Cutie Patootie Date Spot

The Cherry Tomato

This restaurant truly offers a perfect atmosphere for a first, second, third, or fiftith date. It's adorable, cozy, and romantic. The wine list ranges from expensive to very affordable, the food is cooked in an open kitchen, and the service is almost sweeter than the canolies (which are amazing). The truth is, I am not really a "let's go out for Italian food" type of girl, but The Cherry Tomato, I love. I could dine there all day, every day, and never grow tired of the food or the atmosphere.

First on my LIKE list: Carbonara Pasta...and I don't even like bacon. Second on my LIKE list: Award Winning Meat Lasagna.

http://www.cherrytomatodenver.com/Home.html

4645 East 23rd Avenue

Denver, CO 80207

(303) 377-1914

Tickle Toy

Soooo this one time, I got a tickler. It came from a boy I was about to go on a date with. I mean, most boys bring, if anything, flowers. But the boy I found brought a tickler, from China nonetheless. He handed it to me as he walked in the door, expecting me to be grateful, expecting me to swoon. I grasped the tickler, certainly wearing my questions and shock on my face. I looked up...half flirtatiously, half in "you're an idiot" voice and asked him if he gave this toy to all of his female conquests. He replied, honestly and quickly, "no, I typically reserve such a prize only for the children."

*The said tickler is actually called a CAUTUYEN...apparently it is a children's toy, similar to a hackey sack.

That is so Colorado.

In Colorado, the boys don't ask you to dinner or a movie for a first date; they ask you to a bluegrass festival, a camping weekend, a half marathon relay race, a hike, or maybe, if he's ready for something chill, a brewery tour.

clear pool vs swampy land

I have a couple friends who have recently begun dipping their toes into the online dating pool. Online dating has become a legitimate way to meet significant others, and my friends seem to enter into the sign up process with the same excitment that I feel when securing a new catch. They glow when they get winked at and talk excitedly about noticing a new fish, much the same as noticing someone new in "real" life. However, it is not the same. From what I can tell, it seems that online dating comes with a heavier emotional burden than "regular" dating. And this perceived burden has caused me to run in the opposite direction from the online dating world.
When I meet someone face-to-face, I make small talk, laugh lightly, giggle at his jokes, allow him to buy me a drink, and eventually exchange numbers. On the first date, I may, or may not, begin diving into the deeper stuff; it's slow, and I don't have to disclose too much information until I feel confident and comfortable with the other person.
Online dating really scares me because, prior to the first date, there is already communication through the website, texts, emails, and phone calls. Users' profiles themselves contain much information and photos, so to me, it seems like there is opportunity for rejection before even seeing each other face to face.
And there we go--I have labeled my fear of online dating--REJECTION. What if I put all this information and pictures of myself on the website and no one even winks at me? How would it feel to have others see me, read about me and then not want me?
And what if they do like what they see in the online catalog? What if they do put me in their cart and ask to see me soon? It could work out, but, if it doesn't, what happens when there is already a sense of attachment because of the mulitple communication trys prior to date one?
For the sake of my heart, and all the boys who may want to wink at me online, I'll try to stay out of the online dating pool and keep my feet on the swampy land that is "regular dating".