Who he is: Chris Rucker, blogger at Describe an ideal date in Washington.
"I'm a fan of day dates. Meet for brunch, check out a new exhibit at a gallery, peruse the vintage shops on U Street — I love a woman with a keen sense of style — and from there, see where the day leads you. If the chemistry isn't there, you both part ways around dinner with time to link up with friends later. If it is there, head off to dinner and play the rest of the night by ear."
How do you prepare for a date? A little Facebook stalking, a stiff drink ...
"I keep the research to a minimum. Being a know-it-all is bad enough — being a know-it-all when it comes to personal info on a date is the precursor to a restraining order. I like to prep with good music. Nothing overly sexy, but something relaxing and cool. I don't have a 'big date' playlist per se, just whatever I've been vibing to recently."
Photo: Courtesy of Denisio Truitt
Describe an ideal date in Washington.
"Good food and live music."
Tell us about your best first date ever.
"An ex-girlfriend and I first met while on vacation in the Middle East. The trip became an extended first date on the Mediterranean."
What do you love about the women in Washington's dating pool?
"Beauty and brains."
If you could change one aspect of dating in D.C., what would it be?
"Talking politics on a first date is far too acceptable."
Describe an ideal date in Washington.
"A perfect date for me consists of good food and drink, laughter, stimulating conversation, and a physical spark. I think a great date would consist of a meal in Penn Quarter, a bit of shopping in Georgetown, and a show at the Kennedy Center or some type of arts venue. Hard to beat a night of food, shopping, and culture."
What do you love about the women in Washington's dating pool?
"D.C. is a transient city with a diverse population from varied backgrounds. The women here are no different — there is a variety of beautiful, talented, and well-travelled women in this city. From my experience, women aren't afraid of who they are and look forward to seeing who they will become, and they enjoy sharing that with a man who feels the same."
Describe an ideal date in Washington.
"It's autumn and there's lots of walking involved. You can learn a lot about someone on a long walk — you can see how they interact with the world around them. And Washington is an excellent walking city. The National
Arboretum, the Mall, and Rock Creek Park are all magical places to me."
How do you prepare for a date? A little Facebook stalking, a stiff drink ...
"I usually just listen to my favorite getting-ready-to-go-out song, which is "Dance Tonight" by the R&B group Lucy Pearl. Raphael Saadiq has an amazing line in the first verse — "Make sure that I smell good" — that I've always taken to heart. Any date is off to a promising start when everyone smells good."