First date ideas aren’t easy to conjure up when your heart is racing and you’re still wondering just a little about why they actually said they’d go. You’re amazing, we know, but it’s still mind blowing that the person of your possible dreams said yes! You don’t just need some regular first date ideas. You need some first date ideas that will help you make a great impression in Boston!

We’re here to help. We scoured the web, harried our friends, called upon Emma’s enormous body of knowledge (Emma, I said your knowledge is huge, not your body. Seriously. You get first dates with knowledge that big? Ha!) to give you the best first date ideas in Boston.

Provided neither of you is sketchy and you’ve had at least a few minutes of conversation prior, meeting up for dinner can be a nice first date idea. Boston has loads of great places to go on a first date and we’ve selected 10 places that are interesting, fun, and will impress at least in a quirky way.

1. Kaze Shabu Shabu – Boiling broth on a table makes for an interesting meal experience!
2. Cuchi Cuchi - Oh, Tapas!
3. Pho Republique – Amazing Vietnamese
4. Meyers & Chang – Asian Fusion
5. Addis Red Sea – Ethiopian
6. Finale – Dessert’s a win!
7. Tapeo – Tapas is an easy first date idea and delicious variety!
8. Bacco – Italiano! Taste Boston’s North End in style.
9. Mike’s Pastry – Pair with with coffee after Bacco or get sugared up directly!
10. L’espalier – French. Oh, the French! Emma, this is for you.

If you’re broke or full, walking along the minuteman trail, finding a quiet spot along the Charles, or splashing in fountains atop the Big Dig all heap together as some great first date ideas to try out in Boston.

If you’re a local and would like to add some insight or even more ideas, please check in with a comment! Thanks!

Image: Zitona

by Jane Wonder

Who pays on the first date? I’ll tell you.

On a first date technically the person who asked should really pay. For me, this will always mean the guy because I will wait for him to ask. Honestly though, I’d prefer for the man to step up no matter what.

Which is not to say I expect that or don’t offer or won’t pay in the future. Every good female dater knows exactly how to handle this. In case you don’t know, let me explain…

The check comes. The woman should automatically reach for her purse and say something like “Let me help you with that.” This gives the man options. If he didn’t intend to pay the entire check, he can accept the offer without losing face or having to ask for money. If he did intend to pay, he can say “No, I’ve got this one.” The woman should then ask ONCE (and only once ladies) “Are you sure?” If he waffles at all, offer money. This next bit is important now. If he says he’s sure, look him directly in the eye and thank him for your meal. Continue Reading

Remember that old line about girls being sugar, spice, and everything nice? Elizabeth Lambert saw that societal mold coming and extended one of her long, muscular legs for a perfect trip. How? By playing soccer like a boy:

(If you ask me, the ponytail maneuver was pretty bold. She didn’t get a yellow card for that though. Not condoning her actions, but I love her pep and think the Refs were sleeping.)

Most guys aren’t interested in dating women like Elizabeth, Condoleezza, Hillary, or Michelle. Why? Because strong women with talent, focus, and goals are intimidating to those who aren’t so well equipped. Not just to men, but to people in general. It’s not just that men are avoiding strong women. Guys tend to avoid spending time with other guys who are much smarter, stronger, or somehow better-equipped than they are. Continue Reading

by Emma Frisoni

Ever wonder what to wear on a first date?

There I was, standing in my closet, swathed in a silk robe, towel wrapped around my head, champagne glass in hand. I stood wondering, yet again, what to wear on my first date with Jared.

The lucky Dior pumps were a must, but being 140 mm high, lilac and snakeskin, they only coordinated with a few outfits. I was going for the classy, sexy look but it seemed that all the classy outfits I tried on made me look like I was headed to afternoon tea. The sexy outfits I tried on screamed, ‘take me home with you’ – which I wasn’t going after either.

Channeling my inner Carrie Bradshaw, I slipped on the pumps, drew a belt around my robe, and seriously wondered if I could get away with it…

The above scene happens all too often in my world (basically my Saturday night ritual), and although I’ve never actually worn my robe out on a date, that doesn’t mean I haven’t seriously considered it. Confidence is the ultimate accessory, after all.

Luckily, I’ve learned a few things that simplify choosing what to wear on a first date. I don’t have it down to a perfect science yet, but I’m getting there. When my newly single BFF, Lanie, called me this past weekend, anxious about going on her first date in 2 years, I gave her all the tips I could think of. Here are just a few:

One thing to do and four to avoid when choosing what to wear on a first date:

1. Do dress for the occasion

I am a huge fan of getting dressed up. I love it and will use any and all excuses to get glammed up. But if you’re meeting a guy for the first time, you don’t want to make him (and you) uncomfortable by being over (or under) dressed. Don’t wear a sequined dress for a date to Sully’s for burgers and fries (one of my favorite places) or a mini skirt when hitting up L’Espailer.

2. Don’t wear anything too trendy

Although that dress or top may be red carpet worthy in your mind, your new guy isn’t going to recognize the beauty of it. Take my well earned advice on this one – it may seem like a hip, cool outfit, but there’s a good chance he won’t see the cool factor. I have 4 words for you: zebra printed strapless dress (no, not zebra pattern, an actual graphic of a zebra). Let’s just say he wasn’t nearly as impressed as I had anticipated.

3. Don’t wear anything strapless/low cut/spaghetti straps

This one may not seem like a don’t but it actually is. Guys are simple creatures and they have a difficult enough time focusing without your bare skin distracting them. This is an important one especially if you are going out to dinner because he’ll only be looking at your upper half for most of your time. (While you’re seated.) You want to focus on your date and vice versa and bare skin doesn’t help the situation.

4. Don’t go overboard on the makeup

I’ll spare you the details about the time I got a makeover at the MAC counter just before a date. Let’s just say it included me cowering in the wedge behind the John Hancock hastily wiping my face with baby wipes I bribed from a young mom on the steps outside Trinity Church, hoping against hope my date didn’t catch me acting like a homeless person trying to ‘bathe’. Too much makeup scares dudes. If your face looks too perfect, they’re going to be afraid to touch it, never mind kiss you on the cheek at the end of the evening.

5. Don’t wear something you don’t feel comfortable in!

Confidence is owning who you are inside and out. Even if you have the most gorgeous D&G frock for the night, if it doesn’t fit right or it just isn’t ‘you’ then it won’t work. Find pieces that fit well, are comfortable, and speak to who you are and you’ll be a knockout.

There you have it. I hope these tips help you and when in doubt, cinch a belt around your robe and walk around in your heels – anything you put on after that will look fabulous!

Do you have any tips to add on what ladies should wear on a first date or tale of a “wardrobe malfunction” you’ve experienced? Thanks for sharing!

~Emma

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Photos: carljones, swanky, vincent boiteau

Hey all! Seth here. I’m thrilled to welcome Emma to The Dating Papers and I hope you’ll give her a warm welcome. If you’d like her to write on something specific or just feel like saying hi, feel free to drop her an email or find her on Twitter. Thanks!

Sometimes, no matter how well a date seems to go, the last you’ll hear of her voice are the words “please leave a message”. You had fun, but she doesn’t call back. You enjoyed your meal or activity, but she doesn’t call back. She even said she liked you, but she doesn’t call back.

Why is that?

Maria and I went out for sushi then drinks at a bar overlooking the river. The weather was perfect. Our conversation was a mix of questions and comments, silence and laughter. Everything seemed to go well. 

When I dropped her off at her house, she even said “I had a really nice time. Call me!”. 

So I did. And she never called me back. Why?

The answer is agonizingly simple: Continue Reading