3 Places to Find Your Next Boyfriend

by Margeaux Baulch



There are many theories about where to meet eligible men: online, a bar, a supermarket, church, at work, and so on. The best place, however, depends on what you have in mind. A quick pickup at a bar can be fun, but as the saying goes, "everyone looks good at 2 in the morning." However, if you’re searching for a little more of a connection than a one-night stand, try the following locales. (Wingman optional.)

Volunteer organizations

“Volunteering is a great way to meet people because you are able to see how they interact with others,” says Sandra Schwartz, a matchmaker and founder of Cause and Effect Dating. “And it says something about the quality of person they are that they want to give back to the community.”

Although Schwartz recommends sports-related volunteer activities as being the most optimal places to meet men, soup kitchens, museums, and political rallies all need volunteers as well. Check out http://www.volunteermatch.org to find opportunities near you.

Wine tastings

“Wine tastings are the Tupperware parties of our era,” says Anu Karwa, whose New York-based company Swirl Events holds wine tasting parties for singles. “They are great for meeting people because you are able to get to know someone in a nice environment without it being too dimly lit or loud to hear each other. And, of course, the wine seems to loosen people up too.”

To host your own tasting, Karwa recommends picking a fun theme, like “Dream Destinations,” in which everyone brings a bottle of wine from a country they’d like to visit, or “Pick-Up Lines” where the male party-goers wear name tags with the beginning of a cheesy pick-up line and the ladies’ wear the corresponding ends.

Serving dry rosés and crisp picnic wines (“ones that you’d drink on a hot, summer day”) will also rev-up your guests’ romance engines. Pure Love wines with their tongue-in-cheek labels are also on Karwa’s picks-list. Try “Layer Cake” or “The Prisoner.”

…Whatever else you are passionate about:

Although opposites may attract, dating someone who you already share a passion will build a stronger foundation for a relationship than meeting someone whose only been brought into your life by a computerized quiz or a love of late-night boozing.

There’s no need to study those “Football for Dummies” books either. With the advent of Meetup.com, there is literally a group for every interest. Love Horse-back riding? Dominoes? Italian New Wave cinema? There’s sure to be a great guy out there who will love it (and you) too.