It snowed here in NYC on the first day of spring.  Not a good snow, just some flurries.  But now it’s just a few days later and spring is in the air.  I’m so happy about that.  I want to spend more time outdoors.

I love outdoor dates. I like walking in the park (Riverside, Central, Hudson River, Prospect – I’m not picky, name your park) with a date and just talking or meeting at an outdoor cafe for coffee or brunch or cocktails.

There are a lot of fabulous outdoor bars in Manhattan.  I used to be partial to the Pen-Top at the Penisula Hotel (it was the un-hotel bar) but that’s closed now.  I’m not sure I want to try the place they replaced it with.  This just seems to be one of those cases where they made a change for changes sake.  I also like The Park, down on 10th Ave, but that can be a bit of a zoo on hot summer nights.  I like it best in the spring and the autumn, just when it’s starting to get nice enough to be out.  And, of course, there’s the rooftop of the Met.  That’ll always be one of my favorite date spots.  Talk about a view!

If I were a guy, I’d really push for outdoor dates in the warm weather.  The way I see it, seeing a chick in bright sunlight is the closest you’re going to get to seeing what she looks like when she wakes up in the morning until you’re lucky enough to get to sleep with her.

I don’t know why, but there are still men who think trendy hotel bars are good places for dates. Why oh why? There is nothing a guy can do to turn me off more than asking me to meet him at the W (any of the Ws) or the Mercer or the Hudson or Ava or any of the places that were hot 5-10 years ago or are still semi-hip now.

Boring. They’re all generic, overpriced, soul-less, loud and kind of pathetic places.

Picking one of these tells me that you are A)Trying to impress me with the fact that you can afford to spend that much money on drinks (sorry, not impressed). B)You have no imagination and probably don’t get out much, because you have don’t have any better ideas. C)You’re also probably insecure. You are sticking with a brand name and there’s a certain security to that.

Here’s my caveat regarding hotel bars. There are some old, classic hotel bars that are wonderful places for dates. I adore the Algonquin, for example.

I don’t know why, but there are still men who think trendy hotel bars are good places for dates. Why oh why? There is nothing a guy can do to turn me off more than asking me to meet him at the W (any of the Ws) or the Mercer or the Hudson or Ava or any of the places that were hot 5-10 years ago or are still semi-hip now.

Boring. They’re all generic, overpriced, soul-less, loud and kind of pathetic places.

Picking one of these tells me that you are A)Trying to impress me with the fact that you can afford to spend that much money on drinks (sorry, not impressed). B)You have no imagination and probably don’t get out much, because you have don’t have any better ideas. C)You’re also probably insecure. You are sticking with a brand name and there’s a certain security to that.

Here’s my caveat regarding hotel bars. There are some old, classic hotel bars that are wonderful places for dates. I adore the Algonquin, for example.