I could fill a book with these. After more than 30 years as a dating strategist, matchmaker, and dating coach, I've heard just about everything. And yet, people still manage to surprise me. There are still moments when my eyes get wide, my jaw practically hits my desk, and I think, "Wait... you actually said that on a first date?" So, I narrowed it down to just five. The real question is... do you recognize yourself in any of them? 1. Talking About Yourself for 80% of the Dat

In Honor of America's 250th Birthday One of the biggest myths in modern dating is that there are only a handful of places to meet quality people. Not true. Over 30 years—and more than 33,000 first dates—I've watched relationships begin in grocery stores, airports, hospitals, networking events, dog parks, charity galas, hotel lobbies, and yes...occasionally even at the DMV. In honor of America's 250th birthday, I challenged myself to list 250 places where people have actually

Ok, stay with me---in a minute this will all make sense... How my husband laughed a few weeks ago ever since my excitement dominated our home over World Cup. But, then again, he didn’t watch Ted Lasso. Low and behold, he is now as enamored as I am. (though he called the “Pitch” a “Field"). Rookie mistake. BTW, those of you who know me and doubt online dating, that is where I met Jeff. (Oh while I am at it, one marriage and 3 engagements thus far in June---and people qu

Today is the Summer Solstice (and my sister Joanne's birthday---Happy B-day Jo!)---the longest day of the year. Thus sun is literally giving us extra daylight. The sun is doing it's part today. The rest is on you. You could spend it reorganizing your closet, scrolling online, watching strangers renovate kitchens on HGTV and telling your friends there are "no good men/women left"/ OR.... You can use a few of those bonus hours to put yourself where other humans are...and win

Before we get started, I was so excited last night when I got a text…where I promptly called my client Alicia (age 57—from Boston) back. Yes, she got engaged to Daniel---I remember picking him out for her and how much fun they had on their first date. I’m so happy. Why I do this! I’m expecting a wedding invite and BTW it was Alicia’s 14th Match.com date! Alicia and Daniel, Congratulations! OK, back to those dating mistakes….. (Spoiler: Your MBA Isn't Helping Your Bumbl

Yes, this is about dating. Stay with me. Every four years, the world loses its mind over the World Cup. I know about as much about soccer as I know about rebuilding a transmission. . Disclosure and Explanation: But watching the World Cup last night USA vs Paraguay? Wow. The energy was contagious. The crowd was electric. The patriotism was off the charts. \After five minutes, even I was yelling at the television like I'd been following soccer my entire life. We won. 4-1. A

1. The Biggest Red Flag in Dating Might Be You Not because you're a bad person.Because self-awareness is rare and most people think they're the exception. Everybody has a list of red flags. Almost nobody has a list of their own. 2. Why Smart People Make Terrible Dating Decisions The more intelligent someone is, the better they become at explaining away obvious problems. Intelligence doesn't protect you from bad choices. It helps you justify them. 3. Your Type Is Probably

Before I get started, I laughed this morning with a client over this. She reading a man's profile where he just wrote 5 adjectives describing himself. That's it. Nothing else. But had 8 great photos. BTW, this client is very funny too. She responded with "You just got a 5 star review from me". Anyway, they have a date with coffee and a walk through Central Park next week. Now, for the real topic: So yesterday morning, Matt, a 58 year old client of mine, sent me th

So every morning, I read The Wall Street Journal and scroll through my 1440 newsletter — because nothing says "good morning" like coffee, headlines and a weirdly perfect dating analogy. And I came across this headline last week: A man jumped out of a plane… free-falling through the sky… and solved a Rubik’s Cube in 23 seconds before his parachute deployed. Excuse me? and you think dating is hard? Meanwhile, half the singles I talk to are emotionally exhausted because someone

Happy Mother’s Day first!!! Here’s a little love-life accounting for the summer ahead. Why am I writing this? Last week I spoke with 3 people (non-clients—two are now new clients) In 2025: Cara,63, Told me she spend $3156 on Dating last year with Zero results Thomas, a good looking doctor age 67, spent over $5,000 Michael, age 58, accomplished architect won the contest at over $7,000 ugh, ick, Lots of $$$ Me: WHAT??? What are you doing? Who is giving you advice? Ba

By Andrea McGinty Founder, It’s Just Lunch & 33000Dates.com 33,000+ Dates Curated | 10,000+ Marriages | 65% Success Rate | Dating Strategist #1 Dating Expert and Dating Coach according to Oprah | Spring/Summer dating season has arrived. The birds are flirting. The patios are open. The apps are buzzing. And singles everywhere are staring into the digital abyss asking the same question UFO researchers have asked for decades: Is there intelligent life out there? After 30+ years

It's my birthday. I'm officially older. You're not far behind. Same love life next year? Or something better? Take my gift. Start now. Click here. BTW, I only do this once a year!

By Andrea McGinty Founder, It’s Just Lunch & 33000Dates.com 33,000+ Dates Curated | 10,000+ Marriages | 65% Success Rate | | #1 Dating Expert and Dating Coach according to Oprah | Spring dating season has arrived. The birds are flirting. The patios are open. The apps are buzzing. And singles everywhere are staring into the digital abyss asking the same question UFO researchers have asked for decades: Is there intelligent life out there? After 30+ years in dating, I can confir

By Andrea McGinty |Founder, It’s Just Lunch & 33000Dates.com| 33,000+ Dates Curated | 10,000+ Marriages | Featured on Oprah, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, People & more Spring dating season is here. The birds are flirting. The patios are open. The linen shirts are making questionable early appearances. And somewhere, a perfectly attractive, successful single person is saying: “I’ll start dating when I lose five pounds / feel less busy / update my photos / recov

Let’s be honest for a second. You’ve done a lot right: Career ✅ Health ✅ Financial stability ✅ And yet… Your dating life? Inconsistent at best. Here’s what I see after 30+ years and 33,000+ first dates: Smart people treat dating like a side hobby and expect it to deliver a life-changing result. It doesn’t work that way. My friend Arthur Brooks has been saying this. I've been saying this for at least 20 of 30+ years of experience....especially about longevity of life related

Let’s be blunt: If your entire dating plan consists of you, your couch, and your thumb, you do not have a dating strategy. You have finger strength . Yes, online dating matters. Of course it does. I built a career in this business before Google was a verb and before dating apps were an itch in a developer’s brain. I’ve curated over 33,000 dates and witnessed 10,000 marriages . I know the tech works. But it is not the be-all, end-all. It’s an ingredient, not the whole dam

Why over-screening everyone is killing your love life 1. You’re treating every date like a potential threat to national security. He’s five minutes late? Threat. She used one emoji too many? Threat. He mentioned his ex in passing? Full body scan. Calm down, Homeland Security. Dating is supposed to be discernment, not a federal investigation. If you walk into every date assuming danger, deception, or disaster, you are not protecting your heart — you are blockading it. 2. You’r

I’m never bored with what I do. Why? Because people are endlessly fascinating — especially when it comes to dating. I’ve always said there’s an inverse correlation between high intelligence and dumb dating. After more than 30 years as a dating expert, matchmaker, and coach — and after seeing more than 33,000 dates happen (yes, really) — I can tell you this: smart, accomplished people make some very avoidable mistakes. Here are five of the biggest. 1. Don’t overshare. Not on

tolstoy and dating Tolstoy figured out in the 1800s what most daters over 50 still don’t get. Leo Tolstoy walked away from wealth, fame, and intellectual society to live simply among peasants. Why? Because he realized something uncomfortable: “My life came to a standstill… I felt that what I had been living for no longer existed.” Most people aren’t living consciously. They’re just repeating patterns. Sound familiar? After arranging over 33,000 first dates, I can tell you thi

After facilitating 33,000 first dates , I’ve noticed something wildly strange. Brilliant people — CEOs, investors, founders, surgeons — suddenly abandon every business principle they believe in the moment romance enters the room. In business you analyze risk. You evaluate long-term upside. You look at past performance. In dating? People invest their entire emotional portfolio based on vibes and a nice smile. If dating worked like a boardroom, here are a few things that wou