Where the Guys Are
Stop looking for love in all the wrong places! Here are the top cities for single gals on the prowl.
Photo Credit: Greg Kessler
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MC'S TOP 20
Marie Claire mined the latest census data to find the cities with the highest ratio of available men to women. (The winner: tech mecca San Jose, where it's like shooting fish in a barrel.) We then scored cities on their "date friendliness," factoring in the overall fitness of its fellas, the ubiquity of Starbucks and movie theaters, the accessibility of the city's mass transit, and, of course, time of last call. (Las Vegas takes that one, serving booze round the clock.) Here, the nation's ultimate meet markets:
1. Seattle, WA
2. Denver, CO
3. San Jose, CA
4. San Diego, CA
5. Austin, TX
6. San Francisco, CA
7. Minneapolis, MN
8. Dallas, TX
9. Atlanta, GA
10. Portland, OR
11. Houston, TX
12. Las Vegas, NV
13. Los Angeles, CA
14. Boston, MA
15. Chicago, IL
16. New York, NY
17. Miami, FL
18. Columbus, OH
19. Virginia Beach, VA
20. Milwaukee, WI
NEW YORK CITY
Though everyone from Edith Wharton to Lil' Kim has catalogued the Big Apple's notoriously treacherous dating scene, truth is, there's someone for everyone in this big bad city: strivers, pikers, scenesters, playas, aesthetes, firebrands, nomads, fameballs—yep, the gang's all here.
"A lot of cute business-type guys hang out at the rooftop bars. I'm not promising they're nice guys or good guys. Just pretty cute." -Kim, 28
His haunts: Trivia night at Crocodile Lounge (free pizza!); the L train platform at Williamsburg's Graham Avenue; the Park Slope Food Co-op's meat section; the lunch-hour line at Shake Shack (now at Citi Field!); Washington Square Park's dog run; the cobblestone backyard of Ulysses' bar; happy hour at the Boat Basin; boccie ball at Union Hall; Sunday Night Football at 1849; the Runner's Gate on 90th and Fifth; CityView Racquet Club's squash courts; barbecuing at Manhattan Beach.
His threads: Lately, the city's been overrun by louche hipsters in Buddy Holly glasses, whiskered skinny jeans, and wink-wink tees (e.g., "Free Madoff"). "I have met very few guys in this city who genuinely don't care what they look like, no matter how hard they fake it," says Rachel, 38.
His ride: Mass transit, baby. There's no fresher hell than alternate-side-of-the-street parking.
Your prep: You're sporting a mani-pedi, neatly arched brows, and a blowout. But even if you look like Gisele, he'll wait a week to call you.
Keep in mind: The differences between SVU, Criminal Intent, and the original—and that he's still got the hots for Claire Kincaid.
Pickup line: "Where did you used to work?"
SEATTLE
Hunting guys here isn't easy, thanks to persistently dank weather and the Vulcan-like standoffishness typical of Emerald City's comp-sci hordes. (Hundreds of tech firms, including Microsoft, are based in the area.) Locals boast that it's a haven for green-minded lefties who get as big a thrill rappelling the Cascades as they do "coding the architecture" (don't ask us what that means).
"In Seattle, a lot of lines blur—the geeks here are pretty outdoorsy." -Jennifer, 27
His haunts: Beer tastings at Bottleworks; Monday night line dancing at Little Red Hen; pre-Mariners pints at Pyramid Alehouse; Sundays at the Ballard Farmers Market; Ladies' Night at Frontier Room; live alt-rock at Tractor Tavern; the Seattle Coffee Crawl; Friends of Seattle Public Library Book Sale (September 25—27); Guitar Hero at Whisky Bar; late morning at Olympia's Caffé Vita; Mount Rainier's Burroughs Mountain Trail; Open Floor at the Henry Art Gallery; Space City Mixers.
His threads: Northwest chic is all about comfy layering--Patagonia shell, vintage band tee (e.g., Soundgarden), jeans from Riveted, a flash drive dangling from a carabiner key chain. (His only suit is reserved for weddings and funerals.)
His ride: The Microsoft Connector from Queen Anne to Redmond.
Your prep: Shave, floss, and smell vaguely like an Aveda store. If he coaxes your bra off on the first date, he'll expect you to Facebook-friend him the next day.
Keep in mind: The difference between an Americano and an au lait.
Pickup line: "Mac or PC?"
COLUMBUS
Where corn-fed frat boys go to spawn. With biceps as firm as their Midwestern values, these gosh-darn-it good guys spend Saturday nights bouncing from bar to bar, plastic cups foaming with Bud, scouting for a low-key beauty with whom to make little Buckeyes fans. (The average age for getting hitched in this town: 25.) Forget brunch dates: His Sundays are reserved for God and football.
"Sports are such a religion in Columbus that scheduling your wedding on any Saturday in autumn is considered an insult to guests, as it conflicts with Ohio State football." -Loran, 33
His haunts: Bleacher seats at Buckeyes, Cavaliers, Blue Jackets, and Reds games; Wexner Center's Free Thursdays; GameStop at the Easton Town Center; Panera at the Polaris mall; catching a local band at rock lounge Martini Park; sampling the brews at Oktoberfest (September 5—7); Saturday night at The Frog Bear & Wild Boar.
His threads: Loose-fit Lucky jeans, polo that reveals his Beta Theta Pi tattoo.
His ride: An entry-level Beemer (presuming he's one of Columbus's "$40,000-a-Year Millionaires"), which he rarely drives, to protect the resale value.
Your prep: Shower and go—Columbus fellas may be the only men on earth who claim to like a low-maintenance gal and mean it. "Pull out the full-on glamour and guys here get intimidated," says Kori, 27.
Keep in mind: Contrary to popular belief, Christmas window displays don't always pass for culture in these parts—plan a date gallery-hopping in Short North.
Pickup line: "So how much do you hate Michigan?"
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