Top 5 Ways to Keep Cool on a Date

By Paola Hernandez, Copy Cutie

credit: gareth1953 (Flickr)Things are heating up this summer — and we’re not talking about just the temperature! This is the season that takes you on outside dates. Worried the 90-degree heat will make a night out with your beau unbearable? Don’t let steamy weather dictate where you’ll go or what you’ll do. Below are our top five tips on staying cool during your date. Because the only thing that should heat up between the two of you is your chemistry.

1. Stay Light and Bright.  Dark colors absorb the sun’s rays, so ditch those gloomy hues. When planning out your date outfit, wear light clothing, like shorts, short sleeves and sandals. Think about donning one signature piece that's bright: yellows, greens, oranges, or even neons. Not only you will stay cool but you’ll also show off your fun side. Keep it chill and casual!

2. Frozen Delights.  Kids associate warm weather with the sounds of an ice cream truck. After enjoying a delicious dinner, stop by your nearest ice cream shop and indulge your inner child with a frozen treat. Are you or your date lactose intolerant? Find a locale that serves either water ices or shaved ice. Your dessert stop will allow you to continue your date in a fun way. You never know what more you can learn about someone while enjoying a sweet treat.

3. Splish Splash and I’m Having a Blast!  Memories of Slip n’ Slides and open fire hydrants are what make summer great. If the heat is too hard to beat, find a sprinkler and cool down. Many parks have sprinkler systems that get turned on during the dog days of summer. Day dates tend to be casual, so if your date is up to it, run through the sprinklers at your nearest park. It’ll definitely cool you cool down, and you and your date will also have fun doing it.

4. Slow Down.  Enjoy the date and don’t overexert yourself. Take a stroll along a path near a pond or river in there’s one in your area. Bodies of water offer cooler temps, plus a romantic scene. Feeling overheated? Grab some lemonade or iced tea, find a bench and just sit next to each other. Taking a breather will keep you cool as cool as a cucumber.

5. Under the Stars.  Temperatures generally get lower as the day goes on. Enjoy the lighter, and perhaps breezier weather and find a local outdoor event like a movie or a concert under the stars. Pack a picnic basket, bring a blanket and wine and dine while enjoying an evening out. If the weather drops more than expected, snuggle up to keep each other warm! 

Have a cool-down tip we missed? Comment below and share with other readers!

Avoiding the “Interview” Date

By: Samantha Eng, Copy Cutie

credit: bpsusf (Flickr)One advantage to dating online is that the power lies in the eye of the beholder. Before even the first meeting, you can search for your match according to your preferences and avoid compromising on non-negotiables, keeping your relationship wants and needs in perspective. But be wary when the “online crazies” take a new form during the initial meet. It’s easy to fall prey to sizing up your potential mate to see if you’ll spawn the perfect offspring — after all, receding hairlines are easily avoidable, lest you meet someone offline with a measuring tape. So to avoid making your date feel like he or she is on an interview to play the role of your perfect mate, take these few suggestions into consideration.

Flirt.

While posture and poise convey attentiveness during an interview, a date can (and will) easily see through the stiffness. If you’re really interested, here are a couple of key body signals to show it:

1. Angle your body towards the person
2. Close the margin of physical space between you
3. Time your touch according to the conversation

Expect a thank you if your body language reflects interest, no matter how subtle it may be — after all, it’s an interview must!

Engage.

When it comes down to it, dates are a chance to get to know someone and see if there’s potential for a future relationship. Instead of firing off questions and satisfying your curiosity, ask yourself the legendary question Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) asked Vincent Vega (John Travolta) in Pulp Fiction: “Do you listen, or do you wait to talk?”

Listening and responding to what’s being said shows you’re truly engrossed in what the person is saying. By responding, you’re building a connection. Hopefully, your date will show you the same courtesy!

Personalize.

Engaging in meaningful conversation is just one small step outside of the interview box that will hopefully lead you towards the road to a successful date.

To ensure there aren’t any dating disasters, give your new offline match a personal touch. While we censor ourselves during interviews, be candid and personal. Give that person something to walk away with that shows them you’re special — and a true catch. You might just land yourself a second date!

What are your tips for avoiding the Interview Date? Tell us your savvy skills!

Fail to Fab: Getting a Message From Outside Your Search Parameters

By: Jess Downey, Copy Cutie

credit: Victor1558 (Flickr)Fail: A few weeks ago I received a message from someone on a dating site. I had no clue where his stated town is since I’m relatively new to the area, so I asked him where it was in relation to New York City. He said he’s about 45 minutes or so from Manhattan by car, and because I’m a pretty open-minded gal I didn’t want to toss this guy aside just for that reason. But after living in Chicago and dating guys from the ‘burbs I know it can be rather difficult to date someone who lives outside city limits since I don’t have a car. I guess I’m a little leery to deal with that again, which in turn tends to make me launch into a series of unnecessary questions about how a relationship will work when/if I start dating this person. Overthink much? Talk about a total fail. #Seriously.

Fab: It’s pretty easy to see someone outside of your search requirements and automatically hit delete. But it never hurts to give this person a second glance and see what he or she is about. If someone seems interesting, dig a little further and see how your personalities click.

While you’re getting to know your match, act curious while messaging but avoid asking questions like, “Would you move to the city to live with me once we fall madly in love with each other?” Drilling someone you’ve never met will only create crazy expectations … and will likely send him or her running for the hills.

Instead, ask about hobbies and interests, which will reveal what someone’s into. For example, if you find this person wants to be one with nature while you’re all about the concrete jungle, you two probably won’t work out in the long run. But if your match is open to exploring new things it could be smooth sailing.

If interest deepens and there’s a clear connection, there’s no harm in meeting for a drink after work or a Saturday afternoon stroll in the park. Just keep the above in mind. After all, it’s only a first meeting — not a date!

Remember: It’s easy to dismiss someone online via the delete button if he or she isn't exactly what you’re looking for. But if there’s intrigue, there’s no harm in clicking the ‘Reply’ button. The end “return” may just be something awesome!

The Etiquette of Sharing Food

By Kristin Manganello, Copy Cutie

credit: Www.CourtneyCarmody.com/ (Flickr)

Whether you know each other well or you just met, defining the boundaries between your plates and utensils isn't always the easiest thing to figure out. Sometimes, it seems like sharing our thoughts and feelings is more manageable than sharing our food. Here are five tips that are sure to alleviate any awkward moments when going Dutch on grub.

Sharing is caring.  If your sweetheart asks for a bite, then by golly give it them! Letting him or her have a taste of your chow shows that you care more about your honey than your hamburger. If you're the one doing the asking, limit the size of your bite. Eating an entire quarter of someone's panini in one gulp is just plain rude! It also sends a subtle message that you're thoughtless — and possibly, self-centered.

Make it family style.  While you have salt and pepper at the table, variety is the real spice of life. Pick a few things off the menu and divide the feast between you two. Not only will it titillate your taste buds in multiple ways, it will also encourage you to feel cozier with one another. During and after your meal, you and your lover can chat about what you've shared, giving you a fail-safe conversation to fall back on if the dialogue slows down.

Share a cup, not a cone.  Warning: This section discusses certifiably gross bodily functions. Reader discretion is advised. If you haven't reached make-out territory yet, don't make your first experience with your sweetie's saliva be whatever’s left on a scoop of ice cream. Even if you have been kissing, licking a glob of spit off a frosty treat is still pretty yucky. Swap your DNA samples when you lock lips, not while licking lactose.

Feed each other … sans the choo-choo train.  If you're at the point where you're feeding each other, then you've definitely leveled up in comfort. Congratulations! Pass go and collect 200 love dollars, because you've earned it. But unless your relationship thrives on being super cutesy wutesy with each other, leave the baby talk to the babies. There's nothing sexy about adults making chug-a-chug sounds while shoveling a forkful of food into another adult's mouth. It might be a funny at first, but it quickly gets old.

Picnic in transit.  Go somewhere with an awesome takeout selection, pick something large that both of you can agree on and take it to a park. For this impromptu picnic, forget about separate plates, baskets and red-and-white checkered tablecloths, and dig into the same dish. Feeling adventurous? Consider taking your to-go eats on your local metro train and munch while you pass through your city’s neighborhoods. When you and your paramour have finished, get off at whatever stop you're at and explore. As you discover unknown or overlooked places together, you'll continue the theme of sharing that you started with your picnic — and also create a sweet new memory.

What are your tips for sharing food with a partner? Let us know below!

Top 5 Ways to Keep Your Cool With a Summer Fling

credit: jonas_foyn (Flickr)By Kristin Manganello, Copy Cutie

Keeping your cool during the sweltering heat of a summer fling can be difficult — especially if you're new to the art of a sunny season affair. But it's totally possible to have your ice cream and eat it, too. Here are five tips to help you chill out when things get hot.

1. Don’t have expectations.  Assuming there's a pot of relationship gold at the end of the romance rainbow isn’t a great perspective to have. This attitude keeps you worrying about tomorrow and forgetting about today, and expectations make unfair standards for both you and your hot weather honey. Furthermore, presuming that you're on the road to a relationship can generate negative emotions like jealousy, anger and suspicion when things don't go as planned. Stay present and don't get ahead of yourself. 

2. Kiss a lot of frogs.  Having a few people in your little black or pink book will keep you from getting too focused on any of your casual cuties. Seeing more than one person will also help you take things at a slower pace with each rendezvous. While honesty is usually the best policy, be as forthcoming as you'd like about your other extracurricular activities; casual relationships don't really require explanation. But if one of your frogs is becoming your romance royalty, honesty is key so you both know how to move forward.

3. Be kind, and don't rewind.  If you've been seeing someone for a few weeks and the feelings you share are developing into a deeper connection, don't stop progress short by obsessing over it. Every magic moment and affectionate word uttered has the capacity to consume your mind, especially if your heart is in overdrive. Overthinking has never helped anyone — ever. Again, stay in the present and go with the flow.

4. Laugh it off.  If your fling says they'll call you tomorrow but you never hear from them again, don't sweat it. Just keep calm and carry on (seriously). Life's too short to waste time, energy and emotions on someone too inconsiderate (or scatterbrained) to get in touch with you. Take the good memories of your fling and move along. Don't let this minor setback dictate the tone for the rest of your summer.

5. KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid).  Avoid overly serious staples of coupledom, like lavish dinners and grand overtures of romance, when it comes to your summer sweetheart. Since there's no expectation of a relationship, don’t treat it like one. Instead, stick with fun, casual activities. If you two fall in love between the Ferris wheel and the ice cream stand, enjoy. And if things don't work out, you can at least say that you had a great summer adventure.

What are your tips for keeping your cool during a summer fling? Let’s hear about it in a comment below!