The First Date Redux: HowAboutWe
The kindergarten BFFs behind HowAboutWe answer our 15 Questions on New York’s dumpling forecast, Gaga’s passé Telephone and the new first date. Their contribution to society: A non-lame dating site that matches singles based on actual date proposals that start with “How about we …” As in how about we … go to a karaoke bar and butcher songs from our birth year. Pretty genius, right?
Name: Aaron Schildkrout and Brian Schechter
Status: Single and Single
Position: Co-founders of online dating site HowAboutWe.com
Who’s your favorite couple, living or dead, real or fictional?
It’s a tie between Michelle and Barack and Richard and Julia (in Pretty Woman, of course).
Have either of you ever offended anyone on a date?
Um. Yes. (Editor’s note: We tried to pry for juicy deets, sadly Aaron and Brian don’t kiss and tell)
In 140 characters or less, what is HowAboutWe?
HowAboutWe is a new kind of dating website that puts ‘the date’ back in dating — while also taking the ‘online’ out of ‘online dating.’
We’re reluctantly of the non-date generation. What makes you think HowAboutWe can bring the date back?
People get sick of the non-date after a while. They want a more interesting, stimulating experience than a tepid coffee shop conversation.
‘Textversations’ and e-flirting also make us queasy. It’s kinda ironic that Gaga had a hit called Telephone. Have the days of butterfly-inducing phone calls been banished to the same black hole as missing socks and MySpace?
Technology has definitely changed the dynamics of the progression of a relationship. Phone calls can seem like a big intrusion now, whereas they used to be a normal, expected part of courtship. But if a guy is really into you, he will call — just maybe not every day for 45 minutes — and he’ll use texts as an unobtrusive way to let you know he’s thinking about you between calls.
We’ve seen the match.com commercials that claim 1 in 5 relationships start online. Still, we have friends who are too embarrassed to try online dating. How is HowAboutWe different?
This is something we hear a lot: “I would never online date…but I’m on HowAboutWe.” As soon as people see the site, they get it. It’s well-designed. It looks like a site their friends would be on. And the ‘let’s get offline quickly and go do something fun’ approach really gives it a new twist — it removes a lot of the ick-lame-dumb factor of standard online dating. Who doesn’t want to explore their city — and meet new people while doing it?
Gawker dubbed HowAboutWe “the epicenter of the New First Date movement.” New movement. New rules. Who should pay on the first date?
We have an ‘each person has the right to his or her own’ policy on these types of questions. You gotta go with what feels right.
One of our contributors had a guy take her to Burger King on a first date. What’s your policy on cheap dates?
Burger King? Seriously?! I hope this date was not in NYC. There are so many free and cheap things you can do here — walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, have a BYOB picnic in one of the many parks, go to one of the multitudes of free readings/performances/etc happening all around NYC at any given time. Also, dumplings. There are so many places in the city that have delicious — and super-cheap — dumplings (like Vanessa’s on the Lower East Side or Eton in Carroll Gardens). Dumplings are the new cupcakes. You heard it here first.
The New York Times Sunday Styles called you guys accidental anthropologists or something. So, where should singles in other parts of the country go for awesome dates?
Pick a place that you’ve always wanted to go to, that you know you’ll probably have a good time at (regardless of the company you’re with, just in case your date turns out to be a dud). NotForTourists is a great city guide. OR you can start lobbying us to make your city a place for us to launch next. Chicago and Boston are currently winning that battle.
The ladies over at The Frisky came up with a spot-on list of 10 online dating profile dealbreakers. Which ones, if any, do you cosign?
No. 2, Your photo shouldn’t look like modern art. Agreed. (Or if it does, make sure you have other photos that show the ‘real’ you. If you use a watercolor effect to edit your photo, users will assume you’re a total Monet.) Also, while your photo should be a good one, it shouldn’t be SO good that it doesn’t look like the typical you. You don’t want your date to do a wide-eyed double-take when meeting you in person. No. 7, Leave the “no drama” to Mary J. Blige. Exactly. Who actually WANTS drama? No need to specify.
Now for our usual game of ‘Can I get a man with …’ We pick a trend. You tell us if we can get a man with that.
#whitegirlproblems? A self-deprecating sense of humor is always a good thing.
Vah-Genie? No comment.
A ‘single’ ring? It’s too confusing, since it’s not a universally recognized thing. Are you single, or are you married?
Virtual Dating Assistant? You probably could, but if you have to hire someone to come up with a cool profile for you…that doesn’t sound like the start of a very honest relationship.
What do you think is the biggest obstacle keeping singles from getting ‘a date with that’?
People have too many dealbreakers that get triggered too easily — just get out there and give the guy/girl a chance. Another biggie: we CONSTANTLY have the sense that something better is around the corner, an ideal someone that we can imagine all too easily…and who knows? Maybe our efforts and patience will pay off…any which way, not about to settle. Next.
Sign up for HowAboutWe.com, and if your date tanks, tell us about it here. Until next month, browse our 15 Questions archive.
