Chicago One of Most Superficial Cities in America

WhatsYourPrice.com ranked Chicago as the 4th most superficial city in America when it comes to dating.

  When it comes to dating, Chicago residents have a not-so-flattering title. The city is ranked the 4th most superficial city in America, according to WhatsYourPrice.com. The online-dating auction used Google Analytics to determine the amount of time needed for men and women to decide if they’d date someone. The data uncovered that it only takes Chicagoans 8.6 seconds to make that determination. The website also asked more than 4,500 people to rank the most important qualities in an online dating profile, Chicago’s top five were profile picture, income, occupation, body type and age. The top five most superficial American cities based on average browsing time are as follows: Tell us: Do you agree with this data? Do you feel that …

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Betsy and Sal

How to Host the College Boyfriend

A hint of Southern hospitality plus an “Application to Date My Daughter” equals one mother's way of hosting a suitor.

There are lots of ways to host a child’s suitor. I’m trying to figure out which of them suits me. Usually, the Mason-Dixon Line serves as more than an historical marker for me. I think of it as a contemporary cultural divide: they like Sweet Tea, we like it straight; they favor rocking chairs, we sit on Adirondacks; they eat grits, we grit our teeth.  But every now and then, I recognize the Deep South gets a few things right. Take hospitality. No. Let me be more specific. Consider a gentleman caller. That’s what’s about to happen at our house. In a few days time, we’ll be playing host to our college-aged daughter’s out-of-town beau. This visit has thrown me into a tizzy. First of all, there’s the easy stuff, like maniacally getting the …

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Stan Golovchuk

2:41 pm on Saturday, July 21, 2012

OMG too funny.   more ›

Dating Dilemmas: Love, Life & Lessons Learned

Betting Enough to Break Even

In relationships, how should women know when to hold out, give in or let go?

I can’t count how many of my friends have been in ‘conditional’ relationships with guys. You know the kind—he’s not quite emotionally available, but more than happy to roll through the aisles of your heart, filling his cart up with your compassion, understanding and feminine energy like a frenzied contestant on Supermarket Sweep. Just last week I had dinner with a college friend who told me about a summer love that she recently cut off because the dude wasn’t over his ex (and, apparently, still hanging around with her). When she realized—after several months of his empty assurances—that there was no chance of a real, committed relationship with this guy, she finally mustered the strength to cut ties. Why do we go along with these …

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Date Night Destinations: Winnetka

No need to travel far and wide for the best date spots. There's plenty of romantic eats just around the corner.

O’Neils A neighborhood staple for its reliably delicious Italian food and constantly changing specials menu, O’Neils is a tried and true date spot. Dark and atmospheric, O’Neils is the perfect place for a first date that’s special but not too buttoned-up. Start out with their classic Caesar salad or share a plate of steamed mussels for something a little more romantic. Try the salmon with orzo pasta for dinner and leave room for a slice of triple chocolate cake for dessert. Restaurant Michael One of the gems of Winnetka, this restaurant is not to be missed if you’re looking for a great date spot not too far from home. Classic French fare in an elegant and simple dining room, Restaurant Michael brings five-star cuisine and upscale attitude …

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Dating Dilemmas: Love, Life & Lessons Learned

Bad News with Chocolate Cake is Still Bad News

Love advice doesn't always go down easy.

A year ago, after breaking up with a boyfriend, I found myself staring into a plate of chocolate cake, surrounded by middle-aged women giving me dating advice. The gooey richness before me did nothing to alleviate the small death I experienced as the women — about 10 of them, some never married, most divorced (some more than once) — told me all the things I needed to do to land a guy. These women — a group of family friends — were all dating experts, apparently. Between discussion of the best dry cleaning bargains and an unnecessarily detailed conversation about their medical problems, the women took turns sharing perspectives on the opposite sex. Despite the generational gap (“hook-ups” and “hanging out” weren't part of their vocabulary…

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Joanna Schneider

4:55 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011

Tell me about it! I hope you'll sound off when the column goes live on Monday--looking for readers to weigh in on their own online dating dramas, disasters and happily ever afters.   more ›