Throw Your Own Singles Super Bowl Bash - Tips and Ideas

The Super Bowl event is one of those occasions singles everywhere can enjoy regardless of how they feel about football or the teams they will be rooting for.  It offers a chance for strangers to come together in camaraderie, shared passions and on the field competition. It is a celebration of amazing feats and a sound board for the occasional disappointment.

Which leads us to ask, where will you be watching the Super Bowl this year? No plans yet? May we suggest that you host your own Super Bowl Bash?

Hosting your own party is a great way to show off your social charms and bring like-minded singles into your home. Cook up your favorite dish, invite everyone you know and ask them to bring their favorite dish or a single friend. Many singles prefer house parties anyway so this is an excellent opportunity to draw in singles who would otherwise be sitting at home alone or feeling out of place at a pub. If you bump into a cutie at the grocery store or coffee shop and discover they don’t have any plans for the big event, invite him or her too!

Playing host can definitely have its perks and work to your advantage, especially if you’re single. Here are a few ways to make it easy on you while scoring big points with your guests.

Potluck / BYOB 
Spread the work around so you don’t have to slave in the kitchen or at the grill while your guests are enjoying themselves. Have your guests help cater the event. It is best to keep track of who is bringing what so that you don't end up with eight veggie platters. Boom! Instant party!

Order Out! 
Nothing says easy like delivery! Just remember to order the pizzas or takeout early for restaurants get hit fast and hard on game day. Have guests bring drinks, snacks or desserts and settle in for the game!

Running Low? Do a Run!
Don't be afraid to pop out during halftime to restock chips, cheese or sweets. Take a collection if you need to? The idea is that this can be as easy, low key as you want it to be. Don't stress.

Stock Up Early
You know you will need ice, napkins, plates and cups. Stock up early and then you don't have to worry about it during last minute prep. Extra points for purchasing items in team colors!

Share your Super Bowl stories with us in the comments section below!

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Too Busy to Date? Tips for Busy, Professional Singles

You’re busy. Everyone these days seems to be running full speed ahead with a demanding jobs, working out at the gym, hobbies and family events. We flutter from one to-do to another in a hurried pace that barely allows us enough time to breath let alone make new connections with potential mates.

Oh, that not to say you haven't tried. You have. You've tried the traditional ways of meeting new people including that awkward yoga class. You've had more than your fair share of blind dates set up by well-meaning friends, scoured the Internet dating sites and made attempts at the bar scene. The next step is to go out in the world and meet new people outside your immediate social circle – but how?

Glad you asked. We have a few ideas.

Network and Dating
Having a genuine interest in getting to know new people and keeping an open mind while you’re networking might end up being more valuable than you first imagine.

It really is a win-win. First, you will be there for business – an area you are already comfortable with. You will be more at ease. Second, you will be meeting people who share a common ground or goal and who are also at ease. Third, you’re discussing something you are know and are passionate about — which will reveal the authentic you. (Read: nothing is sexier!)

Ask for a Date Like You Would Ask for a Meeting
You encounter someone you think would add something to your next project. You take their card, email them and schedule a meeting. Take that habit and transition it into your dating world. You met someone who you feel a bit more than a passing attraction for. Don't get shy. Make sure your words and actions make it clear to the other person you are enjoying the time you are spending together, even if it is just a weather conversation at the bus stop. Smile, have a back and forth conversation and say “I've enjoyed this. Can we meet for coffee sometime?”

Short and Sweet
Many busy professionals will say that they don't have time to date. That's not true. First dates should be short, sweet and long enough to test if there is chemistry there. A first date is really about determining whether or not you want to see the person again. In most cases, that is decided in less than 20 minutes. A coffee break. That's it.

TIP: If you do want to see the person again, make plans for your second date before you part ways from the first date – that way there is absolutely no confusion about how the date went for either party. It will make the rest of your day a bit easier.


Save Time - Use a Matchmaker
Your time is precious – you shouldn't be wasting it online sorting through hundreds of profiles every night. You should be out meeting amazing, relationship ready people! Let our matchmakers do the work for you. We specialize in setting our clients up on fun, quality first dates with like-minded people. We take care of all of the details – from selecting your matches and giving you a description of who you are going to meet to the reservation – we've got you covered. All you need to do is show up and have fun on your date!

www.itsjustlunchtoronto.com

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Reflect, Reconsider and Reach Out: Dating Tips for 2015

The ball has dropped on the new year. Do you have any resolutions? Anything you would like to change?

If you are like many singles, you are probably filled with hope for what 2015 may hold. That the change of the calendar is all it takes to change your status. As much as I wish it for you, this isn't the case. It takes a bit of work and the 3 R's to make big changes in your 2015 love life.

REFLECT UPON 2014 DATING LIFE
The lull at the beginning of the new year is a great time to reflect upon 2014. Too often, daters move from relationship to relationship without being sufficiently introspective throughout the process.  In a rush to update their status, they don't stop to identify patterns that are actually hurting their dating life.

TIP: Select one facet of your love life that must change and stick with it.  One client, by the name of Sarah, reflected on 2014 and learned, "I realized I date men longer than I should—meaning, I go on five or six dates with a guy, recognize the connection isn't there, but I keep seeing him thinking maybe the sparks will develop.  But they never do.  I end up prolonging the inevitable break-up which makes it harder for both of us in the end."

RECONSIDER YOUR PREFERENCES

Some of us need to reconsider who we go out with in 2015.  We all have an image of our ideal partner but too many daters rule out anyone who doesn't fit their rigid criteria.  Take it from those who've been there, sometimes The One shows up in a slightly different package than we'd expected.

TIP:  Make a list of the qualities you want in your future spouse.  Dream big and have fun with it!  Highlight the "must have" characteristics—those traits on which you will not bend.  Consider any others to be negotiable.

REACH OUT BEYOND YOUR IMMEDIATE CIRCLE
 If you want your love life to change in 2015, you have to make some changes.   For those in the dating scene, this means reaching out in a new direction.  Push yourself a bit—nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

TIP:  Interview friends whose relationships you respect.  How did they meet The One?  Commit to stepping out of your comfort zone by trying one of the methods that worked for them.

Ring in the New Year by resolving to follow the "3 R's"—reflect on your patterns, reconsider your criteria, and reach out in a different direction.  Shape up your dating style and see who comes your way in 2015!

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