Posts filed under ‘Dating Advice’
10 Cooking Tips on Making Christmas Dinner
Christmas dinner is one of the most romantic meals of the year. We want you to make the most of it! That’s why Zoosk went to Max Clark of the Leiths School of Cooking to get his top tips for avoiding Christmas cooking calamities and impressing your guests (and your sweetheart). Here’s the summary:
1. Impress your guests with decadent champagne or prosecco cocktails.
2. Serve toasted panettone with the cocktails.
3. Keep the starters and appetizers simple.
4. Try some different poultry for a change, like quail.
5. Serve the quail with glazed cocktail sausages, bacon rolls, and individual Christmas cakes.
6. Don’t forget your leafy greens.
7. Jazz up the cranberry sauce with orange zest and port.
8. Make your own bread sauce on Christmas Eve.
9. Make sure you have the gravy situation covered.
10. Try something simple like a clementine compote instead of a Christmas pudding.
Want more insight on the menu? The full article, with recipe how-tos, can be read at the Daily Mail.
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5 Simple Tips on Impressing the In-Laws this Christmas
Impressing the in-laws is a challenge many couples face during the festive season. But don’t let it stress you out too much. Zoosk teamed up with relationship coach Jo Hemmings to come up with these 5 simple tips on leaving a good impression with your sweetheart’s parents. Here’s a summary:
1. Don’t strive for perfection. Stress can rub off on others. Remember that the holidays are a time to have fun.
2. Be prepared. Preparation is key to avoiding anxiety over last minute unexpected situations.
3. Make love, not war. When it comes to your sweetie’s parents, it’s not your place to get involved in family disputes.
4. Keep calm and cook on. Help out with the Christmas cooking if you’re staying with the parents.
5. Be inclusive, not exclusive. Make your in-laws feel like they are a part of your life and you will be a greater part of theirs.
To read about these tips from Jo Hemmings more in-depth, head over to her FemaleFirst article here. Happy Zoosking!
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5 date ideas for inspiration
by Jimi Alfaro
Looking for some fun and memorable first date ideas? Try these.
- A chef-led cooking class. Typically a delicious 3-5 course meal, there’s plenty of time to get to know the other person and discover how compatible you are (whether you’re in the kitchen or not).
- Piano bars. The dueling kind. Not as embarrassing as karaoke but just as fun and inviting for anyone. Make sure you have enough bills to nix any songs on your date’s do-not-play list.
- A variety show. Look for live shows in your area that have many different acts. Think: America’s Got Talent or Cirque du Soleil, any impressive feat onstage is sure to impress your date.
- Amusement park. Even if your date doesn’t like the rides, today’s parks offer many other entertainments, like games, live and taped shows, food and drink, and landscaped paths to wander and people watch.
- An aquarium. Aquariums are typically very beautiful and offer a lot for your first conversation. Just make sure you pick a time where it won’t too crowded so you can leisurely stroll through and admire the sights.
Whatever you choose for your first date, make sure there’s enough peace for conversation but enough distraction so you don’t feel the need to talk incessantly. AND HAVE FUN!!
Photo via Flickr. License: Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike.
About the author: Jimi works at Zoosk as a Recruiter. He’s a Bay Area sports fan, talent scout and resume wrangler.
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Ten tips on keeping the romance alive on a budget this month
Christmas and the festive period makes December an expensive time of year for couples and singles alike. But that shouldn’t mean that your relationship needs to suffer. Couples can still celebrate romance this winter without breaking the bank. Zoosk teamed up with the publication Female First as well as Sarah Willingham of the website Let’s Save Some Money to come up with these 10 wallet saving activities for couples to do in order to celebrate love within their budget:
- Make an iTunes playlist
- Write a love note
- Have a cozy indoor picnic
- Read the Sunday papers together
- Make a scrapbook of your photos together
- If you go on holiday, try doing a home swap
- Cook together from scratch
- Watch a classic romance movie
- Hang mistletoe over your doorways
- Use one of the many popular deal sites to have a night away
Read the full article over at FemaleFirst to get a more in-depth take on these wallet-friendly and relationship-friendly tips! Happy Zoosking!
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Could gaming be a fun date night?
by Jimi Alfaro
When dating and trying to keep the spice going but you want to get your gaming in you normally have to choose one. And that choice is normally the gamer in me not getting to blow stuff up. Well one option is to date a fellow gamer. Then both of you will be excited to get some quality gaming in.
Now the next problem is on finding games that both of you are into. I ran into this situation. For me I had to give up some childish games. No more Rumble Roses at night. =P No more Allan Wake. I started looking for games that allowed both of us to play. Most games I found used spit screen or had one at a time game play. I needed to find out what games could get us laughing and enjoying but at the same time keep us challenged.
Not all games are great for couples. Over the past few years I’ve found that Mario Kart satisfies our driving, speed and smack talking needs. Halo and Gears of War satisfy our shooting evil needs and believe it or not but playing TV game show games have been great. We’ve had so much fun playing the Price is Right, Family Feud, Monopoly, UNO and even Press Your Luck.
So can gaming be a fun stay in date night for him and her. Yes indeed. Go to a GameStop and browse the games. Ask someone to recommend two person videos games. Maybe they will even let you play then to see if you like the game play. Get your game back on. You know it’s good for you!
About the author: Jimi works at Zoosk as a Recruiter. He’s a Bay Area sports fan, talent scout and resume wrangler.
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Cloud Atlas – date night movie? I say yes!
by Jimi Alfaro
I went on a date the other day to see Cloud Atlas. This move was visually stunning and very complex. The good thing was that the movie has been out for a few weeks so the theater was not full. I would recommend this setting. The movie can be hard to follow. It jumps around from time line to time line. We had a great time whispering to each other about what was happening and where we got lost. In many ways we had a team building exercise. We helped each other stat up to speed with what was happening in the movie. Some good action, romance and adventure parts of the movie. We shared popcorn and snuck in an adult beverage. We had such a good time. After we went to a bar, ordered a drink and tried to figure out what we just saw. Nice relaxed date night. For me I feel like we got to know each other much better. The movie got us talking and laughing at it’s complexity. I think next movie date night we’ll shoot for something easier to follow like Wreck it Ralph.
About the author: Jimi is works at Zoosk as a Recruiter. He’s a Bay Area sports fan, talent scout and resume wrangler.
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How to talk to girls – from a girl’s point of view
by Karen and Jimi Alfaro
As a girl, I can see how difficult it can be for a guy to approach a girl in a public setting. But then again, it’s just as difficult for a girl to approach a guy. But that’s a separate blog post….
Guys, there are things that you should do, and things that you shouldn’t do. But how are you supposed to know the difference? Here are 3 pieces of advice that you can have confidence in:
1. Do approach a group of three or more girls. Believe it or not, they’re your best bet. Why? Because when you strike up a conversation with a group of girls, you have cast a wider net and your chances are greater that you’ll hit it off with one of them. And when you do, you can focus your attention on her and not have to entertain her companions with conversation (like you would if there were only two girls). Her friends will entertain themselves probably by giggling about the two of you.
2. Be lighthearted, be confident, and be nice. I know there’s contention here that “nice guys finish last”, but I’d rather talk to a guy who smiles and is nice to me than a guy who’s being a jerk.
3. Don’t bring a girl to be your wingman unless she’s your sister. Having a female friend as your wingman doesn’t increase your chances no matter how much she talks you up. We’ll always wonder what’s so wrong with you that she won’t date you.
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Thoughts on Dinner Dates
by Loris Zuchetti
When going on a date with someone for the first time, it is always a good idea to start light and casual. You want to get to know each other, have fun and be safe. Amidst all the possible public places, the first thing that often comes to mind is to meet for dinner at a restaurant. Safe? Check. Have fun and get to know each other? Not so much. Why?
First, dinner puts a lot of pressure on your conversational skills, since there is no major external source of entertainment. Why make it more difficult for yourself? Also, dinner is a clichéd date. You’ve both been on several dinner dates with other people. If you’re a man, right away you are conveying that you are “conventional,” and “just another guy.” It won’t kill you, but it definitely doesn’t help you.
Thirdly, at dinner you’re often sitting across a table from each other. That table is both a physical and an emotional barrier. I’m not suggesting you should physically escalate in public. I’m saying that proximity is key to set a romantic frame with the other person. Give Cupid some room to shoot his arrows.
Lastly, not all first dates are with Mr. or Mrs. Right. I’m sure you’ve been on an awkward first date before, haven’t you? You were probably thinking of a lame excuse to bail – “My cat is not feeling well” and the like. If you’re sitting at a dinner table, it is harder and pretty awkward to get up and leave than if you’re just having a drink at a bar.
But if dinner dates are so detrimental to your love life, where else should you go? Allow me to suggest some alternatives.
1. Go somewhere you can have a laugh. In my opinion, comedy shows are an excellent choice. Laughter is aphrodisiac, contagious and rejuvenating.
2. Try something cultural. I would also recommend live music shows, museums, galleries, and the beach whenever possible. These, rather than mere locations, are actual activities that you’re doing together and allow you both to quickly assess if there’s chemistry and potential for a relationship.
3. Go for a friendly drink. If you’re not the outdoorsy or the adventurous type, I’d suggest happy hour. Sit next to each other at a counter, where verbal communication is easy, the context is light and casual, and yes, the bill is generally cheaper than a full dinner.
You can’t go wrong with a well thought out date along the lines of the above. If you’re unsure about how you feel, save the high pressure dinner dates for later down the road, when you know your partner better and you both have something to celebrate.
About the author: Loris is the Country Manager for Zoosk Italy. He enjoys working out and going to live shows.
Photo via Flickr. Creative Commons License, Attribution ShareAlike.
You’re sexy and you know it
by Jimi Alfaro
Often when in a long term relationship it’s easy to get a little lazy with your appearance. We like to dress up and look sexy during the honeymoon phase. We wear our designer or hip clothing that makes us feel confident to work. When we get home it’s easy to get into the habit of stripping down and putting on some much need comfy clothes. When both sides start getting into this routine the sexiness, the allure, the chivalry can slow down. The couple starts hanging out with each other rather then being together.
Depending on what you wear to class, the lame 9-5 or the air conditioned office it’s completely fair to want to get changed when you get home. Do get changed. Do get comfortable. But instead of getting into the comfortable cotton shorts, yoga pants or that perfect pair of worn in jeans that may or may not have a hole in it. Put on some nice weekend day clothing. Something you’d wear out to a nice bar for lunch or shopping in a nice shop. You can go as far as even organizing your closet accordingly. M-F day wear, M-F evening wear, going out/party wear, comfy wear. Though that might just be me being anal about closet organization.
The idea is to keep looking good for your partner. Keep yourself feeling confident and comfortable after a long day. While there will be plenty of nights that your yoga pants or cotton shorts will be a must have on. Try to keep this in mind. From time to time turn up your style at home. Dress up. Allure and arouse your partner. This well keep your eyes on each more then on the TV.
Photo via Flickr. Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs.
About the author: Jimi is works at Zoosk as a Recruiter. He’s a Bay Area sports fan, talent scout and resume wrangler.
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The Longest Relationship in the World
Zoosk got a chance to interview the longest lasting couple in the world – can you believe they’ve been together for 87 years?! – about their secrets to keeping their romance live. Check out our interview and story in the Daily Mail! We even presented them with a Zoosk Certificate of Achievement. Isn’t the photo adorable?
How long has your longest relationship lasted? What are your secrets for keeping the love alive? Share in the comments section below! (more…)
Zoosk has received heart-warming letters from couples from all over the world have found love on Zoosk. We are proud to share 
