I do not go on dates in grocery stores.

Last night I met a very handsome man for our first date .... at  a grocery store.

I'm not kidding.

Interestingly enough,I was attending a seminar at a gorgeous hotel across the street from the store, and there was yet another gorgeous hotel (with an equally swank hotel bar) directly across the street, but he suggested we meet on the second floor of a "grocery store" where they allegedly served wine and beer.

I rejected this idea as a dismal one at the onset.  My friend texted me fervently "just go to the hotel bar... tell him to meet you there. You can't go to a grocery store on a date!"  But I didn't want to see high maintenance (I always try to dump that one much later on).  So I did what I was asked to do.  I went to a quiet and empty table on the second floor of the grocery store and sat there and waited for him to arrive.

Immediately, I knew this was NOT the place for a proper date. The space was vast and open and the lights were super bright. I much prefer a dim and hazy atmosphere especially given my recent diagnosis of vascular rosacea.  Aromas of rotisserie chicken abounded.  Noises associated with checkout difficulties ("problem on aisle 6!)" reverberated up the stairs.  Even the wine glasses were tiny with pours limited to FIVE OUNCES.  I just knew this was going to be a disaster. I almost ran literally ran next door to the hotel bar.  But then he arrived.

Admittedly, he was quite handsome and quite a gentleman (albeit 15 minutes late) but he and I did not see eye to eye on the grocery store venue. CLEARLY, he thought this was a cute and novel idea.  An interesting spot,if you will.  I did not.  For many years, I lived near an upscale Whole Foods. It's okay, okay? If you want a nice piece of fresh fish or an organic apple, it's fine. But for drinks? Not so much.

We moved over to the self pour wine cabinets.  No. You don't get a waitress at the grocery store either.  We tried a mere 5 ounce pour of a nice Pinot Noir and had a decent amount of conversation over perfunctory topics: work, politics, the stock market, travel, etc. However,  I had been in an all day seminar and was starving! If we had gone to the hotel bar, I could be eating foie gras by now.  But he (like many cheap men today) didn't offer me any food.  I mean, he could have at least just dropped downstairs and grabbed me one of those rotisserie chickens! Or a cup of soup!  At a side note, I have found that men no longer like to feed you (it's too expensive), they just want to meet drinks.  Or in this case a "drink."  No. We did not have another drink.  He appeared ready to go --- go and grocery shop, that is.  I'm not making this up.  He told me he was going to wander around a bit and maybe do some shopping.  I think he even invited me to join him, but I told him I was good on groceries.  

So I don't think I'll see him again. He did ask me to text him and suggest we meet up again, but unless I need paper towels, I don't think he'll be hearing from me. 

Last night I met a very handsome man for our first date .... at  a grocery store.

I'm not kidding.

Interestingly enough,I was attending a seminar at a gorgeous hotel across the street from the store, and there was yet another gorgeous hotel (with an equally swank hotel bar) directly across the street, but he suggested we meet on the second floor of a "grocery store" where they allegedly served wine and beer.

I rejected this idea as a dismal one at the onset.  My friend texted me fervently "just go to the hotel bar... tell him to meet you there. You can't go to a grocery store on a date!"  But I didn't want to see high maintenance (I always try to dump that one much later on).  So I did what I was asked to do.  I went to a quiet and empty table on the second floor of the grocery store and sat there and waited for him to arrive.

Immediately, I knew this was NOT the place for a proper date. The space was vast and open and the lights were super bright. I much prefer a dim and hazy atmosphere especially given my recent diagnosis of vascular rosacea.  Aromas of rotisserie chicken abounded.  Noises associated with checkout difficulties ("problem on aisle 6!)" reverberated up the stairs.  Even the wine glasses were tiny with pours limited to FIVE OUNCES.  I just knew this was going to be a disaster. I almost ran literally ran next door to the hotel bar.  But then he arrived.

Admittedly, he was quite handsome and quite a gentleman (albeit 15 minutes late) but he and I did not see eye to eye on the grocery store venue. CLEARLY, he thought this was a cute and novel idea.  An interesting spot,if you will.  I did not.  For many years, I lived near an upscale Whole Foods. It's okay, okay? If you want a nice piece of fresh fish or an organic apple, it's fine. But for drinks? Not so much.

We moved over to the self pour wine cabinets.  No. You don't get a waitress at the grocery store either.  We tried a mere 5 ounce pour of a nice Pinot Noir and had a decent amount of conversation over perfunctory topics: work, politics, the stock market, travel, etc. However,  I had been in an all day seminar and was starving! If we had gone to the hotel bar, I could be eating foie gras by now.  But he (like many cheap men today) didn't offer me any food.  I mean, he could have at least just dropped downstairs and grabbed me one of those rotisserie chickens! Or a cup of soup!  At a side note, I have found that men no longer like to feed you (it's too expensive), they just want to meet drinks.  Or in this case a "drink."  No. We did not have another drink.  He appeared ready to go --- go and grocery shop, that is.  I'm not making this up.  He told me he was going to wander around a bit and maybe do some shopping.  I think he even invited me to join him, but I told him I was good on groceries.  

So I don't think I'll see him again. He did ask me to text him and suggest we meet up again, but unless I need paper towels, I don't think he'll be hearing from me. 

I do not go on dates in grocery stores.

Last night I met a very handsome man for our first date .... at  a grocery store.

I'm not kidding.

Interestingly enough,I was attending a seminar at a gorgeous hotel across the street from the store, and there was yet another gorgeous hotel (with an equally swank hotel bar) directly across the street, but he suggested we meet on the second floor of a "grocery store" where they allegedly served wine and beer.

I rejected this idea as a dismal one at the onset.  My friend texted me fervently "just go to the hotel bar... tell him to meet you there. You can't go to a grocery store on a date!"  But I didn't want to seem high maintenance (I always try to dump that bomb much later on).  So I did what I was asked to do.  I went to a quiet and empty table on the second floor of the grocery store and sat there and waited for him to arrive.

Immediately, I knew this was NOT the place for a proper date. The space was vast and open and the lights were fluorescent and super bright. I much prefer a dim and hazy atmosphere especially given my recent diagnosis of vascular rosacea.  Aromas of rotisserie chicken abounded.  Noises associated with checkout difficulties ("problem on aisle 6!)" reverberated up the stairs.  Even the wine glasses were tiny with pours limited to FIVE OUNCES.  I just knew this was going to be a disaster. I almost ran literally ran next door to the hotel bar.  But then he arrived.

Admittedly, he was quite handsome and quite a gentleman (albeit 15 minutes late) but he and I did not see eye to eye on the grocery store venue. CLEARLY, he thought this was a cute and novel idea.  An interesting spot,if you will.  I did not.  For many years, I lived near an upscale Whole Foods. It's okay, okay? If you want a nice piece of fresh fish or an organic apple, it's fine. But for drinks? Not so much.

We moved over to the self pour wine cabinets.  No. You don't get a waitress at the grocery store either.  We tried a mere 5 ounce pour of a nice Pinot Noir and had a decent amount of conversation over perfunctory topics: work, politics, the stock market, travel, etc. However,  I had been in an all day seminar and was starving! I kept thinking that if we had gone to the hotel bar, I could be eating foie gras by now with a nine ounce poor of a really good Cab.  But he (like many cheap men today) didn't offer me any food.  I mean, he could have at least just dropped downstairs and grabbed me one of those rotisserie chickens! Or a cup of soup!  At a side note, I have found that men no longer like to feed you (it's too expensive), they just want to meet drinks.  Or in this case a "drink."  No. We did not have another drink.  He appeared ready to go --- go and grocery shop, that is.  I'm not making this up.  He told me he was going to wander around a bit and maybe do some shopping.  I think he even invited me to join him, but I told him I was good on groceries.  

So I don't think I'll see him again. He did ask me to text him and suggest we meet up again, but unless I need paper towels, I don't think he'll be hearing from me.