Have you been looking for love in all the wrong places? Well, not to worry. With an unbeatable combination of classic films, cocktails, and fresh-popped kettle corn, eHarmony’s #LoveCinema campaign might be just the fix you need. Recently, eHarmony has taken the online courting game onto the street and into the plush auditoriums of a favourite date-night spot: the cinema. Contributor Maddie Salters, was glad to join the popular dating site during its first ever UK launch event on January 29th, for a glimpse at what members have to look forward to. Action!
The event began with drinks at Quo Vadis, a trendy bar on Soho’s fashionable Dean Street. Past the bustle of the main restaurant, through a set of heavy oaken doors, and up to the second floor member’s bar, the crowd was already thick when I arrived. Friendly faces introduced one another while handshakes, names, and glasses of wine were passed around freely. The space was indelibly London-chic: smartly-dressed staff were quick with a recommendation, high French windows overlooked the sidewalks with Thursday night throngs headed toward Chinatown, and the ambient candle light on the grand piano gave the otherwise modern space an eclectic West End charm. It was a great choice of venue: an easy place to talk, sit, move around, and meet people. Having a mixer space took the edge off of having to create the perfect first date or a flawless first impression, and attendees were clearly comfortable and in their element. The choice of a private bar was also a stroke of genius, as it created more time for guests to chat. There was no arm wrestling to catch a bar tender’s eye, and I never had to wait more than a minute for a drink, which is practically mythical in London.
After fueling up on sips and sups, including a glass of Ardbeg whiskey neat and a Bellenda prosecco alongside a marbled roast beef sandwich on crusty rye with rocket and pickled mushroom (yum!), we headed off for the main event: a screening of The Shop Around the Corner at Soho House.
The entrance to Soho House, a private members’ club for artists and creatives, is a door hidden discreetly in the brick and mortar between restaurants. The feeling of exclusivity is immediate. A man with salt and pepper hair hustled past with a stack of newly minted books, and reception greeted me alongside a group of musicians. The bathroom plaques warn customers not to enter in pairs and announce a zero-tolerance policy for substance abuse, rather than simply reminding ‘Employees Must Wash Hands.’ With enough doors to consternate Alice in Wonderland, the entire space had such a vibe of mystery and rakishness that by the time I was reclining in the blue velveteen seats of the private cinema room, I felt like I may as well have been in a movie myself.
eHarmony pampers its members: a popcorn maker set to work, and refreshments were offered as we were first treated to a screening of their witty new #LoveCinema commercial. eHarmony’s new ad reminds us why they’re “the brain behind the butterflies”- liking the movies isn’t enough proof of chemistry, and their dating service aims to dig deeper in making its matches. As the short ended and the host mentioned gift bags, an attendee hopefully piped up, “Is there a boyfriend inside?” The cheerful, inclusive nature that characterises eHarmony’s staff and company approach, prompted a laughing reply of, “Couldn’t fit!”
The film itself, a 1940’s classic, proves the old adage that there’s no such thing as a new idea. ‘The Shop Around the Corner’ was ‘You’ve Got Mail’ in black and white. Still, it’s funny to find a film from last century that hits the nail on the Internet Dating head: two people who have fallen in love with one another through hand-written letters nervously await their first in-person meeting at a cafe, each carrying a red carnation. They both hope the other is as beautiful in person as they are in writing. It speaks to the kind of connection writing can create between people, that sometimes we can find a chemistry that excites us before we’ve even met.
While we’ve traded in our parchment for iPads, romance is not something we’re ready to grow out of. eHarmony’s #LoveCinema reminds us that members’ bars and private societies aside, sometimes all it takes is a leap of faith and a night at the movies to start your own love story. Old school meets new age: this is how we might like to fall in love.
Written by Maddie Salters, a native New Yorker who has lived abroad for half of her life – from cities spanning Montreal to Osaka. While there’s still a lot on her “to trek” list, she has currently landed with both feet firmly in London. As a seasoned travel writer and cultural essayist, you can find her work on TripAdvisor, and in print in Wanderlust Magazine and other international publications.
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