New York Post Dating: Sundays with Tom and Mackenzie
This week, when first checking out http://www.nypost.com/dating/ (which, I sadly admit, I do on Saturday nights to beat the Sunday press - yes, I've become obsessed with this thing), I discovered that something was terribly amiss. They didn't review Vikas' date! There's a picture of Pamela, our favorite Celine Dion lookalike, on Ian's lap! What's going on here? Did they eliminate the dating column? (I've been living in fear that they will cancel this column before it redeems itself) Who are these people in the picture where Vikas' date review is supposed to be?
Not to worry, folks: this dating column is now one year old, and they're celebrating with a retrospective. Plus, those two people are none other than Tom Sykes and Mackenzie Dawson Parks, who share their thoughts on the dating scene. What did I think after reading it all? It's quite the treat! It's actually mindblowing in a positive way; after all the terrible values I've attributed to this column, this week's retrospective shows that the two people behind it can actually make sense. (You know, when they're not getting the daters' names wrong.) I'm so happy about this that I'm going to turn off my misanthropy for the rest of this writeup.
Let's begin with the retrospective article:
The biggest success was one that I did not predict; the pictured Ian and Pamela. For the record, I picked Ian for Pamela's date setup, but I thought it would be a laughingstock; boy, was I wrong. Apparently, they're quite serious about their relationship. And they look kinda cute together in the picture (a fact all the more impressive considering that the picture was taken in the Meatpacking District - thankfully, no assholes were captured in the frame). Other various successes include: a 6 1/2 hour date, a game of footsie in front of the Post's photographer (who was probably unfazed, considering some of the photo assignments that Page Six must require), and the relief of daters who have just left long term relationships and appreciate the chance to get back into the game. Awww! That's so sweet.
Of course, we haven't been without bumps along the way, and here's some of the more notable ones: a guy who asked for a hotel room to go with the date (sleaze), a picky dater who requires tall Brazillian model doctors (I don't think he made it into the column), a case of food poisoning (aren't talking up the restaurant now, are ya?), a "worst date" that unfortunately didn't involve Queen Worst (although it did sound pretty cold - it must have happened when I took a hiatus in December because of the reindeer-sweater thing; I'll hit the library sometime out of sheer curiosity), and, last but not least, our encounter with Carmine Gotti. I can't possibly overstate how bad of a move it was to set him up on a date for this column, and I believe Tom and Mackenzie agree as they use this retrospective as a chance to take another swipe at his poor manners. Well, enough is enough with the punk-bashing; I won't add to it any further.
Speaking of Tom and Mackenzie:
Tom Sykes is a Brit in his early 30's - and a smart dresser. Sorry ladies, he's married! In addition to lifestyle columns, he also contributes gossip items to the Post. The gossip connection is NOT accidental, as his biggest claim to fame is his family - his sisters are Plum Sykes ("Bergdorf Blondes") along with Lucy and Alice Sykes, all who have made a tear through the New York social scene over the years. They're all rather infamous if you read the gossip columns. (Yes, I do.)
Based on the various things I surmised about him from his other columns, I had him pegged to be a hipster-sympathizing jerk, but the shocker: he's a romantic! He hopes that, someday, one of the set-up couples gets married - how sweet! Also, although he declines to comment specifically on women - which was perhaps gentlemanly, considering what some of them have done on the dates - he has really accurate observations about men's dating habits! Yes, he sold us out, but he was absolutely right. There are sleazes, there are nice guys, and there are studs (or, as he calls them, the Hits). His advice is spot on, and it's exactly what I'd recommend to anyone who's thinking of trying out the New York dating scene.
Still, what the hell is this all about:
And now, the lovely Mackenzie Dawson Parks - hands off, she's married too! Is she blowing a kiss, or are those duck lips? I'm not trying to make fun - she's quite a cutie. She's definitely the young one of the two (gotta be somewhere between 24-26). Enough swooning over her looks; time to swoon over her dating observations!
I'll agree with what Mackenzie says, with one addition: it mostly applies to WOMEN too. I will not disagree that any of it applies to men, because it does; some know how to really screw up a connection. Women aren't so mercurial post date as men can be - they pretty much know at the end of the date how they're going to feel about the guy. Women, however, can be quite picky, often provide phone numbers when they have no intentions of answering a man's calls, and definitely suffer from NBTS (I identified that effect here in New York over two years ago; it helps to know it's there). Still, I'm amazed - Mackenzie can accurately single out the biggest problems affecting New York daters. I'd recommend her opinions as required reading for all future daters.
While I remain somewhat baffled by some of the editorial decisions (and gaffes) that occur in this column, I'm feeling much more hopeful for the future now that we know something more about the people behind the column. In the end, against my own expectations, I actually LIKE Tom and Mackenzie now that I know some more about them, and about how they view their daters' adventures. I also must admit that there has been improvement in the results of the dates over time, and I expect things to get better in the future.
I'm hoping the Post keeps these two around for one more year... and maybe more. I'm hoping that someday, in the future, I'll find it hard to remember the last time I had to write something awful about this column. And, most of all, I'm hoping that writing about Vikas' date next week is much less painful than I think it'll be. (I guess I'm still not sold on him. Oh well!)
Not to worry, folks: this dating column is now one year old, and they're celebrating with a retrospective. Plus, those two people are none other than Tom Sykes and Mackenzie Dawson Parks, who share their thoughts on the dating scene. What did I think after reading it all? It's quite the treat! It's actually mindblowing in a positive way; after all the terrible values I've attributed to this column, this week's retrospective shows that the two people behind it can actually make sense. (You know, when they're not getting the daters' names wrong.) I'm so happy about this that I'm going to turn off my misanthropy for the rest of this writeup.
Let's begin with the retrospective article:
The biggest success was one that I did not predict; the pictured Ian and Pamela. For the record, I picked Ian for Pamela's date setup, but I thought it would be a laughingstock; boy, was I wrong. Apparently, they're quite serious about their relationship. And they look kinda cute together in the picture (a fact all the more impressive considering that the picture was taken in the Meatpacking District - thankfully, no assholes were captured in the frame). Other various successes include: a 6 1/2 hour date, a game of footsie in front of the Post's photographer (who was probably unfazed, considering some of the photo assignments that Page Six must require), and the relief of daters who have just left long term relationships and appreciate the chance to get back into the game. Awww! That's so sweet.
Of course, we haven't been without bumps along the way, and here's some of the more notable ones: a guy who asked for a hotel room to go with the date (sleaze), a picky dater who requires tall Brazillian model doctors (I don't think he made it into the column), a case of food poisoning (aren't talking up the restaurant now, are ya?), a "worst date" that unfortunately didn't involve Queen Worst (although it did sound pretty cold - it must have happened when I took a hiatus in December because of the reindeer-sweater thing; I'll hit the library sometime out of sheer curiosity), and, last but not least, our encounter with Carmine Gotti. I can't possibly overstate how bad of a move it was to set him up on a date for this column, and I believe Tom and Mackenzie agree as they use this retrospective as a chance to take another swipe at his poor manners. Well, enough is enough with the punk-bashing; I won't add to it any further.
Speaking of Tom and Mackenzie:
Tom Sykes is a Brit in his early 30's - and a smart dresser. Sorry ladies, he's married! In addition to lifestyle columns, he also contributes gossip items to the Post. The gossip connection is NOT accidental, as his biggest claim to fame is his family - his sisters are Plum Sykes ("Bergdorf Blondes") along with Lucy and Alice Sykes, all who have made a tear through the New York social scene over the years. They're all rather infamous if you read the gossip columns. (Yes, I do.)
Based on the various things I surmised about him from his other columns, I had him pegged to be a hipster-sympathizing jerk, but the shocker: he's a romantic! He hopes that, someday, one of the set-up couples gets married - how sweet! Also, although he declines to comment specifically on women - which was perhaps gentlemanly, considering what some of them have done on the dates - he has really accurate observations about men's dating habits! Yes, he sold us out, but he was absolutely right. There are sleazes, there are nice guys, and there are studs (or, as he calls them, the Hits). His advice is spot on, and it's exactly what I'd recommend to anyone who's thinking of trying out the New York dating scene.
Still, what the hell is this all about:
(when discussing the Sleazes) Girls, we try to weed these guys out, but a few slip through our net. And hey, they make great Sunday reading for the rest of New York.Boooo! That's not right. I don't enjoy reading about some awful guy putting his tentacles all over a cute, innocent girl. Get better at screening these guys, buddy. I'll let it slide, though, seeing how Tom is overall a pretty nice guy.
And now, the lovely Mackenzie Dawson Parks - hands off, she's married too! Is she blowing a kiss, or are those duck lips? I'm not trying to make fun - she's quite a cutie. She's definitely the young one of the two (gotta be somewhere between 24-26). Enough swooning over her looks; time to swoon over her dating observations!
I'll agree with what Mackenzie says, with one addition: it mostly applies to WOMEN too. I will not disagree that any of it applies to men, because it does; some know how to really screw up a connection. Women aren't so mercurial post date as men can be - they pretty much know at the end of the date how they're going to feel about the guy. Women, however, can be quite picky, often provide phone numbers when they have no intentions of answering a man's calls, and definitely suffer from NBTS (I identified that effect here in New York over two years ago; it helps to know it's there). Still, I'm amazed - Mackenzie can accurately single out the biggest problems affecting New York daters. I'd recommend her opinions as required reading for all future daters.
While I remain somewhat baffled by some of the editorial decisions (and gaffes) that occur in this column, I'm feeling much more hopeful for the future now that we know something more about the people behind the column. In the end, against my own expectations, I actually LIKE Tom and Mackenzie now that I know some more about them, and about how they view their daters' adventures. I also must admit that there has been improvement in the results of the dates over time, and I expect things to get better in the future.
I'm hoping the Post keeps these two around for one more year... and maybe more. I'm hoping that someday, in the future, I'll find it hard to remember the last time I had to write something awful about this column. And, most of all, I'm hoping that writing about Vikas' date next week is much less painful than I think it'll be. (I guess I'm still not sold on him. Oh well!)
posted by Brian Van at
9:06 PM
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