(March 21st to April 19th)
Anything that is not your typical dinner and drinks – indoor skydiving, a painting class, a hike. Whatever puts you and your date in a unique situation where you can try something new and unfamiliar with one another.
(April 20th to May 21st)
An evening spent in an aesthetically pleasing venue that’s interesting and hip, but quiet enough that you can spend the entire time talking and really getting to know each other on a deeper level.
(May 22nd to June 21st)
A date that consists of an activity that causes you to bond with each other and have easy and ready-made conversation, such as karaoke or a trivia night. Basically, a date that does a lot of the work for you so that you don’t have to stress about what you’re going to talk about or whether or not you’ll have something in common.
(June 22nd to July 22nd)
Doing something where 100% of your date’s attention is focused on you. Typically, your ideal date is something really low-key and simple, like drinks at a quiet bar on a Tuesday night. You are most relaxed and have the best time when you don’t feel like you have to be fighting and battling to win even just a little bit of your date’s attention.
(July 23rd to August 22nd)
An evening that you go into with low expectations that ends up totally surprising you. Maybe you’re getting set up and you’re not that excited about the person, or you’ve gone on a series of Very Bad Dates and you’re just over it. And then suddenly what you thought was going to be “one drink” turns into an evening that lasts until two in the morning and could have gone even longer if not for work or life in the morning.
(August 23rd to September 22nd)
Having easy, fun, intriguing, and absolutely effortless conversation. For you, one of the most intimidating and anxiety-inducing parts about dating is the stress you feel about having a good conversation and avoiding awkward silence with your date. So when you go on a date and feel like the back-and-forth between you two is totally weightless and light and fun, you have an absolute blast. It doesn’t matter if you’re walking down an ugly sidewalk or drinking champagne in front of a beautiful city skyline – you could care less, as long as you are having a good time talking to the person in front of you.
(September 23rd to October 22nd)
Being on a date with someone who’s equal parts engaging and mysterious. You’re used to confirming in an instant that someone is into you. So the ideal perfect date for you, no matter where it is or what you’re doing, is being with someone who is both fascinating and interesting to you, while also not hanging on your every word or throwing themselves at you. When you spend time with someone who finally makes you do a little bit of work, you’re secretly in heaven.
(October 23rd to November 22nd)
Being surprised. You’re used to planning everything, running the show, and controlling every aspect of your dates. So when someone else is in charge for once, even though it feels out of your comfort zone, you absolutely love it. Whether they’re picking out the restaurant or telling you to meet them in their favorite city spot without giving any more details or they’re just ordering your cocktail for you, you highly enjoy letting someone else run the show.
(November 23rd to December 21st)
Being on a date with a person who can have a great time no matter what you’re doing. It could be something as fun as an outdoor food festival or as ordinary as sharing a couple of beers at a dive bar. But as long as you’re laughing and goofing around and having a blast with the other person, you don’t care what kind of date it is.
(December 22nd to January 20th)
Going somewhere that gives you the chance to learn about the other person’s interests and the ways in which they view the world. Your ideal settings are museums, small and exclusive music performances, art shows, long walks in quiet and interesting places, etc.
(January 21st to February 18th)
An evening where you feel comfortable enough to loosen up and let your guard down for once. Whether it’s a group date with people you feel really comfortable around, or delicious drinks with a lovely view, or seeing some kind of show together that feels like a mutually shared bonding experience, your favorite kinds of dates are the ones that give you some little push towards opening up more than you usually do.
(February 19th to March 20th)
Not feeling overwhelmed by outside stimulus – no loud music, no crazy venues, no overly-crowded places. Just a relaxing bar, a restaurant that’s not overly-busy, or a friend’s dinner party – where you have the chance to just sit down, ask them about themselves and have them ask you about you, and really get to know the person without feeling distracted during every other sentence. /by Kim Quindlen
