Apparently you cannot take a girl on a shidduch to Starbucks anymore, this is what I learned this weekend. I assumed that it was a no go based on the fact that the only place one can go and sit down in Washington Heights for a cup of coffee is at the starbucks on 181st street and it is a good possibility that every single frummy in the heights will be in that establishment at one time of day or another, and that any girl dating expects to be whisked away from the little Dominican Republic they live in.
I have asked some other people after finding out through my own avenues that Starbucks is off limits for shidduch dating. My date, after I said “don’t worry we wont wind up at starbucks” was adamant that she wished not to wind up sipping a white chocolate mocha with the green logo on it.
I have spent many a date in starbucks, wondering if after four hours we have overstayed our welcome. I have never wondered if the girl was enjoying the date, simply because it is a mathematic likelihood that a shidduch will end up at starbucks, most neighborhoods lack the requisite hip coffee shop with worn and miss matched chairs, and most neighborhoods lack any place to sit and have a conversation- and so starbucks comes into the picture.
I understand its generic, and I understand that first dates offer time for first impressions, but I am not into all that, I simply want to talk and preferably not spend a cent, though starbucks ruins that, its still cheaper then pizza, and seems more classy.
Starbucks also provides many items for nervous types to play with as they fumble for conversation on their dates. You can rip the little hot cup slips, play with your straw and continuously suck in air and left over cappuccino flavored ice cubes that have since melted down and become brown tinted water. I was once at starbucks and my date in her nervousness could have been compared to an office shredder, she shredded everything at the table without realizing that I thought it was hilarious. She did it subconsciously.
I understand this is likely to turn into one of those fights about where first dates should take place. I like to keep things simple, like a walk in the park, a stroll through The Met, or a day hiking- but with the sour whether I like starbucks, would rather a chic coffee shop with tight pants wearing hipsters and loads of gays, but most neighborhoods do not provide this sort of amenity.
So is Starbucks a good date spot or not?