A+ Date with Mr. A+

November 02, 2017

A+ Date with Mr. A+

So, I did go on a second date with #99 (let's call him Mr. A+) and I want to tell you about it because it was really fun!

First of all, as I told you in Ode to Social Media, if I am going to sell my book (update on that soon!!) I need to create an audience. Luckily, Instagram is a great tool for that but it means that I have to spend A LOT of time on photography.

So, when Mr. A+ asked me out for a second date, I figured I could kill two birds with one stone and start the date off with a photo shoot. I mean, I can only take so many pictures of myself with my tripod. I need another human!

I asked him if he would mind being bossed around, criticized and dealing with me being very high maintenance and picky in order to make sure I got some good shots.

It is always good to set expectations!

What was in it for him? Well, he'd get to spend time with me in a sexy dress and get some headshots for himself too.

He was game!

So, we met at The Watergate where I gave him a quick tutorial of what I wanted and then I put him to work.

He did a pretty good job, right?

In order to get the above picture, we had to disturb some gentlemen who were sitting close by, looking very important, engaged in what seemed to be an important discussion. I didn't want to bother them but Mr. A+ told me to just do it.

Well, he was so right because... it turned out that the gentlemen talking were actually the hotel's managing director and the director of front office operations.

That's when things got really interesting.

Mr. A+ knew that the next spot I wanted to shoot was the elevator. He quietly told me I should ask them if they'd lock one for me so I'd be able to get some photos without the doors closing every five seconds.

I felt shy so I didn't want to ask, but Mr. A+ insisted I got for it and to my pleasant surprise, they could not have been more hospitable!!

Not only were they super accommodating about shutting off the elevator...

(see how cool the elevator is?)

...They also took us on a tour afterwards!

We got to see the the presidential suite where I definitely lost my cool to the point that I forgot to take any pictures. Wow.

Then they showed us the

Which was SO COOL!! It was the room used in the Watergate break-in and includes unique furnishings and memorabilia from the 60's and 70's, designed in collaboration with the costume designer for the TV show Scandal!

(Notice the pencil says "I stole this from The Watergate Hotel.)

Then they showed us the spa where, again, I was too overwhelmed to remember to take any photos.

I mean, I wouldn't want to stay in this hotel, I would want to LIVE there!!

They also told us that they are going to be opening an ice skating rink on the roof so I am super excited to try that!

It was so fun and spontaneous and I was so happy and grateful that we had been just in the very right place at the very right time with the very right people to have that super cool experience.

And, I was really grateful that Mr. A+ pretty much made it happen by encouraging me to just do my thing.

It's good to hang out with supportive, encouraging people!

After our tour, Mr. A+ and I went up to the rooftop where I treated him to a drink as a thank you for his patience.

Sorry, I haven't figured out how to get good low light photos yet.

Next, he generously treated me to dinner at the bar at Kingbird, the hotel's restaurant.

I can tell you that the food was absolutely delicious. This Mainer was impressed by their lobster roll. And those fries? Mmmmmm.

And the scallops with figs! Who would have ever thought of that combo?

And look how pretty the dessert was!

So, yeah, I'd have to say as far as this date goes, it was an A+. It included activities that were both productive for me but also fun and out of the ordinary, enhanced by the spontaneous intervention of the universe.

I think Mr. A+ had as much fun as I did.

Dating should be fun but a lot of times we just do the same old activities with new strangers.

Coffee?
Let's get a drink?
Dinner?

How about something original instead?

I like walks, errands, photography missions. I think when you do that, dating becomes much more like a fun adventure and at the very least, you are probably guaranteed to make a new friend.

So, fellow singletons... ask someone out for Not Coffee and Not Drinks and see what adventure you end up on! If you live in DC, maybe you can even invite them to go ice skating on a certain rooftop! And then tell me about it in the comments!