• Guys: if you're going to ask a woman out on a date, have a plan. Women love that and women love confidence
  
• There are "speed dating" events around most cities. At a HurryDate party, for example, you'll meet 25 people in one night, spending only three minutes with each person.
  
• Don't try a radical new outfit on a first date. Wear something that makes you feel comfortable and reflects your own style.
  
• Instead of sitting in a dark movie theatre, try going to the zoo or on a boat ride. Be creative and do something that allows you have to fun. You want to be able to talk and get to know your date.
  
• Don't plan first dates on a Friday or Saturday. Weeknights are a little more casual. Or try meeting for drinks on a Sunday night.
  
• When you do meet for the date, give a firm handshake.
  
• It depends on your tolerance, but many experts agree that two drinks maximum on a first date is a good rule of thumb.
  
• Be positive! Don't complain about your boss or your noisy neighbors and do not talk about your ex.
  
• Dating etiquette used to hold that hot-button conversation topics should be avoided. These days, you should talk about politics and religion to find out whether you can talk about them with your date.
  
• Ask open-ended questions. Rather than saying, "Where are you from?" say, "Tell, me about the place where you grew up." That will keep the conversation flowing.
  
• Men, you should still open doors and pull out a chair for your date. These chivalrous things still make a good impression: Plan the date near her place, not yours. And most importantly, pick up the check.
  
• Don't make a second date while you're still on the first date.

Nancy Slotnick, Dating Coach
Cablight.com
nancy@cablight.com, www.cablight.com

HurryDate
New York City
212-871-6707
www.hurrydate.com

Drip Cafe
New York City
212-875-1032
www.drip.com
A general dating resource partnering with a number of sites, including www.cablight.com, www.hurrydate.com, www.clubgetaway.com, www.equinoxfitness.com and www.timeoutny.com.

Jamie Bufalino, "Get Naked" column
Time Out New York
475 Tenth Avenue, 12th floor
New York, NY 10018
646-432-3000
www.timeoutny.com
Bills itself as "the obsessive guide to compulsive entertainment"

The producers wish to thank:

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