Philly Love Story: Elizabeth Wellington
Elizabeth Wellington, the Inquirer’s 41-year-old fashion columnist, explains why dating in Philly is empowering.
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Elizabeth: Some people are really good at online dating, but it just depresses me. I think, “This is what’s out there?” It doesn’t give me much hope. … I’ve had luck meeting people at random places. So I’m thinking I’m going to meet my Mr. Right at the Whole Foods cheese department, because I love cheese.
PM: What’s your ideal first date?
Elizabeth: I used to leave it up to the guys, but they had really bad ideas. I like to go to Vintage on 13th Street. I’ve taken a lot of first dates there. I have a friend who’s a bartender, so he gives me the rundown afterwards.
PM: Do friends set you up?
Elizabeth: Yeah. Sometimes it works. I think at this point I know myself, and when people say things like, “Oh my God, he has an MBA and he wears a really great suit!,” I’m like, “But does he have a soul?”
PM: What do you look for in a person?
Elizabeth: Recently I’ve been thinking about trying to date guys that are more spiritual. Not religious … I guess an open mind is the most important thing — you don’t have to agree, but you have to be able to talk about it.
PM: Philly is a small town. Do you run into your exes?
Elizabeth: I run into them all the time. But it’s not a huge drama thing. It’s usually a “This didn’t work out because of the timing” thing.
PM: Are you okay with ex-wives and kids?
Elizabeth: Ex-wives are harder than kids. Kids are great. You don’t want to be with a guy who has kids and doesn’t take care of them. I have more of a problem with football. There’s nothing worse than calling a guy up and he’s like, “I’m watching football,” and then it’s dead silence.
PM: What do you think about Philly’s dating scene?
Elizabeth: Women are women and men are men, so I find that Philly is not that much different from any other city.
PM: Do you ever get discouraged and want to give up dating?
Elizabeth: If we give up coffee, we’re saying we think coffee is bad. I don’t want to give up on love, because I don’t want to give up on living. You never know what’s around the corner.
More Philly Love Stories
- A Whirlwind Romance: Todd Carmichael and Lauren Hart
- Together 24/7: Jeniphur and Michael Pasquarello
- The Amicable Divorce: Steve Duross and James Langel
Originally published in the February 2015 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
