match.com singles in america event.

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Yesterday while everyone was a NYFW event of some sort, I went to an event for something I’m much more interested in – dating!

The Match.com 4th annual Singles in America panel was held at Toshi’s Living Room in the Flatiron Hotel.

For about an hour guests mingled, enjoyed snacks, and special Valentine’s Day themed cocktails by Vangogh Vodka.

Then, it was time for the discussion! On the panel was Millionaire Matchmaker Patti Stanger, celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, Relationship Expert Dr. Emily Morse, Cosmo Sex & Relationship Editor Anna Breslaw, and Biological Anthropologist Dr. Helen Fisher.

For an hour they discussed all things dating and relationships based on a recent study done by Match.com. Here are some of the tidbits I found to be most interesting:

 

* the top 3 things people notice first in a person are: 1) teeth 2) confidence 3) grammar

* most people no longer follow the “3 day rule” of calling after a date

* according to Patti, NYC girls should go to the suburbs to meet guys

* according to Emily, “the issues you have on the 3rd date are issues you’ll probably have forever.”

* bars are statistically the worst place to meet people

* people are now meeting online more than anywhere else

 

I was definitely surprised by some of those stats. It was really fun and insightful hearing about the study, as well as the thoughts/opinions of the different experts.

Which of those statistics do you agree/disagree with most?

What are the top 3 things you first notice in a guy/girl?

{endless love} valentine’s day playlist.

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This post is sponsored by Universal Pictures.

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, the gloom of winter is starting to be overcome by all things cute, heart-shaped, and romantic.

Even on the years that I haven’t had a special someone to share the holiday with, I’ve always enjoyed Valentine’s Day because of how much it celebrates my favorite thing – LOVE!

One of my favorite things to do on or around Valentine’s Day (or any time of the year, for that matter) is go to the movies with my guy or my girl friends. And this year, a new love story is coming out at the perfect time.

ENDLESS LOVE will be released on February 14th – Valentine’s Day. The film stars Alex Pettyfer (Magic Mike) and Gabriella Wilde (The Three Musketeers) in the story of a privileged girl and a charismatic boy whose instant desire sparks a love affair made only more reckless by parents trying to keep them apart. Check out the trailer:

I’m a sucker for a good love story, so I can’t wait to see Endless Love. In the meantime, though, I got some of my girl friends so share their favorite love songs for a fun little Valentine’s Day Playlist to get you in that romantic spirit before February 14th.

Endless Love Valentine’s Day Playlist

Visit all of the #EndlessLove websites:

Please note that I have been compensated for this post.

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What’s your favorite love song?

snapshots.

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Thanksgiving 2013. It was a good one.

That would be Aunt Wendy’s famous Pumpkin Crunch Cake. It puts pumpkin pie (and all Thanksgiving food, for that matter) to shame.

One of the highlights of the day was receiving this photo from my sister Katie, meeting the Prancercise lady in Florida. If you haven’t seen Prancercise…enjoy.

My cousin Liz and I had a solid 10-minute photo shoot, as usual.

My little friend Giana…despite my first words to her being “you smell.”

Post-Thanksgiving veggie fill…

kale + banana smoothie:

Last but not least – some good stuff right here.

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What was the highlight of your Thanksgiving?

do you tinder?

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I don’t know about where you’re from, but in New York there’s a dating app that seems to be changing the way New Yorkers meet each other.

I have a bunch of friends who are on Tinder, and they seem to like it a lot. It’s an app that links to your Facebook account (but that remains private on the FB end), and you basically browse through other singles in your area. You can either “like” or “pass” on each person, and if they have “liked” you as well, Tinder matches the two of you up for further conversation.

One of my friends in particular has tried a handful of other dating sites like EHarmony, Ok Cupid, and Match.com, and she says that the Tinder app has actually gotten her better dates. She’s currently about to go on date #3 with a guy she considers boyfriend material.

As someone who hasn’t tried Tinder (or any dating website/apps), I was interested in learning more. So I started grilling my friend, and here’s what I found.

The number one thing she said she likes about Tinder is that it’s the most close to meeting someone for the first time in real life – it’s back to the basics of attraction – whereas other dating websites tend to share more personal information.

Some other upsides of Tinder:

* you know the other person is attracted to you too (without them knowing you’ve “liked” them)
* you can see what mutual friends/interests you have
* it’s easy to use and not complicated (no profiles to fill out, etc.)
* it’s free
* if you don’t “like” someone, they cannot contact you

Some of the downsides of Tinder:

* you’ll most likely see people you know on there (if that bothers you…I say who cares?)
* you might have to click a lot of “passes” before you find a “like”
* there’s always the risk of creepy people, and I’ve heard of a few not-so-great instances
* it’s based on very little information about the other person
* some people view it as more of a game

What do you think about Tinder? I’m still pretty traditional when it comes to dating, but the concept of Tinder is pretty interesting to me. I also like how it’s become mainstream and…well, normal. So who knows…maybe I’ll see what I think about it myself 😉

Do you know of anyone who met in Tinder? What about other dating websites/apps?

holiday bucket list.

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Is anyone else EXTRA giddy about the holidays this year?!

No matter how old I get, the holidays are still such a magical time. I love it all – the decorations, the shopping, the music, the movies, and most of all spending time with the people I love. If the holidays are anything like the rest of this year, though, they’re (unfortunately) going to fly by.

So in an attempt to enjoy the rest of this year as much as possible, here’s my holiday bucket list.

* watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade

* decorate our apartment

* bake as many Christmas cookies as possible

* listen to the “Baby It’s Cold Outside” Pandora station

* enjoy Aunt Wendy’s famous Pumpkin Crunch Cake on Thanksgiving

* watch all my favorite Christmas movies: Home Alone, Elf, The Holiday, The Santa Clause, etc.

* not wait until the last minute to get gifts

* …but still do the traditional last minute trip to the mall with dad

* skip Black Friday to decorate the house with mom

* DIY at least one gift

* get a new Christmas album (any suggestions??)

* have a cozy holiday dinner with my roommates

* visit Chrissy and Nicole (and baby Owen!) while home for Thanksgiving

* have my parents visit NYC before Christmas

* holidate with Erica and Amanda

* take lots of photos

* walk around the “Christmas-y” parts of the city – Rockefeller, 5th Ave, etc.

* have a FreelyBe holiday party

* eat candy canes and drink lots of hot cocoa

* communion at church on Thanksgiving Eve

* go to PA for our office Christmas party

* kiss someone under the mistletoe

* wear a cheesy Christmas sweater

* ice skating in Bryant or Central Park (I never have!)

* get a picture sitting on Santa’s lap

* donate toys and to a food pantry

* spend real quality time with my family

* drive through a Christmas light show

* get dressed up for holiday parties

* go off the grid/unplug with I’m with my family and friends

* reflect on the past year and make goals for the year ahead

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What’s on your holiday bucket list this year?

girl meets: 11.12.13.

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fun.

Last night I couldn’t help but start the Christmas movies early with this favorite…

…and may or may not have been tearing up about 5 minutes in. That wedding scene, come on!

food.

I’ve been all about these banana pancakes lately. They’re super easy to make, and can use just about any pancake mix. All it takes is:

- 1/2 cup gluten free Bisquick
- 1 ripe banana, mashed
- 1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk)
- dash of cinnamon

Cook on medium heat until lightly browned on each side. Makes 2-3 medium pancakes.

That’s it! Topped with peanut butter for breakfast perfection.

fashion.

Some trends I’m swooning over lately…

camel.

over-the-knee socks/tights.

90’s inspired.

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What trends are you loving right now?
Have you started watching Christmas movies yet?