Black Oak Nights – New York

Remember those days when a simple night that included dinner and a movie was all you need to entertain a date or a significant other? Alternatively, how about you singles, who just needed to go to the hottest bar or club to meet another single?

Well, those days are over! At least for the intellectually inclined daters. Young professionals, artists, young cosmopolitans, and recent Ivy-League graduates are taking dating to a new level. A level of dating where pure physical attraction and alcohol are no longer the primary factors in dating and/or meeting new people. A level of dating that is more about the stimulation of the mind than it is about anything else. A level called “intellidating.”

Young professionals of all kinds are noticing the fact that going to a rave, club or house party is not the most rewarding when it comes meeting new people and garnering new relationships. Instead, they are electing to go to events where stimulating the mind is the objective, and where the sexiest person in the room is the one with the most to intelligence on display.

It is a strong northeastern phenomenon due to the abundance of Ivy-League and upper tier universities that can be found in the colonial states. One hot spot for young singles and couples is the New York Public Library, where intellectually inclined daters are paying $15 covers to take part in intellectual debates and lectures over some of society’s most controversial issues.

Then there is the Museum of Modern Art. There you can find a host of museum crawls and discussions over social issues that are very enticing and are the stirrers of commotion and fiery debate. These events offered by MoMa center around some of their new exhibitions and can be as entertaining, if not more so, than any blockbuster movie.

The website TheRightStuff.com caters only to Ivy-League and upper-tier college graduates and provides an online matchmaking service that puts singles interested in meeting people with “the right stuff.” The right stuff being an educated mind, a love for academics, and an intellectually stimulating presence. The site requires that you provide documentation of your attendance at your stated alma mater with proof of graduation requirements as strict as providing a copy of your diploma. The site then conjures up inquiries for singles and the rest is down hill.

Many more intellidating opportunities can be found online and in New York City. Some include spelling bees, where the word categories include scandalous topics such as “sexual performance,” “sex related medical conditions,” and “modern dating.” There are also book readings that have drawn young sexy crowds out to listen to divisive readings with cocktails on the side. Then there are a series of debates over issues like “Monogamy is Bad for the Soul,” “Let me Holler at You Girl,” and “Do the Right Thing,” are also running ramped in New York City.

Black Oak Nights: NYC wants to get young black professionals more involved in intellidating. So look for a series of upcoming events and activities for the young black cosmopolitan crowd to start getting involved in, right here at newyork.blackoaknights.com!

Popularity: 12%

No, this is not an article about how to pick up a girl or a guy at the bar. This is more about going out a budget. And while you may not want to skimp on your first date with that special person, this date could still work out for even the most novice of acquaintances. But obviously, use it with caution. Because being cheap on a date is best reserved for that significant other who understands your financial situation. However, if you are desperate, this date can be used on a first date…just dress very nicely.

12:30: Walk Across the Brooklyn Bridge (Located Near City Hall)

Start the day off with a little exercise. You could both probably use it, and besides, it is a very romantic stroll. You can see the entire skyline of Manhattan as you walk away, and you can look onto the emerging skyline of Brooklyn. This is good opportunity to talk and get to know one another. If it’s summer time, you can enjoy the cool breeze off the water. And even if it’s dead winter, bundling up in jackets for a brisk walk into Brooklyn; well, there is just something romantic about that.

2:30: Now Replenish Yourself at Grimaldi’s (18 Old Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY)

The two of you are no doubt hungry after a nice brisk walk. So why not get off the bridge and head right over to Grimaldi’s which is not but a short stroll away. Enjoy their brick oven made pizza with fresh toppings, decent prices and a good time all around. It’s a wonderful Italian atmosphere, so it is a good place to talk loud, maybe enjoy a good bottle of wine, and be in the presence of your significant other.

5:00: Catch an Independent Movie at the Angelica Theatre (18 Houston St, New York)

Make sure you check the times so that you are not waiting around to see a movie! Once you get that out of the way though, you will be sure to find something different and unique at the Angelica. Yeah, you could go to some major theatre and see your everyday blockbuster movie, but that’s nothing special! Why not catch an astonishing indy film with loads of meaning, artistic design, and film intelligence? Moreover, indy flicks can be a lot more thought provoking than your average movie and it will leave you and your date with something to talk about for the rest of night.

7:45: Light Dinner at Mercer Kitchen (99 Prince Street, New York, NY)

Since you probably can still feel a little bit of the pizza you ate earlier, why not just have a light dinner? The Mercer Kitchen is dimly lit and very romantic. Buzzing with an internationally diverse crowed with a number of upscale New Yorkers, you will feel just as prominent as you want to be! And while the Mercer Kitchen is not lenient on your wallet, if you just come for the appetizers, you will definitely be able to afford it with out breaking your piggy bank and you will still get relatively full. And if you’re lucky, you can turn dining at the Mercer Kitchen into a celebrity-spotting venture, as many a silver screen star has been known to come though.

9:30: Drinks Anyone? Head to O’Neal’s (49 W. 64^th St, New York, NY)

Finish the night off with a few drinks at O’Neal’s. You can get bottle of wine for as low as $25, and that is a much better price than a night of drinks at the bar. You can also order a few samplers and bar food items if you didn’t get full at the Mercer Kitchen. So just sit back, relax, and enjoy the sipping the night away with your date, and a bank account that has not been depleted.

Popularity: 14%

Alright, so you’re looking for a man or woman for whom you can get to know, date, or just have fun with. But in reality, when you are in a place as big as New York City, you should not be looking for that man or woman, you should be looking for the place to go to in order to meet that man or woman.

But where do you go to meet your type of mate?

Well the obvious answer is a club or bar. And do you know what I hate about that belief that you can’t find who you’re looking for at the bar or at the club? It’s completely backward a** thinking. If you yourself, are the type of person that likes to go to the bar or club and you are looking for someone similar to yourself, than why wouldn’t the type of person you’re interested in be at the bar or club?

As for those other suggestions like the store, library, or park, those are all fine and dandy. But do you know who goes to those types of places? Other desperate people looking for a date! Why not go to the club or bar where the percentage of desperate people is more likely to be much lower than that of these alleged dating scenes.

With that said, here are a few places in New York City where you can go to look for your next date. They are all lively spots, and offer up a wealth of opportunity if you are willing to let opportunity happen to you!

Brother Jimmy’s

428 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY

This is like the perfect place for jocks to meet cheerleaders and vice-versa. Now I do not mean that to sound as bad as it does, because there is a little bit of jock and cheerleader in all of us. I know there is some jock and me and in my friends, and there certainly is some cheerleader in most of the women I have met. These traits tend to come out in a place like Brother Jimmy’s, where men and women alike get excited over watching athletes go at it on the gridiron. Watching a sports game can bring out lots of emotion, and when emotion is already flowing, ice break is much easier.

Myst

28^th and 10^th Avenue, New York, NY

On Thursdays, starting at 5p.m., you can head over to Myst to meet great young professionals celebrating the impending end of the workweek. With two for one drinks from 5 to 7, and a no cost of entry, there is plenty of reason to attend Myst without regard to the opposite sex. However, Myst is flooded with beautiful singles, which are all coming from work. Therefore, when you run into that person you find extremely attractive, you can rest assure that there is a 99.9% chance they have a job.

Webster Hall

125 E. 11^th Street, New York, NY

Webster Hall is one of the better Clubs to meet people because there is so much diversity. Black, White, Latino, Asian, Green, Purple, and everyone else is there! They have multiple levels, which cater to different musical tastes. So if you can categorize your ideal person into a type of music, it will be just that much easier to find him or her. The lighting is perfect for hiding imperfections to, so don’t be too afraid to stick your face out there and take some chances, even if you are not feeling all that confident.

Popularity: 13%

You can’t go to the club every night. It’s just not what you do. Yeah, it’s fun, but club hopping is not what defines your nightlife experience. But for you singles, the opposite sex isn’t abundant and in approach mode in too many other venues, so what other choices do you have to meet sexy, young, black, professionals in New York City? Well, the answer is here. Black Oak Nights has picked out some of the best scenes for black singles in New York.

The Den – 2150 5^th Avenue, Harlem, New York, NY

This contemporary portico offers young black singles a place to socialize with the opposite sex, and it serves up a plethora of ambivalence. You can’t tell whether or not you are in an art gallery or a bar. But in the end, does it really matter? The Den is flooded with young black professionals interested in African-American art and a little small talk. It’s location in a Harlem brownstone, and a 1920’s designed interior, gives you the feel of the old 1920’s Harlem and makes you think you’re in a nighttime hideaway. In reality, you’re in the mist of a fairly successful crowd that includes lawyers, I-bankers and artists, of course. To accommodate the wealth of riches, The Den offers bottle service and dining room, where you can order a New York Strip steak and a red-wine. And for those of you more interested in art, mingling and socializing than sitting down at a table, you can be a little more mobile in your flesh hunt with shrimp cocktail and crab cakes. And if you’re really big time, ask for the White Room, where ironically, some of the most prominent black guest of The Den go for a little VIP service.

Iguana – 240 West 54^th Street, Midtown, New York, NY

This place really has it all. An upstairs bar. A mid-level restaurant. A downstairs lounge/club area. And if you are looking for something else, I’m sure they are hiding it somewhere in the back room. So if you are looking for a place to mingle with the girls, or chat it up with the fellows on the weekends, then Iguana is definitely one of the better places to be. Iguana serves up some great margaritas and wonderful spread of appetizers to keep your energy up for a night of dishing and dancing. On the weekend, you’ll find the lounge area flooded with encouraging singles and an atmosphere conducive to matchmaking. With great music, great people, great food and a great décor, Iguana is doing nightlife right for young black singles in New York City.

EZ’s Woodshed – 2236 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd, Harlem, New York, NY

Get your walking shoes on, because this one is all the way up town. For you Harlemers, it’s not far at all, but for you Brooklynites, it’s a walk and a half. Trust me though, it’s worth the trip. Go after work for a very trendy and soulful experience that can’t be found anywhere else in Manhattan. Plenty of Jazz loving socialites hit up EZ’s during the weeknights for nightly, live, jazz performances. EZ’s Woodshed is a great chance to sit down and relax to the smooth Jazz stylings of some of New York’s homegrown musicians. Or if you’re feeling a little livelier, you can always spark up an intellectual conversation with someone at the bar, as the vibe is exceedingly friendly and incredibly comfortable for ladies and gents of all ages. And be prepared to take some of the soul home with you, because there is plenty of memorabilia to purchase to help capture the memories.

Popularity: 17%