Written by Chelsea | 15 July 2009
Posted in Dating

There is nothing quite like the excitement of a first date.  It's like the new car smell when it still smells good, (before the smell becomes mildly nauseating).  It is the time when you get to enjoy a night of flirting, and getting to know someone else, all through a thin veil of sexual tension.  My favorite part of the first date is when my date makes the first and smallest form of physical contact.  Puts his hand on the small of my back to guide us through the busy restaurant, or lightly touches my hand as we discuss whether to share a bottle of red or white.  It feels like all my nerve endings are on end, and the hint of nerves in both of us is palpable.

This is also the one date that takes the longest to get ready for.  I, like most women, enjoy a pre-first-date ritual that includes ample time in front of a mirror fusing with makeup and clothes choices.  It's this act of preparation and expectation that actually adds to the drama of seeing my date, setting the stage for an evening of intrigue.  If the banter is continuous, my date chivalrous and romance is in the air, I know before the appetizer that things are going well and I start looking forward to our second date.  If things are rocky, the conversation strained and there is no spark of attraction, then by our entree I know I'll be skipping dessert.  The first date can be very high stress, yet it is undeniably enjoyable to get to know someone and share aspects of yourself that are already known to close friends.  The flirt and flair of a first date will never go out of style, neither will the perfume I use for my first dates to replace and elevate that first date smell.