Ask Anoush! Have a dating question? Need help navigating the dating world? Simply e-mail Anoush at
anoush@speedladating.com with your question and she'll answer it right here.
- Cindy , Thousand Oaks
I’ve been seeing someone for close to 9 months now and I want to do something special (not too special) for his birthday. I thought of somewhere not too far, for a 3 day weekend. Where do I go?
Hi Cindy, thank you for your question – love the small trips out of town, so much fun! Considering where you are, it will be no surprise to you that I am thinking Santa Barbara. One of my most favorite understated hotels in Santa Barbara is the Montecito Inn on Coast Village Road. It’s a beautiful boutique hotel with a wonderful restaurant and bar. They do run specials for reservations made Sunday through Thursday and it is quaint enough to not scream ‘too special’. Continental breakfast is complimentary with your reservation and all the rooms are extremely modern with HBO, DVD /CD players and high-speed internet access. Gourmet dining is available through room service. If the weather is bad by any bad stroke of luck – there are plenty of things to do within the hotel. The Montecito Inn boasts a state-of-the-art exercise room, massage therapy, heated pool, Jacuzzis and wonderful saunas. Lunch, dinner and beverage service is also available poolside. I think it’s a beautiful place to have a relaxing few days without going over the top. Take a drive up and see for yourself – Valet parking is complimentary too.
- Jackie, Reseda
Alright, so I’ve been on three dates with this guy. I like him. Not gaga but I could get gaga. Anyway, I met his sister on the second date. No big thing just happened to be around. So on our third date, I see her again and she’s talking about her wedding. She then turns to me and says “Do you want to be my bridesmaid?” I actually started to laugh, until I realized she wasn’t kidding. I nearly passed out. Out of sheer embarrassment of the moment, I agreed! I can’t guarantee we’ll make it past date 5. What do I do?
Hi Jackie, Thank you for your question – this is a strange one! What an uncomfortable position for you to be in I must say. First things first, the only easy way to slide out of this one is to do away with the relationship. That way there are no hurt feelings – no boyfriend, no bridesmaid for sister of boyfriend right? We could write pages on why this girl has no one closer in her life or why she latched on to you (perhaps she really wants her brother to get married, now that she is making that commitment) and is forcing it a little bit) Who knows…like I said; pages! If you really feel that this relationship isn’t really going anywhere, then get out now. Why prolong something you are not that into and maybe you can slope off before the measuring tape comes out for the dresses! I would love to know how things turn out, stay in touch.
Brian, Toluca Lake
So I’ve got this girl I like. We’ve been pretty exclusive for about 5 months. This is going to sound stupid, but I hate her music. No really, I despise her music. I’m not picky on music, I like most music, but this isn’t music. It sounds like New Age – spiritual – lots of harps – type music. It’s really the only thing I don’t like about her. So Anoush – help me out!
Hi Brian, Thank you for your question, this is a delicate one! Music can be such an important part of our lives and bonding over certain songs with your other half can be quite meaningful and create lasting memories. You didn’t say if this is her exclusive music of choice or if like you, she is open to other styles. I suggest that you play certain songs to her and let her know that you really like them and see how she reacts. Perhaps she can listen to her music when you are out or doing something else and you can still then have your songs that you enjoy together. As a music lover myself, I find it very important to agree on this and I wish you the best of luck in bringing her around to your taste. On the same hand, you should make every attempt to try to like some of her choices; maybe you have not heard them all! Let me know how it goes.
- Jimmy, Los Angeles
Where can I take out a girl in LA that will give me the most bang for my buck? As in, I have very few. Any ideas would be helpful.
Hi Jimmy, Thank you for your question, in these times it is not a rare one, so I thought it a great one to share. Contrary to popular opinion there are quite a few options for a fun time in LA that doesn’t pull too hard on the purse strings. For a daytime date I always love the idea of spending a few hours down at the Santa Monica pier. There is so much to do there and not expensive! The arcade is sure to bring out the kids in you and see each other in a more relaxed environment. If you are feeling a little romantic and want to get snuggly, grab a couple of tickets to ride the Ferris wheel. For a romantic and lovely evening out, there are a few great restaurants on Ventura in Studio City and Sherman Oaks where you can have a lovely meal without the usual LA prices. I personally love Il Tiramisu in Sherman Oaks. A romantic setting without being too intimate, Il Tiramisu offers a fantastic bar, superb authentic Italian food and very pleasant staff to boot! The food is divine and you can enjoy a great meal and a couple of drinks for around $65. Not the cheapest in town but definitely one of the best as far as value for money is concerned. Other honorable mentions are Café Bizou just up the street. Also if you are over on the Westside and fancy an inexpensive but delicious meal – check out Panini on Sunset in West Hollywood. They have the best pizza in LA!
Hot off the press is the 2009 Zagat Los Angeles Dating (and Dumping) Guide. A pocket size guide with loads of goodies for the LA Dater. With chapters ranging from Where to Date, Where to Break Up, Nightlife, Sweet and Not So Sweet Stories of love or that never ending quest to find love. With Zagat you can expect the most up to date reviews on the latest, hottest spots and with this guide you can have a laugh and gain some good tips while you are at. A couple of excerpts I quite enjoyed are in the 'Jesus Get Me Out of Here' Stories;
Posts
