Dinnerworks - Dating's Complicated, Dinnerworks doesn't have to be

Last minute men

2009-03-05T10:36:00.002-05:00

This is an open post, to all of you single men out there. My question is why do you always wait until the last minute to sign up for events?

See here at dinnerworks we strive for equal numbers at both our dinners and events, and well you gentlemen make our lives very stressful when you don't sign up until the very last minute.

So I ask the question, hoping that someone who reads this can tell us. Why everything must be so last minute?

New Menu! New Venue!

2009-03-05T10:32:00.004-05:00

Our March 18th Rotational Dinner will be held at Arrabiata, which is located at 692 Yonge st.

Here is the $40+taxes+ gratuity menu, this menu includes a house red/white wine or domestic beer.

ARRABIATA

Trattoria

APPETIZER

MINESTRONE SOUP

An Italian classic filled with vegetables and beans in a zesty tomato broth

CAESAR SALAD

Crisp romaine lettuce with herbed croutons tossed in a roasted garlic and caper dressing

BIATA SALAD

Organic spring mix tossed in a balsamic vinegar dressing

CAPRESE SALAD

Tomato, bocconcini cheese and basil drizzled with extra virgin olive oil

ENTREES

MASSA

Tortiglioni pasta, grilled chicken, mushroom and sun-dried tomatoes in a tomato cream sauce

MEDICI

Whole wheat penne pasta, grilled eggplant, grilled zucchini, tomato, spinach

and bocconcini in a garlic olive oil sauce

VITELLO MARSALA CON FUNGI

Veal medallions with an assortment of mushrooms in a marsala wine sauce

GRILLED ATLANTIC SALMON

Topped with lemon butter sauce

POLLO ALLA FUNGHI
Pan seared chicken breast with an assortment of fresh mushrooms in a marsala wine sauce

DESSERT

TIRAMISU

CHEESE CAKE

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

New venue!

2009-02-12T13:44:00.006-05:00

It is that time of year.... Valentines day is upon us. Dinnerworks is taking the post valentines route.

Come join dinnerworks and 25dates.com for out fabulous "Post Valentines" mix n mingle! Enjoy great food, great company and tasty cocktails. All at our new venue One Up Restaurant and Lounge. This is a completely private venue so you will not be allowed in if you are not on our list so be sure to RSVP!!!

When: Thursday February 19th, 2009

Where: One up Restaurant and Lounge

Address: 130 Dundas St West( Dundas at Bay)

Time: 7pm

Cost: $19.99+gst; Purchase Online

To RSVP email toronto@dinnerworks.ca or call 416.483.1312

Hope to see you there!!

Spice Room Menu for Signature Dinner on January 27th

2009-01-15T11:50:00.003-05:00

Rotational Menu for Caju

2009-01-14T11:30:00.001-05:00

Appetizer:

Salada de Palmito | Heart of Palm, with field mix, tomatoes and lemon cilantro dressing.

Sopa | Seasonal Soup.

Entrée - Choice Of:

Moqueca | Traditional Bahia stew, with fish, tomato and coconut milk broth, sweet peppers, onions and ginger, served with Basmati rice.

Frango ao Cajú | Cashew crusted roasted chicken breast, served with a potato galette.

Picanha | Grilled sirloin steak with cassava chips and pepper salsa vinaigrette.

Vegetarian Option Available

Dessert

Passion Fruit Mousse.

Dark chocolate square on a crunchy almond crust.

Veni Vidi Vici Rotational Menu

2009-01-13T12:31:00.002-05:00

$35 per person plus tax and gratuity

Appetizer

Platter of:

Calamari Fritti,

Vegetable spring rolls,

Bruschetta Tradizinale,

Asian Salad

Entrees

choice of:

Butternut Squash Agnalotti
Butternut squash stuffed pasta topped

with a Cognac cream sauce

Penne alla Vodka

Sautéed pancetta & onion in a

tomato cream sauce

Stuffed Breast of Chicken

Stuffed with brie cheese, served with basmati rice in a pesto cream sauce

Pan Seared Atlantic Salmon

pan seared salmon with a white wine lime

garlic sauce served with basmati rice

Veal Scaloppine

Served with a white wine & lemon butter sauce, roasted red potatoes & fresh vegetables

Dessert

Platters of:

Tiramisu, Banana Brulee,

Assorted cheese cakes, fruit skewers

Coffee / Tea

1 glass of red/white wine

per guest

First Wine Tasting of The Year!

2009-01-12T14:43:00.004-05:00

Come join the singles from dinnerworks and 25dates.com for this fantastic wine tasting!

Enjoy great wine, great cheese and great company!

When: Friday January 16th, 2009

Where: Private Residence in the Rosedale Area

Time: 7pm

Cost: $49.99+gst or $55 at the door; Purchase Online

To RSVP please email toronto@dinnerworks.ca or call 416.483.1312

Thanks!

The Dinnerworks Team

It's not about numbers!!!!!

2008-12-22T13:09:00.002-05:00

So other New Year's Eve parties are tooting that they will have hundreds, no, thousands of people. How can you possibly meet anyone that way? With so many people it will be hard to connect. The Dinnerworks philosophy is about quality not quantity. We might not have the biggest but we certainly have lots of fun at out events. In fact last year's New Year's Eve party at a private residence was so great we decided to do it again..

We are already 50% sold out so don't delay, it could be gone.

Add us on Facebook!

2008-12-16T13:32:00.002-05:00

Here at Dinnerworks we are always trying to keep you updated on our events and what we do.

Add us on facebook! Its just another way to stay up to date.

http://www.dinnerworks.ca/eventregister1.php?event_id=657&location_id=86&url_sex=

NewYear's Eve, closer to TTC, new venue!!!!!

2008-12-15T11:45:00.012-05:00

We have had an overwhelming response to our New Years Eve party, we are already at 50% of our capacity! Tickets are selling fast, you don't want to miss your opportunity to attend this amazing party.

We do have capacity for this event so hurry and get your ticket before its too late!

Where: In the Eglinton and Allen Area, very close to TTC, lots of parking near by

When: December 31st, 2008

Time: 8pm

Cost:$89+gst Purchase Online

What's included with the cost of your ticket

Appetizers all night
2 Drink Tickets
A DJ
All night dancing
Goodie Bags
A Black Jack Table
Dancing
A Champagne Toast at midnight
and much much more!

DATE

2008-12-10T13:08:00.007-05:00

What does the word date really mean? To most it is a dreaded 4 letter word and it really doesn't have to be. So I have dissected the word and here it is:

D is for Do it. Yes, just go out there and do things that can get you out meeting people. It doesn't matter if you meet that special someone it is all about meeting others that are also single and want to connect. You never know who you will meet and where it could lead. If you don't do something, nothing will happen. The best way to think of this is like those very expensive and provocative Lottery ads. "if you don't buy a ticket, you can't win". It's really the same with dating, if you don't get out there then it won't happen, so, just do it.

A is for Attitude. Have you heard this before. I am sure you have but it is so true. Go with the attitude that I am just going to have some fun. Fun, not meet the one. Get out and do something that you like and get together with other singles. Don't do things that are for couples, that doesn't make sense. Join something like Dinnerworks, which is a group dating situation and start trying things and go in with a positive attitude, Trust me, it is infectious. I have seen more people with a positive attitude meet someone than someone that comes in with the attitude that nothing works, and it's a waste of money and there is no one descent out there. Change your attitude and you will change your life.

T is for Take Action. Don't just sit there and say, I will do, Take action. Pick up the phone, go to the internet and sign up, do something. Don't just think about it, take action. That's the difference between thinking about it, saying you are going to do and doing it. There is no time like the present. There is a wonderful story about a woman I met recently who said she has been thinking about signing up for Dinnerworks for a long time. I said to her, why wait, there is so much fun stuff happening, sign up and start getting out there. Guess what, she took my advice and at the 2 dinners she went there were both men and women that she connected with. She took action and she is feeling really great about the process.

E is for Enjoy. Or E could be for Excited. Be excited about all this. This is your opportunity to meet people that are open and willing to meet other people that are willing to have some fun. Whether you are going to a Mix and Mingle or a wine tasting event, or a dinner, get out there and enjoy the evening. If you meet one woman or you meet one man that you connect with then you have done something great for your self. There are so many stories about people that have met their best friends at a Dinnerworks event. There are so many stories but let me share just one. Over a year ago there were 2 gentlemen that went to a Dinnerworks dinner, In addition to meeting some fabulous ladies they met each other and have become the best of friends. They would have never have met if it wasn't for this group dating situation so regardless of the outcome, there is always something positive that can come out of this.

So DATE doesn't have to be a four letter word, it could be the best thing that happens to you. Do it, have a great attitude, take action and be excited and enjoy the process. See you at the next Dinnerworks event.

Susan Kates

Holiday Mix n Mingle Round 2

2008-12-04T14:29:00.005-05:00

Come join the singles from dinnerworks for our 2nd Holiday Mix n Mingle, the 1st one had such a high demand that we added another!
This one is extra special, since it is the season for giving 1/2 of your ticket price will be donated to charity.
When: Wednesday December 17th

Where: The Keg at Yonge and Eglinton

Time: 7pm

Cost: 19.99+gst; Purchase Online

The last one we had over 100 people show up and was a really fun time. So come join us :)

Thanks!

The dinnerworks team

Food and Wine Expo

2008-11-26T12:37:00.008-05:00

Last weekend was the food and wine expo down at the convention centre. Dinnerworks and Foodea shared a booth.
It was a lot of fun, and we really enjoyed meeting everyone who stopped by(both new and old clients).
It was a really great to be part of such an amazing show! Check out the pictures.

What our Hostess are there for

2008-11-19T15:37:00.002-05:00

There seems to be some confusion lately about what our Hostess are there for at our events and dinners. We thought we would write a blog to clearly explain what their job description is for each event.

Signature Dinners- At our Signature dinners the Hostess is there to greet you as you come in, make sure you get your complimentary house wine or domestic beer and make some general introductions to the other guests already there. At our Signature Dinners the Hostess does not stay, she is there until everyone has arrived and is seated.

Rotational Dinners- The Hostess is there to do the same as a Signature Dinner however for this Dinner she says longer. At our Rotational Dinners they consist of more people and a 3 course Pre-Fixe menu, and after each course the gentlemen get up and switch tables. The Hostess is there to make sure that the Rotations run smoothly, she is only there until the last Rotation.

Mix n Mingles- The Hostess is there to take your name off the list and greet you. Then after about an hr of the Mix Mingle(Allowing everyone time to arrive) she will get everyones attention and start an ice breaker game. At then Mix n Mingles the Hostess stays a majority of the time, but does not stay until the very end. She is there to help facilitate mingling, and to answer any questions you may have.

Our Hostesses work hard to make sure your experience is special, Although our hostesses are happy to help make introductions and get you aquainted, you've taken the initiative to invest in yourself and come out to our events, and to that effect, we hope you'll feel ready to break the ice.

If you have any questions/problems/comments about our events or hostesses please feel free to contact us at the office and we would be more than happy to address your concerns.
416.483.1312

Thanks!

The Dinnerworks Team

Holida Mix n Mingle on November 27th

2008-11-13T12:24:00.000-05:00

Join the singles from dinnerworks and 25dates.com for the fantastic Holiday Mix n mingle! Enjoy good food, drinks and company.

When: Thursday November 27th

Time: 7:00pm

Location: The Keg Steakhouse and Bar( Yonge and Eglinton Location)

Address:2201 Yonge St.

Price:19.99+gst( includes appetizers)

To attend please RSVP to toronto@dinnerworks.ca or call us at 416.483.1312

Thanks!

The dinnerworks team

Meet the newest member of our team!

2008-11-13T12:13:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! Just wanted to get on the blog and say hi to everyone and introduce myself!

My name is Angie Cummings and I am the newest member of the Dinnerworks team. As Director of Customer Care, I will be helping getting you all signed up with the company, answering any questions you have, and just generally be here to take care of you!

I come to Dinnerworks with a background in the Hospitality Industry, having worked in luxury spas and hotels for the past few years. I absolutely love meeting new people, and look forward to the opportunity to meet you at upcoming events - like the Mix and Mingle on the 27th at the Keg!

If you have any questions, I'd, as always love to hear from you... And be sure to introduce yourself at our next event!

Wine tasting this Friday November 7th

2008-11-04T15:15:00.001-05:00

Join Todd Stewart and several other singles from Dinnerworks and 25dates.com, at Minto King West and enjoy great wine, food and company!

Todd Stewart, our wine expert just got back from Italy and will be sharing the wines he tasted while abroad.

Address: 755 King St West

Cost:$49+gst; price is all inclusive

This is among our most popular event, so hurry before this event is sold out!

Please email Toronto@dinnerworks.ca or call 416-483-1312 if you are interested in attending.

Thanks!

The Dinnerworks Team

Spooktacular Halloween Event!!

2008-10-28T11:58:00.002-04:00

Come join us this Thursday October 30th for our Spooktacular Halloween event! It's a night of dinner and murder mystery. Enjoy fabulous food and an entertaining show at Mysteriously Yours, on Yonge between Eglinton and Davisville.

Time: 7pm

Cost:$69.00+gst price does not include the cost of your meal, the meal is a $25 3 course pre-fixe menu; Purchase Online

Location: Mysteriously Yours

Email toronto@dinnerworks.ca or call 416.483.1312 and let us know you are interested in attending

*Dinnerworks does not guarantee equal numbers of men and women for this event*

Come join us for a fabulous evening!

2008-10-20T13:49:00.003-04:00

This Wednesday October 22nd at 7pm come join us for a fabulous evening of drinks, appetizers, and good company.

Where: Veni Vidi Vici

Address:650 College St

Price: 19.99+gst or $20 at the door- but please rsvp to put your name on the guest list if paying at the door.

It will be an amazing and fun night, and Rogers TV will be there to capture it all so don't forget to smile :)

Come join us! you won't regret it I promise ;) and in the Spirit of the upcoming fabulous holiday that is Halloween everyone will leave with a fun goodie bag!

The Dinnerworks Team!

Rogers TV Dating 201

2008-10-09T15:34:00.002-04:00

Hi Everyone!

So for those of you who participated in the past Rogers TV events listen up!

This Tuesday October 14th Dating 201 airs at 8:00pm on channel 10. The first segment they will be showing is the Food tasting we filmed at Marcket.

So set your tivos and pvrs and be sure to check it out.

Thanks!

The dinnerworks team

Last Nights Rotational Dinner at Amore

2008-10-09T14:39:00.003-04:00

Last nights Rotational Dinner at Amore Trattoria was a success! We have been receiving postive feedback all morning about how much fun everyone had.
Thank you to Amore and their great staff to helping us make this a successful Rotational Dinner.
Remember if you were at this dinner and there was someone special you want to get in contact with don't hesitate to email us, as part of our service we will pass along your contact information to someone you may have met at any dinner/event we put on.

Best,

The Dinnerworks Team

Oh So Cosmo!

2008-10-09T14:18:00.000-04:00

Did anyone happen to catch last nights episode of Oh So Cosmo, on Cosmo TV? Dinnerworks was featured with a very lovely segment.
Stay tuned to see the clip, as we will try our best to post it on the blog :)

What is foodea.com?

2008-10-07T16:05:00.004-04:00

Coming up on the 22nd of October we are hosting a mix n mingle that is sponsored by Foodea.com and filmed by Rogers TV, many of you may be wondering just what the heck is a foodea, so here is their mission statement.

"Foodea.com is a website that unites all around their innate passion for food. Foodea enables everyone to inspire and share food ideas with each other, all around the world. Currently, we are in an early stage of development. "

Foodea is a great site that allows users to upload and share their recipes, search for resataurants, share videos of users cooking their favorite dish, Share their cocktail recipes and much more. It really is a great site and extremely addicting once you have signed in.

I truly believe everyone at can/will love this site as much as we do.

Best,

The dinnerworks team

Check out this article in Forbes Magazine

2008-10-07T15:44:00.001-04:00

It's Not you, It's Me

Anna Vander Broek.

At our first meeting, my dating coach says he is going to teach me how to "date like a man."

I'm not sure I want the advice. I'm in my twenties, I think I'm pretty cool and I'm not tough on the eyes, either.

It all began during one of my routine lunchtime Web surfing sessions. I came across this book, Why Hasn't He Called? by Matt Titus. Hilarious, I thought to myself. Then I dropped some mustard on my keyboard and forgot about the whole thing. That is, until I went on a date with a guy and never heard back from him--and then the same with another guy and another.

Freshly single, I didn't know what was going on--and my girlfriends were just as clueless. So that night I waited until all my co-workers went home and, looking over my shoulder every few seconds, investigated the book I had dismissed weeks earlier.

Turns out the "not calling" issue is a national phenomenon. Even a national crisis! Women all over the country can't get a guy to follow through. But Matt Titus claims to have a cure for the American male's case of phoneaphobia, a disorder carried only in the Y chromosome.

I wind up on Titus' Web site. He turns out to be a dating professional, relationship coach, author and star of the Lifetime reality show Matched in Manhattan. I'm skeptical about the whole "dating coach" thing, but Matt's resume is pretty impressive, so I decide to give him a chance. (And my girlfriends dared me to do it--who says no to a dare?)

I meet Matt--a blonde, tan, great-looking guy with intimidating self confidence--for our first session in the lobby of the Hudson Hotel in Manhattan. I explain to him that although I'm great at meeting guys, I often seem to become their best friend and am eventually summoned by names like "dude," or "man."

Matt launches right away into a lesson that acting like a man and dating like a man are two very different things. Dating like a man, Matt says, will teach me to meet the type of guy I'm interested in and also make sure he calls.

Lesson one: Sex.

"Don't sleep with a man for 90 days," Matt orders.

Silence.

I laugh. "Oh, you mean nine," I say, smiling politely.

Matt's face grows stern. "90," he says.

This sounds a bit masochistic. But Matt insists men are hunters by nature, and the "game" is what keeps them coming back for more. Unlike women, he says, men's physical and emotional intimacy grows at different rates. You need to let them get emotionally attached then physically attached, if you want them to stick around. Dating like a man, he says, is understanding what a person wants and not giving it to him.

Perfect. Matt is teaching me to be a tease.

Lesson two: Compliment Men.

I'm definitely not the "OMG I love your hair, your suit and your watch" kind of girl. That behavior makes me feel desperate. But Matt says there is nothing wrong with being nice.

I take the claim as a challenge and poll my male friends afterward--they all agree with Matt. Even the most financially successful and good looking of the bunch love compliments and don't think they reek of desperation.

I relay my male friends' responses to Matt in our next session.

"Men are horrible at reading cues from women," he explains. "You have to throw your Manolo Blahnik at him to let him know you're staring."

Yes, my dating coach knows what Manolo Blahniks are. And he thinks he can teach a girl who recently complimented a guy on his "sweet Adidas Sambas" how to date like a man?

Lesson three: The Hit-and-Run Approach.

Matt explains that when guys see a girl they're interested in, they don't hang around too long--they leave an air of mystery. Women need to do this, too. It seems I use the "hit" approach, but I never run.

Matt says this is when I need to kick in my game. "You need to plant the seed for future correspondence," he says. "If you don't show all your cards at once, you'll keep them guessing."

I go home and brood over this conversation. What if I didn't hang around a guy once I gave him my number? What if I didn't sleep with him for 90 days? And what if he still liked me after all that? I would be engaging in the sort of game-playing-teasing behavior I've always criticized in other women. But I might also have a boyfriend, or at least a boy who is more than a friend.

I come back for our final session and throw my hands up in the air. "OK!" I say, exasperated. "Fine. Maybe I need to develop a bit of game." Matt smiles at me … and I'm pretty sure he winks.

Lesson four: Confidence.

Matt says I'm probably so concerned with not appearing desperate that I'm not clear about what I really want. He says I need to let down my guard. I need to know what I want, and I need to go out and get it. If a guy doesn't want me back, then I should just forget about him.

And that, I finally realize, is the point. If I have the confidence to waltz up to a man, drop him a compliment, give him my number and walk away, he's more likely to call. I've just shown him that I couldn't care less if he calls or not--it's his loss.

The next time I go out I try to put Matt's advice to the test.

And lo and behold, it works. Guys love it when you approach them, when you compliment them and when you give them your number. But just as I am contemplating what to do with my newfound power, the calls start coming in--and I don't want to go out with any of them. I was so focused on getting a guy to call me, I never thought about whether or not I wanted them to.

I'll probably accept a few dates, but I'm not worried about having to test that 90-day rule.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/2008/09/04/dating-coach-single-lifestyle-cx-singles08_avb_0904datingcoach.html

Rotational Dinner at Amore Prixe Fixe Menu for October 8th

2008-10-01T16:15:00.000-04:00

INSALATA:

- Spring green mix with, mango, brie cheese and walnuts in a raspberry dressing.

-Spring green mix, pinenuts, chevre , roasted red peppers served with balsamic dressing

-Fresh spring mix with provolone cheese, proscuitto and sliced tomato in a balsamic dressing.

and

ENTRÉE:

Pan-roasted Veal scaloppini with oyster mushroom and red peppers in a Madeira wine sauce, served with roasted potato

and vegetables

Baked breast of chicken with red peppers and snow peas, in a honey mustard cream sauce, served with roasted potato and vegetables

Stuffed Salmon with spinach and ricotta cheese, topped with lemon dill sauce. served with rice and vegetables.

Pan-fried eggplant topped with tomato sauce , mozzarella and parmesan . Served with spaghetti in tomato sauce

Risotto with Shrimp, jumbo scallop, mussels and plum tomato.

DESSERT:

BABY TRUFFLE CAKE: Flourless chocolate cake layered with creamy chocolate mousse, finished with a dusting of edible gold leaf

TIRAMISU:

AMORE

Trattoria

2425 YONGE STREET TORONTO, ONTARIO PHONE (416)322-6184

Pre-Fixe Menu for the October 23rd Supper Club @ Caju

2008-10-01T15:00:00.002-04:00

CAJÚ PRIX FIXE MENU

Appetizer:

Salada de Palmito | Heart of Palm, with field mix, tomatoes and lemon cilantro dressing.

Sopa | Seasonal Soup.

Entrée - Choice Of:

Moqueca | Traditional Bahia stew, with fish, tomato and coconut milk broth, sweet peppers, onions and ginger, served with Basmati rice.

Frango ao Cajú | Cashew crusted roasted chicken breast, served with a potato galette.

Picanha | Grilled sirloin steak with cassava chips and pepper salsa vinaigrette.

Vegetarian Option Available

Dessert

Passion Fruit Mousse.

Dark chocolate square on a crunchy almond crust.

$30.00 per person (taxes and gratuity extra)

Sounds Delicious I'm getting hungry just looking at it :) It's going to be a great event, the venue is really an amazing place.

SOLD OUT FOR THE LADIES?????

2008-10-01T11:35:00.002-04:00

As most of you may have noticed our dinners quickly sell out for the ladies. I know that many of you are concerned about this because you feel that they are always sold out, so you think to yourself how will I ever get to attend an event? Well we have a solution for you, We have a waiting list for ALL of our events. on Occasion we get last minute cancellations, leaving spots open for the women.
Another common question is why is it always sold out for the ladies, and never sold out for the men? This is easy to answer, because the men sign up at the last minute. The ladies are always sold out because they book well in advance, the men well they check their calendars see that they are open for dinner on that night and decide to sign up.

So next time you see **SOLD OUT FOR THE LADIES** on an event you would like to attend don't fret just call or email us and we will put you on the wait list. Because you never know someone may cancel and you may end up getting their spot :)

and please if you ever have any questions don't hesitate to call or email us. We are more than happy to help.

Rogers TV Events

2008-09-29T13:53:00.004-04:00

So as most of you may or may not have noticed, we have been doing a few events with Rogers TV over the past few weeks. There were some of you who I spoke with at last weeks Mix n Mingle who said that they did not sign up for some of those events with Rogers TV because they did not want to be on TV. And as we have a few more events coming up with them I just wanted to clarify something for you all, just because Rogers TV is going to be there does not mean that you will be filmed. You can still participate in these events and just opt out of the filming portion.
Also the people who have participated in the past events with Rogers have absolutely had a blast, and have told us that having the cameras around aren't as nerve wracking as they thought it would be.
The reason I write this is because Next month we are going to be hosting a mix n mingle that Rogers TV will be filming at, we do not want people to be discouraged when they find out Rogers is going to be there. Our last mix n mingle we had around 61 people show up, if we were filming then there is no way rogers would have been able to get EVERYONE on camera. Rogers is just there to see how our events work, and film a few interactions between people, you can completely 100% opt out of being filmed specifically at these events.

If anyone has any other questions regarding this please feel free to email us at toronto@dinnerworks.ca

I hope to see you all at our next Mix n Mingle with Rogers TV.

Check out this blurb in OK magazine about group dating

2008-09-29T13:40:00.004-04:00

Check out the number 1 way to find love in OK magazine, they mention our good friends over at 8at8 whose dinners are like our very own Dinnerworks Signature Dinners.

"#1 Eight is great. Unconventional daters may want to test-drive the Eight at Eight Dinner Club, where singles can mingle without stress. "Members meet in groups of four single men and four single women for an evening of stimulating conversation, good food and a chance to find romance," says company president Sarah Kathryn Smith. "The relaxed group setting relieves the pressure of one-on-one dates." Best of all: Eight at Eight boasts a track record of 100 marriages! Visit www.8at8.com to learn more"

Dinnerworks... the spice of life? Check out this article in the Star

2008-09-26T12:08:00.006-04:00

Dinnerworks. For dinnerworks proprietor Susan Kates, food is a fun way to approach matters of the heart. What could be more engaging, figures this food maven, than going out to a funky restaurant on Queen St. West and trying out new dishes while enjoying the company of like-minded singles?

"Our focus is on life enhancement and personal growth," says the ebullient Kates. "We organize four events a week — mostly dinners, but also occasional wine tastings, cooking classes and special trips."

Kates runs dinnerworks in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. She credits her Hungarian father — who had a store on Spadina, selling fabric and ladies' wear — with her entrepreneurial spirit and love of food.

"I was always cooking next to my Dad, he was a marvellous cook — old-style Hungarian soups, beet borscht, bean soup."

A graduate of the University of Waterloo in urban planning, Kates spent 10 years organizing special events for various shopping centre companies. She taught cooking, ran a small catering business and got involved with dinnerworks in 2001. When the owner wanted to sell, Kates bought the business in 2003. It's a great way, she says, to do "practice dating" without "getting stuck" with a stranger you're not interested in.

She cautions her clients: "Don't think that one dinner will be the answer to your dreams. You can arrive with such high expectations that you're unable to live in the moment. Leave your baggage at the door. It's the people who are open and optimistic who attract attention. Those who are jaded and depressed set up a self-fulfilling prophecy. Ultimately, it's all about how you feel about yourself."

Our very own Tod, from the Relationship challenge, will conduct a wine tasting at a dinnerworks cooking class on March 23. Be forewarned, all the women's spaces are taken; there's only room for men.

To read the full article click here http://www.heartscanada.com/article_choices.htm

Last Nights Autmn Mix n Mingle was a success

2008-09-25T16:11:00.003-04:00

Thanks to all who came out last night for our Autumn Mix n Mingle that we Co-hosted with 25dates.com! There were about 61 people who showed up, one of our biggest yet :) It was at Veni Vidi Vici, the venue was amazing big thanks to David and his staff for making everything run smoothly.

The Wall St Journal writes about Group Dating

2008-09-24T14:41:00.001-04:00

Even The Wall St Journal Knows that Group Dating is where it's at, Check out this article.

By HANNAH SELIGSON To the untrained eye and ear, the scene of young professionals sipping cocktails with a steady stream of popular music playing in the background seemed like a typical Thursday night at Forum, a trendy Union Square watering hole for those born around, say, 1983. The only clues that there could be something out of the ordinary taking place were a bright orange sign that said "Ignighter" and a large supply of blue drink tickets that were cycling through the crowd. No, this wasn't a corporate morale booster, an alumni gathering or a charity event. It was a group date.

Group-dating -- think of it as double-dating on steroids or as Facebook in the flesh -- is making a noticeable blip on the dating radar, as a younger generation turns away from such courtship rituals as the blind date. Even Web sites like e-Harmony and Match.com have become passé. Instead of just going out alone or in pairs, a bunch of people -- roughly equal numbers of each sex -- engage in a social activity together. One group of three or four friends meets up with another.

Group-dating plays to the tastes of a generation that's become disillusioned with Internet dating sites, particularly the lies that users tell about themselves online; the futile process of trying to meet people at bars; and blind dates that feel like job interviews. Instead, these young men and women want to have their dating lives simulate the way they meet people in real life: through concentric circles of friends. Especially for recent college graduates who suddenly find themselves without the social anchors of a campus, going out on "a random," as Internet dates are referred to, is like jumping into a pool of sharks.

Ignighter.com, a free site geared toward 20-somethings (their median age is 24), was created in 2007 to solve these problems. The site is the brainchild of Daniel Osit, 26, and Adam Sachs, 25, who found themselves bereft of any appealing dating options when they graduated from college. "Our social lives were so routine, and we weren't meeting anyone. We wanted to come up with a way to meet new people and still be with our friends," Mr. Sachs said.

On Ignighter.com, groups are formed through an ambassador -- a kind of social director -- who invites his or her friends to join. The group is given a name, a members' photo is montaged together from the individual ones that have been submitted (creating a sort of artificial group picture), information about the group is filled in, and a link to everyone's Facebook profile is inserted. Then, the dating begins. And this is where it becomes a bit different from your typical singles event. Groups go out with other groups. Any individual in the group can ask another group out on a date, but everyone in the group goes, eliminating some of the awkwardness that plagues singles events.

Group-dating came on the scene in 1998 with 8at8, a service that sets up dinner dates with four men and four women and now has 25,000 members in six major metropolitan areas. Then came the Internet and, with it, sites like TeamDating.com, which has a concept similar to Ignighter's. TeamDating's 40,000 members are concentrated mostly in urban areas and field teams that average three people. Ignighter's 10,000 users also mostly hail from big cities.

IamFreeTonight.com allows its 70,000 users to post double-date and group-date listings. Meet New People, a Facebook dating application, has more than three million users who post when they are free to "hang out" and RSVP to group gatherings.
The groups often try activities a little more adventurous than dinner and a movie, perhaps because there is less one-on-one pressure to impress than on a traditional date. Participants go bowling, take a hiking trip or try a night at the Philharmonic.

The concept, of course, is nothing new. "There's been a long history of group-dating in this country," says Beth Bailey, the author of "From Front Porch to Back Seat: Courtship in Twentieth Century America." "In the 1920s, people went to 'petting parties,' where young people made out in the presence of their peers. It was a way of saying 'I belong to youth culture.'"

While the sexual license of "petting parties" shocked Jazz Age parents, by the 1940s and 1950s group-dating was encouraged for reasons of propriety. "Parents wanted to keep their daughters from being alone with a man, since having a child out of wedlock would ruin your life back then," says Ms. Bailey.

And, of course, many religious communities have continued to promote group-dating throughout the 20th century. "Group-dating is the only kind of dating we encourage up until about the age of 20," says David Pack, the Pastoral General of the Restored Church of God, in Wadsworth, Ohio. "It's a lot easier to maintain barriers with other people around."

But there are others who worry about what this trend means for young people. Dan Cere, the author of "The Experts' Story of Courtship," a report put out in 2000 by the Institute for American Values, is concerned that this practice is part of a "hanging out and hooking up" culture. If a group date ends in men and women pairing off to engage in some kind of sexual activity, he says, it "may feed into a male tendency toward loose, noncommitted sexual relationships with women."

But talk to women who group date and you find that they are not looking for no-strings-attached relationships. Just as group-dating protected women of the Greatest Generation, many today see it as a shield. "I don't know how willing I would be to go on a date with a stranger," explains Jacqueline Malan, 25, who has been in two groups set up through Ignighter.

Ray Doustdar, the co-founder of TeamDating, says his most positive feedback isn't from men giddy about doubling, tripling or quadrupling their odds on date night; it's from female participants who are relieved to have found a certain amount of security. The guys, meanwhile, see the perks as social lubrication and a fleet of ready wingmen.

In many ways, 21st-century group-dating is a confluence of its past iterations. It's become a way for people to identify with youth culture, the Facebook generation's rebellion against the traditional dating model, and a means for women to dial down the pressure of today's hypersexualized dating scene. All while increasing the odds that these faces in a crowd will find the right someone.

Ms. Seligson is the author of "New Girl on the Job: Advice From the Trenches."

Inside The World of Matchmaking- Check us out in the Toronto Star!

2008-09-24T14:24:00.004-04:00

Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a matchmaker.

That's what Susan Kates is hoping to hear from people willing to pay $750 to learn the skills and secrets of her trade – and to get a Certified Matchmaker certificate, suitable for framing.

Kates, CMM, is well-known among singles in the city for DinnerWorks, a meet 'n' eat ('n' maybe mate) program, in which she brings groups of singles together to check each other out while eating dinner at local restaurants.

Kates also works one-on-one as a personal matchmaker, bringing together couples with the potential for compatibility and chemistry.

Training other people in Toronto to do that is Kates' latest venture. As an executive board member of the New York-based Matchmaking Institute, she's offering the first local training session sanctioned by the institute on March 8.

"Can you learn to be a matchmaker? That's an interesting question," says Northwestern University psychologist Eli Finkel, who researches dating and relationships. "It's possible if, with enough training, you can learn to see through some of the facades and that what people need is not necessarily what they want."

Matchmaker wannabes will learn interviewing skills, how to really listen to clients, how to look beyond the obvious, how to coach clients through getting to know each other, how to draw up contracts, an understanding of the industry and how to deal with checklists – those shopping lists single people compose.

"Most people have a list," says Kates. And they're pretty predictable.

"A woman who is 33 will say, `He must be two years older, 6 feet tall, good-looking and a doctor or a lawyer.'"

In all her matchmaker wisdom, and with her database in mind, Kates may suggest, "How about a 38-year-old MBA?"

Kates says it's also important to understand how essential it is that "two people are `in the same place' at the same time."

"This couple was dating and having a great time," she says about two who had met online, "but he hadn't actually left his marriage emotionally. On paper, there was a lot of compatibility. On (dating website) eHarmony, they would've got a hit from each other. But he wasn't ready. She was."

The woman signed up for Kates' service.

Clearly, singles willing to spend in the range of $1,000 to $10,000 for the services of a personal, professional matchmaker are more serious than those who sign on to a dozen dating sites. Matchmakers' clients want to cut to the chase.

Sites such as Match.com and Lavalife.com are the eBay of love for anyone with a detailed shopping list.

"We allow for custom searches," explains Kim Hughes, editor-in-chief of Lavalife.com. "If you're looking for a Cantonese-speaking Lutheran who finished university, is non-smoking and is a Virgo, we can let you find that person."

But that person may not turn out to be "the one."

"Do people know what they initially desire in a romantic partner?" is the question investigated in a paper in the current Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Research at speed-dating events led author Finkel and his Northwestern University colleague Paul Eastwick to conclude that "people may lack introspective awareness of what influences their judgments and behaviour."

Speaking by phone from Chicago, Finkel confirms, "Some of the research shows people may not have great insight into what they themselves may desire in a romantic partner."

That disconnect has resulted in some dating sites evolving into matchmaking sites.

They've gone beyond the shopping list approach and adopted the scientific approach, offering "algorithms of love."

That's a fancy social science phrase for working backwards. At eHarmony, research and development vice-president Galen Buckwalter and his team looked at the pattern of profiles of husbands and wives in successful marriages.

"Who knew that love and science would be so compatible?" is the slogan of eHarmony Labs, which has a scientific advisory board, uses "a wide range of new assessment instruments" and boasts "academic-level research."

The result: a patented Compatibility Matching System. Clients answer 258 personality questions and the program picks matches for them.

It's been so successful – eHarmony claims a whopping 100-plus weddings a day – that two other dating sites, Match.com (with Chemistry.com) and Perfectmatch.com have developed their own academic-designed algorithms. (An algorithm is a set of rules used to solve mathematical problems, especially with a computer.)

Finkel says it's plausible that eHarmony has developed a strong algorithm because it has collected so much data. But because the system hasn't been peer reviewed in a scientific journal, "the scientific community doesn't know if it's valid," he says.

No matter the method of putting two people together, once the must-have attributes and deal-breakers have been sorted out, the compatibility and values issues accounted for and the physical and personality preferences filtered, nearly everyone except the hardcore scientists agree that a love match is as unpredictable as, well, cupid's arrow.

Finkel, however, begs to differ.

"There's no reason to believe it's alchemy or metaphysical," he insists. "It follows lawful processes."

Know thyself

Make Me A Match suggests listing qualities you consider attributes as well as difficult qualities in yourself and in a potential partner.

Great qualities:

Accomplished

Adventurous

Affectionate

Committed

Communicative

Down to earth

Educated

Faithful

Family oriented

Fun

Independent

Passionate

Responsible

Relaxed

Understanding

Difficult qualities:

Arrogant

Cheap

Chronically late

Critical

Defensive

Dishonest

Disrepectful

Egocentric

Hold a grudge

Irresponsible

Lazy

Obsessive

Negative

Self involved

Weak

Deal breakers could include:

Rude and pretentious

Poor manners

Constantly late

Heavy drinker/drug user

Different religions

Bad breath/ poor hygiene

Multiple divorces

By Judy Gerstel

Toronto Post

http://www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/article/307448

Susan Kates’ tips on dating with children

2008-09-24T14:14:00.001-04:00

Susan Kates’ tips on dating with children

Susan Kates, National Post Published: Wednesday, January 09, 2008

10 Make time for dating. Single parents are chauffeurs, coaches and ATM machines, especially since they're juggling so many things at one time. Stop. You have to make time for dating, too.

9 Start doing things for you. You won't meet someone by sitting at home and waiting for the phone to ring. Get out there and have some fun. Be where other singles are. That will be your best way of meeting someone new.

8 Have a positive attitude. Think of dating as an adventure. It can be fun. Meeting new people is really what dating is all about. Attitude is everything.

7 It's totally OK to talk about your kids on a date. But don't go overboard about how Johnny and Sally are A students and win at everything they do; this can be intimidating. Everyone goes through issues with their kids, so just keep it real. Certainly don't spend the whole date talking about the kids, but talking about your kids can connect you.

6 Don't talk about your ex. Of course your ex will come into the conversation but don't talk about him or her excessively. This is about who you are, who you really are. You want your date to get to know you, the wonderful you, the new enlightened you.

5 If the glove doesn't fit ... So many times people like each other, but because this person doesn't fit the "checklist" they immediately say this is not going to work. Relationships are work. You have to give it a chance.

4 Age is just a number. Finding love again can come in so many different packages that by restricting yourself to a very narrow age range you might be missing out on someone that is totally right for you.

3 Chemistry is important, but chemistry can come later. If you are compatible and you get along, see where things can go. Sparks have a way of burning out while friendships can grow.

2 Don't introduce your date to your kids too soon. Get to know each other first, see if things work out between you, then get everyone together. And when you do get everyone together, don't think it will be perfect the first time. It won't. If the two of you are interested in each other, don't give up.

1 Dating is just dating. You are not looking for a spouse (just yet), you are looking for companionship, making new friends and having some fun. If you connect, you never know where it will lead, but don't go into this looking for "the one."

http://www.nationalpost.com/related/topics/story.html?id=226421