Cheeky Chic Politics...

Feeling Cheeky?

I'm sure you have all heard of or even been to the fabulously fabulous, Geisha House in Hollywood. For those that haven't or haven't a clue what Geisha House is, remove yourself from under the rock you have been under and get ready tatantalizeyour senses. While most sushi restaurants tend to ignore or hide from Japan's rich sexual history...Geisha House embraces it. A feast for the eyes, the soul and of course, your taste buds. Brought to you by the famed Dolce Group comes this sensual hot spot that has both the stars and those who set the trend for the stars, in a Japanese tizzy.

Many find our events at Geisha House a lovely opportunity to bypass the front desk, any Hollywood attitude and enjoy the best the venue has to offer. And - oh yeah... find love while their at it. We consider ourselves quite fortunate to be invited to Geisha House to host our events and truly can not say enough wonderful things... but I'll try anyway.

Starting downstairs you enter through a red-painted wood hallway, arriving at a full-length mirror--a not-so-subtle hint at the see-and-be-seen posing to come. Inside, the prominent main bar's white-grid-enclosed plasma screens are a focal point from every vantage point. Further back, a three-tiered fireplace anchors the main dining room, which is lined with kimono-like swatches and a twig-enclosed private booth. My personal favorite part of the restaurant is upstairs in the Moon Room. Dreamy in the summer months and wintertime chic, relaxing under the heaters, the rest of the year. Although considering it's always LA summertime, I think you'll find it equally stunning any time of year.

I typically like to mention a few of my menu favorites, but quite honestly I can't pick a favorite. Their sushi is always in top form, their entree's as good as you would expect and the drinks... ahh... the drinks... are always just what the doctor ordered. The Shikomi cocktail is like a decadent spa beverage, with sake, midori, lemon and cucumber. Too many of those, and I assure you, the reflection in the above mentioned mirror will be quite different.

The valet can be a bit pricey on busy nights--save a few dollars by using the lot directly across the street on Cherokee.

Geisha House - Hollywood

Written by: SpeedLA Dating

Understated Style

When you want to set the date off right many of us turn to a limousine to ferry us. However, in 2010, this can can often seem garish and a bit too over the top. Perhaps too prom like for most. This of course is not to imply there is anything wrong with a limousine - for couples, weddings and that night on the town with your friends, but for dating, it might just have the opposite effect on your date than you had intended. Introducing ATM Limo & Car Services. The preferred choice of SpeedLA and the only one we recommend to our matchmaking & dating clients. Providing a fabulous fleet of towncars sure to set you and your date off in style. Offering comfort and safety - minus any pretension. With a typical rate of only $50-55 hour, it is an absolute bargain. With a staff of knowledgable, professional and accomodating drivers - they are only too eager to please.

Start with a towncar for your date, graduate to a limo for the wedding and opt for the stretch Hummer H2 for the anniversary party. ATM Limo & Car Services - 800. 995. 4546

Written by: SpeedLA Dating

Go For The Gold

In case you've been living under a rock, there's a little something called The Olympics going on right now. You know, that thing with all the pomp, circumstance and figure skating? Well, it's happening, whether you're watching or not. And, regardless of your personal interest - or lack thereof - in the great sport of curling, you can still inject some gold medal-worthy fun into your love life.

Figure Skating
So, you love sparkles, sequins and spinning around on a few inches of ice? Then figure skating is clearly the sport for you. Lucky for you, there are plenty of local places to take your beau for some blades of glory fun. Tutu and tight bodysuit not required. Pasadena has the gorgeous, state of the art Pasadena Ice Skating Center, where you can take classes, join a Freestyle skating session or even sign up for some hardcore broomball. Olympic skater Miri Nagasu even started her career in this huge facility, located in the heart of Pasadena. Although nobody will hold it against you if you're not exactly up to her level.

In Culver City, kitsch is the name of the game, at the historic Culver Ice Arena, where pickup hockey games, open skating sessions and a vintage vibe make it the perfect place for a more low-key skating experience. And, in the valley, you can check out Iceland Ice Skating Center in Van Nuys, home of the perfect date activity - bumper cars on ice. And what's better than the opportunity to show off your driving skills and your ability to come up with witty puns involving 'bumping' all in the same date?

Skiing & Snowboarding
Okay, so you don't want to go all the way to the snow. Well, how about some virtual snowsports instead? For about $20 onAmazon, you can buy We Ski for the Nintendo Wii, which lets you ski and snowboard your way to victory all within the warmth and comfort of your very own living room. The balance board is going to cost you a little extra, but you'll get to enjoy all the fun of frolicking in the snow without any of that actual pesky snow stuff. Because let's face it. Us Angelenos weren't exactly built to bulk up in those big ol' winter coats anyway.

Hockey
Hey, did you know there are two whole hockey teams in the LA area? We've got the Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks. Yeah, those Ducks. Although, I don't think Joshua Jackson is playing for them anymore, you can still check them out any time during their season, which runs well into April. Both the Ducks and the Kings have totally affordable tickets that start at less than $20 and often come in packages that include perks like hot dogs, sodas and more. Even if you're not that into hockey, you can't really turn down a date night that involves watching hot, sweaty men duking it out on the ice and comes with hot dogs included, can you? Sounds like a gold medal night to me.

Written by: Mollie Vandor - SpeedLA Dating Resident Blogger

Happy Valentine's Day!

Summertime Chi!

All the help you can get...

Have that special someone you've been dating for awhile? Looking for a little fun with food? I found a website that specializes in all things "Gourmet Food and Cooking" related. Within this treasure trove of information, I found a page dedicated to 'Aphrodisiac Foods'. A bit of history, why certain foods are considered 'aphrodisiac', food list and of course, recipe list. From Almonds to figs, to mustard...some will definitely surprise you. Try not to fancy yourself a Gordon Ramsey while using all the ingredients and suggested recipes on the first date. It's a lovely bit of fun for that lovely in your life.

www.gourmetsleuth.com/aphrodis_foods.htm

After you have feverishly copied the food list and recipes do try to stop by the main site where one can educate themselves, Gourmet Style. Their goal is to help inform and educate people interested in food, cooking and eating. They have a wide assortment of culinary articles on various foods and cooking topics and publish recipes that take a "how to" approach. They also answer culinary related questions and do so eagerly.

In addition to their own content, "Gourmet Sleuth" maintains a huge database of food, beverage (wine, beer, alcohol) related sites. So if you are looking for recipes, looking to add to your culinary database or to act like you know what you are talking about, this is a great place to start.

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/

Written by: SpeedLA Dating