Welcome to the Dating Dispatch — a regular round-up of my latest and greatest dating pieces, written for outlets like Yahoo Canada, Scary Mommy, and HuffPost — and now a new pub that I’ve been contributing to a lot lately, Narcity.
It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these roundups so excuse me if there’s an article or two that’s linked from, like, April! LOL. I’ve been busy! I like sharing these different writings of mine because I don’t explore these types of topics in such a journalistic way on here and sometimes my editors surprise ME with what they’re interested in (or, I guess, what Google rankings says IYKYK).
This roundup is a bit all over the place, which honestly feels pretty on brand for me. We’ve got everything from the zodiac couples who are apparently doomed from the start (according to astrology, anyway), to what types of dates couples need to go on, what happens when retirement changes your relationship dynamic, and yes… the foods you might want to avoid before anal sex. Because apparently these are the things the internet wants to know about. 😂
I love that my work lets me bounce between the serious, the funny, the awkward, and the “wait, we’re writing about this?” topics. So grab a coffee or your drink of choice and read from some of my latest pieces.
No more literal Netflix and chill. No more excuses that you're too busy or too tired. Couples need to go on dates. And those dates—whether you're asking each other thoughtful questions, venting without interruptions, or trying something new that sparks curiosity and connection—might be exactly what your relationship needs right now. SO GO DO THEM!
When I moved from Toronto to Vancouver, I expected more rain, more hiking and more people who owned Patagonia. What I didn’t expect was how different the dating scene would be. After finally giving dating apps a chance, I realized that while dating is hard no matter where you live, Toronto and Vancouver have very different dating cultures. I share what I learned and bottom line: men in both cities kinda suck!
Retirement can bring couples closer together—or reveal just how far apart they've grown. There's a reason terms like "grey divorce"—when couples separate later in life—and "retired husband syndrome"—used to describe the adjustment when a husband is suddenly home full-time after decades of working—have gained so much attention. But the truth is, retirement changes life for both partners, and figuring out these new routines, roles and expectations can be challenging for any couple.
Trust me when I say: don't date a Pisces, Gemini, or Aries. Technically, there aren't any "bad" astrological signs. But technically, these are always the ones in the worst relationships, so you do the math.
Remember when couples used to go on double dates? That was such a big thing when I was growing up. I'd watch my parents head out with another couple and think, One day that'll be me. Well... that never happened. But guess what? That's changing. Some dating apps are now making it easier for couples to connect with other couples because research suggests the couples who date together, stay together.
Planning on anal sex? You might want to rethink that giant bowl of chili first. While no food is going to completely ruin the experience, some choices can make things a little less comfortable. Here are the foods experts say you may want to skip beforehand, plus the truth about how much preparation you actually need.
More older adults are prioritizing personal fulfillment once their children are grown, making them more willing to leave unhappy marriages than previous generations. But experts say grey divorce also comes with unique emotional, financial, and practical challenges that many couples don't anticipate.
Dating apps are already a weird little universe, but Hinge in Vancouver is its own special ecosystem. After enough swiping, I started noticing that the same handful of guys kept appearing: the mountain guy, the ski guy, the startup guy, the finance guy... all slightly different shades of the same Vancouver male archetype. So I did what any reasonable single person would do: I ranked them.
Well, that’s the roundup of the month/q2! Whether you’re interested in date nights, Toronto guys versus Vancouver guys, learning to, ahem, eat out, or the minefield that is grey divorce, I think there’s something here for everyone! And shout out to all of my wonderful sources! I couldn’t do this without you.
Thanks for being here!
Love, Brie xoxo
P.S. Your turn: Which of these stories hit home for you this week? Hit reply and let me know — I love hearing from you. 💌 Or leave a comment below!
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