5 days, 5 ways
STILL SEARCHING FOR A SUITABLE SOMEONE FOR A VALENTINE'S NIGHT OUT? OUR TIMELY TIPS CAN HELP YOU BEAT THE CLOCK
Even for us unattached women, Feb. 14 is more than just another day. But unlike the partnered people among us, we won't be grinning at our newly delivered roses (sent to the office, no less) or excitedly planning a home-cooked meal for our beloveds. No, for us, Valentine's Day just gives us 24 hours to think about flying solo in a 2-by-2 world.
"Whether you buy into the Hallmark holiday, there are visual reminders everywhere," says Barbie Adler, founder and president of downtown's Selective Search Inc. Singles "see the ads and they're just another reminder, 'I'm not with someone special.' "
And as we well know by now, singletons for the first time in American history outnumber married folks. So we've got lots of company.
(AP)
TODAY
Sign up to meet someone. OK, girls -- perhaps it's time to bring in the professionals. And Barbie Adler, founder and president of downtown's Selective Search Inc. (www.selectivesearch-inc. com), might just be your guru. While her well-heeled male clients pay at least $10,000 annually in hopes of meeting Ms. Right, women pay nothing. Adler's company is always looking to introduce these bachelors to "fit, attractive, commitment-minded women of substance and style" ranging in age from their 20s to early 50s. And the firm welcomes women from all ethnicities and religions.
She says the Valentine's Day season is a great time to start the search, as many folks break up and get divorced after the let's-pretend-everything's-fine winter holidays.
"It is too cold to be a player -- you want to settle down," Adler jokes. She encourages women to "seize the opportunity. There's no cost and it's something proactive you can do to get on the radars of the best bachelors in town."
She says new female registrants just might wind up with a date by Feb. 14. And guys can make an appointment to come in. Even if they're not hooked up by Val's Day, they can "get rolling not just to get a date, but find a long-term mate."
SATURDAY
Check out the Pro Bowl. Go where the boys are and see who you meet. If there's a sports bar or corner tap in your 'hood, it's sure to have at least ONE television -- and odds are it'll be tuned to the Pro Bowl, which kicks off at 5 p.m. on WBBM-Channel 2. Expect some long faces, as it's the last NFL game of the year. But after they meet you, perhaps they'll have something else to do on Sunday afternoons and evenings.
If sports isn't your thing, spend 7-10 p.m. checking out the "Love Stinks!" party at Take Five, 3747 N. Southport (773-871-5555). For $20, lovable losers can indulge in a dinner buffet, domestic draft beer and cocktails. And playing on these Lake View/Wrigleyville big screens are campy '80s teen-angst love flicks like "Sixteen Candles" and "Say Anything." Even if you're single, be grateful those years are long gone.
SUNDAY
Take yourself to church. Grandma always said the Lord's house was the best place to meet a decent man. We're not so sure such dudes are hanging out in the pews on Sunday morning, but you haven't met anyone anywhere else. It's worth a try.
Haven't been in a while? Check out some Chicago area churches known for attracting unattached folks, such as Old St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 700 W. Adams, or St. Alphonsus, 1429 W. Wellington (773-525-0709), whose weekly 5 p.m. contemporary mass is followed by beer, wine, cheese and fellowship.
Stop into Willow Creek Community Church's 10 a.m. weekday worship (shown above) at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress If you prefer gospel, consider Trinity Church of Christ, 400 W. 95th St., a South Side megachurch with a vibrant singles ministry.
MONDAY
Check out "24" in mixed company. While men aren't the only ones wild about the Fox series, they make up half the weekly audience at Take Five's Monday night "24 Viewing Party" (3747 N. Southport, 773-871-5555). Fans 25 to 35 gather at this restaurant-bar to watch Agent Jack Bauer and his Counter Terrorist Unit on two 110-inch big screens, six 42-inch plasma screens and inside seven cozy TV booths.
Fox is airing a two-episode special from 7-9 p.m. Monday, so leave your couch and down $2.40 Pabst Blue Ribbon beers and $2 shots of Jack Daniel's with other folks. And sample Take Five's "Special Agent Stuffed Peppers," "Secret Service Spinach and Artichoke Dip" and "CTU Calamari." Each are just $5.
Or if you're still focused on the past, try reconnecting with an old flame. Classmates.com has registries of 40 million Americans you might have met at school, work or in the military -- and it's free to register and search.
TUESDAY
Make plans to go out Wednesday. So what if you don't already have a date? It's a bummer to stare at google-eyed people in love, so take yourself to a party where most aren't. If you live out in the west or northwest suburbs, get thyself to a "Screw Cupid Valentine's Day Party" at Red Star Sports Grill locations in Geneva (1602 Commons Dr. 630-845-0845) and Algonquin (1700 Randall, 847-458-4500). From 7-10 p.m. Wednesday, join fellow singles in $3 chocolate martinis, $1 "orgasm" shots -- and if you stay from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., fill up on half-price appetizers.
Best of all, lost love might earn you a prize. Folks who bring in photos of their exes are eligible for raffle prizes, including a subscription to online's Match.com. Who knows? You might find yourself somewhere else and with someone else in 2008.