By David Perloff

Ten thousand candy hearts, five million blown kisses, one multi-billion-dollar industry. Scoring on Valentine’s Day may be a numbers game, but at these prices, we’re stacking the odds in our favor: a dimly lit bar, a romantic waterfront carriage ride and an aphrodisiacal dinner in the RA. If that formula doesn’t produce at least a kiss, we’ll kiss our matchmaking careers goodbye.

Eric describes himself as a “serial entrepreneur, investor and business consultant.” He was raised in Calabasas, Calif., and now lives in San Diego, splitting time between his condos in Pacific Beach and Downtown. Natalie is in entertainment advertising, working on HBO, CBS and other companies’ marketing campaigns for television. She was born in Nebraska, grew up in Seattle, lives in West Hollywood and was imported to San Diego for tonight’s blind date, because Eric seems to knows everyone in town—he was already Facebook friends with the first three women we tried to set him up with.

Natalie and Eric are about to meet for the first time where the antelope roam—or at least where they hang out (above the bar and in the restaurant’s antelope sliders) after a life of roaming—the new Lion’s Share in Downtown’s Marina District. Before they arrive, let’s review the pre-date interviews.

PacificSD: What do you do for fun?
NATALIE: Anything live: live music, live shows, live dancing. I also love to work on my fitness—hiking, shooting hoops, yoga, bike riding, cardio, ballet.

ERIC: Travel as much as possible, drinks/dinner with friends, attend sporting events, attend concerts and build businesses.

What are you looking for in a date?
NATALIE: Personality ranks over looks any day. I don’t like extremely good-looking guys; they’re always a little off. I like dudes, guys that can hang with me, guys that can hang with my three brothers on Football Sundays. I’m into guys that touch with intention and say sh!t that means something.

ERIC: Looking for someone that is independent, confident, passionate about something in life, has a decent job, attractive, good sexual energy, positive personality, likes to smile, in good shape…and a nice ass.

What’s your sign, religion or spiritual belief system, if any?
NATALIE: God, help me. Jesus, save me. Spirit, guide me. Universe, support me. Danny, speak to me.

ERIC: Sagittarius. I’m more spiritual than religious. Treat others like you wanted to be treated, et cetera.

Where’s the strangest place you’ve had sex?
NATALIE: Your mom goes to college.
[Editor’s note: Natalie is likely referencing a line from the movie “Napoleon Dynamite,” by which she’s implying, I think, that this is a stupid question.]

ERIC: Poolside at the Sè Hotel during a pool party. I was on my back on a lounge chair, and my friend was sort of grinding on top of me to the music. We had a towel sort of covering things. Only the people dancing in the rooms above us knew what was going on and they gave us the thumbs-up sign.

The daters meet and take seats at the bar, talking over carefully crafted cocktails while the magazine crew scans the menu for the perfect brand of flesh to get this wild game started. We choose right—the rich antelope sliders are tender and perfect; the exotic sausage sampler (pheasant, wild boar and buffalo) is a safari-ful of delish.

Somehow, amid the excitement and our own crafty cocktails, we neglect to order food for the daters…and now we have to catch a horse. (Sorry, Natalie and Eric! For what it’s worth, everything was really good.)

Horsing around

The wild game continues with a carriage ride

After sipping drinks and almost eating antelope at Lion’s Share, Natalie and Eric stroll a couple blocks to Seaport Village, where they mount a Cinderella-esque carriage for a romantic jaunt by the water. They’re sitting close, talking and laughing as they ride off into the sunset.

When they return about 30 minutes later, they catch a cab to dinner in the RA…RA Sushi at Fifth and Broadway, that is. (Delivered by our designated/pregnant driver, the magazine crew arrives right behind them.) After they’ve toasted sake and tasted the chef’s special aphrodisiacal sushi plate, the couple is split for mid-date debriefings.

PacificSD: How’s it going so far?
NATALIE: Eric is awesome. We have a lot in common. Just from a career standpoint, him and I connected immediately. And that’s always what I look for, someone who has something going for themselves.

ERIC: It’s going good so far. Things are great. She’s really cool, and we’re getting a long well.

What were your first impressions?
NATALIE: A lot of jewelry. He has, like, two rings and a necklace. I mean, he’s cute, totally cute, but right away, I was like, “Wow, that’s a lot of jewelry.”

ERIC: First impressions were relief that it was someone at least I could connect with.

Is this the type of person you would normally date?
NATALIE: Probably. If I met him out, we’d have a good conversation. And if he asked me out, I’d go out with him.

ERIC: It’s rare that I date, but she’d be a girl I’d hang out with. She seems like she can handle me and my shenanigans. In other words, dealing with me being a workaholic, and my lifestyle.

What do you think about what your date’s attire?
NATALIE: The jewelry is just a little not my style, but I respect people’s style, because I love fashion. The pieces that he’s wearing might be important to him.

ERIC: I barely noticed her attire because I don’t really care about that type of stuff.

How was Lion’s Share?
NATALIE: Lion’s Share was really great. The servers were super attentive, and I liked their style. The art on the wall was beautiful—they took classic art and made it quirky, tying together the meat with their brand and the animalistic style within their art. I loved that. And their cocktails were amazing.

ERIC: Lion’s Share is a very cool spot for Downtown. I had been there once before and I enjoyed it. Great drinks, great little atmosphere and vibe.

How was the carriage ride?
NATALIE: Champagne, the horse, and Robert, the carriage driver, were sweet. Robert was from Killarney, Ireland, and I’ve traveled there before, so we chatted about The Ring of Kerry and all the beautiful sites from his hometown.

ERIC: It was dreamy—the driver even came with the Irish accent.

What would your parents say?
NATALIE: They’d like him a lot, because he has something to bring to the table. That’s what it’s all about. It’s not just about where you’re from and who you are; it’s your experiences, where you’ve traveled, what you like, what you don’t like.

ERIC: They’d be happy to see me with anyone I like being with.

What’s the most attractive thing you’re date has done so far?
NATALIE: He ordered for me, which I really like. He asked me what I like and he ordered for me. That was really hot.

ERIC: That’s hard to say, just a good vibe together, a good connection, mild flirting.

Rate your date on a scale from 1 to 10 for looks.
NATALIE: Eight or 8 1/2.

ERIC: Nine.

And for personality?
NATALIE: Nine or 10.

ERIC: Nine.

If you could have sex with your date, the last person you had sex with or with some third person tonight, whom would you choose?
NATALIE: It’s none of your business. I don’t like to talk about my sex life.

ERIC: You gotta live for the moment, so I’d say Natalie.

Would you like to kiss your date right now?
NATALIE: Not now, but I’d kiss him.

ERIC: Sure.

Does your date want to kiss you?
NATALIE: Yeah, he probably wants to kiss me.

ERIC: I never would assume so, but my senses say she’d be down.

Ra-ra-ra!

Three cheers for a scorching blind date

PacificSD: How was dinner?
NATALIE: RA was great. I’ve eaten there before. I loved it all. It was delish.

ERIC: Dinner at RA was great. We had cold sake, the good stuff, Asahi beer and a few of their killer rolls.

Did the aphrodisiac plate make an impact?
NATALIE: I don’t remember which one it was.

ERIC: It must have, as we both seemed to be a bit more flirty.

What was the best part of the date?
NATALIE: Being a part of PacificSD, they’re such a great group of people.

ERIC: The first few minutes after meeting her, as I knew the rest of the date was going to be fun.

What was the worst part?
NATLIE: Hearing that he is 40, only dates girls in their twenties and hasn’t had a relationship longer than a year or two.

ERIC: The end—no one wants to end a good thing… especially with a good buzz.

What happened after the magazine crew left?
NATALIE: We went the The U.S. Grant—super fancy, loved the place. I had a glass of wine, then my girlfriend picked me up, and we dropped Eric off.

ERIC: We went to the U.S. Grant hotel for another drink while Natalie waited for her ride, as she had to go home. Gave us 15 more minutes to hang out.

Was there a kiss?
NATLIE: Yeah, he was pretty determined to get a kiss. And as the night went on, he got more comfortable with affection.

ERIC: Might have been a little something-something.

Will there be a second date?
NATALIE: I would totally hang with him again.

ERIC: Probably.

The aphrodisiacal dishes seem to be working!

After the mid-date interviews, Eric and Natalie are finally left alone to enjoy the rest of their evening in privacy. We call the next day to see what we missed.

AFTERMATCH:
Free-range antelope, a domesticated horse, raw fish. Add that up, mix in a few cocktails and a Cinderella carriage ride, and what do you get? “A little something-something.” It’s not quite the animalistic behavior we were shooting for, but first dates, even the gamiest ones, aren’t always so wild.

For a real fairytail ending wrought with romance—including mouthfuls of meat and heavy petting not associated with antelope or horses— maybe we should have gone with a Valentine’s Day card and chocolates.

Thank you!

Lion’s Share
629 Kettner Blvd., Downtown
619.564.6924
lionssharesd.com

Cinderella Carriage Co.
619.239.8080
cinderella-carriage.com

RA Sushi
474 Broadway, Gaslamp
619.321.0021
rasushi.com

Coors Light Metal Pint
facebook.com/coorslight

Meet the players…

JENNA (from Mammoth, lives in La Jolla):
I’m the events and marketing manager for McFarlane Promotions, the premier event planning company in San Diego. I love to do anything outside—running, hiking, wake-surfing, yoga and I recently got back into snowboarding. Generally, I’m down to do anything as long as I’m with a good group of friends. I also don’t mind spending a day shopping if it’s necessary.

ERIC (from Massachusetts, lives in Mission Beach):
I work for a medical device company, training breast surgeons—oncologists and radiologists, not plastic surgeons—how to use the medical equipment our company provides. I’m very spontaneous, always up for trying something new or exciting. I travel as much as I can. I just got back from Southeast Asia in August, and I’ll be leaving for Israel and Egypt in a couple days.

Jenna and Eric met 30 minutes ago in the limousine that has just delivered them to Torrey Pines Gliderport near UCSD. As they sign accidental death waivers in preparation for leaping from the bluff 400 feet above Black’s Beach, the flight director announces that it will be at least an hour before the wind is sufficient to keep paragliders aloft—good time for a drink.

Winging It

How was it?
JENNA: Amazing. It was beautiful. It was less scary than I thought it would be. It made you feel super powerful, like you could control the wind. It was so easy and peaceful and calm.

What do you think of Eric?
JENNA: He’s really nice. He’s fun to hang out with.

One to 10 for looks?
JENNA: I would say he’s very good-looking, but he’s not necessarily my type. So, one to 10 for looks, I would say, for most girls, he’s probably like a nine. For me, maybe like…seven.

How about personality?
JENNA: He’s very outgoing, he’s funny, so—eight.

In-Flight Entertainment

How was paragliding?
ERIC: It was good. It’s funny, I usually go on dates like that. The last date I went on, I took a girl machine-gun shooting. The one before that, indoor skydiving.

What do you think of Jenna?
ERIC: We’re having a great time. We have similar jobs and a lot of similar interests.

One to 10 for looks?
ERIC: I’d give her an eight and a half.

Personality?
ERIC: Nine.

On Common Ground?

Back on earth, Jenna and Eric head to Pacific Beach for an oceanfront dinner at World Famous. PacificSD calls the next morning to see what we missed.

How was World Famous?
JENNA: I had actually been there two nights in a row just about a week prior to our date and wasn’t at all bummed to be going back for thirds. We shared the ahi and brie appetizers, and they were both delicious. I had the sea bass for my entrée, which was even better.
ERIC: We had a great time—a lot of good food and good conversation. I had the steak and scallops, and it was amazing. The best dish we had was the nut-crusted brie appetizer.

Will there be a second date?
JENNA: No second date; we weren’t really compatible. Maybe we will hang out as friends.
ERIC: There wasn’t a lot of romance, but we both had a great time.

The moral of the story—sometimes it’s easier to jump off a cliff than to find romance in this town. But although we had hoped for a more exciting conclusion (i.e., Jenna and Eric’s adrenaline-fueled, post-paragliding sex was caught on the limo’s hidden dashboard camera), we didn’t get one. At least the pictures are nice… another perfect photo finish for the Finest City record books.

Before they meet for the first time at Mini Bar, a 12-seat speakeasy-vibed venue hidden inside the new Bootlegger in East Village, let’s review the pre-date interviews.

PacificSD: Where are you from?
CHRIS: I was born in Toronto, Ontario. I now live in Scripps Ranch, California. This is the place to be.
COLETTE: I’m from Seattle. I moved to San Diego in January to get away from the rain.

What do you do for a living?
CHRIS: I’ve always been self-employed. I started my own web/logo design company, CreationGURU.com, and now I’m doing some exciting things with an international business, Royilty.com.
COLETTE: I’m the media relations coordinator at Alternative Strategies, a marketing communications firm. Basically, I get people and businesses featured in the media and I’m the editor of our company’s newsletter and blog. I also do freelance writing on the side.

What do you do for fun?
CHRIS: Riding motorcycles and playing hockey are my two big ones. Other than physical activities, I enjoy social events like Padres and Chargers games, going on brewery and winery limo tours, and cooking.
COLETTE: I like to travel. Right now I’ve been taking a lot of weekend road trips just to see what’s around me, since I’m still pretty new to San Diego. I also play piano and ride horses.

What are you looking for in a date?
CHRIS: I like a girl to be happy, self-confident and at least a little athletic. Someone that laughs at their own jokes—nobody likes drama.
COLETTE: I’m almost 5’9” and won’t date anyone shorter than 6’1”, no exceptions. I love a handsome face, of course. And like all people, I’m looking for someone who I can connect with on a deeper level, who looks at life the same way I do. I like artistic types, but they have to maintain their masculinity. That’s a rare combination.

What’s the sexiest thing about you?
CHRIS: Other than my camo Crocs, I would say it’s a tie between my smile and confidence.
COLETTE: I think the sexiest thing about me is that I think I’m sexy. I always have and I think I always will, even when I’m 80 years old.

What food are you most like and how?
CHRIS: Maple syrup: Canadian and sweet.
COLETTE: Sugar, because I’m sweet for a while, but too much and you might end up with a headache.

What’s your thing to eat?
CHRIS: The food I cook myself. Habanero spaghetti is Number One.
COLETTE: Whoopie Pies.

Chris is sitting inside Mini Bar when Colette arrives and the two begin to talk over drinks. Leaving the daters to get acquainted in privacy—not counting the couple’s private bartender, who’s making cocktails with mini-bar-sized bottles of booze—the magazine crew retreats to the main bar at Bootlegger.

After about an hour, the daters head out onto Market Street for the one-block walk over to the award-winning Lotus Thai.

Beau Thai

Spicing things up over dinner

Colette and Chris are in for a treat: a custom tasting menu courtesy of the chef at Lotus Thai, starting with shrimp in herb marinade wrapped in wonton skins, spring rolls with fresh vegetables and plum sauce and other house favorite appetizers. For the main course, they try the sea bass in pesto lime sauce and a pork dish with complex Thai flavors.

After they’ve had a chance to sample the food and their rice wine cocktails, the couple is split for mid-date debriefings.

PacificSD: How’s it going so far?
CHRIS: It’s been a good night so far. I’m pretty impressed. She’s very attractive.
COLLETTE: It’s good, he’s nice. I was stressed, but he’s actually cute. I’m happy.

Is this the type of person you would normally date?
CHRIS: It’s kind of hard to tell now, but, yeah—she seems very blunt in a good way, as opposed to saying what I want to hear.
COLETTE: I don’t know what my type is, but he’s definitely in that realm.

How was Bootlegger?
CHRIS: I love beer, and they had a lot of good beers there, so that was a pretty good thing for me. I liked the Mini Bar—we did mini shots of every drink we could imagine.
COLETTE: We were in a private room, so that was nice, because I felt like I got to know Chris without a lot of eyes watching us. This is definitely my first blind date that’s recorded and will be shown to the whole county, but it was pretty comfortable.

What’s the most attractive thing your date has done so far?
CHRIS: I’d say just her confidence, like her talking to the server instead of expecting me to say something. Whenever she has an opinion, she just says it. I like that a lot.
COLETTE: I feel like he hasn’t tried to pull any stunts and try to impress me. He’s just been a normal person, and that has helped me be comfortable as well not be turned off by someone who brags and all that sort of thing.

Least attractive thing?
CHRIS: To be honest, I haven’t found something yet.
COLETTE: He doesn’t always seem so focused on the conversation we’re having.

What would your parents say?
CHRIS: My parents would love her, the fact that she’s honest and just speaks her mind.
COLETTE: My mom would like him. My dad would say, “Tell him to get rid of the earring, and then he’s good.”

Rate your date on a scale from one to 10 for looks.
CHRIS: She’d be a nine or 10 for sure.
COLETTE: Between an eight and a nine.

And for personality?
CHRIS: From what I’ve met so far, easy eight; could be a ten later on.
COLETTE: Same, between an eight and a nine.

Would you like to kiss your date right now?
CHRIS: I could see that, yeah.
COLETTE: Nah, I’m not to that point yet.

Does your date want to kiss you now?
CHRIS: I could read into it a little bit, possibly, yeah.
COLETTE: Honestly, I don’t know.

If you had to leave now with $100 cash or stay and make out with your date, what would you do?
CHRIS: I’d probably stay.
COLETTE: I’m having fun. I’d probably stay.

After the interviews, the couple returns to their table to finish dinner. If the rest of the evening heats up like their flaming ice cream dessert, we may be in for a scorcher, date fans.

Next stop: a little boom-boom—the grand opening of BPM (beats per minute) Thursdays, the new weekly electronic dance music party at Bar West in Pacific Beach.

Join the Club

The blind date goes bump-bump-bump in the night

At the base of the searchlights panning the sky for tonight’s special event, the bass from inside Bar West is booming. As Colette and Chris arrive, they’re escorted past the line to the VIP table at the back of the club, where they’re armed with drinks, Star Wars lightsaber-esque glow sticks and other tricks of the electronic music trade.

The daters appear to be hitting it off when they’re finally left alone to enjoy the rest of their evening away from the prying eyes of the magazine crew. We call the next morning to see what we missed.

PacificSD: Overall, how was the date?
CHRIS: Couldn’t have been better—a pretty girl, great dinner and a limo to Bar West.
COLLETE: I definitely had a good time, and he was really nice, but he was texting a lot. I saw his phone as much as I saw him. I had high hopes, because I initially thought he was attractive, but by the middle of the date I started feeling disappointed because I didn’t sense that he was really flirting with me. I like a man to pursue me and really show that he’s interested, but Chris seemed sort of passive sometimes.

How was Lotus Thai?
CHRIS: I liked the dark lighting, and the food was pretty impressive. The employees were very friendly. The best part was the flaming ice cream; we finished that in about two seconds.
COLETTE: Lotus Thai was quiet, dimly lit and tranquil. It’s the perfect ambiance for a date and it’s in a great location. Trying out the combo platter—something new with someone new—was a smart move for a first date. And the other dishes, sea bass and spicy pork, were flawless. I would go again, but probably with someone else.

Describe the limo ride to Pacific Beach.
CHRIS: We had an interesting conversation with the driver while running a couple red lights. We talked about how fun it was to have paparazzi for a night.
COLETTE: Chris seemed to chat it up with the driver nearly the whole time, and they swapped party stories. I felt semi-ignored—he should have been talking to me, not the driver.

How was Bar West?
CHRIS: The music was good; Sid Vicious was DJ-ing for the launch of BPM Thursdays. It was a crazy night.
COLETTE: There was a long line outside the door, and the place was packed, in a good way. I think the smaller size creates a better sense of intimacy with the other club-goers. The place had a ton of energy and was going strong when we left at midnight.

What did you do there?
CHRIS: We had drinks at the table with some friends. After that, we went in the Svedka video booth and made a couple funny videos. We danced and hung out on the couch together. Near the end of the night, went up to the DJ booth.
COLETTE: We got all decked out and took funny photos at the booth, went a little glow-stick crazy, mingled a bit. We had the table up on the stage area, so we sat back, drinks in hand, and just hung out for a while.

Was there a romantic connection?
CHRIS: Hard to tell on the first date, but we were very comfortable and open talking to each other.
COLETTE: I can’t say there was one, but I wouldn’t totally rule it out. I’m completely sure that if Chris had been more forward and shown more interest, I would’ve actually become more interested in him.

What did you do after the magazine crew left?
CHRIS: After Bar West, our driver dropped us back off at Lotus Thai downtown, and I walked her to her car. We exchanged phone numbers, talked for a few then went home.
COLETTE: A Town Car came to Bar West to bring us back to our cars downtown, and I sat close to him in the back seat, but nothing happened. He walked me to my car, which I appreciated, and then I went home.

Was there a kiss?
CHRIS: There was no kissing, but there was definitely a connection.
COLETTE: There were several times throughout the end of the night that he could’ve successfully gone in for a kiss, which would’ve sparked more romantic interest for me, but he didn’t.

Will there be a second date?
CHRIS: There will definitely be a second date.
COLETTE: I wouldn’t be opposed to it.

Fill in the blanks: If my date were a food, he/she would be “blank,” and I would have to “blank” him/her.
CHRIS: Frozen yogurt, and I would spoon her.
COLETTE: Produce that hadn’t ripened, and I would have to come back later for him.

Last night, both daters enjoyed the private cocktails at Mini Bar, the custom dinner menu at Lotus Thai and the late-night dancetravaganza that is Bar West. And based upon what they said, Colette and Chris seemed also to like each other. Despite their mutual attraction, however, Chris’ texting left a bad taste (as opposed to his tongue) in Colette’s mouth. Opportunity lost, dude.

Words of advice from sage matchmakers: Chris, if you’re hoping for a kiss, some spooning or a slice of that proverbial Whoopie Pie on your second date, put down your phone (after calling Colette, don’t wait for her to call you) and make your move. As for you, Colette, if you really know what you want, and Chris is the unripe apple of your eye, you may have to Canuck yourself—grab him by the scruff of his neck, give him a kiss and make that Canadian man yours, eh?

Thank you!

Bootlegger
804 Market St., Gaslamp
619.794.BOOT (2668), bootleggersd.com

Lotus Thai
909 Market St., Gaslamp
619.595.0115, lotusthaisd.com

Bar West
959 Hornblend St., Pacific Beach
858.273.WEST (9378), barwestsd.com

Gretchen & Jonathan hit it big at Sycuan

Grab your ATM cards, date fans—this game of high-stakes matchmaking is about to begin. Tonight, everyone’s a high roller. We’re talking limo ride, comped dinner courtesy of the casino host and private-table gaming action. Before blind daters Gretchen and Jonathan meet for the first time at Starlite, the slick yet inviting restaurant and cocktail lounge opposite the airport in Midtown, let’s sip our Mules (one of Starlite’s signature drinks, made with organic vodka, ginger beer, lime, Angostura bitters) and check out the pre-date interviews.

PacificSD: Where are you from?
GRETCHEN: I’m from Thousand Oaks,California. Now I live in P.B.
JONATHAN: I was born in New York and moved to San Diego two years ago from New Jersey.

What do you do for a living?
GRETCHEN: I’m a graphic designer and I waitress on the weekends.
JONATHAN: I oversee all marketing and business development stuff for a tech company in La Jolla.

What do you do for fun?
GRETCHEN: I love trying new restaurants, wine tasting, watching stand-up comedy, live music, painting, interior decorating and I take a dance class.
JONATHAN: Enjoying music, being a football fanatic, drinking wine while watching alien documentaries and acting like a degenerate with my friends downtown.

What makes you a good catch?
GRETCHEN: I’m focused on my career, but I never stop having fun. I’m always in a good mood and it takes a lot to get me down. People tell me that I look like Holly Madison, so apparently I’m also good-looking.
JONATHAN: I’m straightforward and honest. And I have good credit.

What are you looking for in a date, physically or otherwise?
GRETCHEN: Someone intelligent, successful and funny. I appreciate sarcasm because I’m a smartass myself. Physically, I’m a sucker for a nice set of teeth and large hands.
JONATHAN: I like the girl-next-door look. Also, someone that is athletic, acts like a lady and has long-term goals.

What is your biggest fear?
GRETCHEN: Snakes on a plane—I fear both equally.
JONATHAN: Being old and having regrets.

What’s your favorite kind of music?
GRETCHEN: Gangster rap and classical jazz.
JONATHAN: House music is my drug of choice.

What’s the sexiest thing about you?
GRETCHEN: I can hold a conversation and drink you under the table, simultaneously.
JONATHAN: My cankles. I’m joking, I just wanted to say “cankles.”

Fill in the blanks: In general, the people I date are “blank” and “blank.”
GRETCHEN: Handsome and fun-loving.
JONATHAN: Drunk and unstable.

Fill in the blanks: I want my date to be “blank” and “blank.”
GRETCHEN: Outgoing and sexy.
JONATHAN: Sane and under 50.

What’s your favorite thing about yourself?
GRETCHEN: I’m creative.
JONATHAN: My spontaneity—some of my biggest life decisions have been made on a whim.

What’s the biggest gamble you’ve ever taken?
GRETCHEN: I usually stick to $5 blackjack.
JONATHAN: Eating sashimi from an airport food court.

What’s the biggest gamble you’ve ever taken in love?
GRETCHEN: Falling in love is always a gamble.
JONATHAN: Moving in with a girlfriend of only a couple of months.

Are the odds in favor of Gretchen and Jonathan hitting the romantic jackpot? If past PacificSD blind dates are any indicator, the couple has a 1-in-56 chance of getting married, a 3-in-56 chance of moving in together and a 9-in-56 chance (of the ones who’ve admitted it) of sleeping with each other tonight.

The daters arrive at Starlite and begin to break the ice over cocktails and a cheeseboard. Within minutes, they seem to be hitting it off—talking, laughing, sitting close. After about half an hour, they head out onto India Street to mount their stretch-Escalade chariot for the ride east to Sycuan.

It’s so hot and dry outside when the limo rolls up to the casino 30 minutes later, it kinda feels like Vegas—the valet guys are even handing out free bottles of water. As the daters walk inside, a security guard stops Gretchen and asks if she’s over 18 (she is), which gets a big laugh.

Inside, Sycuan is sparkling. Having just undergone a $27 million makeover, the casino now features new bars and restaurants, a dramatic chandelier and floor-lighting installation and more slots than you can shake your life savings at. (Disclaimer—don’t blow your life-savings at Sycuan Casino. Save that for your 401(k).)

Ladies and gentlemen, please place your bets.

Cash Me if You Can

Two daters, two $100 bills, too hard to predict…

To magnify the magic of the moment, Team PacificSD gives $100 bills to each of the daters, who then proceed to the nearest slot machines. After a few uneventful spins, the planets (and Megabucks symbols) appear to be aligning for Jonathan—one gold shield… two gold shields… OMG!, OMG!, OMG!… nada. So close!

After a few more tries at slot glory, the couple decides to grab dinner at Wachena, the casino’s new restaurant and gaming lounge. Once they’ve had a chance to order, they’re split for mid-date debriefings. Please place your second-round bets now.

PacificSD: How’s it going so far?
GRETCHEN: Very well. We’ve been laughing a lot. He seems like a really nice guy. He seems smart, which is important for me, and we have a few common friends, which is kind of a nice starting-out point, considering we’re totally strangers.
JONATHAN: I think she’s great. We have a lot in common. We both like to drink, so I think we’re getting along great.

What was your first impression of your date?
GRETCHEN: He was very good-looking, which was a relief, ‘cause I was afraid of being set up with a troll. And he’s friendly and outgoing but not like obnoxious or cocky, which I was also afraid of. He seems very down-to-earth.
JONATHAN: She seemed like just a totally cool girl, just someone immediately who I thought I could get along with.

Is this the type of person you’d normally date?
GRETCHEN: Yes, in the sense that he’s handsome; yes, in the sense that he seems like a nice guy. No, in the sense that I’m usually attracted to people that are more outgoing, I think.
JONATHAN: She’s not necessarily someone I would approach right off the bat, but if she was someone that I started talking to… it could happen where we could end up dating.

How was Starlite?
GRETCHEN: It was a cool place. I really liked the interior design—it was beautiful and the drinks were really good.
JONATHAN: Good ambiance, unique drinks. I think it’s a great place to take a date.

How was the limo ride?
GRETHCHEN: We were like, “Oooh, lets go to Vegas,” ‘cause it kind of felt like that atmosphere. It was fully stocked with beer; that was cool.
JONATHAN: We had a lot of fun in the limo. Towards the end we put on the music, but we were just talking a lot.

What’s the most attractive thing your date has done so far?
GRETCHEN: He put his arm around me in the limo. That was cute. I’m a sucker for a little bit of physical affection.
JONATHAN: I think it’s just her personality. She’s just so easy to talk to, so easy to get along with.

Rate your date on a scale from one to 10 for looks.
GRETCHEN: Nine.
JONATHAN: She’s a solid nine.

And for personality.
GRETCHEN: 8.9. No, I take it back. Nine.
JONATHAN: Nine.

Would you like to kiss your date now?
GRETCHEN: Yeah, I’m interested.
JONATHAN: Sure, yeah.

Does your date want to kiss you now?
GRETCHEN: Yes.
JONATHAN: Of course, definitely.

What games are you going to play after dinner?
GRETCHEN: We’re going to probably do the $5 blackjack tables. Hopefully we win.
JONATHAN: We’re gonna play a little blackjack, ‘cause she plays blackjack, and we’re gonna play some craps, because that’s what I play. And obviously we’re gonna win, and then we’re gonna get a hotel room.

Big Deal

The blind daters double-down at the blackjack table

PacificSD: Overall, how was the date?
GRETCHEN: Going on the blind date was a gamble, especially knowing all your friends are going to read about it. It was a great experience, and I would recommend it to anyone.
JONATHAN: I just wanted to have a unique experience and some fun, which is exactly what happened. We got along great, because, I think, Gretchen had the same attitude. At least she did after we met and realized I wasn’t a “troll,” in her words.

How was dinner?
GRETCHEN: The restaurant was good. We shared a bottle of cabernet sauvignon. He ate a cheeseburger, and I ate a Mongolian dish. It was interesting that they had both American and Asian food, so we tried both.
JONATHAN: By the time we got to the restaurant, I was starving, so I ordered a cheeseburger with sweet potato fries. The bottle of wine we had made us nice and loose with our gambling money.

What games did you play after dinner?
GRETCHEN: We played blackjack and craps. I was up for a bit in blackjack, but then we switched to another table and we both started losing.
JONATHAN: We played blackjack and craps. Our money would’ve been better spent on penny slots and booze.

How much cash did you leave with?
GRETCHEN: Ten dollars cash and a big, blue Snuggie.
JONATHAN: No comment, I still feel a little violated by the dealers right now.

Which of you is the better gambler?
GRETCHEN: I’d say he was, because he seemed to have strategy, whereas I just go with my gut instinct. But then again, I was the one that was up in blackjack.
JONATHAN: I had to stop her a few times from hitting on 14 when the dealer’s up-card was a 5. So, I’d say overall I’m the better gambler, but she was definitely the luckier one last night.

What was the best part of the night?
GRETCHEN: Getting a Snuggie at the gift shop. I’ve always wanted one.
JONATHAN: Being high rollers for the night.

Was there a kiss or romantic moment?
GRETCHEN: We shared the Snuggie on the ride back from the casino—we looked like a cross between conjoined twins and a wizard. Super romantic.
JONATHAN: There may have been a moment or two.

Will there be a second date?
GRETCHEN: No. He doesn’t eat bread and I’m a carboholic. It would never work.
JONATHAN: Possibly, but the next date is on her, since she walked away with our remaining $10 dollars and the Sycuan Snuggie we purchased.

Raise your hand if you just lost all your money. Yikes—look at all those hands.

At the mid-date break, the smart money was on at least a good make- out session during the limo ride home. (According to PacificSD’s bookie, there was even a chance for nookie.) If only Jonathan had gotten that third shield…

Dear Reader, whether you’re looking for or have already found your King or Queen of Hearts— even if you’re thinking about going home with a pair of sevens—here’s to your always being lucky at love.

Hit me!

Four nines and two yeses on kissing? What a winning hand. There’s gotta be enough hearts in that combo to make someone flush.

Gretchen and Jonathon finish dinner and then have a drink in the Game Day sports bar before heading over to the new Primrose room to play blackjack.

After they’ve been dealt a few hands, the couple is finally left alone for the evening. We call the next morning to see if anyone got lucky. Time to place your final bets, folks.

Thank you!

Starlite

3175 India St., Midtown

619.358.9766, starlitesandiego.com

Sycuan Casino

5469 Casino Way, El Cajon

619.445.6002, sycuan.com

Epic Limo

858.270.LIMO (5466),

epiclimobus.com

Peroni Nastro Azzurro

peroniitaly.com

Blue Moon

bluemoonbrewingcompany.com

It’s 5 p.m. on a perfect Thursday afternoon in paradise, and the Padres are preparing to battle the first-place San Francisco Giants.

Blind daters Sarah and Jon just met for the first time at the VIP entrance to Petco Park. Before they’re escorted onto the field for a Major League, behind-the-scenes view of batting practice, let’s review their pre-date interviews.

PacificSD: Where are you from?
SARAH: I am originally from Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Now I have my own place here in downtown San Diego and absolutely love it.
JON: I was born in Michigan, moved to O.C. in fourth grade and then to San Diego for college at Point Loma Nazarene University.

What do you do for a living?
SARAH: I am a Realtor. I work at the Downtown Condo Showroom, where I specialize in selling condos throughout downtown.
JON: I’m currently working on my fourth start-up, called MOGL. It’s a “loyalty program with a purpose” that hooks you up with 10 percent cash-back at tons of great San Diego restaurants. Every time you buy a meal at a MOGL restaurant that’s over $20, we buy a meal on your behalf for someone in need in San Diego. One in six San Diegans are meal insecure. It’s a real problem, and MOGL’s mission is to not just fight it, but end it.

What do you do for fun?
SARAH: I love working out, enjoy running on the beach, spending time with friends. My “ladies
nights” are one of my favorites. I have recently taken up standup paddleboarding, which is now my new favorite summer hobby.
JON: It sounds cheesy, but I have fun at work. When I’m not working, I love traveling, surfing,
partying with friends, more traveling and sometimes doing absolutely nothing.

What are you looking for in a date?

SARAH: Well, I tend to have a type. They all look the same—tall, dark and handsome. I have to be attracted to them, hands down. But more importantly, I want someone that complements me, can laugh with me, have a good time together and just be themselves.
JON: A good time. I tend to be pretty serious during the day, so I like to play around at night and just have fun.

What’s the sexiest thing about you?
SARAH: I would say my confidence, but if you are asking for physical, then most people
would say…my butt.
JON: My large feet.

What’s your biggest fear?
SARAH: Failure.
JON: Failure.

How many bases do you visit on a typical first date?
SARAH: It depends on how good the pitch is.
JON: It all depends.

Commemorative, 75th-anniversary Padres posters in hand, Jon and Sarah are led through the players’ entrance to Petco Park, past the team locker rooms and umpires’ lounge (which has brail on the outside of the door—can these guys see at all?) and out onto the field to watch our hometown heroes warm up.

CRACK! The sound of the bat hitting the baseball is startling from this vantage point, but the
daters seem not to notice, paying more attention to each other than to the Padres and Giants taking practice swings. So far, so good.

After posing for photos and being scolded for touching equipment in the home team dugout, the two head upstairs to grab a drink.

____________________________________

GAME ON

The players take the mound (of cash)

Armed with a fistful of Padres bucks (valid for hats, t-shirts, bobble-heads and food from any restaurant in the stadium), the daters stop by the bay-view Coronados Bar & Grill to get acquainted and discuss how to spend their loot.

First purchase: drinks and over-sized shots. Jon celebrates the round by making it rain $5 bills.

After paying their tab with funny money, the couple walks (arm-in arm, we’re thrilled to report) toward their seats. On the way, they take a quick detour to Baja Bistro for…food? Nope, more drinks and shots.

Cocktails in hand, they finally make it to their seats, just in time for the National Anthem. As the first inning draws to a close, they’re split for mid-date debriefings.

PacificSD: How’s it going so far?
SARAH: He’s got a great personality, he makes me laugh and I’m having a great time with him so far.
JON: I’m having a great time. It’s really fun. She’s just cool and laidback and fun and has no kind of barriers and walls that you find with a lot of girls. Like, the tough nut to crack, she’s the opposite of that—really just open-minded and fun and cool and funny, with a sprinkle of sexy.

What were your first impressions?
SARAH: When I first saw him, I thought he was super-adorable. He’s the type that I would normally date, looks-wise, and his personality just fed off of what I thought he was going to be like.
JON: Warm and inviting. She was very welcoming to me when we walked up. We hugged it out right away.

What color are your date’s eyes?
SARAH: I don’t know. Brown? Oh, blue?
JON: Hazel, just like mine.

How was batting practice?
SARAH: It was great. I was a little nervous at the beginning, but we started chatting about our careers and what we did, so I felt that we were able to start communicating with each other—so I had fun down there.
JON: It was cool to be on the field. you felt like a VIP, and it was fun. I’ve never been right there when they were at batting practice. The dugout was really cool, too.

What’s the most attractive thing that you’re date has done so far?
SARAH: He’s just been engaging in conversation with me, he’s put his arm around me, he acts
interested in me, he asked me a lot of questions about me and what I enjoy doing in my free time.
JON: The sexiest thing she’s done is put her arm around me and— kind of gave me the green light.

What would your parents say?
SARAH: My parents would think that he fits the total type that I date. They would think he is a big sweetheart.
JON: They’d say, “Behave, Jon, behave.”

Rate your date on a scale from one to 10 in terms of looks.
SARAH: I would give him a nine.
JON: Nine-plus. And for personality?
SARAH: Nine.
JON: Nine-plus.

Would you like to kiss your date right now?
SARAH: Are you really asking me that question? He’s kissed my forehead, if that counts. I’m
blushing. Does that count?
JON:: Absolutely.

Does your date want to kiss you right now?
SARAH: I’m pretty sure.
JON: Absolutely.

If you had to choose between leaving now with $100 cash or making-out with your date, what
would you do?
SARAH: I think Jon and I would both decide to take your hundred dollars, then go behind your back in the bathroom and make-out.
JON: I’d totally stay and make-out. Maybe even for like 500 bucks, I’d stay and make-out.

What would make this date more fun? 
SARAH: More fun? I’m pretty sure we’re having a lot of fun.
JON: If you guys would leave.

____________________________________

IT’S A HIT!

The game goes into extra innings

It’s the end of the bottom of the third inning (the Padres are beating the Giants 1 to 0) when the magazine crew finally leaves Jon and Sarah alone to enjoy the rest of their date in relative privacy.

Just before we head to our own seats, we see the daters kiss. Unfortunately, we were too busy watching the game to get a good picture of the real action.

PacificSD: Overall, how was the date?
SARAH: The date was a lot of fun. We definitely got along great, laughed and enjoyed one another’s company. He was very easy to talk to. I particularly liked hearing his story about a shark almost attacking him, his friends pulling him out of the water and him making-out with
the boat. It was classic, I must say.
JON: It was a blast. Sarah was easy to get along with, and the date location didn’t suck. Getting to go into the dugout and watch batting practice on the field was cool.

How was watching the game?
SARAH:  The seats were awesome—great view, and I am pretty sure we were too into each other to notice people around us.
JON: We were half into the game and half into each other. The Padres were winning, and the date was fun. What more could you ask for?

Is seeing a Padres game at Petco a good first date?
SARAH:  I think it makes for a fantastic date, even if you don’t like baseball. The atmosphere is fun, fans are cheering, and the people are friendly.
JON: It’s got an energy about it—you can’t help but have fun. And there are a ton of really cool
bars and restaurants, so it’s so much more than just watching a game.

What was the best part of the date?
SARAH: I liked the entire date, but it was pretty amazing to be down on the field watching the players during their warm up and batting practice, not to mention going into their dugout. How many people can say they have done that?
JON: Making it rain Padres dollars.

Worst part?
SARAH: Probably the fact that we didn’t eat anything until the very end of the game; we grubbed on some nachos and hotdogs.
JON: Running out of Padres dollars.

Describe any romantic connection.
SARAH: I definitely think we hit it off. There was no question about that. I felt like I could be myself around him, which I liked. I think he could agree with me on that.
JON: We got snuggly when we were watching the game. There was a definite connection there.

Will there be a second date?
SARAH: Yes, I believe so. He said he was going to call me, so we will
have to wait and see.
JON: Yup.

Right before the magazine crew left, you guys were smooching in
your seats. Explain.
SARAH: We were? Apparently he had a good pitch.
JON: No comment.

What did you guys do after the magazine crew left?
SARAH: PacificSD Magazine is PG- 13, so I can’t tell you where we went.
JON: After the game, we parted ways.

AFTERMATCH
You catch that? Sarah is remaining tight-lipped (now, anyway) about where the couple went after the magazine crew left, but Jon says it was root, root, root for the home team…and then game over. Looks like we’re going to have to cry foul on this one, sports fans.

The game went into extra innings—the Giants scored five runs in the bottom of the 12th to beat the Pads 6 to 1—but all we want to know is if the daters made it past first base.

Alas, like the umpires who need brail to find their locker room, we’ll never really know what happened. Still, the date was a homerun in our book.

Go Padres!

SWINGING FOR OFFENCES
(celebrity observations)

“Gimme Jon’s phone number and I’ll tell you what really happened after the photographer left.”
—Rupert Murdoch

“I’d hit that! Hey, get your mind out of the gutter—I’m talking about the baseball.”
—New York Yankees shortstop (and member of
the 3,000-hit club) Derek Jeter

“Strike!”
—NFL players, collectively

“Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack.”
—Oprah Winfrey

“You’re out! I’m not.”
—Marcus Bachmann,
(supposedly) straight husband of Congresswoman Michele Bachmann

Matt (left) and Rob take on the night in style, courtesy of Epic Limo Bus.

By David Perloff • Photos by Brevin Blach

As friends and lovers stroll along Sixth Avenue with their dogs and doggie bags after work, an environmentally unfriendly (though very nightlife friendly) Cadillac Escalade limousine idles at the head of Balboa Park.

Tonight, Matt and Rob will be chauffeured to a carnivalous blind date at the San Diego County Fair.

Before our fearless players meet for the first time, let’s review the pre-date interviews.

PacificSD: Where are you from?
MATT: I’m originally from the San Francisco Bay area, but have been living in San Diego for about three years. After graduating from UC Berkeley, I followed family down to sunny San Diego. Hillcrest has been treating me nicely ever since.
ROB: I’m originally from Riverside, aka the armpit of Southern California, but I’ve lived in San Diego for the past five years and am loving my new place in Normal Heights.

What do you do for a living?
MATT: I usually do marketing and PR, but for the last six months I’ve been a game tester at Sony Computer Entertainment, aka PlayStation, after winning a reality show competition for the job.
ROB: That depends on who’s asking and who’s paying. Currently, I am the creative director at Eden in Hillcrest and oversee public relations for NightlifeSD and a couple other movers and shakers in San Diego.

What makes you a good catch?
MATT: I’m a unique balance of bad boy and boy next door—and I’m incredibly thoughtful and funny. The right guy will find out that I’m both a romantic prince and a sexy devil.
ROB: I’m going places. I have a great career and I’m good at what I do. I’m passionate about everything that I pursue and I’m the kind of guy that goes above and beyond for the special people in my life. I’m cute, too. 

Tempest in a Teapot: Matt and Rob enjoy a glass of absinthe-infused Tempest Liqueur during an Epic limo ride to the San Diego County Fair.

What is your biggest fear?
MATT: Being ordinary, and that probably stems from a fear of being alone in the world. Somewhere along the line, I realized we are all somewhat alone and I became determined to make the best of that solitary life by standing out.
ROB: Failure. I have really high expectations for myself and am my biggest critic. Also, I’m terrified of heights. If you put me on a plane you better have some Xanax handy, because I’ll have a Britney breakdown.

What are you looking for in a date?
MATT: I like bigger guys that look like they could break me in half, but I’m most interested in finding someone who has a similar, balanced personality.
ROB: Washboard abs. Am I allowed to say that? I’d like to date a guy who is confident but not douchie, who has a great sense of humor and is a little older than I am. Ultimately, I have a really short attention span, so you’ve gotta bring something interesting to the table. As far as looks, I have a weakness for all-American, boy-next-door types.

Fill in the blanks: In general, the people I date are “blank” and “blank.”
MATT: Introverted and mysterious.
ROB: Goofy and in the closet.

Rob and Matt pose for posterity between bites and frights on the midway.

As they arrive at their Epic Limo, Matt and Rob are smiling from ear to ear. Is it instant attraction? No…at least, that’s not the reason for the grins. Turns out the daters have met before—we’ve been blind-sided.

Hoping a sexy Italian (imported Peroni beer) and the Green Fairy (the street name for absinthe, green drops of which are suspended in Tempest Liqueur) can help spark romance, we ply the pair with alcohol for the ride north to Del Mar.

Fry Me To The Moon

Sky-high, deep-fried with tequila on the side 

As Matt and Rob disembark their chariot at the San Diego County Fair, we offer them $50 cash and tell them to do whatever their hearts desire. Without a word, Rob snags the loot, and the two bound off and out of site.

When we finally catch up, the boys are standing in line at the Mega Drop (having already braved two rides), waiting for their turn to be rocketed into the heavens by a highly trained carnie.

“We spent all the money on ride tickets,” Rob says, seeming to rejoice in the rapid depletion of our blind date capital.

After some frenetic up-and-down on the Mega Drop, the guys receive another (and final!) $50 and get ready to fill up on Fair fare. They inhale Italian sandwiches on their walk over to the health-food aisle, where they firm their arteries with deep-fried Twinkies and Klondike Bars—which they wash down with tequila shots.

Before any food has a chance to make a command appearance, let’s split the couple for mid-date debriefings.

Matt and Rob share a Krispy Kreme chicken sandwhich--bon appétit!

PacificSD: How’s it going so far?
MATT: It’s going fine. The funny part is, I applied for a job working with Rob. I was going to try to help him with his SceneOutSD, but we really never got in touch otherwise. He’s, like, really ambitious for his age. I almost see him more as competition than a love interest.
ROB: It’s fun. I’m having a good time.

Is this the type of person you’d normally date?
MATT: I don’t know. I want to start dating people who are really ambitious, but in the long run I usually end up with a little more introverted types, because I like being the star of the relationship. We’ll see. I still think I’ll end up back with my introverted, big, loafy, monkey men.
ROB: Um, probably not. He’s funny, though. That was one of my requirements. He’s a little shorter, too.

What’s the most attractive thing your date has done so far?
MATT: I feel like he respects me as a person, which is nice. I feel like it’s a very open dialogue.
ROB: He’s funny; I think that’s attractive. He makes me laugh.

What’s the least attractive thing your date has done so far?
MATT: He totally just called my love for Superman “unoriginal,” which I get, but I still love Superman, so that kind of left a Kryptonite taste in my mouth.
ROB: He hasn’t really done anything that’s been unattractive, but he does have a Superman T-shirt on. That’s kind of unattractive.

Rate your date from one to 10 for looks?
MATT: Do we have to put a number on it? Nasty! I’ll give him a seven. He’s not as big as I like my men.
ROB: I’d give him like a seven.

How about for personality?
MATT: He’s definitely at least a nine. Rob’s a catch. I almost feel like I’m jealous of him in some ways, because he takes some of my good elements and improves on them.
ROB: I’d give him like an 8.3.

If you had to choose between leaving now with $100 cash or making out with your date, what would you do?
MATT: I think we’re both smart enough that, even if we really liked each other, we’d both take the $100 and then go make-out behind everyone’s back. I wouldn’t respect him if he didn’t say the same thing.
ROB: I would leave the Fair with $100.

What could make this date more fun?
MATT: A Tarot reading—we really want to see our futures, you know, because we’re going to end up together.
ROB: Maybe another shot of tequila…and if a really hot, random gay guy came up to me and said, “Hey, what are you doing?

The couple takes a swing on a terrifying, tequila-churning pirate ship, and are then finally left to carry out the the rest of their date in privacy.

We call the next morning to see what we missed.

PacificSD: Overall, how was the date?
MATT: It was so much fun. The Fair turned out to be the perfect location for our date. I loved the food, drinks and nauseating rides. Rob even won me a stuffed unicorn.
ROB: The date was a lot of fun. We had a blast on the rides, and eating like fat kids is always a plus.

What was the best part of the date?
MATT: I think our sharing of the fried foods was pretty funny, but I was also a big fan of the crazier, spinning rides. There were points where we were both screaming uncontrollably.
ROB: It was all great, but the best part had to be going on the rides. I felt like a little kid again.

Describe any romantic connection.
MATT: I wouldn’t exactly call it romantic—I caught him checking out other guys along the way, and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit my eyes wandered a bit.
ROB: Um, the romantic connection was pretty much non-existent.

What did you do after the Fair?
MATT: We took the limo and picked up a few close friends, then headed to Bourbon Street Bar and Grill (editor’s note: in University Heights). Rob admitted to being interested in a guy at the bar, so I introduced the two and they seemed to hit it off. We’re now all going to the Eden opening together.
ROB: After the fair, we picked up some friends in the gayborhood and went to a bar that was hosting a wet underwear contest. Matt won.

Was there a kiss?
MATT: Yes. Oh, wait, do you mean with Rob? No, there was not.
ROB: Nope.

Matt, Rob and their magical mascot take a ride on the wild side.

What’s the most chivalrous thing your date did all night?
MATT: He blushed when admitting he liked someone else at the bar, then proceeded to get me a drink after I introduced the two.
ROB: Since there was no love connection, Matt introduced me to a really cute guy at the bar that I was crushing on. He’s a great wingman.

Will there be a second date?
MATT: Maybe not a date, but we are seeing each other again. We’ve already made plans to attend his big club re-opening coming up.
ROB: There won’t be a second date, but I’d definitely hang out with Matt again as a friend. 

By David Perloff
Photos by Brevin Blach

It’s just after sunset on Friday night. The Gaslamp is hoppin’, and the karaoke room at Analog is filling in, but no one is stepping up to the mic.

Breaking the ice is the job of Teddy, a cuddly-bear of a guy with a big smile and huge cajones who mans the karaoke machine, fearlessly entertaining the crowd between patrons’ performances.

As Teddy kick-starts the party with an energetic rendition of Mr. Brightside by Vegas-based rockers, The Killers, tonight’s blind daters flip through a loose-leaf binder of song titles. They met about 15 minutes ago, and now they’re on deck to sing.

Lauren and Zoltan signed up for the date on PacificSD’s Facebook page. They agreed in advance to the karaoke—an especially bold move for Laura, who’s never sung in public before.

Zoltan, on the other hand, has belted out his share of hits on stage. His recent performance of Vanilla Ice’s Ice, Ice, Baby included light choreography and brought down the house at The Lamplighter in Mission Hills. In case you missed that moment in musical history, perhaps you remember the Z-man from when he was on PacificSD’s November 2009 blind date with his brother (see Four Play).

But it’s just the price I pay
Destiny is calling me
Open up my eager eyes
‘Cause I’m Mr. Brightside

Sounds like Teddy’s on the final chorus. Before our rock stars face the music, let’s review the pre-date interviews.

Salud! Zoltan and Lauren whet their whistles with some liquid courage before their big karaoke debut at Analog.

PacificSD: Where are you from and where do you live now?
LAUREN: I am from the Del Cerro/San Carlos area and currently live there.
ZOLTAN: I grew up in Alameda, a small town in the San Francisco Bay area, and now live in Mission Hills. I’ve been here in San Diego about six years.

What do you do for a living?
LAUREN: I’m an S.E.O. copywriter at an Internet marketing company.
ZOLTAN: I’m a high school biomedical science teacher.

What do you do for fun?
LAUREN: Travel. I usually plan a new trip every few months. I love checking out new restaurants or entertaining at home, trying my hand in the kitchen, reading, taking kickboxing classes and playing with my recently adopted puppy, Ryder. And—this makes me sound shallow—but I really like to shop.
ZOLTAN: I like to Zumba dance, Frisbee golf, save kittens out of burning buildings, travel, teach old people how to use computers, barbeque, karaoke and work on putting together the ultimate slow jam mix tape. And that’s it.

"Turn around! Stick it out! Even white boys got to shout, baby got back!"

What makes you a good catch?
LAUREN: I have a lot of great things going on in my life that I am eager to share with someone. I have a fantastic family, job, friends, my own place and a really cute dog. I’m fun to be around, honest, down-to-earth and independent. Also, I think growing up with two brothers helped me appreciate and enjoy the company of guys.
ZOLTAN: I’m a very respectful and thoughtful person, I’m stable in my career and in life and I put out on the first date.

What are you looking for in a date, physically and/or otherwise?
LAUREN: A great conversationalist who is a total gentleman and has a dry sense of humor similar to mine. Physically, of course, I want to him to be attractive, but I don’t have a particular type in mind. I’ll be happy if I don’t tower over him in my heels, and if he dresses well and smells nice.
ZOLTAN: I’m looking for someone I can bullsh!t and have fun with. No one stuck-up or pretentious. Physically, someone with most of their limbs and teeth would be nice.

Bring it on home, Lauren! (The song, that is.)

What is your biggest fear?
LAUREN: Killer whales.
ZOLTAN: Prison, mainly because I’m a stomach sleeper.

Fill in the blanks: In general, the people I date are “blank” and “blank.”
LAUREN: Guys and have little in common, except for a shared love of beer.
ZOLTAN: Bullet wounds and daddy issues.

Fill in the blanks: I want my date to be “blank” and “blank.”
LAUREN: Outgoing and a good singer.
ZOLTAN: Skilled in karate and have strawberry-scented farts.

What’s your favorite thing about yourself?
LAUREN: I’m a thoughtful person. With great hair.
ZOLTAN: I’m pretty much down for anything. I think it keeps things exciting but can lead to some awkward situations.

What’s the best song your date could sing for you and why?

LAUREN: Baby Got Back, by Si Mix-a-Lot. I think it would be a compliment. It’s a hilarious song and it actually requires a level of skill to sing it well. And I could do the intro, “Oh, my God, Becky, look at her butt. It is so big!”
ZOLTAN: Baby Got Back, by Sir Mix-a-Lot, because my anaconda don’t want none unless you got buns, hun.

What’s the worst song your date could sing for you and why?
LAUREN: Anything by Backstreet Boys or Lady Gaga, because I would die of embarrassment on his behalf. N’Sync is acceptable, though. A little Justin Timberlake never hurt anyone.
ZOLTAN: Ice, Ice Baby, by Vanilla Ice. That’s my go-to karaoke song, and if she tries to sing it, I might have to leave after my dance routine.

How wide was her backside?

Having discussed their song choices over drinks and appetizers, Zoltan and Lauren are ready to rock.

Zoltan’s up first. Channeling his inner white guy, he heads to the stage and treats the crowd at Analog to a little slice of the early-90s—Good Vibrations, by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.

When it’s Lauren’s turn, despite her trepidation, she grabs the mic and does a great job with Katy Perry’s California Girls, featuring Snoop Dogg. D-O-Double-Gizzle is a no-show (it’s 4:20 somewhere), so Zoltan helps rap-up Lauren’s performance.

For their final duet, the couple performs Digital Underground’s Humpty Dance, and it goes a little something like this:

I drink up all the Hennessey ya got on ya shelf,
so just let me introduce myself.
My name is Humpty, pronounced with a Umpty.
Yo ladies, oh, how I like to hump thee…
Oh yes, ladies, I’m really bein’ sincere
‘cause in a 69 my humpty nose will tickle ya rear…

Tough act to follow.

A post-performance hug for a job done well.

Back in their booth, the couple seems to be hitting it off—talking, laughing, sitting close. They watch a few American Idol-esque Analoggers karaoke their hearts out, then step out onto Fifth Avenue for the short walk over to Side Bar on Market Street.

THANK YOU!
Analog
801 5th Avenue, Gaslamp
analogbar.com, 619.233.1183

Headed for Side Bar...

Tonight is Side Bar’s two-year anniversary celebration, and Lauren and Zoltan are on the guest list for the exclusive VIP pre-party, hosted by Dom Perignon. Snazzy.

Inside, there’s even more snazz—sultry go-go girls undulating to house music on swings and cages. After the couple has had the chance to soak in the scene and a glass of champagne, they’re split for mid-date debriefings.

PacificSD: How’s it going so far?
LAUREN: It’s going really well. I think he’s really cute. I think we have the same sense of humor. I would like to say there’s chemistry there. I don’t want to be the ass#ole that thinks that we have chemistry, and he’s like, “Nah, I don’t like her at all,” but I think we’re hitting it off. Do you think we’re hitting it off?
ZOLTAN: Bueno. She’s fun, very cute, easy to talk to, she’s down to karaoke, so it’s a good time so far.

Is this the type of person you’d normally date?
LAUREN: No, but the guys I normally date don’t work out, so maybe this is a good thing.
ZOLTAN: Um, I’d say yeah. She’s very laidback and chill and just down to have fun.

What did you think of Analog?
LAUREN: The food’s amazing! Those lobster mini-corndogs are out of this world. And the tater-tot nachos are really delicious as well. The atmosphere was cool.
ZOLTAN: The lobster corndog things were awesome. We didn’t really get to the tater-tots—we were too busy rapping our asses off.

"Staying Alive" at Side Bar's two-year anniversary.

How did you sing?
LAUREN: Awful, I sang terrible. It was mortifying, but at the same time it was something that I wanted to do, so I felt sort of accomplished after I finished.
ZOLTAN: First song, Good Vibrations, was a little hit or miss, but the karaoke machine was a little off. It wasn’t me, ‘cause I know the song. But Humpty Dance, I think I knocked it out of the park.

How well did your date sing?
LAUREN: Like, 10 out of 10—really, really good. He blew me out of the water.
ZOLTAN: She did California Girls, which is a great karaoke song, and she did very well. The high notes are definitely hard to hit, but she pulled it off; it was good. And I helped her out with the Snoop Dogg part.

What’s the most attractive thing your date has done so far?
LAUREN: He just seems really attentive to, like…me. He’s starting conversation and he’s making sure that I’m comfortable. I feel like he’s not just self-absorbed. He’s kind of concerned about me and if I’m having a good time and things like that.
ZOLTAN: Basically, showing no fear in karaoke. That’s a very scary thing to do, and to do it without bitching about it or even being scared about it is pretty admirable.

What would your parents say?
LAUREN: They would ask if he’s Italian; they would ask if he was tall. And if I said no to both those things, they would probably be a little disappointed, but they would approve after they got to know him.
ZOLTAN: They’d say she’s cute and cool and, you know, bring her over to dinner.

Turn-around is fair play on a blind date.

Rate your date from one to 10 for looks.
LAUREN: Nine, ‘cause nobody’s perfect.
ZOLTAN: 8 ½.

Rate your date from 1-10 on personality.
LAUREN: Nine—nobody’s perfect.
ZOLTAN: Nine.

Do you want to kiss your date right now?
LAUREN: Sure.
ZOLTAN: Sure.

Do you think your date wants to kiss you right now?
LAUREN: I hope so. I might need an Altoid.
ZOLTAN: Sure.

If you had to choose between leaving with $100 cash or making-out with your date right now, what would you do?
LAUREN: I’d probably make out with him.
ZOLTAN: Guaranteed make-out? I’d go make-out.

Is there anything that could make this date more fun?
LAUREN: Maybe if we just had a little more quiet time to get to know each other, a little more time to talk seriously.
ZOLTAN: Can we go back to the making-out part?

Side Bar's low-hanging go-go fruit.

Back inside Side Bar, Lauren and Zoltan have another glass of Dom. As they begin to get jiggy with it on the dance floor, they’re finally left alone to enjoy the rest of their epic date night away from the camera.

Hoping to hear they made beautiful music together, we call the next morning to see what we missed.

PacificSD: Overall, how was the date?
LAUREN: The date was incredibly fun, aside from the five mortifying minutes that I spent singing on-stage at Analog. Both venues were very accommodating, the food and drinks were delicious, and Zoltan and I laughed a lot and enjoyed good conversation.
ZOLTAN: I think it went well. Blind dates can be awkward, but we just had fun with it and ended up having a good time.

How was Side Bar?
LAUREN: Side Bar was busy with their anniversary party. There was lots of champagne and go-go dancers writhing around in cages and swinging in hula hoops that were suspended above the crowd. Some of the hula hoops were hanging so low that at one point I almost accidentally walked into a butt cheek.
ZOLTAN: The music was good and there were plenty of sexy people. There were even half-naked girls swinging right over our heads. A butt cheek almost hit me in the eye. Not complaining.

What was the best part of the date?
LAUREN: Almost accidentally walking into the butt cheek.
ZOLTAN: Probably getting down with the karaoke. It was a good way to start the date. And as long as they have early-90s rap, I’m happy.

Describe any romantic connection.
LAUREN: Does groping on a banquette at Side Bar count as a romantic connection? No, all joking aside, I’d say we got along well. Neither of us wanted the date to end after the magazine left, which was a good sign.
ZOLTAN: I think it’s too soon to tell. I liked hanging out with her and I guess we’ll see if it leads to anything else.

What happened after you two left Side Bar?
LAUREN: We went over to Fleetwood for a couple more drinks, and then grabbed some pizza at Ciro’s.
ZOLTAN: We went to Fleetwood for a drink, then ate some pizza. Nothing crazy. I was actually home by 12:30, just in time for the Charles in Charge marathon.

Was there a kiss?
LAUREN: There was no kiss.
ZOLTAN: No. I might put out on the first date but I don’t kiss. What am I, a whore?

What’s the smartest thing your date said all night?
LAUREN: A lot of things—he’s a smart guy. About midway through our date, he told me how much he was enjoying himself. It was smart because it made me feel so much more comfortable and relaxed, so I think he was able to get a better sense of who I am.
ZOLTAN: She thanked me for not being weird and ugly. Finally, some recognition.

What do you and your date have in common?
LAUREN: We share a similar sense of humor. We both have two brothers. We order the same kinds of drinks. Oh, and we have both been on blind dates before this one.
ZOLTAN: We’re both pretty chill and have the same kind of humor. We can easily just bulls#it and have fun together.

Is there anything you wish you had done or said differently during the date?
LAUREN: I wish I hadn’t given him my number. He won’t stop texting me naked pictures.
ZOLTAN: Hells no. I was cooler than Fonzi with frostbite. Actually, I’ve learned not to trip over woulda, coulda, shouldas. Besides, I’m happy with how it went.

Will there be a second date?
ZOLTAN: Yeah, we’re going to one of my favorite sushi spots this week—Harney Sushi in Old Town.
LAUREN: Yes, he called me over the weekend, and we’re going for sushi this week.

Aftermatch
(to the tune of Z-man):

Lauren and Zoltan
Sitting in a tree
S-I-N-G-I-N-G
Rock on.

First comes love
Then comes marriage
Then comes a rapper in a baby carriage

THANK YOU!
Side Bar
536 Mark et Street, Gaslamp
sidebarsd.com, 619.696.0946

Check out videos of our daters below:

WANT TO GO ON A PacificSD BLIND DATE? EMAIL PICS AND A COUPLE SENTENCES ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR IN A DATE TO blinddate@pacificsandiego.com.

By David Perloff
Photos by Brevin Blach

Just another day in paradise. Waves breaking, seagulls squawking, tourists saying “Cheese!” and pointing at sea lions. Not a cloud in the sky.

An ideal spot for soaking in the waterfront scene is Brockton Villa, a cozy restaurant perched atop the cove in La Jolla. The historic oceanfront structure was erected in 1894 as a weekend retreat for a city-slicking physician who paid $165 for the home site. At the time, La Jolla was a four-hour journey from downtown San Diego.

The restaurant sits among trees a few steps up from Coast Boulevard, offering seclusion in the heart of the village. Dr. Seuss (aka Theodor Geisel) is said to have written and found inspiration for some of his books here. “Quaint” would be an understatement.

Will perfect day equal perfect date? Let’s see. Blind daters Nikki and Daniel are about to meet for the first time on the patio at Brockton Villa. Before they arrive, let’s review the predate interviews.

PacificSD: Where are you from and where do you live now?
DANIEL: I’m from the San Francisco Bay Area, originally, and now live in Mission Valley.
NIKKI: I’m from Santa Monica, but live in San Diego.

The crabcakes at Brockton Villa.

What do you do for a living?
DANIEL: I’m a personal banker with Wells Fargo.
NIKKI: I’m in outside sales. I sell food, specifically fresh produce. I work with chefs at restaurants, hotels and country clubs.

What do you do for fun?
DANIEL: I enjoy playing sports and being active. I love being adventurous and trying out new things to do.
NIKKI: Luckily, I love to cook and be creative in the kitchen. I also enjoy being active, working out, hiking, et cetera. Time with family and friends is a big part of my life. A cocktail by the pool never hurt anyone, either.

What are you looking for in a date?
DANIEL: I look for someone who is bubbly, positive and cheerful. Ideally, someone who enjoys being active and is physically fit.
NIKKI: Physically, a handsome face, fit physique, polished look. Personality would be down-to-Earth, goalorientated and keeps me laughing.

A toast to what might have been, perhaps in some parallel universe.

What is your biggest fear?
DANIEL: Failure.
NIKKI: Being too focused on the past and future that I forget to enjoy the present.

What’s your sign, religion or spiritual belief system, if any?
DANIEL: I’m a Capricorn. I’m of the Christian faith, but definitely don’t go (to church) as often as I should.
NIKKI: I’m a Taurus, very loyal and a little bullheaded, too. Ok, stubborn, fine. I’m Jewish, more so culturally than religiously.

What kind of music do you like?
DANIEL: All kinds. You name it and I’ll love it. Well, except for country.
NIKKI: I’m such a girl. I like upbeat, fun stuff that makes me feel energized. Yes, Britney!

What’s the best thing about San Diego’s beaches?
DANIEL: They are vibrant and full of life.
NIKKI: The view, sunset happy hour.

What’s the worst thing about San Diego’s beaches?
DANIEL: The water is a bit cold.
NIKKI: The randoms from all over that come visit. Go home.

If you could do anything on any beach in the world right now, what would you be doing and where?
DANIEL: Surfing in Costa Rica.
NIKKI: I would love to be on the coast in Italy; the Amalfi coast sounds like heaven.

The daters meet and sit at a table on the patio. They toast with pomegranate mimosas and begin to get acquainted.

THANK YOU!
Brockton Villa
1235 Coast Blvd., La Jolla
858.454.7393, brocktonvilla.com

Arriving at the Marine Room.

A Room with a View
Dinner on the waterfront

After talking over wine and appetizers at Brockton Villa for more than an hour, Alex and Nikki head to La Jolla Shores for dinner. They’re in for a treat: at legendary gourmet restaurant, The Marine Room, executive chef Bernard Guillas and chef de cuisine Ron Oliver have prepared an exquisite tasting menu of seafood delicacies.

The couple sits in a booth by a majestic picture window that seems to bring the beach indoors. (Waves have crashed through these windows in the past; the replacement panes are now made of much sturdier glass.) As they sip wine in advance of their underwater culinary adventure, they’re split for mid-date debriefings.

PacificSD: How’s it going so far?
DANIEL: It’s going good. Fantastic locations. I’m having a good time.
NIKKI: Very nice time. He’s easy to talk to, and we’ve had some good laughs and good food.

What were your first Impressions?
DANIEL: She had a great smile. Didn’t like the shades, but she had, you know, a good body. She’s very easygoing and I could tell that she is very mature and very professional. And part of what she does for her job makes her that way, but I had a good vibe in terms of her level of maturity, which I liked a lot.
NIKKI: He looked friendly and really nice, easygoing.

Are we having fun yet?

How was Brockton Villa?
DANIEL: It was good. I had the crab cakes, which were phenomenal. Good view of the ocean, very intimate setting. It was a great place to go on a date.
NIKKI: The view was beautiful. It was a nice place to go.

Is this the type of person you’d normally date?
DANIEL: I do like her demeanor. I like blondes, also, typically. Yeah, I think so. I think I can probably date someone like Nikki, definitely.
NIKKI: Um, not right off the bat. I have a type—a little bit more edge, I think. But we’ve had a nice time hanging out.

What’s the most attractive thing your date has done so far?
DANIEL: When she opened up and she started laughing, I liked her humor. I like the fact that she is very ambitious and driven, so there’s a lot of attributes that I find very endearing with Nikki.
NIKKI: Been a gentleman.

Gentleman prefer blondes ... perhaps not sitting quite so far away, though.

What would your parents say?
DANIEL: Gosh, um, so my parents have a negative history with my brother dating blondes, and some of the wives that he picked were kind of questionable, so her first reaction would be, ‘Why a blonde?’ But then they’d probably warm up, because she’s a pretty good girl.
NIKKI: They would probably say he’s really nice, easygoing demeanor. They’d probably think he would be different than my type.

Rate your date’s looks on a scale from one to 10.
DANIEL: 7.5.
NIKKI: Seven.

How about for personality?
DANIEL: Eight.
NIKKI: Eight.

Do you want to kiss your date right now?
DANIEL: Possibly.
NIKKI: Not particularly.

Gourmet delights at the Marine Room, definitely a high point of this date.

Does your date want to kiss you right now?
DANIEL: I have a feeling, no.
NIKKI: Who knows?

Scorching summer romances begin with a spark. This date seems to be starting out all-wet. Perhaps a fantastic meal (with more wine and fewer photos) will help.

As their first course is served, the daters are finally given more privacy—not much more, however. The magazine crew stays to eat dinner in another part of the restaurant, out of the couple’s sight. No way we were going to miss chef Guillas’ tasting menu. We start with a squid ink sesame cone filled with ahi tuna tartare. Next comes a spice-dusted wild prawn on top of a scallop (perfection), followed by a goat cheese brûlée. The thymerubbed free-range veal tenderloin is divine. Topping it off is a dessert trio of hazelnut chocolate crunch, ginger crème and pistachio halvah.

THANK YOU!
The Marine Room
2000 Sp indrift Dr., La Jolla Shores
858.459.7222, marineroom.com

The Marine Room's thyme-rubbed free-range veal tenderloin.

See Food
Eating it, that’s another story…

Sunset dinner at The Marine Room is fabulous. As the magazine crew fights over the last piece of pistachio halvah, here come Alex and Nikki, walking toward our table. They pause a few paces from where we’re sitting and, in an awkward exchange, say goodbye and head toward the door.

WTF?! The daters leaving before the crew? That never happens.

The rest of us stick around, sipping espresso and trying to guess what made the couple bail so early. Or maybe the seafood was an aphrodisiac, and they ran out to the car for a quickie? Our imaginations run wild. We call the next morning to find out what we missed.

PacificSD: Overall, how was the date?
DANIEL: I absolutely loved the restaurants and the food was amazing. Nikki seemed to be a nice, attractive girl, so overall I had a good time.
NIKKI: The date was fun. My perspective on most things in life is “you only live once” and I thought it would be something interesting
to add to my rap sheet. I’m such a private person in many respects, so it was challenging to open myself up to the cameras and questions during the date. I’m glad that I tried something new and met a new, fun person.

How was the Marine Room?
DANIEL: The view was quite amazing, and the staff gave exceptional service. I enjoyed the entrees, the desserts and the wine selection.
NIKKI: The Marine Room was great. Gorgeous views of the water and sunset. Couldn’t ask for a better place to eat dinner. Funny part is, I
don’t eat any seafood. They were very accommodating at swapping out all of the seafood on the prix-fixe menu for me with other stuff. The desserts were a nice end to a great meal. (EDITOR’S NOTE TO SELF: Ask future daters if they won’t eat food from a certain category before taking them to a restaurant famous for said category.)

What was the best part of the date?
DANIEL: We had good food and drinks in a great place without burning a hole in my wallet.
NIKKI: The best part of the date was trying two new places neither of us had tried—and gorging on the desserts. Yum!

Funniest part?
DANIEL: The wardrobe malfunction during one of the photos.
NIKKI: Funniest part was that I kept having a wardrobe malfunction. My sweater kept sliding off my shoulder and dropping too low. I didn’t even charge for the free show. I think the photographer has a few pictures of me on display. Photog, I better not see those online anywhere. I may want to run for office in the future. Oops!

Describe any romantic connection between yourself and your date.
DANIEL: I wouldn’t say there was a romantic connection, but she was good company and we had fun.
NIKKI: We shared a napkin, since I lost mine.

Once more, with feeling...

Was there a kiss or romantic moment?
DANIEL: A good night hug was as close as it got.
NIKKI: Not really. I think we connected in many ways, but would only be good friends.

Will there be a second date?
DANIEL: I would say probably not.
NIKKI: I enjoyed his company—smart, funny and very much a gentleman, which is very attractive in a man. I see us hanging out as friends, rather than a date.

AFTERMATCH: For your reading pleasure, PacificSD had hoped to kickstart some summer lovin’ last night. The formula seemed so perfect—the blue skies, the sunset, the panoply of gourmet flavors. Despite our effort and the delicious food, however, the date fell flat. It lacked spice.

Long story short, we took bland to the beach. The good news is, at least nobody got crabs.

(PacificSD is selling Nikki’s wardrobe malfunction photos on eBay. Sorry, Nikki, we bet our bookie that you and Daniel would at least make out—we have to recoup our losses somehow.)

By David Perloff
Photos by Brevin Blach/Illustrations by Court Jones

Oscar Wilde once said, “Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” Tonight, with the help of illustrator Court Jones, the impassioned work of artistic chefs and cocktail mixologists and a private viewing for our blind daters at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) La Jolla, we’ll put Mr Wilde’s assertion to the test. Brooke and Alex are about to meet for the first time at Whisknladle, the celebrated gourmet bistro in downtown La Jolla. While Court’s preparing his sketchpad, let’s review the pre-date interviews.

Court Jones is a freelance illustrator whose caricature work has appeared in books, newspapers and magazines. He was named Caricaturist of the Year for 2005 by the International Society of Caricature Artists. He accepts private commissions and is also available to draw or paint live at events.

PacificSD: Where are you from and where do you live now?
ALEX: I’m from St. Louis, Missouri, and just moved to Del Mar six months ago.
BROOKE: I’m originally from Michigan, but have lived here for almost seven years. I love it here.

What do you do for a living?
ALEX: I’m a salesman—think plaid blazer and thick lenses.
BROOKE: I’m currently exploring different opportunities in my career. I was an office manager for a construction company for six years.

What do you do for fun?
ALEX: Almost any form of exercise, cocktailing, vlogging, laser tag and dance-offs. I can really have fun doing anything.
BROOKE: I love the arts and music. I also love hiking, cooking, gardening and yoga. I’m also a huge advocate on volunteering and giving back. I think volunteering can be one of the most selffulfilling things you can do, for fun.

What makes you a good catch?
ALEX: I’m fun, easy on the eyes, charming, will always have you laughing and I enjoy treating women like princesses.
BROOKE: I’m a down-to-earth girl with good values and like to have fun. I’m a nurturer by nature and love taking care of others. I’m independent, but caring, with a strong sense of who I am.

What are you looking for in a date?
ALEX: I love an outgoing, strong woman who can laugh at herself and smile a lot, someone who enjoys being with me, but has their own life. Physically, I love dark skin, light eyes and a lady that takes care of her body.
BROOKE: I’m pretty petite, so I appreciate some height in a man, but it’s not required. I would just say they have to be fit, well groomed, smell nice and dress with some sense of style. Personality-wise, I am looking for someone who has a great sense of humor and can be a little goofy but can also have serious, intellectual talks. I also like little tokens of affection, like holding hands when you walk down the street, the door being held open, et cetera.

Alex and Brooke having a blast and Whisknladle Bistro & Bar in La Jolla.

What is your biggest fear?
ALEX: Being eaten by a shark, which is why I admire the ocean from afar.
BROOKE: My latest thing is heights. Very odd, this fear came up after 32 years of not being afraid of them.

What’s your favorite thing about yourself?
ALEX: Always being able to put a smile on people’s faces.
BROOKE: I’m open-minded.

What do you like least about yourself?
ALEX: I’m a huge procrastinator. I hate that I always wait until the last minute.
BROOKE: I tend to procrastinate when making changes in my life. I mean, what am I waiting for? Change is good.

Blind daters Brooke and Alex have an eye-opening experience at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, La Jolla.

Alex and Brooke meet at Whisknladle, grab a table in the patio dining room and begin to get acquainted over glasses of wine and a decadent antipasto platter of olives, cheeses and housecured meats. As more wine arrives, they seem to be loosening up. Their conversation becomes more animated, and Court captures the moment.

After talking for about an hour, the daters depart Whisknladle for a private, after-hours tour of MCASD, La Jolla. The museum’s current installation, Mexico: Expected/Unexpected, features more than 100 works from one of Mexico’s most comprehensive contemporary art collections.

Laughing as they tiptoe through a maze of dried ginger husks suspended inches above the floor by strings attached to the ceiling, Brooke and Alex seem to be hitting it off. At times arm-in-arm, they stroll through the museum. When they receive a tip from their tour guide that four-letter words are hidden in a huge black and white mural, they work together to locate the would-be offensive gems.

In the next room, they fall in love…with a jackass.

Brooke takes a chance on romance, and a walk on the artistic side.

Nice Ass
And other works of art on display at MCASD

After walking through the museum for nearly an hour, Brooke and Jason head a few blocks north on Prospect Street for dinner at Nine/Ten, where celebrated chef Jason Knibb practices his art—fresh, seasonal cuisine, which Zagat classifies as “extraordinary to perfection.”

The daters sit by the bar and sip innovative cocktails created by resident mixologist, Sarah Lemke, and are then split for middate
debriefings.

PacificSD: How’s it going so far?
ALEX: Good times. She’s very cute, energetic and bubbly. Maybe she used to cheerlead. I feel like she’s a top-of-the-pyramid kind of girl. She’s tiny.
BROOKE: I’m having a really good time. He’s really energetic. He’s a handful, but I really like that, because he’s outgoing and he’s confident, and sometimes I’m shy.

How was Whisknladle?
ALEX: That’s a cool spot; I liked the atmosphere. The antipasto that we shared was really good. I enjoyed the meats, the salamis. I had a house merlot; it was good. I’m a wine guy—I don’t know sh!t about wine, but I like the taste.
BROOKE: I loved our cheese plate. It was amazing. It had a lot of different cheeses and the taste was great. The service was great, and the overall atmosphere was really good, too. It was very warm, very rustic, and it had really good lighting. It was a really good place to have a date.

Brooke and Alex enjoying drinks at Nine/Ten Restaurant & Bar in La Jolla.

What did you think of MCASD?
ALEX: Very cool. I’m not like a huge art guy, but it was definitely interesting. The big wall with the filthy words on it—very cool. There’s nothing better than a first date when your date says the word “c—” and “bitch,” ‘cause it’s written on the wall. Can you put that in the magazine? “C—” and “bitch”?
BROOKE: I thought it was great. I wish I could have stayed there longer, because I love looking at art. I love interpreting it.

What’s the most attractive thing your date has done so far?
ALEX: She’s touchy-feely, dude—grabbing, holding hands, that stuff. We took pictures of me holding her. That was funny.
BROOKE: In the museum, he really appreciated the drum display. He really kind of took a minute to talk about it and to explain it…and he wasn’t joking. He was a little bit more serious and I really appreciated that.

Is this the type of person you would normally date?
ALEX: I normally like brunettes with dark skin, and taller, but she’s refreshing—refreshingly different.
BROOKE: He is, but he’s the kind of guy where I would like to have a second or third date to really reach a different kind of level with him.

Do you want to kiss your date now?
ALEX: Sure, why not? I’m a guy, dude.
BROOKE: I don’t think I’m ready to kiss him now. Maybe after dinner and talking I’ll feel like kissing him.

Does your date want to kiss you?
ALEX: Duh, winning!
BROOKE: I’m just going to go ahead and say probably not, but that’s just because he hasn’t really taken the initiative to hold my hand or do anything like that.

Rate your date on a scale from one to 10 for looks.
ALEX: Let’s go with an eight.
BROOKE: I’d say, like an eight. He’s attractive and really good looking, good dresser, well groomed, great eyes, great smile.

Artful cuisine arrives at Nine/Ten.

How about for personality?
ALEX: We’ll do an eight again. No, let’s do a nine.
BROOKE: I’d probably say a seven. I’ve yet to have dinner with him, so we’ll see if maybe it can turn into an eight.

Sweet Sixteen
Two “eights” dine at Nine/Ten

As their entrees arrive, the daters are finally left alone to enjoy their evening without a photographer or caricaturist documenting their every move. We call the next morning to see what we missed.

PacificSD: Overall, how was the date?
ALEX: Overall, I’d say I had a good time, plenty of laughs and good conversations.
BROOKE: It was a great date. I had a blast. I really enjoyed the combination of the museum with food and cocktails.

How was Nine/Ten?
ALEX: Nine/Ten was good stuff. We chatted about everything, from family to work. She did, however, make me share the booth with her. I always hate on couples that do that at restaurants.
BROOKE: He really began to open up a little more during dinner and I felt I got more of a sense of who he was. We talked about family and some other more personal things.

Nine/Ten's steak entree, served with roasted cauliflower, pickled carrots and toasted couscous.

What did you eat and drink?
ALEX: My pork belly appetizer was incredible—actually had a chance to compliment the chef—and our mixologist put together an incredible cocktail. I forgot the name of it, but it had blueberries and eucalyptus in it. Super refreshing.
BROOKE: They started us off with these amazing gin cocktail concoctions. One was made with eucalyptus. It was delicious and refreshing. I’m not much of a gin girl, but that cocktail wasamazing.

What was the best part of the date?
ALEX: That’s tough, since the experience was all great, nightcap included.
BROOKE: I really enjoyed the museum. Alex had a lot to say about the different pieces; I liked hearing his input. I especially liked the burro—was kind of an eerie yet fascinating, rather odd piece. And I really loved the drum display. I loved how it was suspended in the air, much like the notion of how sound is. It took an idea and placed it into something tangible.

What was the worst part?
ALEX: Sitting next to each other in a booth at Nine/Ten—just not my thing.
BROOKE: The beginning was a little awkward. It was good conversation, but there was a sense of nervousness on both sides.

What happened after the magazine crew left?
ALEX: We had a cocktail or two at The Spot, then finished our evening at a friend of mine’s house party in La Jolla. That’s all the info I’ll share.
BROOKE: We decided to go to another venue and have some drinks. I think at this point he accepted the fact that I like to sit on the same side of the booth together. So we sat on the same side, laughing and continuing to have fun.

Was there a romantic connection?
ALEX: Wouldn’t call it romantic, but we know how each other’s lips taste. No Disney endings, but we did some kissing and maybe some
seventh-grade groping.
BROOKE: We definitely connected. I’m not sure if it will transpire into another date, but I would like to see him again. There was a romantic moment or two. It was really cute, actually. I usually don’t kiss and tell, but—yes, we shared a smooch.

Will there be a second date?
ALEX: You never know.
BROOKE: I would like to see what would happen on a second date. But I’m a girl who believes in chivalry and courting, so he will have to ask me.

It can be difficult to find the right words to express your feelings on a first date. Brooke and Alex get a helping hand from this exhibit at the MCASD, La Jolla.

Picture this: Like a piece of art, a date is subject to conflicting interpretations. Regarding his connection with Brooke, for example, Alex
“wouldn’t call it romantic.” Brooke, however, said, “There was a romantic moment or two.”

In the end, the couple managed to find common ground, sharing an appreciation not only for art, but also for enjoying a spectrum of
culinary flavors on their palates.

The moral of the story: In dating, as in art, there are different strokes for different folks (insert seventh-grade-groping joke here).

THANK YOU!
Whisknladle Bistro & Bar, 1044 Wall Stree t, La Jolla,  858.551.7575, whisknladle.com
MCASD La Jolla, 700 Prospect Street, La Jolla,  858.454.3541, mcasd.org 
Nine/Ten Restaurant & Bar, 910 Prospect Stree t, La Jolla,  858.964.5400, nine-ten.com