The speed dating event went well. You met a few great people. You even got a few matches on Mixeo. So how do you turn these online matches into something more substantial? How do you message someone to increase the possibility they will reply?
Hosting a ridiculously fun speed dating event last night means that today I have a slight hangover. This hangover has forced me to re-evaluate my life… Evaluation complete. I love it.
Last night literary London got some luvvin as we launched the UK’s first regular Literary speed date event.
I’m not normally a cynical person but sometimes the day to day can become mundane. Yesterday I had one of ‘those days’. Work was slow, bills were flowing in, the writing side of my brain wasn’t working properly and I essentially spent 8 hours staring at a computer screen. All I wanted to do was head home, eat pizza, drink wine and watch some rubbish on Netflix.
Hello fellow sapiosexuals one and all. I think we can all agree there’s something attractive about people who carry an easy intelligence with them. The problem is, how can you tell? And even if you can, how do you impress in equal measure?
The decadence of the Raj circa 1890’s sits easily with a more relaxed Indian wicker and Pimms tone at this relative newcomer to Tooting, The Imperial Durbar.
We’re about to launch the UK’s first regular Literary Speed Dating Event. Think of it as a kind of speed dating book club. So never let it be said we send you into the world unprepared.
It’s always a tough one, particularly for the first timer, and one of the major questions I get asked at Speed Date events in London – what should I talk about?
It's a dangerous game to judge a book by it's cover when you go speed dating. Here's what happens when you do. Check out this amazing video.
The City of London is known for its attraction to big. Big bonuses, big budgets, big brands and big bars.
Tinder: The world’s best finger exerciser! "It’s not just about looks! Oh hang on. Yes it is." Tinder has taken the world by storm. Apparently. It’s estimated the app will have 100 million users by the end of 2015 worldwide and is currently worth a staggering UD$1.1bn. The numbers are certainly impressive. But is it any good? Well, no. But let’s look at how it works.
Tucked away in one of Fitzrovia’s more obscure streets is a gem of a basement bar - Nordic. With a nod to the dive bars of old but with a professional polish, Nordic combines an open front tabled area with a few little nooks and crannies for those more intimate discussions. Scandinavian wood is the furniture material of choice which, when combined with friendly and efficient table service no matter how busy it gets, provides a surprisingly comfortable evening of food and drink.
Black & Blue has been part of the Original Dating venue stable for a while now but since its beautiful new refurbishment we thought it warranted an update.
Something’s happening in South West London that’s challenging the dominance of bars north of the river. Local pubs seem to be enjoying a renaissance and this is particularly true of the Wandsworth area.
So we've got all the cocktail bars, secret basement dives, champagne venues and other central London frippery covered. And we love it. But London is about a lot more than the West End, the City and a few inner London areas only accessible by fixed wheel bicycle.
NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2015 It may only be February but it's been a busy time for us here at Original HQ.
Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it. –P.J. O’Rourke
Valentine's weekend is, with good reason, the busiest weekend in the singles events calendar. It seems everyone and their pet animal of choice is running an event. Having worked in the industry for around a decade I've seen them all and it's clear that some work better than others.
Dating can be tough, but the rewards can offer you more than enough to compensate for the initial scary step into the dating world. If you’ve met someone on a speed dating night that you’d like to get to know better, and you’re planning your first “proper” date, it can be pretty nerve-wracking. With this in mind, we’ve put together 5 of the most important tips to help that first date go well. You never know, it may be the start of something special!
Our regular weekly speed dating for people in their thirties has proved to be a very popular night and is now a stalwart of our calendar. Attracting a vibrant, typically professional crowd from across London we consistently find a match rate of between 70-80% amongst those that attend. That means that well over two thirds of everyone attending matches with at least one person as either a yes of a friend.
The beauty of Speed Dating London lies in its no-nonsense approach. You take an equal number of single girls and guys, put them in a room and give them a few minutes to chat with every other member of the opposite sex.
Original speed dating events in London normally begin at 7.30pm. You will need to register with our hosts and to begin with they will issue you with a score sheet. This will help you to keep track of the singles that you would like to meet again and perhaps go on a date with. After a short period of mingling, your host for the evening who will run through detailed instructions and give you your starting position if you are a guy or table for the event if you are a girl.
A London speed dating event is split into two halves, each lasting around an hour, there will be an interval at half time of about 15 minutes for speed dating London. You will have between 4 and 5 minutes with each person, after which you need to tick a box on your score sheet - "yes, I would like to meet this person again" or "no. Thanks but no thanks". Or "friend" if you'd like to get to know them platonically. Make sure that you do this after each date to keep track. Afterwards there is an opportunity for everyone to meet and mingle informally - this is often where the real action begins, so make sure you don't disappear too quickly!
After the event you simply tick who you liked on the Original Dating website and the site works about your matches automatically. If the dates you have ticked as a "yes" have reciprocated you have a match. You will be able to view the first names and message them via our site online without revealing your email address until you are ready to. You'll be having proper first dates in no time.