The search for that intimate connection can take us to some interesting places — or it might keep us on the couch, thanks to the powerful little match-making tools we all have in our hands.
In reality, one doesn’t even need to leave their home to enter today’s dating scene.
The ease offered by online dating services is too juicy a peach to ignore.
But, for at least two Niagara-on-the-Lake women, that peach is getting more sour with every passing right or left swipe of the screen.
One of them, resident Paula Aitken, wants to know where in-person human interaction has gone.
“My friend and I were together and we are having a glass of wine and kinda begrudging the whole online dating thing,” said the 52-year-old.
She is part of a group organizing a singles event, taking place June 6 at Ruffino’s Pasta Bar and Grill’s new side bar.
“In our parents’ generation, they would go to dances, they would meet in bars, they would have social events or meet through friends. I feel our only recourse these days is online,” she said.
But online dating can be more like work, according to Aitken.
“I find it is essentially like reading a resume,” said Aitken. “You might think, ‘Well, this person looks great on paper’ and then you meet face-to-face and it is something completely different.”
So Aitken and her friends decided to take out the anonymity of the internet and give people a chance to show others who they are in real life.
Ruffino’s will transform its sister venue Bar Ruffino into a more open space with seating at the bar.
The booths along the wall will remain, but the centre of the tastefully decorated room will be opened with standing tables for added mobility and engagement.
The evening will feature a casual mix and mingle feel and though there’s no official dress code, it’s probably best to dress to impress.
Sharing-foods such as antipasto, tapas, risotto balls, oysters, charcuterie, cheese and veggies and wood fired pizza will be served and included in the price, as well as a complimentary glass of sparkling wine upon arrival.
Tickets for “Singles Mix and Mingle” at Ruffinos are available on Eventbrite for $65.
