Coverage of Samantha's Table at TheRichest.com

I'm thrilled to share some recent coverage of my business at TheRichest.com. Here's an excerpt from the article:

Samantha Daniels is the owner of Samantha’s Table, a matchmaking service for the “discerning and discreet”. Samantha runs her service a little differently in that she does not only introduce clients to other clients. Often times Samantha will introduce clients to people she knows socially on personal or professional levels. They are available as dates to her clients only because of the personal relationships she has with them. Samantha focuses her efforts in the New York City and Los Angeles markets. She introduces people one-on-one over drinks, thereby avoiding the stress of a long awkward dinner. As with most matchmakers, the intro fee of $25,000 can go up depending on the package best suited to the client.

Read the full article here.  

10 New Year's Resolutions to Help You Find Love in 2014

(Originally appeared on The Huffington Post on December 27, 2013.)

Every year at about this time, people start to think back on the year that is coming to a close, and reflect upon all the things they didn't accomplish that they had hoped they would. For single people, often high up on that list is the fact that they didn't get married or get into that significant relationship for which they had been looking. Instead of harping on things you can't change from the past, here are some New Year's resolutions that might actually help you find and fall in love in 2014:

Did your year not end with a New Year's kiss?

1. Remove negative influences from your life. Whether or not you want to admit it, there is negativity all around you. Acknowledge this and do your darndest to remove it from your life. This means negative friends, relatives and colleagues.

2. Date people you wouldn't usually date. All single people get into dating ruts from time to time. If you know that your dating life has hit a familiar pattern that always ends up poorly, make a resolution to date differently in 2014. Date people you wouldn't usually date and see if this changes your relationship luck.

3. Join an online dating site, even if you think you are not that kind of person. Face the facts: in this day and age, almost every single person is either online dating or working with a professional matchmaker like myself. If you rationalize that online dating is just not for you, you are robbing yourself of the opportunity to meet someone who could be your mate. Just take a deep breath and do it.

4. Move to a new home, if you have been procrastinating doing so. One of the things I constantly hear from single people is that they refrain from moving because they might meet their significant other, and then what? This is a bad excuse. You will be more apt to meet your honey if you are living your life and moving forward. It would be a high class problem if you need to figure out what to do with your new home because you met the One.

5. Reach out to old friends with whom you have been meaning to catch up. With sites like Facebook and LinkedIn being all the rage, you have no excuse for not reconnecting with old friends. Just friend them somewhere, make a plan to get together and then see if they know someone great for you. Friends love introducing their friends to each other.

6. Participate in an activity that is outside your comfort zone. Doing new things is a great way to expand your social circles and meet new people. Go ahead and choose something you have always wanted to do, but have never done. Join a baseball league, join a tennis club, take a cooking class, just do something and keep your eyes open for other single people while you are doing it.

7. Get a date makeover, so you look and feel your best. It's always good to change your look a little to shake things up in your dating life. Go ahead and get a new haircut, add highlights to your hair, go buy a new sexy date outfit that will wow the opposite sex or buy a new color lipgloss. Make a change and you will be surprised how many people will notice you in a different way and compliment you too.

8. Get fit and healthy. This needs to be a top priority in 2014. Stop making excuses that this doesn't matter, because it absolutely does. Being fit and healthy is the number one characteristic that both men and women tell me is of importance to them in a mate. Take a step to becoming more fit and you will see a huge difference in your dating life.

9. Do some self analysis about why are not in love. You are the only constant in every one of your dating situations and in every relationship which you have been in. You need to take a very long, hard look at how you are being perceived in the dating world and then make some important changes to improve that perception. Are you too negative? Do you play too hard to get? Are you not feminine enough? Are you too picky? Do you never have a plan for the date? Are you commitment-phobic? Figure out what you can improve or change and do it, immediately.

10. Stop the booty calls with people who are not real contenders. It's time to be smart if you are looking for a real relationship. My mother always told me that if you have someone in your life, no matter how inconsequential, you are not trying as hard to meet someone else because you are distracted. This is fact. Get rid of Late Night Larry or Late Night Linda if you want to meet your true love in 2014.

10 Tips For Finding Romance On Halloween

(Originally appeared in the Huffington Post on October 30, 2013.)

Halloween is a great time of year if you're single and looking for a new romantic interest. Everyone is out and about, in a good mood and ready to have a fun evening. In fact, Halloween might be the best night of the entire year to meet someone and find some lovin', so grab a costume or a mask and get out there. Here are some tips on how to make the most of the evening and meet someone great:

Choose a costume that will elicit compliments.

1. If you're going to a costume party, you must wear a costume, no matter what; no excuses. If you can't get into the Halloween spirit, chances are that you will not be meeting anyone. (Nobody wants a party pooper!) If you're having a really hard time, think of your costume as a way to get out of your shell and a way to become the person you always wanted to be. Think Clark Kent and Superman. Use your disguise to be daring, bold and flirty.

2. Choose a costume that makes you look and feel great so that you can confidently make the rounds at that party. Choose something that flatters your figure, makes you feel sexy and is fun to wear. Nothing is better than people telling you how great you look, so choose something that will elicit those compliments. Some ideas are a Sexy Fairy, a Foxy Lady or the Queen of the Nile.

3. Don't choose a costume that is over-the-top scary or grotesque. It's one thing to be a vampire or a zombie from The Walking Dead, but it is another thing to have bugs crawling all over you or to be carrying a severed, bloody leg. This is the night to be sexy and interesting, not creepy and awful.

4. Don't choose a costume that is so odd that it will scare people away. If you can't explain your costume in one sentence or less, choose something else. You don't want someone to be curious about what you are, only to be frightened away by your oddness. Examples of some no-no's are Pregnant Tinkerbell or a Wet Shirt Lady.

5. If you are stumped on an original costume, go with a play on words. A play on words costume is a great conversation starter, as people have to walk up to you and ask you what you are, and you can flirt with them while they try to guess. Some examples of good one are a Cat Burglar, Chick Magnet, White on Rice, Cereal Killer or Spice Rack.

6. Don't choose a costume that requires you to be with a pack of people all night to pull it off. You do not want to be the whole bag of M&Ms or the cast of Glee because you will spend the whole night parading around with the group instead of meeting someone new.

7. If you're looking for an excuse to approach someone who you want to meet, just compliment their costume. Everyone loves to be told that their costume is awesome. Use this to your advantage and march on up to that cutie and say you love his disguise. You will have him eating out the palm of your hand.

8. Choose a party that is not too large and crowded. It's tempting to go to the party that is boasting a 1,500-person turnout with an all-night open bar and a celebrity DJ, but that will only be a see and be seen party. Choose something a little more intimate so you can meet someone and actually get to know them.

9. Pace yourself with your drinking. It's okay to lose your inhibitions a little bit, but it is not okay to lose your mind completely. People sometimes stir up a little mischief on Halloween, so be aware and be alert. Never leave your drink alone when you head to the dance floor.

10. If you are interested in someone, get their email or cell number early on so they don't disappear in the sea of costumes. It's hard to keep track of people at a Halloween party because people get camouflaged by all the costumes. So, if you are interested, exchange digits quickly, so you can be in touch come November.

Samantha Says: If You Are Having A Crappy Day, Cancel Your Date

If you are having a crappy day, you are better off canceling your date. You only get one chance to make a first impression, and you don't want to blow it because you had a bad day at the office. Reschedule for another day when you will be able to really show off your best self!

Would You Go On A Group Blind Date?

Would you go on a blind group date? NYC start-up Grouper is offering its users the opportunity to do just that by arranging for two groups of friends (typically a group of girls and group a guys) to meet up at a local bar or restaurant. I offered up my opinion on Grouper on a recent CNBC.com article.

Here's an excerpt:

Samantha Daniels, president of Samantha's Table Matchmaking, said that millennials' noncommittal nature has shaped the way they approach their offline social life, and Grouper is tapping into that shift.

Grouper said users also have made romantic connections through the more informal group gatherings.

"Most of the time, people want to meet people through friends—there's a comfort level," Daniels said. "The success rate may not be as high as a more traditional way of meeting someone. But like my grandmother says, 'If you're invited somewhere, you should always go.' You never know what's going to happen."

Read the full article here. 

Splitting The Cost Of The Engagement Ring: Would You Do It?

Would you split the cost of an engagement ring? I chimed in about going dutch on the ring in this piece by Lilit Marcus on Today.com. Here's an excerpt:

Samantha Daniels, professional matchmaker and founder of Samantha's Table Matchmaking, has noticed more couples paying jointly for a ring.

“Today, because both the man and woman earn money and contribute to the financials and the decision-making, it’s not surprising that both of them are involved in all aspects [of choosing and paying for the ring],” she told TODAY.com. “I think it makes for a better connection between the two people.”

Read the full article here. 

Samantha's Event Pick: Super Saturday

Last weekend, I attended one of my favorite annual events in the Hamptons, Super Saturday. It's a shopping event sponsored by several notable designers, and there are always amazing buys to be found. Not to mention, it's all for a very worthy cause, the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. This year, they raised over 3.5 million dollars. Pretty incredible.

Glam.com wrote a great piece on the event, and I had a fun time contributing my memories. Here's an excerpt: 

"Samantha Daniels, celebrity matchmaker and president of Samantha’s Table, has been attending Super Saturday since 2000. She began coming as a volunteer, once working the Valentino booth, and afterward was allowed to buy a pale pink handbag for $50 that she still owns to this day. This is just one of many fond Super Saturday memories for her: “I discovered Christina Perrin for the first time. I wound up buying 2 floor length beaded skirts for $75 each when they retailed for over $2000. And I found myself chatting with the designer that day. She invited me to her showroom thereafter and I wound up doing a photo shoot for the New York Times! It doesn’t stop there; the same year that Daniels’ best friend won two sets of golf clubs and a weekend getaway at a golf resort, she won a trip for two to London, including airfare, a two night hotel say and a digital camera!"

Read the rest of the article here.

George: Which Eligible Heartthrobs Share This Name?

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge introduce Prince George

(Originally appeared on The Huffington Post on July 30, 2013.)

Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have finally announced the name of their royal son: Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge. And already, the world is in love with him. Prince George has many years to live up to the name carried by many a royal and many a celebrity, but we all know he will inevitably become a heart-throb in his own right. Here's a list of our favorite heart-throb George's of all time; it's only a matter of time before this newly admired George tops the list.

George Jetson: Our cartoon George was ahead of his time jetting around in a flying car, working 1 hour a day, 2 days a week and having robots as housekeepers. What lady wouldn't have wanted to live such an A-list lifestyle?

George Washington: Our historical George, he was a giant in his time. Towering at 6'2, he was much taller than the average colonial. Who wouldn't be attracted to the tallest man in the land who just happened to be the first leader of the United States?

Babe Ruth: Our George "undercover." Most people don't know that this sports legend was born a George, but he was. He was definitely "a catch" in his day; after all, who wouldn't want to be with one of the greatest sluggers of all time?



George Forman: Our famous boxing George. He is quite a catch, given his ability to turn from sports star to entrepreneur and businessman. And he is certainly a family man, given that he has 12 children.

Curious George: Our only famous animal George. Who wasn't in love with this adorable star of his own series of international best-selling children's books?

George Jefferson: We loved him in The Jeffersons, especially when he moved on up. Weezy was one lucky lady!

George Lopez: Our most hilarious George. Rumor has it that he is currently single after getting a divorce in 2011. What woman wouldn't fall for a funnyman who had his own talk show as well as his own sitcom?

George Hamilton: Our tannest George. At 70, this George is still quite handsome and supposedly single at the moment. I thought sun made people look older, not better!

George Harrison: Our famous singing George. This Beatle was one of the original American musical heartthrobs. Who wouldn't fall in love with someone who could serenade them with "Something" or "Here's Comes the Sun?"

George Clooney: And how could we forget our most obvious George and Hollywood's longest available bachelor. Plus, he is newly single to boot. Maybe this George should have starred in the movie, Catch Me If You Can, instead of Leonardo DiCaprio. Ladies, do your darndest!

Can you think of any other eligible George's you would like to see on this list?