Last night, we hosted our first (and hopefully not last) speed dating event. Love and pizza smell were in the air yesterday at the downtown Old Chicago, where I got to play observer and 'girl with the mic' throughout the evening. 

Young Love
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I, for one, had a blast. From what I have heard, the daters did as well. I may have been on the sidelines, but as a single myself, I knew there were things I could still take away from the experience at the end of the night -- while some of you took someone away from the event...

 

7 Things I Learned at Our Valentine's Day Speed Dating Event

1. Age isn't just a number.

I guess it does matter. We received some feedback that daters would prefer to only be partnered by age. Strangely enough, that was expressed mostly by older men who weren't interested in meeting the younger women. OK, since when, guys?

2. Or, is it?

We also overheard a group of young ladies in the bathroom chatting about how much they enjoyed talking to some of the more mature gentlemen, particularly. The younger men kind of had the 'hey, we're all consenting adults' attitude, and seemed pretty open to meeting whoever. Goes to show with age; to each their own.

3. Women are such strong, beautiful beings.

I just loved seeing a room full of glowing, confident females getting out there last night. It's never easy to be vulnerable, and being face-to-face with a stranger is intimidating, especially in a very digital world. But, as a single woman myself, I applaud them from bringing on a damn good time. #GrrrlPower

4. Men do not freaking listen.

But we already knew that. And no, having a mic didn't seem to help me. Some guys would actually refuse to move along if they found a lady they liked. Men ... am I right?

We're happy for you and all, but that's not how speed dating works, fellas. *eye roll*

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Chen Ping-hung/ThinkStock
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5. Fries go great with ketchup and speed dates.

A lot of people ordered Old Chicago fries last night. Just an observation. I would conclude, however, that those ladies scored higher if they shared with their partners. Fries go well with everything.

6. When you know, you know.

I think a lot of people made a connection at last night's event. But, one couple left halfway through -- together. ;)

7. There is hope out there.

One woman marked 'yes' for every man she met with. Why? Because, she said, she can't make a judgment on someone by meeting them just once for three minutes, so she'd be willing to meet any of them again. What an amazing outlook on dating, right?

If you came out last night, we thank you for being a part of a great evening, and we hope you were able to find a match (or two... or three).

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