There were no odd pairings at the Hotel Chantelle rooftop on the Lower East Side. That was where Samantha, 26, and James, 24, met for their date — a beer-and-dessert tasting by Sugartooth Tours. Over six different bites and brews, Samantha, a born and raised New Yorker, gave James, a recent transplant, some tips on getting around his new home. Was it sweet enough for James to enlist Samantha as his permanent tour guide?
He said:
My first impression of Samantha was that she was professional, although down-to-earth. She was a bit more dressed up than I, which made me slightly self-conscious — but her smile and friendliness put me at ease.
Our conversation became a lot smoother as soon as the tasting was under way. Since I’m new here, Samantha suggested several places I should check out this summer.
The beer-and-dessert tasting provided plenty of conversation starters. We agreed the Meantime Coffee Porter was the best of the six beers, but we couldn’t agree on the desserts. Samantha favored the maple bacon cookie, and I was split between the carrot cake and the baklava.
After the event, we continued to talk before exchanging numbers. I think I would like to see Samantha again, but perhaps platonically.
She said:
The first thing I noticed about James is that he was very clean-cut — which is a good thing, in my book. He has a really nice smile with big dimples, which I’m also attracted to.
The beer-and-dessert tasting was really cool, and Hotel Chantelle is a neat spot. In the beginning, I was nervous. When that happens, I tend to talk a lot — so for the first part of the night I steered the conversation too much. But he carried it more later on, and we talked more freely.
He asked about my time living in Spain. We had things in common like being fans of the writer Bill Bryson.
We stayed a little while after the event before calling it a night. James took my number. If he calls, I’d definitely like to explore some places in the city — and see what happens from there!