When a movie precedes the date
Catching a flick and maybe more
Dim lights. Scantily clad men and women pictured on billboards and large video screens.
Forget popcorn and Jujubes. Last Wednesday night, Loews Cineplex on Boston Common teamed up with dating service Lavalife Inc. and sponsor SVEDKA Vodka to launch "Click at a Flick," aimed at giving city singles a chance to mingle.
For the price of a regular movie ticket, singles were invited to show up an hour and a half before the featured film's viewing time for drinks, creative icebreaking games, and a chance to socialize. Plans are for the "Click at a Flick" to be held twice a month.
Patty, 59, and Kerry Michaels, 27, a Cambridge mother-daughter team who enjoy hanging out together, decided to give meeting singles at a movie a try -- plus, mom is a sci-fi fan and "Alien Vs. Predator" was playing.
"My daughter always asks me to go out with her because I am single," said Patty Michaels. "I should get out more. So when she asked me tonight, I said, 'Yes, yes. I'll go to your party.' "
However, Patty Michaels declined playing the "Click" version of Spin the Bottle, in which singles stood in a circle, spun a vodka bottle, and, if pointed to, ended up handcuffed to the spinner for a trip to the "adult playhouse" -- a small room outfitted with cherries, a black feather, and dice with suggestive comments.
Joe Damiano, 25, of Somerville read tarot cards at the event to foretell singles' futures and love lives.
"A lot of the cards said that [the singles] need to move on or move away from old relationships," he said.
The Michaelses seemed to be following Damiano's advice, as they met two men at the event and headed to the Ritz afterward for cocktails and a walk around Boston Common.
"They were nice guys," said Patty Michaels, contacted the next day. "It was just a fun thing. But I would definitely go again. Why not?"
"First dates usually happen at the movies," said Marketing Director Michael Ankener.
The next Loews Boston "Click at a Flick" will be Sept. 8.
The concept debuted in New York two weeks ago, and will move on to Loews in Los Angeles and Chicago this month.
