By Mood Magazine NYC
There is a particular moment in modern dating when you realize romance has become unnecessarily complicated.
It is not when someone says they are “still figuring things out.”
That is expected.
It is not when they disappear for three days and return with, “Hey stranger.”
Also expected.
It is when someone asks:
“So, where do you want to go?”
Because apparently, finding love in New York City is easier than choosing a restaurant.
You can meet someone on an app.
Exchange messages.
Discover you both love travel, good food, and pretending you go to the gym more often than you actually do.
You can survive the first date.
Possibly even the second.
But eventually, somebody has to make a decision.
Dinner?
Drinks?
Coffee?
A walk?
And suddenly, the relationship is being tested by logistics.
Welcome to Single in the City, where Mood Magazine NYC explores love, dating, relationships, independence, and the occasionally hilarious experience of trying to connect with another human being in New York City.
Because being single in New York is not always lonely.
Sometimes, it’s just expensive.
And occasionally, very entertaining.
THE DATE BEGINS BEFORE THE DATE
Before there was dinner, there were approximately forty-seven messages.
There was the question of what time.
The question of where.
The question of what neighborhood.
Because in New York, geography matters.
Someone living in Brooklyn may genuinely like you.
But will they come to Harlem on a Tuesday?
That is another conversation.
And before anyone judges, let’s be honest.
New Yorkers measure romance differently.
“I’ll come to your neighborhood” is practically a love language.
We have trains.
Traffic.
Weather.
And an emotional relationship with the MTA that nobody outside the city fully understands.
So when someone travels forty-five minutes to see you?
Pay attention.
That might be commitment.
THE RESTAURANT TEST
Choosing a restaurant for a first date is an art.
Too expensive, and now everyone is wondering what the expectations are.
Too casual, and somebody feels like they could have stayed home.
Too trendy, and neither of you can hear the conversation.
Too quiet, and suddenly every pause feels like a performance review.
You need atmosphere.
Good food.
Good lighting.
And enough activity in the room that if the date goes badly, you can discreetly look at something else.
This is important.
A good date restaurant does not guarantee romance.
But bad lighting has ended things before they started.
Probably.
THE DATING PROFILE IS A WORK OF FICTION
There should be a section on dating apps called:
Things That Sound Better Online.
“Looking for something serious.”
“I love spontaneous adventures.”
“Just ask.”
“Fluent in sarcasm.”
At this point, we have all seen enough profiles to understand that dating requires interpretation.
What exactly is an adventure?
Where are we going?
Why are there six photographs of you holding a drink?
And why does everyone apparently love hiking?
New York has millions of people.
Surely, not all of you are hiking.
Still, there is something hopeful about it.
Every profile is, in its own way, someone saying:
Maybe.
Maybe this works.
Maybe this person is interesting.
Maybe they are actually as funny as they think they are.
Maybe we will have a story worth telling later.
That is the strange optimism of dating.
We keep showing up.
SINGLE DOES NOT MEAN WAITING
Perhaps the biggest mistake people make about being single is assuming life has not started yet.
As though romance is the opening ceremony.
It isn’t.
Your life is already happening.
The dinner reservations.
The trips.
The concerts.
The new restaurants.
The friendships.
The random Tuesday nights that somehow become stories.
You do not need to wait for someone to experience New York.
Go.
See the exhibition.
Try the restaurant.
Take the walk.
Buy the ticket.
The city is far too interesting to sit at home waiting for a text message.
Although, if we’re being honest, you may check your phone while you’re out.
We are not judging.
THE BEAUTY OF MAYBE
Dating can be exhausting.
Let’s not pretend otherwise.
There are awkward conversations.
Disappointing dates.
People who seem fascinating online and suddenly have nothing to say when seated across from you.
But there is also possibility.
A first conversation.
A surprising connection.
A person who makes the city feel slightly different.
Maybe that is why we continue.
Not because every date will become a love story.
But because every now and then, something unexpected happens.
And perhaps that is enough reason to get dressed and leave the apartment.
QUESTION OF THE DAY
What is the most important thing when choosing a first-date location in New York City?
The food?
The atmosphere?
The neighborhood?
Or simply being able to hear each other?
Tell us on Threads and Be a Part of the Story.
STAY IN THE MOOD
Single in the city?
Good.
There is plenty to do.
Go somewhere beautiful.
Eat something delicious.
Call your friends.
Try something new.
And if someone interesting happens to join you?
Well.
That’s a story for another day.
Mood Magazine. Mind. Body. Spirit. Culture. Harlem to the world.
