Casual first date spots

If you already know you have the same taste in music, score a couple tickets (or better yet, find a free event) where you can enjoy some live music together. Research says listening to music with someone releases lovey-dovey hormonesbut even if romance isnt in the air, at least awkward conversation will be replaced by quality tunes.

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First dates can signal the beginning of a beautiful, sweeping romance...or they can be a real drag. Alas, we cant guarantee that sparks will fly, but we do have a few first date ideas that will minimize the awkwardness, bring out the best in both parties and optimize your chances for success. Read on and start swiping.

Los Angeles has the most diverse, expansive and wide-reaching sushi scene in the country, so how does one even begin? This highly vetted guide, for starters. Over the last three years, I visited dozens of Valley strip malls, Little Tokyo shopping plazas and swanky counters in Beverly Hills in search of L.A.s best sushi restaurants. These days, pricey omakase experiences predominate my top sushi picks (a reflection of L.A.s changing sushi bar demographics), but you can still find a few high-quality, affordable la carte options around the city (if youre willing to wait, its still hard to beat Sushi Gens sashimi lunch special).Why should you trust my expertise? Im an L.A. native who enjoyed my first set of tekka maki at Hide Sushi on Sawtelle (which is still around, by the way) and cycled through love affairs with unagi (freshwater eel), saba (mackerel) and SushiStops famous dynamite rolls in adolescence and college. Though its hard to turn down freshly pressed Edomae-style sushi, Im still fond of a good spicy tuna crispy rice once in a while, and Ive even sampled a few of the citys vegan sushi options. In the last four years, Ive tried 52 different L.A. omakases, dined at over 70 different sushi purveyors of various price points, and Im always on the hunt for new (or new-to-me) places to try.In the high-end realm, I look for places that maximize overall wow factor; even within the upper echelons of L.A. dining, I take price, atmosphere and booking convenience...

Grab a set and head to the chess tables at a local park for a little friendly competition that will test both of your critical thinking skills while still leaving room for a casual chat.

This tried-and-true first date idea has stood the test of time for a reasonnamely because if you get weird vibes or the chemistry isnt there upon meeting, you dont have to (and probably shouldnt) do much talking during the main event.

This one has topped the list of intimate date ideas ever since Demi Moore got her hands dirty on a pottery wheel to the tune of Unchained Melody in Ghostbut in reality, a pottery class is just a fun, new experience thats only as sexy as you want it to be.