The Best Ideas for Singles Travel

May 30, 2009 15 Comments »

Being single in a city can get lonely but being single in the world is a whole different story. Especially for those singles in New York, Toronto, and other overflowing metropolises, getting out for a while can be incredibly freeing and rejuvenating all at once. The question is then, where are the best places to go?

Well, it’s a big world and sometimes it’s just best to decide by throwing a dart at the map, though for a lot of people this will severely damage their computer screen. Still, this is great if the goal is to see the world. If the goal is to go places where single men and women can live it up then it’s best to make an informed decision.

Las Vegas – Let’s get this one out of the way. It’s one of those no brainers, but that’s no reason to keep it off the list. Vegas is a beacon for singles of all shapes and sizes, meaning it’s a city packed full of people looking for the same good time you are. You can take in some of the world’s best entertainment, you can gamble until your adrenaline overflows, and you hit the blackjack table and cheer on the one who you’re sure has been making eyes at you.

Amsterdam – This is one of those unique cities that seem to wear a mask half the time. It’s culturally rich, giving you the chance to take in gorgeous sights and wonderful museums as well as stand on some truly historic places. Then when the sun goes down you can experience a nightlife that’s probably unparalleled anywhere else. For instance, have you ever actually seen a live sex show-not counting the time your college roommate left the door open?

Rome – Aside from being a place full of history and the kind of sights you’ve probably always dreamt of seeing, it’s also the kind of place that just breathes romance. Going to Rome with that special someone can be great, but going to find that special someone can be a pretty good deal as well. Chances are, any other singles you meet will be thriving off the same romantic buzz you are.

Hit an ocean – Any particular ocean? No, you choose. But cruises have already established themselves as top vacation choices and while they used to be built for couples and families, it’s now almost expected to find a thriving singles scene on board. It’s the kind of trip where the vacation is mostly planned out for you and all you have to do is enjoy it. To make it even easier to meet people you can even just take off onto a singles cruise.

Go where you’re unique – Okay, so this one is even vaguer than pick an ocean. The idea though is to pick a city that isn’t built for tourists. In a tourist hotspot you can have the time of your life, but if you go to a foreign city that isn’t known to tourists you get to not only experience a new culture in the best of ways, but the locals will show that much more interest in you. Just smile your best smile and find yourself someone nice to take you around town.

Have you experienced any trips like these while single, or do you have some other ideas to suggest? Share your thoughts with everyone else through our comments section.

Good Cooking Habits for Singles

May 29, 2009 5 Comments »

When you’re single and living alone, it isn’t always easy to find the motivation to prepare a proper meal. Single men and women will often end up getting takeout or just microwaving themselves a frozen dinner whenever they feel like it. Actually taking the time to prepare a meal doesn’t happen as often, mainly because it’s hard to find the motivation to cook a large dinner when no one else will be eating.

There are a few downsides to this. One is the fact that the takeout and microwave meal diets don’t usually lean towards good health. The second is that both of those take their toll on the wallet in a very short period of time.

Now, there are ways to work around some of these problems. For instance, you can just invite people over to eat every night if that inspires you to cook, but that won’t exactly save money. Or you could keep telling your friends how much you miss home cooked meals until they start inviting you over every night. If neither of those things sounds all that practical then keep reading, there are some better suggestions below.

Shop in bulk – This is a great place to start. A lot of single people—okay, who are we kidding? A lot of single men tend to avoid a lot of healthier choices because it always looks like the food they should buy will end up going to waste. When you buy in bulk you can take only what you need, when you need it. That and it’s quite often cheaper pound for pound.

Choose easily adaptable recipes – And by recipes we mean styles of cooking that don’t really need recipes. Things like stir fries, for instance, are great for this sort of thing. It’s a quick and simple to make meal and you can throw in whatever you feel like at the time. This is a good way to eat the right foods without having to think too much.

Cook too much – Okay, first eat all of the TV dinners that are clogging up your precious freezer space. Done? Great. Now, while you digest that, cook yourself a really big meal as though you’re feeding those friends you didn’t bother inviting over. Make your favourite kind of chicken or spaghetti sauce. When it’s done, freeze whatever you don’t eat right away. Then you’ll have good food ready for you whenever you need it.

Make too much salad – Much like the previous suggestion, making salad is a great way of staying healthy. Making too much salad is a great way of being healthy on the following day as well. Basically, it’s easier to keep going back to the same great salad you made on Monday rather than having to make new side dishes every day of the week.

Invest in the right tools – Now that you are adapting your single life, take that money you’re saving from all those takeout meals and buy yourself some toys. How about a blender or a nice easy to use countertop grill? At first these will be great motivators to cook because everyone likes using their new toys, but once you’re in the habit they’ll simply be handy ways of easily making new creations.

Another idea is to move in with a roommate, if you don’t already. Then you can have a system in which you share the meal making burden. Of course, there are some downsides to this, like having a roommate, but the option is always there.

If you have some thoughts to share on this please add some comments. Any other suggestions for making it easier for singles to get good single habits are welcome, too.

Fun Things to Do By Yourself

May 28, 2009 13 Comments »

Sometimes the best part about single life is being alone, but as funny as it may sound, it’s not always easy to think of things to do. Usually alone time is just spent sitting in front of the television, chatting on the phone, or reading blogs online. At other times you’re either sleeping or trying to figure out how to get a friend or date to entertain you for a while.

Well, whether you’re a single man or a single woman, part of your healthy lifestyle is knowing how to get out and find some fun that’s all your own. This is all about the all important you time. Now, it’s a big world so there’s got to be thousands of things you can do, but it’s a small blog so here are just a few of them.

Sit around and do nothing – Just getting this out of the way before someone writes in complaining that doing nothing is their favourite pastime. And yes, it can be great.

Go explore your city – Take a walk outside and rediscover your city. Have you even taken a good look at your own neighbourhood lately? If the last time you said “Hey, when did they open that store?” garnered the reply “Three years ago,” then you might just be due for a little stroll. Here’s a tip: Look up. Seriously though. Whether you’re in Toronto, New York, Vancouver, or any other city in this world, it will always look different if you start looking up once in a while.

Take in a movie – Going to a movie alone can be a nice soothing experience. You get to go to see what you want, and you can relax while you do it. When you go to movies on dates then you’re probably used to looking beside you every few minutes to see if your date is smiling or laughing or whatnot. When you’re alone you can simply enjoy the movie.

Go to an art museum – Friends and dates just distract you when they join you at the museum, especially when they ask you when Picasso painted that particular Van Gogh, or whether Warhol has anything new coming out soon. When you go to an art museum by yourself it can be all about the art. Oh, and if you study up on a few exhibits while you’re there, you can look really smart next time you go back with a date.

Have an expensive meal – Are you used to going to restaurants with dates and having to pay? Skip the date this week and go to an even nicer restaurant alone. Invest what you’d have spent on your date and treat yourself to a meal that’s twice what you’d normally spend. If you like it then don’t date for a while and get an even more expensive meal. Well, no, that’s a little too far.

Play a solo sport – Play some squash by yourself, shoot some pool alone or enter a few insinuative names into to bowling ally’s scoring computer and play all the parts yourself. Sometimes these things can be great stress relief, but other times it will just be plain fun. You may even enjoy them more than you normally would because there’s no one to lose to.

So what else is there to do alone? Do you have any favourite pastimes that you do by yourself, or does your city offer anything special that people enjoy alone? Feel free to share your thoughts with the rest of us through our comments section.

Signs You Need to Take a Break From Dating

May 27, 2009 No Comments »

Sometimes the dating life just needs to go on hold. Taking a break can be good for the psyche, help you take stock of what’s been going right or going wrong, or help you sort out some of life’s problems that dating is shielding but not curing. Other times the break is important just because you’re dating far too much for your own good. Below are five of the key signs you need to give your dating life a rest.

Confusing and forgetting – If you end a date with “Goodnight John… sorry, Andrew-Andy-Anthony…” you might be having some problems, especially if your date was with George. Maybe it’s other details that you’re confusing. For instance, asking the plumber how his law practice is going, or asking the mother of three if she ever wants kids are signs that you have too much on many holes on your dance card.

Same type, same results – Dating the same type of guy or girl consistently isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if it always ends with heartbreak or restraining orders assume Cupid is sending you a sign. Step back. Take a rest. Access the situation. Figure out what you want, what’s been going wrong and what you need to do to get it right.

Trust is impossible – A clear sign of having been hurt too much is not being able to trust anyone you date. Lack of trust and cynicism are lousy ingredients for relationship building, and those issues won’t go away on their own, nor will they go away by simply dating countless new people.

You’re not over your ex – “You ski? So did Veronica…” “Oh, Veronica loved that song too…” Here’s another one of those things that can’t always dealt with by simply moving on. If you find that you’ve gone on a few good dates with a few good people, yet you can’t seem to get you-know-who out of your head, you should try confronting that issue on your own.

You’re in love with someone else – So that woman you always “accidently” bump into in the elevator still doesn’t know you’re alive, or Mr. Right is still flaunting the fact that he’s got a Misses. We’ve all been on dates with people suffering from someone-else-syndrome, and surely no one wants to be that person themselves. If you have some other unrequited love and it keeps getting in your way, you’re going to have to confront that or you may wind up facing a long series of dead ends.

These so-called problems don’t definitively require a dating break. They’re merely signs to look out for, and if the whole dating thing doesn’t seem to be going your way and any of these signs start flashing at you in bright neon, you may want to pay attention. That’s all. If you have any suggestions of other signs like these to watch out for, leave a comment so everyone can take note.

Cheap Dates

May 25, 2009 6 Comments »

What’s worse: not being able to get a date, or having so many dates you have to take out a line of credit just to be able to pay for them? Single life just isn’t easy. Well, if you’re fortunate enough to be suffering from the second problem and not the first, this article is meant to help you out. It includes some good date ideas that will drive home an important message: dating doesn’t have to be expensive.

The coffee shop date – This is obvious and lacks creativity, sure. But if it wasn’t here the list would come across as ignorant. That said, if coffee dates are your thing, it’s good advice to try somewhere other than Starbucks. Find a nice no-name place so you look like you put some thought into it.

Be a tourist – If you’re living your single life in a history rich city like Philadelphia or Montreal you should give this a try even if it’s not for a date. But no matter where you live, going around and playing tourist is a great way to spend time with someone, discover new things, and find lots of conversation. All you need to do is find a nice area of town and walk around.

Free night at the ? ? ? – Try taking your night to free night at the… well, anywhere. In Toronto for instance, the Art Gallery of Ontario has a no charge night every Wednesday. Going somewhere like that doesn’t have to make you look cheap either. After all, you’re not going there because it’s free, you just hadn’t thought of going until you noticed the ad. Right?

Make dinner together – Not a first date, sure. Unless you’re lucky. Either way, making dinner with someone can be a whole fun filled night. Seriously. Start by choosing a menu together and then going to the grocery store. From there it’s back to your place where you both prove to each other why ordering pizza would have been smarter, and then have a few laughs about it.

Volunteer – Here’s the thing, doing nothing but coffee dates gets boring and makes a relationship get dull fast. But so long as something unique and original preceded that coffee, things will always seem fresh and new. That’s why this idea works so well for relationships and even first dates. Invite someone out to help out at a charity function where you’ll experience something new, and then go out so you can be alone together. It’s perfect. Oh, and you also get to give back to your fellow man, etc etc…

Two words: poetry reading – Movies are expensive and most live entertainment is just through the roof costly. Poetry readings, however, are as cheap as live entertainment gets. Even if poetry isn’t your thing, it gives you the chance to come across as more cultured and it livens up what would otherwise be a normal night at a bar or, that’s right, a coffee shop.

The list of cheap date ideas just keeps going, but not here; more ideas will be saved for another article, but in the meantime feel free to pass on some of your suggestions and experiences through our comments section.