Friday, I enjoyed a girls night out with my Starwood colleague and friend Anna.

Gaonnuri: authentic Korean fare set against NYC’s stunning skyline

Anna introduced me to Gaonnuri, an upscale Korean barbecue restaurant located on the top floor of 1250 Broadway with stunning city views. She read my mind when suggesting it as the perfect date venue (especially the drinks-only window seating area). I may have to return here if my tentative date with a recent Speed Dating bachelor comes to pass.

While enjoying white wine and beef bibimbap (served with rice in a traditional hot stone pot), we talked about being true to where you are in the single versus settling down trajectory, the allure of living abroad and the good fortune of working for a company that is rich with opportunity.

That last tangent of conversation continued over Cosmopolitans at Hotel Metro’s rooftop bar. I confided in Anna about the challenging first few days of my new job – Marketing Manager of the Sheraton New York Times Square. I’m now a two-hotel girl, dividing my time between the Sheraton and my beloved Westin New York Grand Central.

They’re very different hotels so, inevitably of course, I felt somewhat overwhelmed at first. I started to settle in, though, as soon as I received words of support from both my Westin and Sheraton colleagues. For the first time ever in my long and winding career, I finally feel like I’m in a place where I can truly grow and stay put. The management at Starwood Hotels & Resorts is that rare breed capable of pushing you beyond your comfort zone while ensuring you are ready for it.

I’ve said it many times but it bears repeating here. Professionally speaking, I’ve gone from kissing a frog to finding Prince Charming. I was so miserable in my last job that I never thought I would find this kind of career fulfillment again. I can’t help thinking that’s also a good metaphor for dating too. There is always the possibility for something really wonderful to happen.

With an out of town old flame heading this way in a few weeks, I’m looking forward to some kind of wonderful becoming a reality.

Tuesday night, I headed down to SoHo to Delta’s pop up lounge for Single Edition Media‘s party at the airline’s new Terminal Four at JFK.

The scene at Delta’s T4X pop up lounge

The swanky soiree celebrated seasonal fashion and beauty trends, with demos from some great brands. I sampled BluePrintCleanse‘s green juice and cashew milk, enjoyed an Elizabeth Arden, makeover and learned about GLO, an affordable, fast teeth whitening device I wish I’d known about before going the pricier gel tray route.

Foot Pedals Founder Tina Aldatz

Nanette Lepore reps shared first date style tips (less is always more when it comes to revealing attire, ladies) while Foot Petals founder Tina Aldatz offered red carpet secrets (FP’s Killer Cushions under tip toes).

One of the evening’s highlights – alongside some very easy on the eyes Delta pilots — was hearing inspiring stories about happily ever after. GLO’s co-founders beamed as they mentioned their marriage of 30 years and counting. Foot Petals’ Tina was all aglow about being engaged at 44. Newly-engaged fellow blogger Jess Downey told me how her future hubby found her on OkCupid while searching for a fellow beer aficionado.

I couldn’t help thinking about the different prism through which I’m reacting to these examples of meeting your match. As I recently mentioned, Amy Spencer’s fabulous book about dating optimism has had a lot to do with that. Amy writes that, instead of viewing other couples from the “why them and not me?” perspective, see them as examples of what is possible.

Amazing how different life and love can look when you change your perspective.

Friday, I enjoyed a low-key and much needed girls night out with my dear friend Sara.

Go Burger: Delicious fare in a fun setting on the UES

Our destination – Go Burger, a laidback yet lively bistro on NYC’s Upper East Side. Having both wrapped up a frenetic work week, we happily bookended our meal with pigs in a blanket and a chocolate chip cookie dough milkshake. Sharing caloric indulgence is without a doubt one of life’s greatest pleasures.

Over dinner, we talked about summer travel plans, the fun of Field Day as youngsters and one of our biggest pet peeves about singlehood – prying questions about the state of our love lives.

It’s all too common for those who are partnered up to ask those of us who are not why we’re still single. However well intentioned these questions might be, even when posed under the guise of making small talk, the fact is that doesn’t make them any less intrusive. It’s basically the equivalent of asking a couple how their sex life is – i.e., something to think twice about doing.

Of course, we understand there is an inevitable curiosity about our singlehood, and it does often come from a genuine place of caring on the part of family and friends. But we want and have a lot more to talk about than that. And being bombarded with love life questions, especially from people you haven’t seen in awhile, ends up making you feel reduced to your dating status. Talk about a major buzzkill.

So the next time you’re thinking of going into twenty questions mode with a single friend/colleague/family member, hold the interrogating. We’ll be thankful for your restraint. And when there’s news to tell, we’ll be that much happier to share it.

This has been a particularly action-packed week — with four work-related events, two of which I had a large part in planning. It culminated in yesterday’s Bridal Bash, an occasion that represented the intersection of business and pleasure which is very much a part of my job.

Westin ladies decked out for the bash: (from left) Jhana, Donna, Jenn and me

To celebrate the opening of our new ballroom, my Westin New York Grand Central colleagues and I came up with a fun idea – inviting women to wear their wedding or bridesmaid dresses again while joining us for an afternoon of cocktails and giveaways. Among those in attendance were a handful of my girlfriends who came to support me and reminded me how lucky I am to have them in my life.

Among my favorite moments: the overcome-with-joy reaction of a prizewinning woman who made me feel a little like Oprah must when she’s giving away something big…Working with a nice WPIX/Channel 11 camera guy to get a sound bite from one of our guests. It was a fun throwback to my TV reporter days, and another example of how I’ve finally landed in a gig where I feel like everything I did before was in preparation for it.

After Bridal Bash ended, my good friend Bobbi and I decided to take advantage of the Kentucky Derby-Cinco de Mayo celebrations going on. Our first stop was Stone Rose Lounge for drinks and light bites. Then, we walked over to the trendy Hudson Hotel.

The hotel’s outdoor fiesta was for ticketed guests only, so we parked ourselves in a corner of the bar for some lively conversation about work and dating. We talked about discovering ex-boyfriends are married, the increasing appeal of non-New York men and viewing past relationships with hindsight.

“Do have you any regrets?” Bobbi asked, about the guys I’ve walked away from over the years.

I actually don’t. Though there are romantic situations I could have handled better, sparing myself and another person a lot of needless heartache, I know I did the best I could at the time. And that I am stronger and, I like to think, wiser for having gone through all of those ill-fated loves. I learned from every single one of them. I’m a better woman for it all, knowing that when I meet the right person, I’ll be truly ready for him.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Thursday, I enjoyed a girls night out with my good friend Lauren.

After a brief stop at Faces & Names bar and walking past the NFL Draft red carpet on Sixth Avenue, we settled at the bar of Del Frisco’s in Rockefeller Center. Over a round of Blue Moon and some shared appetizers (cheesesteak egg rolls and tuna tartar tacos…delish), we talked about career moves, bad dating behavior and my most recent speed dating experience.

I’ve said it here and to other singles many times – speed dating is a thousand times better than dating online. Still, some outings are better than others and this particular one was a very mixed bag.

Most of the 15 guys I met were first timers bleary eyed from the frenetic pace. Many used their four minutes to ask questions straight out of Match.com (where do you work? What do you like to do when you’re not working? etc.). Others didn’t know what to ask. Among the more memorable bachelors: a 67-year-old who laughed a little too hard as he shared that he is divorced because he likes dating thirtysomething women; a cute British expat whose charm rapidly dissipated when he remarked how there are so many more single women than men in NYC.

Inevitably, if you do speed dating multiple times, you run into familiar faces. I cringed when I spotted a guy I dated briefly back in January who went all X-rated in his sweet nothings on date #2.  For a city of 8 million people, New York is way too small sometimes.

Which is why I’m feeling especially thankful for the gradual yet seismic attitude shift I’ve been feeling lately when it comes to finding love. A combination of spring weather and Amy Spencer’s uplifting book about dating optimism, How To Meet Your Half Orange is fueling the change.

There’s definitely something to be said for positive thinking. In the last week alone, I’ve reconnected with an old flame and met a matchmaker-inclined florist.

I can’t wait to see what happens next.

When it comes to spring, this year’s arrival of it has felt long overdue. Between a winter stubbornly refusing to go away and the many delays accompanying my home renovation, I have been yearning for a change of season.

This week, I have finally been feeling spring’s rejuvenating presence – and not just because of the slowly climbing temperatures.

On the job front, I received some very exciting news a few days ago. The details are still being worked out but what I can say right now is I’m about to have twice as many reasons to love going to work every day. At eight months into my journey with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, I remain very much in the honeymoon period. After so many years of being a career nomad, I finally feel like I’ve found my professional home. It is a blessing I am thankful for every day.

On the personal front, I’m sprucing up more than just my abode. I’m taking better care of myself thanks to Weight Watchers, and I’m broadening my social horizons through a new book club (thank you, Meetup.com) that I’m excited to join.

Amidst all of these developments, it is my love life that has offered up the most unexpected, completely out of left field surprise. I recently reconnected in a big way with an old flame for the first time in years.

If I’ve learned anything over the years, it’s the wisdom of not revealing too much here in my little corner of the blogosphere. So I won’t say anything other than that this guy is a wonderful example of life’s more welcome twists and turns.

As I savor each of these new beginnings, I am also thinking about the tragedy of what took place in Boston this week. For me, it was a sobering reminder that every day we’re here and the people we love are healthy, there’s reason to celebrate.

Wishing the comforts of this season to every Bostonian, and to all of you who take the time to stop by here.

Earlier this week, I was editing my Match.com profile when I noticed a glaring mistake — my age was listed as 40 instead of 39.

I could feel panic seize me as I rushed to correct the year of birth I had accidentally clicked while creating my profile. Because though it’s only a one year difference, it might as well be one hundred years if we’re to believe what society tells us about being a woman of a certain age.

With my 40th birthday only eight months away, I can’t help noticing more and more the popular sentiment that a woman’s eligibility somehow expires once she leaves her thirties behind. Despite the increase in age-defying female celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Halle Berry, there’s still a lot of media coverage and self-help books reinforcing the notion that there’s a time limit for finding love. Interestingly, according to all of these same so-called experts, that eligibility dropoff doesn’t seem to apply to men.

The end result is a milestone birthday becomes a cause for fear rather than celebration – something Oprah Winfrey decries in the latest issue of O Magazine.

“The pathway to your best life isn’t the route of denial. It’s owning every moment…And, with gratitude, embracing the age you are.”

I found myself thinking about age from a different perspective as I spent this afternoon at a coffee hour for seniors with some spirited older women. One of them, a silver-haired sweetheart named Helen, asked me what I was studying in college. Of course, I gratefully welcomed the compliment. But more than that, I appreciated how 39 looks to a woman who is in the twilight period of her life.

Smiling warmly, Helen scoffed when I responded to her compliment by complaining about the physical changes that accompany getting older.

“You’re so young,” she told me.

It’s easy to feel otherwise as you approach the end of a decade without hitting certain benchmarks. But their absence doesn’t take away all the good that has come with my thirties. Nor does leaving this decade behind mean having to let go of the hope and promise of new beginnings that come with every birthday.

Forty, bring it on.

Thursday, I caught up with my good friend Jenn for dinner and a show.

Our fun evening began at Thalia in NYC’s Theater District. Over a delicious meal at the American-Italian bistro (foccacia bread, iceberg wedge salad, roast chicken), we talked about the luck factor in dating, job crossroads and missing our beloved Ricky Martin now that Evita on Broadway is over.

Having seen Evita half a dozen times last year, we’ve also been missing our regular theater fix. Needing a good laugh, we opted for Cuff Me: The Unauthorized Musical Parody of Fifty Shades of Grey.

At The Show: Check out the paraphernalia behind us

When Jenn and I walked into the Actor’s Temple Theater off Eighth Avenue, a small former synagogue-meets-school-auditorium venue, we weren’t sure what to expect. Thankfully, what the setting lacked was more than made up for by how thoroughly entertaining Cuff Me is.

As its title suggests, Cuff Me is a hilarious sendup of EL James’ bestselling erotic romance. The winning cast gamely juggles multiple roles while, ahem, poking fun at Fifty Shades’ signature elements.

Cuff Me is 90 minutes of non-stop laughter

James’ simplistic writing is mercilessly spoofed, Christian Grey (Matthew Brian Bagley) is melodramatically arrogant and twisted, Anastasia Steele (Laurie Elizabeth Gardner) is recast here as being more ditzy than unsophisticated. But it is Tina Jensen as Kate and Alex Gonzalez as, among other roles, the personification of Kate’s inner goddess, who steal the show.

A huge part of the fun here is its pop music soundtrack. In the tradition of Rock of Ages and Mamma Mia, Cuff Me’s musical numbers spoof hits by Beyonce, Britney Spears, Madonna, Katy Perry and – much to our surprise and delight – Ricky Martin. Their x-rated reimagining of “Livin’ La Vida Loca” alone is worth the price of admission.

If you haven’t read Fifty Shades, Cuff Me probably isn’t for you. But if you have and want to spend 90 minutes laughing out loud, don’t miss it!

Thursday, I headed down to the East Village for a girls night out with my good friend Bobbi.

On my way to meet her, it occurred to me that I need to visit this neighborhood more often, teeming as it is with inviting little bistros and bars. Case in point: Giano, the cozy wine bar and restaurant I stumbled upon online.

Giano (Photo Credit: Dailydishblog.com)

Ideal for either a date or girls night out, Giano has rustic charm and an Italy-born host who makes every menu item sound buenissimo.
Over drinks and a delicious dinner, we talked about women who forget themselves once they’re married, our recent respective speed dating experiences, and increasing dating fatigue.

With the big 4-0 looming in 2014, I am definitely feeling a cumulative weariness from decades of dating. People often say love finds you when you’re not looking. That may be true but it has also been my experience that no one will find you if you’re sitting on your couch.

The question then becomes – how do you balance putting yourself out there with not getting worn out from it all? How do you remain hopeful about happily ever after when today’s dating culture (in New York especially) seems more accommodating of right now romance?

As I continue trying to figure that out, I also remain profoundly grateful for wonderful friends who make such heavy contemplation a lot more fun.

Happy Easter all!

About seven months ago, I decided it was time to upgrade my kitchen and bathroom. Though I was forewarned by family and friends to prepare for delays and detours, I still couldn’t have imagined how all consuming this little home improvement project would become.

Work In Progress: What will eventually be my new kitchen and bathroom fixtures

As I near the end of my renovation odyssey, I can’t help thinking that some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way also apply to the search for love.

Never Assume (i.e. Ask The Right Questions) – My contractor assured me his company would take care of the paperwork needed for my co-op, so I assumed I didn’t have to do anything on my end. Until a month later when my superintendent happened to inform me I needed to fill out an alteration agreement. I could’ve avoided the four week delay if I had just asked the right questions, something that’s just as important to do when you’re in the early stages of dating someone new.

Expect The Unexpected – This seems like an obvious one, but I was still thrown for a loop when faced with crookedly hung cabinets, the delivery of backsplash tiles I didn’t order and minor construction mistakes shared with me after installation. No matter how much you plan, renovating is full of surprises and the same is true of dating.

The Timeline In Your Head Doesn’t Always Correspond To Reality – When I signed with my contractor back in November, I figured I would be cooking in my new kitchen by Valentine’s Day. That deadline came and went, a reminder that it doesn’t matter what time frame you have in your head for completing a major milestone. Life happens and this is especially true when it comes to the circuitous path of dating and mating. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen, only that it’s going to take a little longer.

With my newly made over kitchen and bathroom about a week or so away from being finished — fingers, toes and all other parts crossed, of course – I’m feeling hopeful about what lies ahead for my love life too.