Dating Tips for Singles   Kelly Howard is the former Chief Love Officer of TRUE.com and is editor of the local "Houston Upcoming Events" weekly Ezine, with over 15,000 subscribers in the greater Houston and surrounding area. As owner of Eight Friends Out, Houston's only dining club for single professionals, she is celebrating its 15th year of helping singles meet. www.EightFriendsOut.com Kelly also produces Houston Single Source, an online resource of calendars and events for Houston and surrounding area singles. She is a nationally recognized speaker and is the author of "Single Smart" & "Single Source". www.HoustonSingleSource.com Kelly can be reached by email at kelly@eightfriendsout.com or phone at 281-870-0827. Looking for a restaurant for a first date (or later) in Houston? Here are some ideas from a singles expert. 1st Houston Date - Keep it Simple Keep it simple and keep it during the week. Something with a limited timeframe (lunch) or few distractions (coffee) or a set option (let's have a quick drink after-work, I do need to be in the office early, but I would like the chance to meet you.). You can always extend the date, but it's much harder to bail if you have a set evening (dinner and a dance). Kelly's Suggestions: Central - Happy Hour at Canyon Cafe Lower Westheimer - coffee or drinks at Brasil Downtown - Drinks at Angelika Cafe & Bar and a stroll around downtown if the date progresses... 2nd Houston Date - Getting to Know Each Other If there was enough interest from both of you after the first date to try it again, this is the time to start getting to really know your date. Try dinner or an event that you know you both would enjoy, sporting, music event or a show. Kelly's Suggestions: Downtown - Spindletop - Hyatt Regency Katy - Arturo's Mexican Restaurant Galleria - Alexander The Great Greek 3rd Houston Date - Show your creative side If the weather is good, third or fourth dates are great for showing a little creativity and getting outside. Try a picnic or brunch at an outdoor patio (if it is a popular venue, you will want to RSVP for the outdoor table in advance). Kelly's Suggestions: Central - Picnic fixings from Eatzi's or Central Market and enjoy in Hermann park. Clear Lake - Brunch on the patio at Villa Capri or Sundance Grill Spring - Camille's Sidewalk Cafe 4th Houston Date - The Romantic Date This is a Saturday night date so be sure to make reservations and always opt for substance over flash. By this date you better know what kind of food your date likes, or you are simply not paying attention. And always, before ordering wine ask what your date prefers. Kelly's Suggestions: Central - Cafe Le Jadeite West - Carmelo's Ristorante Italiano Richmond - Karl's at the Riverbend Here are some Dating Tips for... Houston Single Women Safe Dating Most single people you will meet are fabulous, but you still need to pay attention to your personal safety. For safe dating, follow these few tips. On your first couple of dates, make sure a friend knows where you are going and always meet your date at the location, don't have them pick you up at home. Use your cell phone when you give out your number. There is nothing wrong with using your cell number out at first; your home address can be traced with a home phone number. Who Pays Allow your date to pay for the first few dates. To insist on going Dutch or picking up the tab can be a slap in the face. After a few dates, a natural rhythm will develop based on financial constrains and social agendas. Invite Him Out After you have been on three dates and you're dying to see him again, invite him out. Take him to the park and bring a picnic basket. Get tickets for a local Houston music venue or sporting event that he'd like to do. Don't spend too much money on tickets, instead spend time on coming up with something you think he would really enjoy, men need to know that you are interested too!   Houston Single Men Forget letting the woman make the decisions on where you are going on your first few dates. This is your big opportunity to be the guy (make no mistake, if this lasts she'll be making the decisions soon enough...). Know what your date likes, but don't ever make the mistake of asking your date what they want to do, instead give her options, "would you rather have coffee at Brazil or drinks at Agora"? Not, "well, I was thinking we might want to go out for drinks or coffee, what do you want to do"? If you are interested in your date, don't allow her to pay for any of the first few dates. If she offers, thank her, but simply insist that you would prefer to pay and suggest that maybe later she can come up with a date or two. This next tip may not seem fair or honest, but trust me on this one. Never be too available. Being available every night of the week and for any phone call or possible rendezvous means you don't have a life. And that means you are uninteresting and a possible doormat. Be busy, be interesting and be unavailable sometimes.   Houston Singles Use your body langue to show your interest if you really like your date. Make direct eye contact and hold for two heartbeats before you look away. Touch their wrist or shoulder when you are making a point. Lean in toward them while they are talking and by all means, don't forget your smile. It also pays to pay attention to their body language. Are their eyes wandering while you are talking? Are they checking out the other diners or the waiter or waitress? Give someone the benefit of the doubt the first dates, they may simply be nervous. But, on future dates if this is a consistent mannerism, you need to decide if you can live with it. Which brings up the third tip...don't create a relationship based on someone's potential to change, base it on who they are. If they smoke and you don't like smoking, it is not up to them to quit but up to you to decide if you can accept it. This is the "bonus option". If you like someone enough to be with them the way they are today, if they make a change in the future for the better, that's a bonus. Never base a relationship on someone changing. If you do, you are saying to them, right up front, they aren't good enough for you the way they are today. How would that make you feel? In future weeks we will have tips and ideas on how to date as a single parent, where to go to meet single people in Houston, where to meet if you are Christian, Jewish or other faiths and much more. If there is a subject you'd like covered, please drop me an email. Have a wonderful date! Kelly Howard Kelly@eightfriendsout.com