Here at OC, we are struck by how often we end up in everyday conundrums. The ones that land you in the thick of semi (or full-blown) awkwardness, or maybe, the doghouse.
So, we turned to Simon Collins, the dean of the School of Fashion at Parsons, who after six years in his plum perch, just announced plans to step down at the end of this year. Translation: More time to wax poetic on what he's learned after a lifetime of dating.
Q: What if my date is a bad tipper?
It always ends up at dating, doesn’t it? The perennial anguish of what to wear and who to date and where to go and what to say. All in all, pretty revolting and yet so many people put themselves through it. I’ve said before that for men of a certain age, dating is simply an opportunity to buy expensive dinners for women you don’t really want to see again. Diverting at best, grisly at worse.
As a gentleman, I’ve never come across this because, of course, I always pay. However, there’ve been times when I’ve been out with people from foreign lands (England), and they’ve left a miserly tip based on their own national tradition. As a proud New Yorker, you have to be ever vigilant of this. My solution is a quiet word of explanation to the waiter on the way out, accompanied by the missing amount of tip. Because you see, you ALWAYS tip. Hate the waiter and the service? Tell the manager and still leave a tip. Otherwise you are taking away the wages of the lowest paid kitchen porter. Ladies—and men who like men—if your date is a bad tipper, then consign him to the waste bin for he will not shower upon you the gifts that you richly deserve.
Q: Well what if my date is rude to the waiter?
If your date is rude to the waiter, then I can assure you that they will in time be rude to you. And not in a nice way for those of you that like that sort of thing. If you’re mid-course and your date is rude to the staff, then make directly for the exit and pause only to apologize to the host and waiter en route. Do not return the ex-date’s calls and move on.
Q: What about when your online date does NOT look good in person?
Before the days of the Internet, my best friend Monique was set up on a blind date. Monique was a very striking looking woman and impossible to mistake. Her date did not live up to his description and so when he approached her, as the only mixed-race goddess standing at the bar at the appointed hour, she ignored him. "Excuse me, are you Monique?" he asked. "No. No, I’m not. I don’t know you. Why are you talking to me?" she roared. She hurried away. David Brent in The Office Christmas Special had another trick. When approached by a blind date who didn’t live up to her description, his face visibly dropped and he blurted out, "Oh fucking hell!" His disappointment was clear. For those of us who lack Monique or David’s sang froid or lack of control, I do have another suggestion. Always plan your dates as a quick coffee after work. If your date is less a fox and more a hound then you need only sip your espresso for a brief minute then slide out unscathed. Of course, there is also the other side of the sovereign. That time when your blind date so
So, we turned to Simon Collins, the dean of the School of Fashion at Parsons, who after six years in his plum perch, just announced plans to step down at the end of this year. Translation: More time to wax poetic on what he's learned after a lifetime of dating.
Q: What if my date is a bad tipper?
It always ends up at dating, doesn’t it? The perennial anguish of what to wear and who to date and where to go and what to say. All in all, pretty revolting and yet so many people put themselves through it. I’ve said before that for men of a certain age, dating is simply an opportunity to buy expensive dinners for women you don’t really want to see again. Diverting at best, grisly at worse.
As a gentleman, I’ve never come across this because, of course, I always pay. However, there’ve been times when I’ve been out with people from foreign lands (England), and they’ve left a miserly tip based on their own national tradition. As a proud New Yorker, you have to be ever vigilant of this. My solution is a quiet word of explanation to the waiter on the way out, accompanied by the missing amount of tip. Because you see, you ALWAYS tip. Hate the waiter and the service? Tell the manager and still leave a tip. Otherwise you are taking away the wages of the lowest paid kitchen porter. Ladies—and men who like men—if your date is a bad tipper, then consign him to the waste bin for he will not shower upon you the gifts that you richly deserve.
Q: Well what if my date is rude to the waiter?
If your date is rude to the waiter, then I can assure you that they will in time be rude to you. And not in a nice way for those of you that like that sort of thing. If you’re mid-course and your date is rude to the staff, then make directly for the exit and pause only to apologize to the host and waiter en route. Do not return the ex-date’s calls and move on.
Q: What about when your online date does NOT look good in person?
Before the days of the Internet, my best friend Monique was set up on a blind date. Monique was a very striking looking woman and impossible to mistake. Her date did not live up to his description and so when he approached her, as the only mixed-race goddess standing at the bar at the appointed hour, she ignored him. "Excuse me, are you Monique?" he asked. "No. No, I’m not. I don’t know you. Why are you talking to me?" she roared. She hurried away. David Brent in The Office Christmas Special had another trick. When approached by a blind date who didn’t live up to her description, his face visibly dropped and he blurted out, "Oh fucking hell!" His disappointment was clear. For those of us who lack Monique or David’s sang froid or lack of control, I do have another suggestion. Always plan your dates as a quick coffee after work. If your date is less a fox and more a hound then you need only sip your espresso for a brief minute then slide out unscathed. Of course, there is also the other side of the sovereign. That time when your blind date so