On Aug. 10, some two dozen cute and done-up singletons arrived at the Long Beach hot spot Corbin & Reynolds for a round of speed dating, the head-spinning courtship ritual made famous by Candace Bushnell's column in the New York Observer - which begat "Sex and the City" - and the movie "The Forty Year Old Virgin."
Greeting the eager daters was Tammy Carlisle, the event coordinator from Cupid.com, who led them through the process. Cupid.com touts itself as the largest speed dating company in North America. Approaching singles with a "fun, no-pressure way to meet lots of potential dates," Carlisle signs them up and launches them on a voyage of a dozen or so "dates," each six minutes long. With Carlisle's relaxed and warm guidance, the participants' nervousness seemed to disappear once the process began. As Carlisle described it, speed dating is a new approach to dating that lets singles get a step up on their situation. "Speed dating is a sure way to interact and meet people," she said. "In a normal bar scenario, two people might see each other and want to talk, but due to their environment and pressure from friends they become apprehensive and let the moment slide by. Speed dating is an exciting way to meet multiple singles in a short amount of time, while having fun. And who wouldn't want that?" John Fitzsimmons, a handsome 26-year-old from East Rockaway, contented himself to watch the proceedings from the bar, but didn't dismiss the concept. "A lot of guys feel girls on Long Island are materialistic and hard to approach," Fitzsimmons said. "Guys don't want to feel intimidated or rejected. But when you're in a room filled with people searching for the same thing as you are, there's a comfort level that develops, and that's what singles are looking for. I'd be open to it." Carlisle led participants to Corbin & Reynolds's private catering room, where soft music was playing and there were lit candles on each of the 12 tables set up for the mini-dates. She sat a woman at each table and then rang a bell, which sent the men scurrying among the tables, each one taking a seat, and the conversations began. Six minutes later, the bell rang again and each man moved to the table to his right. Before the session began, participants were given a scorecard to record each date's name, a "let's talk" or "no thanks" box to check and a space for notes. The data were later entered into a computer for Carlisle to crunch and, if necessary, turn into matches. Participants were told to log on to the company's Web site at around midnight to find out if they had any hits, i.e., indications of mutual interest. Afterward, the daters gathered at the bar, laughing and chatting about their experiences. First-timer Maria Nel Lizana, an attractive 28-year-old from Valley Stream, was all smiles and giggles when discussing her dates. Having brought along two friends for support, Lizana came out of the experience without a love match, but with some new friends. "Everyone was great," she said. "I just didn't find that connection." Nonetheless, she said she was game for another go, preferably in Manhattan, with its larger dating pool and smaller chances of encountering someone she knows. Marko McCarthy, general manager of Corbin & Reynolds, was pleased to watch the event from the sidelines. "Long Beach is a happening town," he said. "Being single once, it made me empathize with how hard it is to meet people in this area. Corbin & Reynolds offers the perfect environment for singles to mingle, and if that's doubled through speed dating, then it's something singles shouldn't be closed off to." Comments about this story? DMiller@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 213
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