Next week, Tuesday, December 16th, 7pm at the Strand bookstore in NYC, Speed Dating with Gabby and Phoenix. Come down on Tuesday and do the damn thing with us. For twenty bucks, you will get FREE WINE and FREE SNACKS. Check out the events page to buy your tickets now. Join the FB event page for funsies. Note: Cool fkn prizes will be given away so brush up on your Autostraddle trivia.

Gabby & Phoenix welcome you with love.

There will be hella chances to win one of the following:

• Toby’s home brewing class voucher for 2
• $25 Shake Shack gift card
• Mast Brothers chocolate bars
• A pair of Film Forum tickets

With more prizes TBA.

‘Tis the season to have a blast with some queers and find someone new to read graphic novels with while watching Love Actually and smoking some firme bud by the fire.

Phoenix, the boi formerly known as Katrina, and I have hosted Speed Dating at the Strand for the last two years, before that I hosted with the great DJ Carlytron. And you, fly ass readers, have been with us every step of the way. You are the ones that make speed dating interesting and fun and weird. SO we wanna see your faces while we host the hell out of a Queer Ladies’ speed dating.

pic courtesy of Vanessa Friedman, god my heart, why doesn’t she still live in NYC?

Now some of y’all might be nervous. And some of y’all come anwyay and we love that, that’s how you gotta move in this world, if you can — with the idea that even when something seems scary you should try and do it anyway. Now some of us are dealing with hella high levels of anxiety when it comes to social interactions and yo, don’t do anything that is going to put you in danger BUT

If you can speed date, you should! And to help you out, we reached deep into our community and compiled some tips and blurbs to get you through the wilderness.

Speed-Dating Tips from Ghosts of Speed Dating Past:

• Throw on your best outfit, the outfit that makes you feel hot but also comfortable, you know?
• Take a fucking selfie. Take 50. Post the best one.
• Focus on yourself. You got this.
• Come to laugh. It’s meant to be fun.
• Don’t worry about love.
• Don’t get too drunk. That shit isn’t cute and it isn’t fun and it makes us worried about you.
• Wear a beanie, if you wanna.

Oh hai fellow human

• Bring a book to lean on when filling in those little dots/numbers/etc. Instant conversation starter. My favorite match had just read mine (The Last Nude by Ellis Avery) and we bonded over that.
• Arrive 5- 10 minutes early. It’ll give you time to check in, get a feel for the place, and ease into it all. Also, you can say hi to me and Phoenix.
• Say whatever weird Harry Potter Pretty Little Liars Perks of Being a Wallflower thing you want to say. Don’t hold back. It’s all good.
• Bring a friend. Not a crutch, a friend. Shit is always more fun with someone you already like.

tbh, idk if these ppl actually knew each irl

Blurbs from Speed-dating Straddlers:

“I couldn’t be self-conscious! I was in the stationary row of chairs, so I got to sit back and have all the cute queers come talk to me, and it was the most dates I’ve had in the history of ever. The questions weren’t all about books, so don’t be worried that you’re not bookish enough. I know I was a little worried beforehand. Also don’t worry at all, because it’s a goofy and short conversation with each human no matter what. It was very low key and I loved it.”

“Gabby and Katrina make everything so fun! Not only did I walk away from Speed Dating with a new collection of amazing first date questions, but I walked away having just met someone who would quickly become one of my best friends and most important NYC people!”

come play with us, bebes.

When: Tuesday, Dec. 16th, 2014
Where: STRAND Bookstore, 12th Street and Broadway

828 Broadway
Manhattan, NY 10003

Time: 7 – 9 p.m.
Price: $20

Buy tickets here!

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