A guide for dating in Los Angeles
You're
single, live in L.A., and want to meet new people. The good news is that, as of
late 2014, 55.8% of Angelenos were unmarried, according to the Los Angeles
Times. The bad news is that single men outnumber women, making dating in L.A.
difficult: traffic, conflicting schedules, and everyone appearing to be busy
all of the time. Here's how to make dating a little less dreadful.
Location, location, location
Love
is said to be able to overcome all obstacles, but 405 is not one of them. You
can find yourself irritated commuting to your dates if you reside in Santa
Monica but right swipe on someone in Highland Park. That isn't to imply that if
your dream spouse lives across town, all hope is lost; nevertheless, life is
too short to squander an hour and a half stuck in traffic for a lousy date, so
make sure you click. Meeting places in the middle is ideal, and if you end up
dating someone who lives in a neighborhood with no parking (Koreatown, we're
looking at you), Lyft may become your best dating ally.
Make friends
Don't
be so focused on meeting your future spouse that you overlook the importance of
making friends. Mutual friends are an excellent approach to meeting potential
dating partners. Find folks with whom you share common interests and get along
well, and there's a good chance they'll introduce you to their other pals.
Meetups
If
packed bars aren't your thing, there are plenty of meetup groups in Los Angeles
where you may meet individuals who share your interests. Neighborhood and
interest-specific Facebook groups, as well as popular websites like Meetup.com,
are examples. Hiking, craft beer, Halloween, cooking, photography, food,
comics, and other interests have their own clubs.
Singles bar
There
are a few bars that are helpful for meeting new people if you must do things
the old-fashioned way. They're laid-back (yet stylish), roomy, and always busy.
Everson Royce Bar (Arts District); Good Times at Davey Wayne's (Hollywood);
Thirsty Crow (Silver Lake); Block Party (Highland Park); Birds (Franklin
Village); Idle Hour (North Hollywood); and The Bungalow (North Hollywood) are
all popular singles bars (Santa Monica). Add The Abbey (West Hollywood),
Precinct (Downtown LA), and Akbar (Silver Lake) to the list of LGBTQ bars.
Go on a unique date
While
coffee and drinks are enjoyable, there is much more to do in Los Angeles. When
you've found someone to ask out, treat your date to a magic show at Black
Rabbit Rose, where even the cocktails are presented in fantasy splendor, and
the revolving ensemble of L.A. magicians never fails to delight. Alternatively,
test your compatibility by going to a local escape room and seeing if you can
communicate and solve puzzles together. Challenge each other to a game of
pinball at an arcade bar, or take one of L.A.'s outstanding architectural or
historical walking tours to learn something new.
Don’t give up hope
You
never know when you'll meet someone new, whether it's through a buddy, at work,
or while waiting in line at your favorite coffee shop. Make the most of your
alone time by engaging in things that you enjoy. It's too busy in Los Angeles
to stay at home and mope, and you'll never meet anyone that way. If you're
extremely bitter about being alone, you can always visit The Museum of Broken
Relationships in Hollywood, which will make you feel a little better about it.