Vancouver dating blog

A Whole Lot of Mojito/Latino & Date Night Fun at Baru Restaurant in Vancouver
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A Whole Lot of Mojito/Latino & Date Night Fun at Baru Restaurant in Vancouver

I am very excited to be writing an article on the Baru Latino restaurant because it is my favorite place to eat and hang out in the Kitsilano hood! It has a downtown atmosphere feel to it without having to cross over the bridge to get there.

What makes this place so special? Pretty much everything! One of the main reasons to visit this highly popular spot, besides the incredible food and the ambience; is the “hands on” owners!

Rene Lafleur is one of the owners (yes, he is related to hockey legend Guy Lafleur – his dad’s second cousin!) and despite his very French name, he does not speak the language. Rene spent 12 years as a drummer with the band “Star Collector” who proudly have 4 full length albums. He is the numbers geek, wine guy and host at Baru.

Co-owner Dave Newis has been a kitsilano fixture for many years working in numerous establishments & known as a bartender extraordinaire! Dave also traveled Canada playing beach volleyball. He is the “attention to detail” Milieu expert at Baru!

Dave’s wife Zeta Newis is the Head Chef at Baru and also co-owner of Baru Rubs & Sauces with Rene’s wife Nina Lafleur! This definitely adds validity to the cliché; “Those who play together stay together!”

Baru Rubs and Sauces may have only been around for 2 years, but these two entrepreneurial women already have their products in 5 whole Food stores and 8 other various stores throughout BC. Who needs the Dragons Den to promote your business when you have these two go-getters!

Baru Latino was an established name & venue when Dave & Rene decided to delve into this business. They loved the space on sight! Tired of working for someone else & spending so much time throwing their own dinner parties, they decided to look for a place to call their own!

Both owners are originally from Alberta, moved to Vancouver in 1991, met here & have been friends for 12 years. Business partners for 8 years, they are quite the characters & each offers something different and unique to the restaurant.

Talk about meeting someone at “the right place at the right time” and what a great team they are!

They make it work so well and the “dinner party theme” is definitely the feel you get when you walk in the door! The atmosphere is fun and romantically contagious.

Chef Zita Newis, sous chef Mathew Wilson, cooks Tristen Jones and Kristy Averves are responsible for the amazing food reputation at Baru. The guava glazed 10 oz pork chop & ceviche are my favorites but everything on the menu is fantastic!

They encourage family style sharing and the restaurant is pleasantly affordable with the most expensive entree; Steak Chimmichurri 7oz Sirloin steak, with chimmichurri sauce, served with jalapeno potato pave and topped with a smoky corn salsa served with seasonal vegetables priced at $31.

The menu is 95% gluten free excluding the bread & chocolate lava cake! It is also nut free with the exception of a few behind the bar! (Dave’s words not mine!)

Steak Chimmichurri
Baru’s Famous Pork Chop
Ceviche

The dining area at Baru seats 44-48 people with an additional 15 bar seats. It is a popular location for many functions/private parties and has been voted as a great date night hangout! It’s not uncommon for online daters to meet up here for their first rendezvous. The beautiful actress Natalie Portman was seen dining in Baru along with many other visiting and local celebrities. They love the cozy non-pretentious atmosphere!

Seasonal White Fish

❤ The incredible lighting and uniquely flavored mojito drinks give it a romantic flare that makes couples feel amorous! There is a happy hour available every day of the week from 5-6:30 which includes $5 red/white sangria, double mojitos for $7, red or white wine $6 for a 6oz glass ($9 for a 9oz glass) and 1516 beers for $4. This is very affordable especially for those “first date” evenings! ❤

Raspberry Mojito

*Mention this article when making your “date night” reservation and Baru will offer you something special to help with those “first date” jitters! ❤

Baru Latino Restaurant participates in Dine Out Vancouver every year and has many repeat customers due to how much they enjoy their first dining experience at Baru! They can’t wait to come back!

There is entertainment available on special evenings so please check out the Baru website for more information or call the restaurant anytime to find out what’s happening. (604) 222-9171

Regardless of whether you are a local Vancouverite or an out of town visiting guest, it is will be an evening you will always remember.  Make your reservations soon and don’t miss out on this incredible Latino experience at 2535 Alma Street on the west side of Vancouver. There is free parking available underground behind the restaurant.

Tell them Dear Sybersue  ❤ sent you!

 

Twitter @ BaruLatino

Facebook @ BaruLatino

Instagram @ barulatino

Written by Susan McCord @ The Dear Sybersue Talk Show

 

 

HELP! My Life is Crazy & My Sex Life Is Non-Existent In My Marriage!
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HELP! My Life is Crazy & My Sex Life Is Non-Existent In My Marriage!

Dear Sybersue:

I live a very full & pretty decent life for the most part. I have two children, a dog and a great partner whom I still love after 10 years. His job is demanding & I work 5 days a week myself. I am also putting in time to develop my own business on the side to help with our heavy mortgage.

Needless to say juggling it all and still having a busy social schedule is a challenge as I am sure it is for many people out there. My sex-life is non-existent at the moment & my passion for it is a little depleted due to the lack of physical connection my husband and I share.

Even though I seem to be managing my crazy life, I have to admit I feel tired & stressed out all the time these days!

I do not take care of myself in the way I should due to time restrictions with work, & the children’s activities. I do not feel nearly as sexy or attractive as I used to in my single days. I don’t have time to be the feminine hot woman of my past existence anymore.

I don’t even know what a girl’s night out is these days! My friends seem to have given up on me because I have so little time for them. I don’t blame them.

Every so often I get very depressed and do not want to see or talk to anyone which makes it even worse. I feel overwhelmed ~ Any ideas to help??

From The Suburban Housewife

ANSWER

Continue reading →

Am I Looking For Love In All the Wrong Places?
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Am I Looking For Love In All the Wrong Places?

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I am saddened by how many men and women complain about the difficulties they have enjoying a successful dating life.  Both sexes must learn how to open up and talk to each other without initial harsh judgment or sabotage due to their own subconscious insecurities.

Men & women need to make an effort to understand their gender differences and embrace them instead of finding fault with each other!

Not too long ago a friend of mine was publicly reprimanded by a male radio host for a blog she posted about being an Alpha Female. The guy who started this negative feedback regularly discusses women on his show in a derogatory way.

Why do we do this to each other and why are some men and women so damn angry?

People are just not meeting face to face as often and it is so easy to vent their frustration behind a computer rather than figure out why things aren’t working for them. The biggest change you can make is to get outside and talk to real people!

Hiding behind your dating profile doesn’t help you mingle or give you incentive that there are some really great men and women out there in your city! Listening to others complain online about their dating woes or never meeting anyone of substance can become negatively embedded into your mind.

The reason online dating apps and computer dating is so popular is because both men and women lack ideas or creativity on where to rendezvous when they want to meet a potential date.  It also has a lot to do with self-esteem and fear of rejection as well.

The most obvious choice for many is the bar & nightclub scene. This is “one night stand” territory no matter how you look at it. There will always be the exception of a few people who end up in a committed relationship with someone they meet in a club, but for the most part it is a short lived scenario.

Many people wake up the next day & seldom call the number they have in their coat pocket from the night before. (This is mainly due to too much alcohol & lack of confidence to make the phone call. Or they can’t remember the conversation or what they even look like!!)

Meeting in a lounge or a restaurant is a better environment to potentially meet someone but you have to be more confident to actually talk to them without the dance option available at night clubs.

Alcohol is a great relaxer for many women & it also gives men liquid courage to approach a woman. This is why the bar scene is a repetitive hangout for so many frustrated people. Unfortunately it is usually the same old story every weekend & everyone wakes up perturbed & lonely and the pattern continues.

Some of the situations to be aware of when meeting a potential partner:

  • If you are using online dating services be aware that some people are only really interested in a sexual relationship. Really pay attention to what their profile says & notice any red flags with their pictures. Photos really are worth a thousand words on most online dating sites and many people choose to ignore these obvious signs!
  • Don’t get caught up and blinded by a person’s status! These are men and women who only date or sleep with a certain high profile type. These people usually frequent the same establishments and word travels fast. Do you really want to be known as a groupie? (You may not even be aware that you have this reputation.)
  • Be aware of men & women who are looking for a sugar daddy/mama type lifestyle and will only date someone in this financial league. They are usually pretty easy to spot so keep your eyes open and observe. Body language is also a dead giveaway.
  • Don’t allow yourself to be the constant mistress! Married men will not come to you continually unless you are sending out vulnerable and available signals. You should never be OK being number 2 in a relationship.
  • People who only date the perfect & beautiful types.  Their physical standards are so high that everything else is overlooked in the relationship. Both sexes fall into this category.

External riches do not necessarily bring internal riches.

Finding true love should not be abusive or emotionally painful. Getting yourself stuck in a routine will close doors on other available options that could ultimately work for you.

If you classify yourself as a certain “type” or that you only like a certain type of person, you will be forever stuck in repetitive scenarios.  Fear can be a powerful relationship suppressor, so be cognizant of forming any patterns that keep you from having love in your life because you are afraid of what may or may not happen.

Challenge those internal demons as to why you don’t feel worthy of having love in your life.

If you don’t have the strength to get out of  reoccurring heart breaking situations, then start observing some of your friends who may be stronger than you and follow their lead. (Don’t be afraid to ask for help or to hire someone professionally for a short time.)

Change up your dating patterns & the venues so that you have a better chance of meeting someone of substance.  Everyone deserves love!

Some of the 10 best places to meet at least start up a good conversation:

  1. Golf driving range or at an Executive Par 3 course as less serious golfers will go there. (Unless of course you are a great player!)
  2. Tennis court (Use the back wall where other solo players will practice.)
  3. The gym (Be friendly & acknowledge people near you ~ Say hi & take off your headphones!) It really is the easiest place to strike up a conversation.
  4. Airport (Talk to people in the holding room or restaurants.)
  5. Hiking trails or a Beach/Park with high people traffic.
  6. Sporting venue (hockey game, baseball game, soccer match, golf spectator etc.)
  7. Any mingle social event or lounge  (Do not seat yourself in a booth; always stay open to the room.)
  8. Meet up groups (Check your local area for the numerous groups available or start one of your own! Thursday night pub night or something to that effect.)
  9. Take a course or join a group activity where there will be men and women attending who have similar interests as you. That way you already have something in common.
  10. Speed Dating & Online Dating sites/apps (Do your homework & find the best ones that work for you.) Don’t waste much time texting back and forth. If they don’t want to meet up sooner than later, move on.

The worst thing you can do is stay home and complain that you are not meeting anyone or that all men and women are messed up. There are some wonderful people who are just as ready as you are to be in a loving relationship.

Don’t become a non-believer and get stuck in a circle of negative thinking. If it ain’t working change it up!

You are in charge of you, so listen to your instincts and work out the kinks that may be causing you to sabotage love from entering your life. It’s totally your decision and no one else.

We have to stop pointing fingers at each other and be responsible for our own happiness. Being defensive will not bring you what you are looking for long term; it will keep repelling it away from you.

Be open & ready to receive a loving partnership into your life. ❤

Susan McCord @ Please Check Out My YouTube Channel for Videos on similar topics!    The Dear Sybersue Talk Show 

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Dear Sybersue ~ Why Do I Always Meet Manipulative Girls Who Treat Me Like Sh#t?

pixabay-hot-girl-91130_1280

Dear Sybersue,

I always seem to meet lying and manipulative girls who treat me like shit even though I’m a great guy.

Why is that?

I  recently gave the same girl 3 different chances to stop treating me like crap, yet she was soon back to her old ways. This has happened numerous times with other women I have dated. I don’t understand girls, why are they all like this?

Thanks for your feedback!

MN

Dear MN,

Not all women are like this, just the ones you are dating at the moment. I would be curious to see what these girls look like. You may be prioritizing the physical attraction & ignoring the red flags of their true character on the first few dates. When we are sexually drawn to someone we tend to let a lot of things slide in the beginning & overlook obvious warning signs.

Giving someone 3 chances “to be a good person” is too many.  They should be wonderful right from the start & treat you well or you need to walk away.

You are sending off some signal for these type of women to notice you & you may want to analyze that to some degree. I’m not sure how old you are but we do tend to deal with this scenario a lot more in our early twenties than any other time in our life. This is the experimental stage of life &  there can be lots of emotional scaring while we are learning about ourselves and what we truly want in our lives.

Attracting & choosing this type of woman can also stem from an abandonment issue, an unloving childhood situation or bad role models. (Or in many cases, no role models and little guidance in your youth.)

Talk to someone non-judgmental that you can really trust & confide in and maybe they can help you see a pattern that you have created. It is difficult to see these traits in ourselves but the sooner we know why we are repeatedly dating the wrong people is the day we can find real love and a happy relationship.

Having boundaries, believing you are worthy of love and always respecting yourself first, will eventually stop these girls from coming towards you.

Thanks for writing MN,

Sybersue @ The Dear Sybersue Talk Show

Dear Sybersue: Women are Weird! Do They Even Know What They Want?
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Dear Sybersue: Women are Weird! Do They Even Know What They Want?

shave-beaver

Dear Sybersue;  Women are Weird! Do They Even Know What They Want?

I need to address something that really frustrates me.  I’m a 35 year old male and I have still not figured anything out yet when it comes to meeting the right woman!  Women are just strange creatures indeed; regardless of their age!

Younger women are on a long learning curve about life and I don’t want to spend my life teaching them everything. (They also have this sense of entitlement that drives me crazy! Where did they get these unrealistic expectations anyway?) Many women my own age seem to be on a ticking biological clock and are looking for a man to make babies with. Some of them don’t even care if there is a connection as long as there is a sperm donor. Sorry to be so crass but I’m not making this up!

Older women seem to have more regrets about what they did or didn’t do when they were younger and seem a little edgy or angry for the most part!  I’ve never dated an older woman (but I have spoken to many of them) so forgive me if my comment might offend you. I know I am generalizing with all of this but my guy friends agree with me for the most part.  All I know is that when it comes to a woman’s needs I bend over backwards until I break.  Some women say I try too hard and some say I don’t try hard enough. This is why they all seem so wierd to me! I can’t please any of them, any of the time. If I am too nice I am considered boring or pussy whipped and if I am more evasive and not so eager, I am an as$hole.

What do they really want?  If you ask me I think they are the ones who are confused & don’t know what they want or what is important to them! Talk about mixed signals! I know not all men are a great catch either but right now I am just trying to figure out my part in all this. It just seems everyone has become so shallow and quick to judge each other. I just want to be in a normal loving partnership that is reciprocated and healthy.

Is there such a thing or I am delusional hoping there could be?

Thanks, Tony 

Dear Tony,

I am not offended at all & I agree with much of your frustration for the most part. You are at the age where you are ready to make some major life decisions and it isn’t easy these days!  Men and women have changed and confusion has set in as to what both sexes want anymore! So many people seem to have a guarded attitude which just repels a potential date in the opposite direction. We all need to change our judgmental perceptive on each other to even have the slightest chance at finding love in our lives.

You asked what you can do to change your part in what isn’t working in your love life and there are a few things you can do to change your own attitude. You are in danger of becoming stuck in a negative and jaded place and you are probably in a dating pattern that you aren’t even aware of.  You may be attracted to a certain type of woman that doesn’t work for you. Many guys do not even realize that they keep going for the same shallowness because they are only choosing high maintenance women. They make her looks the priority without checking out the whole person. We are all visual creatures but we have be able to look beyond our pulsing loins to meet a quality partner.

Make a list & write down all the important things you really want in a woman & don’t stop reading it until you meet her.  Sometimes we don’t find what we really want because we are confused as to what that is. We spend a lot of time saying “we know what we don’t want” but seldom say out loud “we know what we want and what is important” to us.

You shouldn’t have to bend over backwards for anyone in a relationship as it should be a reciprocated partnership where you both do things for each other. There “is” such a thing as being too nice or too doting on someone which can be a turn off for some women. No one wants someone they can push around in the long run ~ they will end up losing respect for that person because they have too much control & not enough excitement or mystery.  Being predictable can become boring over the years together and it is healthy & fun to keep them guessing just a little.  I don’t mean continually playing games but just to change things up a bit so that it is refreshing when you see each other.

10 Things You Can Do to Change Up Your Dating Scenario:

  • In the first stages of meeting someone new, do not put out “all of you” right away.
  • Get to know them slowly & watch how they treat you & others around them.
  • Change up the type of women you date. Look outside your usual sandbox!
  • If there a sense of entitlement & expectations on their part, remove yourself early on.  Women who are takers are generally pretty obvious right from the start.
  • Be pleasant & respectful with the women you are dating but don’t try too hard! When it is right it has a natural feel to it.
  • Stop going to the same places to meet someone. Change up your surroundings.
  • Work on your attitude and don’t paint all women the same way by saying they are all weird. You are attracting them towards you for a reason so alter your thinking to attract the right one towards you.
  • The most important point in all of this is to know what “you” want, put it out there & believe she will show up in your life.

There is someone for everyone we just need to trust (& not ignore) our instincts, to allow the right one to come in.

Thanks for writing Tony, wishing you much love & happiness  always. 

 xo Sybersue ❤

Top 5 Free Dates Every Nice Guy Should Know ( A Post by NiceGuyDating)
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Top 5 Free Dates Every Nice Guy Should Know ( A Post by NiceGuyDating)

Top 5 Free Dates Every Nice Guy Should Know

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top 5 free dates every nice guy should know

Recently, I received a question on Twitter:

“Where can you go on a date without paying?”

Blows my mind.  At this stage, I’m not even going to be nice about hiding my astonishment.  If I try really really really hard, I can put myself in my old shoes and think about where this idea that dates are about money comes from.

I can think about my own out-dated psychology about having a scarcity mindset and wanting to impress women.  Thinking that dates are about money, and that dates require impressing a woman, by means of taking her somewhere expensive.

I haven’t taken a woman on an expensive date who didn’t deserve it in over 3 years.

Most of my first dates are absolutely free, and if they cost anything it’s the price of tea or coffee at a local coffee shop.  Sometimes if the girl can’t meet until later in the evening, then we’ll grab drinks, but I’m still not spending any more than necessary.

Second dates can go up in price a bit depending on what we’re doing, but still not extravagant, which just makes sense.  We’re seeing each other a second time, so of course the investment goes up, but it doesn’t have to be a monetary investment.

Top 5 Free Dates Every Nice Guy Should Know

The point is not to show her that I’m amazing, the point is to find out if we both feel amazing together.

Dates are about connection.

The question isn’t, “where can you go on a date without paying?”, the question is, “how can I build a connection with this person?”

Now, the options open up, and the flood gates let loose.

There are three criterion for your date:

  1. Free
  2. Takes up at least an hour
  3. Builds connection

If it falls into those three categories, then you’re good to go.

Here are the top 5 best free dates every nice guy should know, just to get you started:

Going for a walk

Hands down, this is my first date.

I will meet her at a coffee shop and then immediately suggest we go for a walk.  If she declines, I decline the whole date.  If she accepts, then we go on our way.

Studies have shown that, blah blah blah.  You don’t care about studies, and neither do I.

Friends walk together, interrogations and job interviews happen across tables.

You don’t need a study to understand the truth of your own life.

Going for a walk ANYWHERE is free, takes up at least an hour, and builds a connection.

Read the rest of the article on SWExperts by clicking here.

nice guy datingKevin Alexander and I both write for theswexperts.com and are fellow Canadians. I live in Vancouver while Kevin resides in Edmonton Alberta. We both love what we do with our dating and relationship advice talk shows and are very passionate about it! Check out Kevin’s Podcasts on his website at Niceguydating!

I married a nice guy (the second time around) and I love it! Why do women want all the drama of a bad boy?  Kevin’s website tagline says “Where Nice Guys Finish First” and I happen to agree with him. They do! ❤

Check out My Dear Sybersue Youtube Talk Show to view over 300 videos!

The Anniversary of My Favorite Breakup of all Time! by The Single Diary Blogger Chelsea Pescitelli
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The Anniversary of My Favorite Breakup of all Time! by The Single Diary Blogger Chelsea Pescitelli

OMG This chick makes me laugh! I love Chelsea and her wicked sense of humor. She is definitely an old soul in a young hot body! Chelsea and I met on Social Media sites through our dating & relationship blog content and then in person when we were both panel guests for Andrea Hill and her business Join the Dinner Party in Vancouver. I recently saw her again when we were guests with Paul Davidescu CEO of the Tangoo App on The Lynda Steele Radio show at CKNW also in Vancouver.

I just wanted to give a shout out to Chelsea from The Single Diary Blog and add one of her crazzzzy posts here on my Dear Sybersue Website. Here goes…Beware, she doesn’t sugarcoat anything! 😉

Chelsea Pescitelli

Chelsea Pescitelli

The Anniversary of my Favorite Breakup of all Time!

It was around this time two years ago that I found myself single with an excessively large bush. Some of you have heard the tale, others are super disturbed by that opening sentence- let me explain:

I dated what we will call a hippie/musician/asshole for several months and one of the things he requested I do during our relationship was grow a bush. My first question was why: Why would a young male prefer such an old school/natural grooming approach? I was instantly confused and a little thrown off but at the same time, I was dating and having sex with the guy. If that’s what turned him on well, why not? Less maintenance for me. Let me add that by the time our short romance came to an end, my bush hadn’t even reached lift off.

From the day we met to the day we broke up, his actions told me he was extremely interested in me. He was constantly asking me to hang out, he loved spending time with my parents (which became creepy) and he was a cheesy romantic. If a woman asked: how do you know if a guy is interested? I would basically describe this guys actions. So needless to say I was confused as fuck to learn that he felt we had “no sexual chemistry.”

We were having dinner at his place the day after my dog died when he dropped the no sexual chemistry bomb. I was drunk, I was angry and I had a few valid points:

To Keep Reading the rest of this go to this Link on her blog at The single Diary:   http://wp.me/p22l43-1p3

Susan McCord @ http://www.youtube.com/c/susanmccord