We’re Recruiting!

Love Wink’d? Love people?

Join our exciting team. Read on for more details

The Role

Winkd, Ltd is urgently seeking a passionate and intelligent intern to assist with multiple duties associated with the new media, social media, PR and marketing functions. Think blogging, twitter, events, networking and general all-around social PR. We want someone who is up for a challenge and is completely comfortable with people.

As the team is distributed across the globe, working hours are flexible and you would be able to work from your own home.

We are looking for someone who can commit to 10-15 hours per week and is flexible to the unexpected requirements of working in an exciting new start-up!

Required Skills

Intern should ideally have a marketing & PR major and previous experience working in the industry.

We are seeking someone who can take initiative, has great communications skills, and will thrive in a start-up environment.

Intern will work directly with the two main members of the company, the CEO and the web designer. Additional languages (especially Spanish, French and Italian) are highly beneficial but not necessary.

About Wink’d Ltd

The Wink’d service allows a member to hand a customisable card in any language bearing a witty or funny comment to charm and engage the curiosity of the recipient, inviting them to checkout an online profile through winkd.me. The recipient can enter or scan the member’s unique code learning a bit more about them and, if they choose, anonymously sending them message. It’s a fun, savvy new way to make connections!

APPLY HERE: http://www.enternships.com/en/enternships/3457-marketing-and-pr-intern-wink-d-ltd

What to Wear on a First Date

We’ve talked about what to eat on a date.

And about what to drink.

Which is all well and good, but what about what to wear? Unless you plan on going in your birthday suit (… do not go in your birthday suit. Ever.) you’ll need to think about which trousers go with what shirt, which pair of shoes with what skirt.

They like what each other is wearing, obv.

Wink’d is here – as always – to help. We like dating, after all. A lot. We especially like when dating goes well, when the potential romancers enjoy each other’s company, when love sparks and chemistry crackles… mmmMmm!

So here we go. What to wear on a date:

Men
Do:

• Crisp button-up shirt. Avoid any that have the vaguely crazy patterns resembling your Aunt Vernon’s curtains. Also avoid the shirt that has pale yellow stains from last year’s BBQ on the park. If it’s wrinkled, iron it.

Neither shirt looks to be a very good option

• Casual, sophisticated t-shirt. Try it with a light blazer. This is perfect for an outdoorsy date, or one where temperatures are suspect. By sophisticated t-shirt, we don’t mean one that says “Get Laid This Way!” or “I’m with Stupid.” You’re on a date. You don’t want to be with stupid. Avoid anything that has holes in it, or that smells like your gym bag.
• Light blazer. These are perfect for just about any occasion. Pair them with simple jeans for that casual, devil-may-care attitude, channeling your inner edgy rockstar. Or wear one with a pair of ironed dark slacks
• Shoes. Wear good shoes. Not training shoes. Not dirty grungy flip flops. Nice, clean, decent, preferably dark brown leather shoes. Ladies and fashion-conscious men notice these things.

Don’t:

• Show up wearing your sweaty gym stuff. Kath over at “After I Quit My Day Job” lamented about this recently. Moral of the story: sweaty dress does not equal fun, or sexy dress. Your date will want you to take your clothes off, but not for her enjoyment.
• Wear a full suit. What are you, on a job interview? Unless you’re meeting straight after work, a suit will seem out of place. At least take the tie off.

Matching shirt to shoes? Good. Matching each other? ... hm.

Women
Do:

• Pull out that sweet summer dress. You’re a lady, after all. And dresses are sassy. They’re the perfect mix of fun (swirly! Swishy!), sexy (slinky! saucy!), and subtle (glimpses of ankles! delicate shoulders! pretty arms!) to impress your date.
• Wear heels. But not too tall of heels, particularly if you don’t know how tall your date is. Heels give that little umph, that edge of confidence, that sass of a strut. Avoid anything insanely flouncy or floral. Stick to a nice black pair, or a crisp cutting stiletto.
• Show off your best asset. If you’re proud of your shoulders, wear a one-shoulder top. If you like your legs, pair a crisp shirt with nice khaki or linen shorts and weather-appropriate shoes, like wedges for summer.
• Add a little jewelry. Delicate earrings or a sparkling, simple necklace can make your outfit just that much more fun.

Don’t

• Channel your inner stage diva. By this we mean, avoid all things super sparkly, super glittery, super small. You may have an inner Beyonce just waiting to burst free, but why not save that for date two or three? You want your date to focus on you – not on seeing his reflection in your gleaming clothing.
• Wear too little. You’re sexy, yes. And confident. But you shouldn’t show it all in one go. Men like that mystery of the unknown. Besides, you want a guy to be interested in more than just the very, very little that you’re wearing.

At the end of the day, what you wear won’t make or break a date. Wink’d realizes this. But all the little parts add up to make a whole, and that whole will impact whether or not date two (three? four?) happens.

What do you think?

Wink‘d
www.winkd.me

Three Things to Eat and Three to Avoid on a First Date

Hello darlings! Wink’d knows that sometimes, first dates can be a bit challenging.

 

He must have ordered garlic with a side of onion.

 

Previously we’ve talked about drinks to order on the first date. But what about mains? This is, after all, the course that you will spend the majority of the time-consuming during your date. It has to last you through engaging banter, keep you going during intriguing revelations of secrets, satisfy your hunger, and not disgust the other person sharing your table.

So what’s the scoop?

Wink’d has surveyed friends, strangers, stomachs and hearts, and here are the top three foods to eat on a first date, and the three to avoid.

Good Date Dishes

• Risotto: It’s rich. It’s creamy. It has all the delicate subtle flavours you could want in a meal, and it fits on a fork in a convenient fashion. People don’t look messy when eating risotto. This is something you’re sure to find on most menus. Another benefit? It’s easily vegetarian, meaning you can order it when out and about with that meat-avoiding guy or gal without making a big production.
• Thai Food: Yeah, we know this is an entire category of food, and not a single dish, but we couldn’t help ourselves. Think about thai food: It’s flavourful. It’s fresh, scented with lime, coriander, lemon grass and delicate herbs. It’s easily sharable, meaning you and your date can enjoy mutual discovery of a semi-foreign cuisine. So why not order some spring rolls (the non-fried kind taste so much better) and some Pho? Make it for two.
• Picnic-Style niblets: You’ve got little sandwiches without strong smells but still lots of taste, hummous and vegetables, warm dips, soft breads, rich cheeses, glistening grapes, delicately chopped fruits… the entire layout itself sounds sensual. It’s all very tangible, something you can eat in single bites and share between two. Even better, common picnic foods like avocado, cherries and pineapples have been said to act as stimulants. Things can get spicy while your breath remains safe. What’s not to like? So crack open a bottle of wine between two, roll out a picnic mat and enjoy yourself a nice romantic afternoon.

Bad Date Dishes

• Anything with lots of little bones: Like, say, one of those dangerous fish that you could choke on. Or pigeon. A Wink’d friend once mistakenly ordered pigeon. “I tried to delicately cut it. But then a bone popped and some of the liquid inside flew across the table. It got my date.” Want to know what’s not sexy? Pigeon bone fluid.
• Something that reads ‘Onion,’ ‘Fragrant,’ or ‘Going to make your breath smell like the fiery side of India’: If you want any chance of that goodnight kiss or three, avoid those potently smelling dishes. We all love a good onion chutney or a spicy dab of garlic, but it’s not so enjoyable when you’re close enough to share in each other’s breaths. Save it for the second date.
• Spaghetti with long noodles: How do you manage to eat this gracefully? Food flops everywhere. Noodles flop everywhere. Sauce comes off the noodle and onto your shirt, or your date’s shirt (like pigeon fluid, see above), or onto the table and the couple next to you. Avoid the double-barrelled challenge of fork/knife/spoon/messy food, and stick with something a little easier to consume.

Wink’d knows that a food choice isn’t going to make or break the first date… but it can help edge things towards romantic or back into the ‘JustFriendsYouJustGotMeWithPigeon’ zone. So choose wisely.

What are your suggestions?

Wink’d
www.winkd.me

 

Quirky Dates – Let’s Get Unusual

Dates. We’ve all done movies. Dinner. Drinks. Dinner with drinks. Movies with drinks. And did we mention drinks?

But that’s a bit… well… usual. A bit unexpected. Here at Wink’d, we like to keep things a little saucier and more entertaining. We want our breath to be taken away – or at least to be caught for a moment in surprise, wonder, fascination, excitement.

We want something kind of quirky and a whole lot of unique.The lovely lady over at Love and the Single Girl recently blogged about some of her favourite unique dates. Now we figure it’s our turn:

• Take a Cabby’s Advice: They usually know where the best scenic spots are. In London, there’s this bridge over a stretch of water, where the sun setting will catch the river just so. “I’ve ridden ten different rickshaws,” said one Wink’d friend, “where the drivers all stopped at that point and said ‘Ahhhh.. This is the most romantic place. I always bring my date/wife here.’ So I brought my date there once, an Italian. And it was perfect.”
• Get Outdoors: It’s spring. The weather is (finally) getting nicer. There is sometimes sun and sometimes less rain. In various parts of the world, fireflies are poking their heads out and flowers are springing up. Bunnies mate everywhere. What could be more romantic? So why not visit one of the neighbouring parks? Go out for a stroll. It’s simple. Inexpensive. And just absolutely lovely.
• Organize a Surprise Picnic: This might require a bit of cooking, but it might not. Just pack some bread together with soft cheese, olives, grapes, a bottle of something light and fizzy, and a blanket. You can even pair this with number two (Get Outdoors). Your date will be charmed by the effort even as the weather and scenic bouncing bunnies make everything happier. Besides, who doesn’t love crusty bread, fresh air and afternoon drinking?
• Artsy Smartsy – Gallery Hopping: Odds are your city, whether big or small, has several art galleries. If you’re in London, check out the appropriately themed Cult of Beauty at the V&A. Or if you’re feeling more scandelous, go learn about animal mating at the Natural History Museum. We heard this exhibit’s adverts were so saucy they had to be removed from the tube. OR go visit the new Michael Jackson statue in Fulham (…). What’s perfect here is that any awkward silences and pauses can be filled by reflecting on something pretty or weird. You can wander, explore and giggle.

Good dates mean you’ll have fun. It means your date won’t try to filter you out next round.

So what do you think? What are some of your favourite ‘more unique’ dates? Let us know in the comments below.

Love,
Wink‘d
www.winkd.me

Wink’d in the Press and Cooking for a Date

Hello readers!

Something enjoyable happened at Wink’d this week. We ate dinner.

Wink'd CEO Omar Karar and Other Diners

A really, really nice dinner. And then we were mentioned in A Small World’s Magazine. Afraid you can’t see it unless you’re an ASW member, so here’s what they said about us:

“The night began with a melt-in-your-mouth cheese soufflé followed by a choice of either a deliciously tender rump of lamb or risotto, which were both superbly complemented by the Malbec wine.”

We love Malbec wine. Mmmm.

“The conversation was free-flowing, which comes as no surprise given the intellectual and entrepreneurial calibre of the attendees, including Omar Karar, co-founder of ‘Wink’d‘, a website offering a new interpretation of online dating that is currently causing a stir amongst the London trend-setting crowd, and the beautiful Natasha Coote, an established personal stylist and business owner in Greater London. Conversations ranged from the intricacies of luxury watches and whether alcohol and chocolate deprivation for Lent is an achievable feat to the differing lifestyles in various European cities.”

So that was fun.

The delicious risotto and Malbec wine (did we mention we love wine?) got us thinking about one of the most romantic dates possible: cooking a meal together.

It’s sensual: You’re in a small space, touching hands, breathing in the delicate tendrils of garlic or the faint fragrance of cinnamon and spice ,brushing shoulders. It’s satisfying: You set a goal. You achieve it. You eat it. And it’s a significant bit more romantic than a movie date, since you can actuall talk to the person, rather than just staring at a screen.

Talking = important in dating. Trust us. We know.

To celebrate talking and cooking, here are some of Wink’d staff’s favourite date-night recipes:

• Pan Cooked Vegetables with Crunchy Fish - Simple to do, minimal spices (so you don’t have to buy the entire spice rack), good for those semi-vegetarian or semi-ambiguously-dietary-restricted dates. Bittman has a track record of creating amazing dishes, so you really can’t go wrong with anything of his.
• Lemon Basil Pasta - Won’t leave your breath smelling horrible, easy to do despite the bustle of four hands, and requires only FIVE ingredients. If only all things in life were this simple. ;D
• Pistachio Cranberry Brownies – Forget dinner. Do dessert. These delightful bits of chocolate can be eaten warm from the pan with a scoop of icecream and a sprinkle of shaved chocolate. Think warm, melting comfort food, sophisticated.

What do you think? What are your favourite date-night recipes? Ever cooked for a date in the past? Let us know.

We’re curious.

Wink’d
www.winkd.me

Wink’d Weekly Wonders – Top 8 things this week

The guys over at Good Men Project do this great post titled ’10 at 10‘ where they list (you guessed it) the top ten things they read/saw/heard/witnessed that week.

We at Wink’d have been inspired.

So here we go…

1. Fun facts about shoes and women
2. Tradition of defacing London statues runs deeper than you think
3. Great AND easy date food?
4. Sweetly loving an older Italian man
5. Matching yoga date gear from one of our recent favorite bloggers
6. Dangers of sexting: ruined lives, teenage mistakes
7. Rules and tips to online dating
8. Great Women’s Health Fat Burning workout

Remember to follow us (@youvebeenwinkd) to get these sorts of updates regularly.

Otherwise, just watch this space for more.

Love,
Wink’d
www.winkd.me

Basic Tips for a Successful First Date

Secrets to a Successful First Date

“How do you make a perfect first date?” We were sitting with Wink’d friends conducting one of our extremely formal surveys.

“You’re going to write about this, aren’t you?”

“Yes, BUT! How do you make a perfect first date?”

“There is no single perfect first date,” friend responded.

We at Wink’d disagree. While it’s true there’s no SINGLE perfect first date, there are a whole heck of a lot of things you can do to make that first date go better.

Via research, emerging through Wink’d friends, searching the ever-engaging dating blogosphere and  first-hand experience, Wink’d  has come up with these helpful First Date Dating Tips.

§  Start with wine. Then bread/appetizers/etc: You get to the bar. You’re nervous. Wound up. Exhausted. A glass of wine makes everything sparkle brighter and gleam with extra charm.

And who doesn’t like charming?

On that note, don’t order a pint right away. Unless you’re in a pub. But why would you have your first date in a pub? Refer to our little drinking guide to read more about “Drinks to order on a first date”.

§  Make an Effort: We don’t just mean shower (although we do mean SHOWER. No one should have to deal with post-workout gym goer).

We mean choose a good location. Somewhere your date might like.

Think: Is your date vegetarian? Then perhaps Bobs Big Ol’Steaky Steak Steaks isn’t the best place to take him or her. Does your date love football? Why not suggest watching a match followed by a picnic or drinks?

We also mean dress smartly but comfortably. Wear something you feel confident in. Wear something you’ll also feel pretty darn hot in.

Everyone likes hot.

For more tips in this area, look at an article The Telegraph wrote.

§  Be Creative: Sure, mini-golf, movies, theatre, they are all classic first dates and are perfectly good in their own way. But don’t you want to be a little bit more than perfectly good? Don’t you want to be outstanding?

“I think the perfect first date should have an element of rule breaking,” said one Wink’d friend. “You should do something just a bit naughty… My favourite first date was with a girl when we went to an art gallery, and we viewed the exhibit the wrong way around. Nothing too bad, but we felt a little rebellious.”

They ended up being together for two years.

So why not do something slightly more sassy? Go on one of London’s new walking tours. Pop a bottle of something sparkly on the rooftop while watching the sun set. Climb a rock wall. Go salsa dancing. The options are limitless.

§  Keep the Conversation Going: Ask your date about themselves. What do they like to do? What makes them interesting? And then tell a little (NOT a novel) about yourself. What do you like to do? What makes you interesting?

Did you know one of the most common first-date questions is: “Wouldn’t it be nice to throw everything away and go sailing around the world?”

Most of all, have fun. If the chemistry is there, you’ll know it. We at Wink’d are just trying to help create an environment where this chemistry can grow.

Romance is fun. Dating is fun.

So go get Wink’ing.