Quickies

Once a month, the Quickies team works hard to sweep locals off their feet—and off dating apps. For spinster matchmaker Jen Barrett, there was a time when she felt online dating just didn’t work. Everyone was swiping. No one was happy. She longed for something better—what we all truly desire—to meet that special soul in real life. In March, she joined forces with her best friends and began hosting Quickies, a safe and casual space where singles can mingle totally IRL. Peppered with humor and levity, Quickies is not often what people expect. When someone says “speed dating,” maybe Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City comes to mind. But Quickies brings a modern twist on main character energy. Loosely structured, each night is unique with new crowds bringing nothing but themselves—maybe an Elfbar and a touch of feeling adventurous. Quickies is queer-friendly too, living up to the adage, “no one is everyone's type, but everyone is someone's type.” Where dating apps have become ubiquitous in a post-pandemic NYC, Quickies is proof that our longing for real authentic connection triumphs over distance and doubt. Sure, it's a couple hours of putting yourself out there, but it’s worth it. There's always that one person with a hot vibe who'll get along swimmingly with your cat. By Paul Jang