Spring Colors

Have you heard that because of our (ridiculously) long winter, the spring colors are

expected to be especially intense this year

?

This month, I'm definitely going to be checking out the Cherry Tree Blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. (The first bloom is supposed to be this week! I'm keeping track on the

BBG Status Map

).

Wherever you are located, make sure to head over to your local park or garden to see what is sure to be a spectacular exhibit of spring flowers.

Spring Is In The Air!

It’s hard to believe that we’re already two weeks into SPRING! I'm feeling pretty excited to finally get to do some fun springtime activities. Here are some of my favorite things to do in NYC now that the weather has warmed up:

Sheep's Meadow in Central Park

Sheep's Meadow in Central Park

  • Citibike-ing down the Hudson River Park Bikeway at sunset
  • Drinking chilled wine al fresco on the patio of a Soho cafe
  • Picnic-ing at Sheep’s Meadow in Central Park (don’t forget to pack a frisbee!)
  • Window shopping in the West Village
  • and picking up a gelato at Grom

And, the best part about spring may be that all of these activities make for awesome dates! 

Loving Love Songs

I don't know about you, but I am a big lover of love songs.

This article from Nerve.com really got me thinking about my favorite love songs from the past 100 years. From the Beach Boys “All You Need is Love” to Elvis’ “Can’t Help Falling in Love With You”, there are more amazing love songs than we could ever count.

One of my ultimate favorite love songs is Barry Manilow’s “Can’t Smile Without You”:

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.

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."

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. 

6 Unintentional Things Your Body Language Says in a Relationship

I recently contributed to a really fun piece at Galtime.com by Lauren Bolf, "6 Unintentional Things Your Body Language Says in a Relationship".

Send the right message with
your body language
Here's an excerpt:

Celebrity Matchmaker Samantha Daniels reveals eye contact is very important because it shows that you are interested in what he is saying and that you are paying attention.

“This is universally applicable, whether you’re having a deep conversation with your boyfriend or are trying to connect with someone new on a first date.” 

To read the full article and the rest of my tips on body language, click here.

Samantha's Dating Thought: Can Vacation Romances Last?

If you're single and heading out of town for vacation this summer, you might be crossing your fingers for a passionate vacation romance. Vacation romances occupy a special place in our hearts. They thrill us because they have a set expiration date. When we're in the midst of one, we can already feel it metamorphosing into a precious memory. And once one is over, we feel teased by what was an impossible love, however, knowing that it was the impossibility that gave it its heightened sense of meaning.

If you decide that you don't want your summer romance to turn into a memory, and instead want to bring it home with you to real life, there are a few questions you should first ask yourself:

  • Are you sure that your new love is single and available? People will often use vacations as excuses to cheat on their partners. Make sure this isn't your love.
  • Would your lives fit together? Do you have common interests, values, and ways of life? While you're away from home, you may allow yourself to overlook these important commonalities, and not see the potential flaws in your new lover. 
  • If your love doesn't live in your area, are you willing to put in all of the labor that a working long-distance relationship requires? 

If your answer to these three questions is"yes", it is definitely worth exploring this relationship at home in real life. If not, it may be best to relinquish this romance, knowing that it will always live as a treasured memory.