there), they feel that potential matches in funny costumes are much easier to approach. The disparity between attraction and approachable comes down to something I like to call the "in." The "in" is the tiny token that...

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Dating Post Break-Up: Have Your Story & Make It Short

It's been a long road but you're finally ready to take on the singles' scene after a divorce and the termination of a long-term relationship. When it comes to discussing your marriage and former spouse, less is more. No matter the circumstances surrounding your divorce, talking about it will only paint you in a bad light. If your ex left you, anything you share could be misconstrued as an unwillingness to let go of your marriage. Conversely,...

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Dating Mistake: Judging Your Date

Which dating mistake is the most common? 1) Talking too much 2) Too high expectations 3) Judging your date 4) Spilling your history (too open) According to a survey of singles, the majority said judging ones date was the most common error they made (35%). In the TV show Love Story, the couple is introduced while giving viewers a VIP seat to their thoughts. Peter (Jake McDorman) judges women walking down the street by his desire to sleep with...

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The "Fizzle" of Modern Dating

According to an article on Thought Catalogue.com, modern dates start with a text, IM or email before progressing to the "meeting" stage. Then, technology connections continue right up until the date. The big event happens. Dinner is consumed. Exchange of pleasantries or cheek pecks at the end of the night. Then a few texts the next day or two. And then the "fizzle" happens.  This occurs "when one or both parties slowly begin to respond less...

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6 Ways to Be More Present with Your Date

We've all seen it. There's a good chance we have all done it. The couple at a table at the local coffee house or sharing a table at the local pub. Instead of smiling and engaged in a lively discussion, the man and woman's eyes are glued to the screen of their smartscreens. They are reading wall posts, Tweets and RSS feeds from people miles away. Time and again, in surveys and in raw feedback from clients, we hear about technology getting in the...

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Clear the Self-Doubt Dating Hurdles - Trust Yourself More

Whether it is the time you turned down a promotion because you didn't think you could do it or started biting your nails again because you believed you lacked the discipline to kick the handy habit, we've all been plagued by self-doubt. Self-doubt is the little voice that leads you to believe you can't, shouldn't try or that you will without a doubt fail. It's the voice that says what you have to offer won't be perfect, that someone won't instantly...

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Dating & Networking: All About Connections

Whether you are looking for potential clients, a new job or even potential investors, your professional and social networks can deliver help when you need it. Each of us have "liked" a company page at the urging of a friend to support his start-up. We have all flashed the "six degrees" card when trying to score an interview or even a meeting with a company manager. However, reaching out, even out of the blue, can feel a bit awkward at best. If...

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Get Your Flirt On: Show Genuine Interest in People

I am going to let you in on a little secret. One of the biggest dilemma's I face as a professional matchmaker is professional clients who feel like they don't know how to flirt.  Singles, whether they are just wading into the dating pool or recently out of a long-term relationship, view flirting in such a narrow capacity that it almost hinders their inherent ability to do it. In fact, they do it everyday at work and don’t even recognize...

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Pump Up the Music Before Your First Date

Whether it is on the drive to that new Italian restaurant or while you are putting the final touches on your makeup at home, many of us turn up the tunes to give our spirits a bit of a lift before a first date.  It may even give you a bit of a confidence boost. Turns out, this effect isn't all in your head. Recent research says that music can make us feel powerful -- and the levels of bass are a determining factor. "As published today in...

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Open Yourself Up to Intention: How to Find Love When You're Not Looking

Let me tell you a story about a friend of mine who grew tired of the dating scene. Her and three friends were traveling in a pack, visiting bars or attending events that held false promises of her finding her match. It got to the point that she felt like dating was draining her energy and the bonding out of her friendships. It was at this frustrating point that my friend decided she needed to invest in something other than happy hour Mai Tais...

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Create a Ripple Effect to Make Waves in Your Dating Life

We all know that dating is a numbers game and the more you get out and into the mix, the likelier it is you will cross paths with Mr. or Mrs. The One. It's also smart to talk to anyone, anywhere, even if that person doesn't seem to be your type. In short, if you throw a pebble into the dating pool, it can have a significant ripple effect that is sure to benefit your status. A 30-year-old female friend of mine recently met a 60-year-old woman...

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Single & Available? Share It With Your Friends

Many people know exactly what they want from their careers and have a clearly defined set of goals. They aren't afraid to approach the bossman for a promotion or when they are seeking new challenges to expand their skill set. They create vision boards (even if they are only in the minds) of where they want to be in five years. But when it comes to finding a partner, so many of us leave it to chance. What? If you want to turn your dating life around,...

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Refile Your Relationships to Find Love

"That's my neighbor, John." "Rita? Just a girl from work." "He's just a friend." It's human nature for us to label, categorize and slot people into narrowly defined files within our mental relationship Rolodex. Case in point: Actress Cameron Diaz and her current beau, Good Charlotte founder and member Benji Madden, have been friends since the 41-year-old actress was dating Justin Timberlake. The two of them have only recently started dating after...

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Why a Second Chance May Be Your Key to Finding True Love

I'm not going to lie. The end of a date can be a bit awkward. Do you offer them your card and leave the ball in their court? Do you ask for a second date? Do you thank your date for an awesome lunch (brunch, coffee, whatever) and leave it at that? Well, its a bit tricky and it comes down to instincts. At this point of the date, you are in one of three places: 1) Elation: You're excited and want to see them again! 2) Not feeling it: You're convinced...

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Easy Ways to Ask Someone Out on a Date

You've spent the entire evening flirting with someone. You're on fire, loving life, feeling wanted and dying to see them again. All you have to do is ask. Asking someone out on a date should be easy, right? Yes, but it is rarely that simple. Especially if you are nervous, a bit shy or suffer from a slight case of social anxiety. The first thing to remember is to relax. Try not to view your request as a date. Better still - take the pressure...

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Single: Tips for Looking for Love Again . . . Father's Day Special: $200 Off

Each of us has our own path to travel when it comes to success in dating. You may have some circumstances that make your dating life a bit challenging. Perhaps you were recently divorced and hesitant to jump into the deep end, much less create an online profile. Or maybe scheduling dates has had some road blocks as you adjust to juggling babysitters, gymnastic practice times and little league weekend games as a single parent. Getting back...

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Successful Dating: 6 Ways to Maximize Your Fun

The key to successful dating is to focus on enjoyment and friendship. Dating is meeting interesting people and getting to know them better. That is it. Simple, eh? Date with the intention of making a new friend rather than expecting to meet the love of your life. You'll have more fun and it will take away some of the unnecessary pressure.  Here's a few other tips for maximizing your fun while in the dating game: 1) Approach dating as not...

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Meet Your Match This Summer: Season's Hottest Meet Spots

Now that Victoria Day has come and gone, summer is officially here. Whether you are heading out for a few martinis on the patio with friends, volunteering at the local dog shelter or taking a sunset painting class, your chances of meeting your match increase ten-fold just by getting out of the house. Warmer temperatures and longer days translate into more options for mix and mingling with potential love interests or your new found crush. Here...

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Show How You Feel

It's possible to go a long time in a relationship without saying those three little words. Often, actions speak louder than words and there are many other "little things" that indicate a person's level of affection for one another. Women tend to respond to the "little things" one does, those tidbits of information that might seem irrelevant to most men but become benchmarks in a woman's relationship. These involve remembering the song that was...

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Featured Single: Voluptuous Woman Seeks Travel Lover

A professional with an MBA, this curvy lady in her 30s enjoys the finer things of life, including theatre, dancing, travel, and wine tasting. Fond of the great outdoors, you can find her camping or hiking Maritime trails. Movies, music and dogs hold a special spot in her heart. She's searching for an educated, professional man in his 40s who loves to travel with hopes of having a family one day. If you are seeking a serious relationship  and...

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5 Things You Secretly Hope Your Date Won’t Notice

A first date is all about getting to know the other person a little bit better and walking away with a sense of whether or not you want to see them again. And, vice versa. That's it.  However, there are times when we may not be our stellar best during that first date encounter. Here are just a few of the most common dating blunders every single secretly hopes goes unnoticed during a first date: All Nerves Most singles dread the idea...

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Top 3 Dating Challenges For Singles

Give your dating life a makeover with a fresh start this season by tackling and tossing out your dating perceptions: making the time to date, high expectations and too narrow of a comfort zone. Make the Time to Date: Okay, your work comes first. But that doesn't mean you don’t have time for love or can’t handle a relationship or dating. Creating a balance between work, life, love and family is doable — no matter how busy you are.The fact is: we all make choices in life. We all do what we want. If you are putting in 60 hours a week in the professional...

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Pump Up the Positivity in Your Dating Life

How do you see your dating life? Are you embracing it for all it has to offer you? Or do you see it as more of a chore, a thing you have to do to move on to the next step? How you view dating may have an impact on how it progresses. According to Barbara Fredrickson, author of "Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive", says that "positive emotions,...

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When They Don't Call

You had the most incredible first date with a person you thought had massive potential. In fact, you felt so positive about the encounter that you were willing to bet the second date would blow the first one out of the water. You couldn't quit talking about the event with your bestie while you wait . . . and wait . . . for the call that never comes. You start to obsess, rationalize and wonder what went wrong with anyone who would listen. Did you...

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It's a Date! Where to Go?

You mustered up the courage to suggest a get-together and got a "Yes!" Congratulations! Whether it is someone you met on the train, on a dating site or through a friend, figuring out the best place to go on a first date can be a bit daunting. You may be under the impression that you should plan something impressive or unique. In my experience as a matchmaker, I can tell you that simple and casual is always better when you are meeting someone...

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Are You Happy With Your Dating Life?

Dating for professional singles can be fun and fulfilling, if you are ready to face the challenges that come along with it. It may not always be like walking at the beach during sunset, but remember you can always make your own beautiful story with a unique ending. Dating is allowing yourself to love and be loved in return; it is not always a romantic fantasy. Here are a few tips for professional singles to help improve your dating life...

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