Dates. You wouldn’t mind going out on one especially with someone you like but they are quite tricky to prepare for. They can be awkward, nerve-wracking, and might even cause us to panic a little.
Even Solenn Heussaff, with her killer looks and cool girl vibe, has something against them. “I don’t think I have ever been on a date,” she tells Preen jokingly over ramen after her House of Lux event one Thursday evening. Everyone in the room laughs, including model Kelsey Merritt and blogger/host Nicole Andersson. “No, seriously, I go straight to the point,” Solenn continues to even more laughs in the room. She digresses, however, and tells us the truth. “I think dates are awkward especially if you know that it’s a date. You’re sitting in front of each other [and you don’t know what to do.] It’s super awkward.”
And while many of us still have to navigate the wide and weird world of dating, it pays to take a little advice from your friends. So we asked Solenn, Kelsey, and Nicole for dating tips and tricks they’ve learned so far.
What’s your favorite date place?
Solenn: Homebody talaga ako. I will just prepare something and treat him like a friend in the beginning so it’s not awkward.
Nicole: I like Tagaytay because you can escape, the weather is better, the food is better, and you have the view. If it’s cold, you can cuddle, and then he’ll give you a jacket.
Kelsey: I don’t know. Any place we could eat because I love eating.
What food do you like to have on a date?
Solenn: I would say salad but don’t eat salad because you usually get it stuck [between your teeth.] No black squid ink pasta, nothing black. The safest thing is to eat meat and also soup.
Nicole: Pasta. It’s easy to control. So you can slurp. (Laughs)
Kelsey: I love Mexican food [even when there are a lot of onions in it.] But that’s when you know he loves you.
Have any of you asked someone out on a date?
Solenn: When I met Nico, I gave him my number. I told him to call me. Casual lang.
Nicole: I have never asked someone on a date but I just try to drop as many hints as I can. I’ll say something like, “Oh, so what are you doing this Friday night?”
Kelsey: No. I also don’t date a lot [because of school and my schedule]. I would do what Nicole does, if ever.
What is one date night mistake men usually make?
Solenn: It’s more of the culture here in the Philippines but some men are aggressive. They kiss you at the end of the night right away parang may karapatan sila just because they brought you to an expensive place or they bought you dinner.
Nicole: The biggest mistake is when they are trying so hard to impress you. You can see that they are trying so hard. It’s like, “Relax, we’re eating a meal. It’s not an SAT exam.” They try so hard to impress you so when you ask them “What do you like to do?” and they give [so many answers.] And then at the end they are like, “But you, what do you, like? I also like that too.”
Kelsey: The biggest mistake is when they don’t talk. It’s like, “Do you want me to keep the conversation up? You asked me outn d I’m getting to know you.”
What three things do you always bring with you on a date?
Solenn: Candy, lip balm, and pepper spray if it gets weird. (Laughs)
Nicole: A compact to make sure you’re not oily and you can always check if there’snything bad going on [under the table], lip balm also because you don’t want chapped lips, and eyelash curler.
Kelsey: I also have a lip balm, a setting mist for the makeup because it really makes you fresh. And then what else? My powerbank.