Diverse. There are so many people with a wide array of backgrounds. Plus, there are so many different types of activities to do on a date in Toronto: you could go traditional with dinner, a movie or drinks, or you could try one of the many museums or festivals the occur throughout the year; for example, Saturday past was Nuit Blanche which runs all night and is a city-wide art exhibit.

Have you in the past or are you currently, online-dating?

Yes, I am currently on a dating website. I haven’t really met anyone online and I’m becoming very disenchanted with it. I think I would prefer to meet someone out and about in the city.

If yes, in your opinion, do you think online-dating is a better way to meet new people rather than the traditional meet at a bar/club/restaurant/bookstore/where-ever, scene? Why?

I think it depends on the person. Online dating worked for me before, but it’s not working for me now. It’s a great way to meet people, but I’m not sure it’s a great way to meet potential boyfriends (or girlfriends, as the case may be). I find a lot of people are trying to put their best foot forward and are consequently, not necessarily putting their most honest foot forward. Even when it’s unintentional, some people seem to be too stringent in their qualifications and others are too forgiving of things they would like in a potential date; whereas, when meeting someone out in the world, there are less connotations and more unknowns. I would never recommend meeting someone at a bar or club in Toronto; the scene seems to be too much of a scene. I would prefer to meet someone at a bookstore or a restaurant and developing the basics of a friendship over something we have in common, or even something we differ on, instead of online where I am wondering if they look like their picture and their profile is accurate. Not everyone is good at describing themselves in a 500 word box. I feel like I miss a lot of people because their writing is not catchy enough.

Would you recommend online-dating to your friends/family, etc.?

Despite the above paragraph, I would recommend online dating to anyone looking to meet new people. It’s difficult to meet people post-university and it’s a fun experience even if it leads nowhere.

What sort of guys do you try to avoid like the plague?

I don’t really have a type, but I really dislike club kids and greasy dudes. I try to avoid anyone without maturity; guys that want to go get drunk every weekend are too immature for me. I like going out, dancing and drinking, but I also have things I want to do with my time.

Is there a specific “type” that runs rampant in your city?

Toronto is very multicultural, but I see a lot of greasy, meterosexual dudes that are so unattractive.

What are some of your favorite date spots to go to for dinner/cocktails or both (yay!)?

In the summer, I’m a huge fan of the harbourfront. It’s cliché, but it’s very close, there’s always something going on and you can always just grab ice cream and talk. I also like the Rivoli or Eat My Martini. If it’s a very special occasion, there is a terrific restaurant on Ward’s Island: The Rectory Café.

In the winter, I prefer cozy spots. Some of my favourites are Kalendar on College or Harbord House for dinner on Harbord St. I love sushi and I think it’s one of the sexiest things to try on a date; there are tons of great sushi places in the city! Bloor west of Spadina has tons of sushi places, New Generation is one of the best known. There are also a couple on Queen St. W. A smaller, but very awesome lounge for drinks is Touche, on College. Almost no one knows about it, but it still manages to be busy on a Saturday night. I’ll never forget one date where we went to the Park Hyatt lounge: The Roof Lounge. I had the best martini in the city and the patio is usable even in the winter because of the heaters and high balcony. It’s very expensive though.

What is your staple go-to date outfit? Pics please!

I’m a dress kind of girl, so I usually go with a light dress and some heels in the summer. I add a cardigan and boots in the winter. I don’t want to go for something too casual or too fancy. I usually try for an upscale casual look that works for museums to drinks to billiards to dinner. I don’t have pics of myself but I looked online and found some:

What would you consider to be the most romantic attribute of your city?

Toronto is such a diverse city. Depending on what you want, you can find it in one of the areas. We have everything and every kind of cuisine. It’s like Europe-light; it’s colder, but so full of life. There are always people out and around during the evening or on the weekend. We also have the added bonus of the waterfront and the Island.