Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Top Chef Masters * First Date Dinner


Top Chef Masters * First Date Dinner

Bravo's 'Top Chef Masters' sizzle for 60 of our Matchmaking daters!

We had the pleasure of hosting Bravo's 'Top Chef Masters' and their world-renowned chefs for a very special, 'First Date Dinner'. See if our Matchmaking daters found love or fell in love with their dishes!
Top Chef Masters' - *First Date Dinner *

Written by: SpeedLA Dating & Matchmaking

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Say it with Style...

When saying it with Hallmark just won't do, I offer you the Lemon Tree Bungalow on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. An uber boutique of gifts, cards, stationary, Dyptique and Illume candles, handcrafted soaps and sensual lotions with a generous helping of all things fun. With something for everyone, say it with a personal touch and go the extra mile with Lemon Tree Bungalow. This charming citrus-colored cottage is filled with beautiful gifts for the home. Brick floors and vine-framed windows create a peaceful and fanciful oasis from the bustling traffic outside.

Although famous for supplying movie studios and high-powered agents with stunning gift baskets, they can create something as large or small as you need. Tell them what's on your mind, your budget and watch them go to work. Complimentary gift-wrapping includes a frosted gift bag, colored paper, and lemon-yellow ribbon. Or for $3, you can get a custom job.Items tend to be a drop on the expensive side, but I think the extra attention, thoughtfulness, and uniqueness the gifts bring, more than outweigh any extra dollars you might spend.

Lemon Tree Bungalow - 8727 Santa Monica Blvd.
(310) 657 - 0211 - West Hollywood

Written by: SpeedLA Dating

Glitz and Glamour...Indian Style!

Looking for Vegas without the Vegas? Someplace to feel like a King on a pauper's budget? Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula is just the spot. Located 50 miles outside of LA, is this Four Diamond Resort dripping with amenities. Take your love by the hand and head to the 188,000 square foot casino with over 2,000 slot machines and video machines. Of if your prefer, stop by the one of many Casino Bars, grab yourself a martini and slide up to one of the 160 table games one can impress or embarrass, ones self with.

Much more than a Casino, Pechanga is a Resort. With 522 spacious guest rooms and suites, each is oversized with floor to ceiling windows, 4 star luxurious accommodations, 24-hour room service as well as complimentary use of the fully equipped health club, seasonal pool and sundeck with private cabana and a knowledgeable concierge service. Should a massage for two strike your fancy, Pechanga is sure to accommodate. Call ahead to the Concierge or Health Club for in-suite massage appointments. The best part of Pechanga is the value for money. Most weekends out of the year, expect to pay about $200 a night for a Deluxe Room. Rates drop significantly during the week. One splurge I highly recommend is the 1 Bedroom Suite and if your feeling extra flush, the Jacuzzi Suite. The 1 Bedroom Suite offer sitting rooms with a wet bar, separate sleeping quarters and one-and-a-half baths. Expect to pay about a $100 premium for the 1 Bedroom Suite. As for the Jacuzzi Suite, lavish in the Jacuzzi situated perfectly, overlooking the Temecula Wine Country, in the rather grand living room. For this treat, set aside an additional $200 a night above Deluxe Room rates.

Considering how much one can spoil themselves here for relatively little, a visit to Pechanga Resort and Casino can not be missed.

Pechanga Resort & Casino - Temecula

Written by: SpeedLA Dating

It Takes All Types in LA

It’s about 10 minutes before he’s supposed to arrive and instead of anticipating the evening, I’m nauseous. My palms are sweaty, I’ve stared at myself in the mirror so long my eyes are beginning to cross and I’m actually planning who to use as my scapegoat in case things go wrong. This is typical behavior for me when it comes to the first date. Sure some call it the jitters, others may call me delirious, but when you live in LA dating can be stressful.

There are roughly 89,000 more single men in Los Angeles than women. With that many more eligible bachelors, a girl should feel like a kid in a candy store. However, just like all of the restaurant and entertainment options this city serves up, it also offers various types worth avoiding; and on those occasions when I give someone a chance and decide to try a formal date, my mind runs wild of what sort of person I’ll actually be getting to know.

Someone once told me that Los Angeles was loaded with “pockets of cool”; this is undoubtedly true, but here are four guys that may make it past Date One, but should definitely never enter any girls’ “cool” zone.

Mr. Pretentious – He’s the guy every girl thinks they want from afar. He looks confident and carefree and all you could think is, he may actually be cooler than me. He teases you and compliments you, but rejects social norms and mentions his Rolex, BMW or Limited Edition lime green Chad Muska’s any chance he gets. He’s old enough to act like an adult, but somehow that slid right past him. He has more feminine qualities and lower self-esteem than Ellen Page’s character in 2007’s The Tracey Fragments. Don’t let this guy fool you, he’ll never shut up about his material possessions and he will emotionally drain you during your role as his mother.

The Gift Giver – This one is really tricky. He’s the guy who shows up with a gift every time he sees you. Sounds amazing, right? No! Erase that idea from your head. He’ll use gifts to mask his horrible personality and plant little seeds of guilt when you want to break it off with the gorgeous Peonies bouquet and shining cutlery he brought over last week. Again, this one lacks self-esteem and the understanding that you need more than a wallet to impress a real woman.

The Party Boy – The one you hate to love. You met him at a bar and you hit it off instantly, you laugh and never want the night to end. The next day when your friends ask about him, you dodge all the obvious signs that he’s not right for you by reiterating over and over that, “he’s really fun”. Unless you’re just looking for a good time, run the opposite direction. Don’t mistake his goofy, laid back, no-long-term-goal-self as a promising specimen you can mold. We can’t change men, so why waste your time trying.

The Push Over – Every girl likes a challenge, so it’s no wonder that a few dates with this guy and every single lady in the country wants to throw him to the side. He’ll do whatever you want. He’ll take your abuse. He’ll dance when you say dance. He’ll always be available and he willingly gives up all interactions with his friends. Sure he’ll be your best friend, your shopping buddy and your punching bag, but who wants a man who isn’t manly?

Written by: Crista Michelle - SpeedLA Dating Resident Blogger