What a girl wants

Looking to find out more about your date, ladies? Here are five ideas on where to go to bring the most out of him

By Ashley Barnes

Oh Chicago, with your vast array of single city dwellers, ambitious minds, creative thoughts and unique visions, how do we know what these men are really all about?

While some may oppose the excitement of being single, with only your iPod as a companion, I embrace the lifestyle as a cultural journey through this diverse city. But how can we use Chicago as a tour guide to literally guide us in the right direction with those that we choose to spend our time with? We all desire a connection with someone that offers both compatibility and intrigue. This city is just the place to test those limits while venturing about as an urban single. Forget about sitting across the table from someone you hardly know while awkwardly brainstorming new topics of conversation. With Chicago’s plethora of museums, restaurants, summer festivals, sporting events and artistic flair, there are numerous ways to have fun with your single status while exploring just what your date is all about. Here are five places that you ladies can take a date, or suggest to be taken, in hopes of concluding whether you would accept a second adventure with your companion of the moment.

1.) The Art Institute
For all of you art-loving females out there, what could be a better way to see the appreciation he holds for the artistic world? With one of the best impressionist and post-impressionist collections in the world, The Art Institute of Chicago is a must to see his range of knowledge in the arts — or at least his attempt to appreciate yours. Take a walk through Monet’s “Haystacks,” analyze contemporary photography and observe if his eyes are on the piece of art in front of you or the long-legged piece of art walking right by you.

2.) Cubs or White Sox games
Of course, Chicago has sports, and if you are a high-energy, hootin’ and hollerin’ female who loves the adrenaline rush of game day, attending a baseball game is a great way to see if he can keep up. Maybe you are the kind of lady who also knows how to drink beer and eat some of those Ball Park beef franks. If he expects you to sit lady-like, with a napkin in your lap at a baseball game, he may not be for you. Who wants a man who can’t handle a woman who likes to yell with the boys?

3.) Wine bars
Although they may be placed on random corners or in hidden neighborhood nooks, the wine bars of Chicago display a great amount of sophistication and a way to see if he can handle a drink other than Bud Light. Wine bars also lead to polite conversations that involve a more cultured dynamic. There are no loud noises to distract him or you. Can you guys really talk and connect? Is he truly attentive in the art of conversation? And, I mean, c’mon, a man who is scholarly in the process of grape fermentation is a keeper.

4.) Weekend festivals
We all live for that time in Chicago where our luminous lake looks like a turquoise ocean, the sidewalks make you feel like you are in a European storybook and the festivals never stop! With music, art, people and sunshine, these summer festivals bring out the best in everyone. Every Chicago neighborhood holds numerous festivals that represent its own style. Can he handle walking down streets besides his own? Or does he like to stay in the comfort zone of his urban stomping ground? On these exciting summer days, a dating companion will show his social colors, appreciation for the outdoors and ability to relax outside of the office and enjoy life.

5.) Ethnic restaurants
How would this list be complete without including the cuisine of Chicago? However, there is a curveball to this particular restaurant exploration. How open is your date to try new things? How curious is he about foods of the world? Our city can take you on a voyage to almost any country you can imagine. Skip to “Andalous” and visit Morocco, salsa down to “National 27” when you need a dose of that rich Latin American culture, and don’t forget to dive into the waters of all the extraordinary sushi restaurants. I don’t know about you, but any man I spend time with must know how to step outside of the world of hamburgers and hot dogs and enjoy the various cuisines of the world.

So c’mon, ladies. Our single selves have a great deal to explore, and we have a grand city such as Chicago for our guide. With all these potential adventures at our fingertips, your options are limitless to create an intriguing, exciting and cultured date. Single life in Chicago means new experiences and never knowing what is going to happen next. From gourmet cuisine to constant social activity, you want to make sure that you are spending your extra time with a man who can offer as much excitement as your independent life. Now that I think of it, I may just keep dating my city.

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