35 DATES IN ONE WEEKEND?!

You've probably clicked this post because you're wondering how one person has the time to go on a series of 35 dates in just 2 days. Whilst I don't think that's quite possible, it's not impossible either. 

Last week, I had an unintentional weekend of double speed dating. I am trying to say yes to more things, so it was great to kill two birds with one stone; meet new men for serious beau options and of course; new girl-friends.

Friday.

I had organised to meet Tanya from Glam Glitz Gloss on Friday night after work. The event was booked and hosted with Original Dating, which I thoroughly recommend if you're looking for speed dating events across London. They have a whole range of different locations, age ranges and themes - perfect if you're looking for something inparticular. 

After a quick cocktail at the First Dates restaurant in St Pauls, we headed over to a restaurant and bar called Dion in the same area. When we walked in, we was ambushed by a group of seriously hot sorts (the exact type I am trying to avoid because I fall weak at the knees for them, but surprise surprise... I can't resist an Essex boy or 4), who persuaded us to both sit down and have a mini speed dating event with them. Very funny guys and extremely flirty, but sadly they wasn't there for the ACTUAL speed dating. I could tell one of them just wanted to tuck into his duck spring rolls, bless him,  so we said our goodbyes and headed downstairs. 

As I had never been to speed dating before, I didn't really know what to expect. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the event hosts who registered us and gave us a score sheet and pencil each. We headed straight to the bar and ordered a bottle of prosecco to share between us and had a little gossip about people who caught our eyes.  FYI, at this point... nobody did.  I was slightly gutted, but hoped some hotties would turn up soon... or maybe just the Essex boys from upstairs.  (I know, I'm terrible.)

We was seated at the bar which was great because it meant the barmen were constantly filling our drinks up (totes VIP service) and it also meant that mine and Tanya's backs were to each other, so every now and then we could turn round and have a little gossip and I could warn her about the guy I had just met who she was about to meet.

How does speed dating work?

The idea of speed dating is in the name. Each event usually has around 25 women and 25 men - give or take.  The women sit down and don't move for the entire evening (absolute dream when you're tired from working all day). Each guy makes their way around the room and has a 4 minute date with each girl. It sounds quick, but when it's a no chemistry date, it can feel like the longest 4 minutes of your life! After each guy says bye, you mark them down on your score sheet. You can say yes, no or mark them down as a friend. When you've met every single guy, your results get collected and you find out who you matched with the next day. If it's a mutual match, you can chat over the website or app messaging system and go from there.  

Who did I meet? Now, I should mention now that this event was aimed at 23-35 year olds, which fits the age range for me perfectly. I met around 35 guys over the whole weekend, but could only remember a memorable 18 of them, so here's my experience on my first time ever speed dating; two nights in a row!

P - THE RECEDING HAIRLINE

My first speed date, ever. The spanish guy with the receding hair line. The one who told me he was 10 years younger than he actually was. His legs didn't reach the floor and dangled like a small child's. The one I had about -36% chemistry with. It must get better than this.

G - THE FLIRTY CANADIAN 

Not my usual cuppa tea looks wise, but very tall with an infectious smile. A photographer, living in London. Handy for the old blog, that one is Ashleigh, I think to myself. He sits down and he has an accent. I ask him where he's from and he flirtatiously replies 'Canada'. I'm already planning all of my summer holidays for us and our children but reality hits and I remember I don't fancy him. 

J - THE HOT, BEARDED ONE

I already noticed him at the bar when I walked in. Looks wise, he's a bit of me. Someone I'd probably try to dance with in a club. Definitely the one I'd have no hesitation over swiping right for. No tattoos, but he has a beard that would make most men envious. I'm waiting for the sexual chemistry to spark up but it fails to ignite. What a disappointment. 

A - THE REAL LIFE DOC BROWN

The scientist with the heavy Glaswegian accent and an ex boyfriend's name. Kept talking about pubs and beer.

J - THE OVER ENTHUSIASTIC GAMER

One of the guys I had been dreading speaking to for 4 long minutes. He stared too much and had a creepy smile to make things even worse. He didn't ask me one question and just kept talking about xBox games. I think I now know everything there is to know about Halo. Snore, Zzz. 

A - THE UNDER COVER 45 YEAR OLD

Definitely was not even 40, let alone the so called maximum of 35. He told me straight away how he's recently divorced and had travelled from Cambridge to London for this event. Slightly desperate if you ask me. I have no interest in divorced or even recently single people, so I had no initial interest in this guy and knew there was absolute no chance of it getting any better. 

J - THE FAKE HARRY POTTER FAN

The short, bald guy from Watford. Automatically, I tell him I only know of Watford because of the WB Harry Potter studios. 'Oh, I LOVE those films!", he says with such animation and excitement. In my head, of course I'm already planning our Harry Potter themed wedding and such, but sadly he looked at my Harry Potter tattoo with such a confused expression. The smell of bullshit left with him after four minutes too long. 

H - WILLY WONKA'S TWIN BRO

The first thing I noticed was his frizzy and unkept hair. A serious lack of style and the fact that every woman in the room was anxiously exchanging looks at each other; all of us thinking the same thing. At least I know I wasn't the only one. 

A - MR MIRROR MUSCLE

"So babe, do you like my muscles?". The first thing he said to me when he sits down in front of me. Inside I am thinking, what muscles? I definitely put my contact lenses in this evening, but I am failing to see any biceps, triceps or pecs poking through his badly ironed shirt. He proceeds to tell me he's not looking for a relationship and if I fancy some casual fun, I should talk to him at the end of the night. At the end, he later approaches me and my devil glare comes out. He doesn't bother me again. 

F - THE DANGEROUS ONE

An interesting and well travelled guy; working in the British Army as an engineer. He works abroad in Afghanistan. Too much of a scary job to have in a potential future date or partner. I keep it sweet and hope he doesn't approach me later on. 

D - THE IT CONSULTANT LOOKING FOR A BRIDE

A case of East meets West. I haven't even asked him for his name yet and he's already asked me if he can take me out for drinks and dinner. Too much creep. Goodbye.

L - THE GUIDE DOG TRAINER

The only one my eyes lit up for. With a curly mop of blonde hair on top of his perfectly shaped head, this 6ft2'er grins and sits down in front of me, introduces himself and tells me it's nice to meet me. Ticking the polite box, I can't wait to chat to him some more. Turns out, we grew up in the same area in London. Then he drops the bomb that he works with guide dogs. I lose my shit and start telling him about Elsie; already excited at the prospect of her having a new friend.

Fast forward, he comes over to me at the end of the night and we get chatting some more. We both end up saying yes to each other (fact, the only one I said yes to) and we exchange numbers via the Original Dating app. We have a brief chat but then he leaves me on read, ghosts me and he's archived into my Whatsapp Graveyard. Always beware of the sweet, quiet ones. 

Saturday.

With not much faith so far for speed dating events, I met up the next evening with Sophie, Natasha and her friend, Susie. We was actually reviewing this event this time with a different company called DateinaDash - another great speed dating company who I would definitely book with again in the future. This one was held at Kensington Roof Gardens which we had all wanted to visit for a while. 

Kicking off at around 8pm, I think we was all a little worried looking around at the ages of the women in the queue to get in. Fear not though, it turned out there was two speed dating events on at the same time; one for us and one for older people. Phew.

£47 later on just two drinks (the ditzy blonde (lol me) thought the barman was bantering with her), I met a whole bunch of new men and walked away feeling completely exhausted. Slightly deflated and a little creeped out at how many older guys had decided to spruce up their supermarket bought shirts with cufflinks from last year's Christmas crackers and a cheap, watered down cologne they've been wearing since they were 13 and first discovered boobs. 

A - THE FELLOW PUPPY OWNER

Myself and A hit it off straight away with a conversation about our dogs. Looks wise, he wasn't someone I would necessarily have eye sex with, but it goes to show you that an attraction can be there if you put the effort in to talk to someone who's not your normal type. He wore a nice coat too. 

J - THE DREAMY AUSTRALIAN HUNK

You know all us women have that ideal dream man that we will probably never meet? This guy was the Tom Hardy amongst a sea of Donald Trumps. I was mesmerised by his dark hair, dark eyes and that addictive accent that said 'Hello, I'm Mr J...'.  Probably the only guy who made every woman's knickers wet and ovaries explode, but we never matched. His loss. 

J - THE JOURNALIST 

Maybe someone I would give a second glance to at the bar. It's always a party inside my head when I get talking to someone either in person or over an app who I have things in common with. So, imagine the initial happiness of a blogger meeting a journalist. Pretty much the chocolate fudge sauce on top of the cake. Turns out things were mutual and he liked me enough to say yes to me and it resulted in a match the next day. He dropped his phone number over to me in my private messages on the website, but I never ended up texting him. I guess he didn't excite me enough after all.

D - THE PRETTY BOY LAWYER

One that would probably whisk his woman away to the middle of nowhere most weekends; treating her to bottles of champagne, caviar, bubble baths and fluffy robes. However, not one that I could imagine would chuck me around the bedroom when I wanted him to. I just didn't get those dreamy Mr Christian Grey vibes that most twenty something year old women crave. Me included. 

J - THE DOUBLE DIPPER DATER

The creep that asked every single girl on a date during his four minutes with us all. Seriously J, us girls all talk afterwards and we all knew your game. I had three friends there and I should imagine a lot of the other girls were in groups too. J needs to try a different game. I should imagine he ended up with zero matches at the end of the night. Unlucky to be J right now. 

J - THE PORTUGUESE SERIAL-SMILER

There's a fine difference between smiling a lot and smiling too much. I don't think he really understood anything I was saying and vice versa. He kept saying what to most things I said and just seemed to smile his way through the conversation. At one point, I had no date and he started to wander back over to me, so I had to quickly get my phone and pretend I was busy!

L - THE ONE EVERYONE LOVED - ME NOT INCLUDED

All the girls seemed to have loved this lad, but me. He sat down in front of me and didn't engage with me at all. It was very mutual because I have a particular type and try my best to avoid certain types. I could tell he was probably very much into his tennis and polo games on Saturday mornings and probably wore cardigans. Not my cuppa tea.  Man, I don't even like tea. 

So after a weekend of first time speed dating and 35 men later, I've been creeped out, followed onto the tube by the Canadian and ghosted by the only decent one. Just my luck. However, I'd probably go again and hope that there's a few more guys that catch my green eyes. Back to the basics tomorrow though, as I'm off on a Plenty of Fish date. Will this one be my catch?

Disclaimer: I was invited along to review the DateinaDash event, so was offered a press ticket in exchange for an honest review on my blog. All words are my own.