(Photo: Chaos Cooking, via NY Times)

No need to sit at home watching sappy films gorging yourself with ice cream like a lame chick flick cliche. There are plenty of activities around town that will increase your chances of meeting your soul mate. Well, at least you will meet some interesting and attractive people that you can put on your “to date” list.

Speed Dating
Brooklyn is packed with plenty of interesting people. Whatever your preference is in type, both physical and intellectually, good old fashioned speed dating will help you eliminate the “do not wants.” The Internet Killed Your Social Skills (true statement for many) holds a late night speed dating event on the 3rd Friday of each month over at Papacito’s.  999 Manhattan

Hose Down
Two lovely single ladies will have ten buff firefighters competing for their affection on stage in front of an audience of even more singles at the Hundredaire Matchmaker.  The event will be hosted by comedian Liam McEneaney (Comedy Central, VH1) If you are a single lady or a firefighter, you can email to enter in the competition. Regardless, it sounds like an entertaining evening. The next show is Monday, June 13th at Union Hall. 8pm.

Meet your Love Between the Covers
...between the covers of a book that is! Manager Stephanie Anderson of the small bookstore, WORD Bookstore in Greenpoint started a matchmaking service called Between The Covers.  You fill out a little questionnaire and according to your author and book preferences, she’ll help you find your literary soul mate!

If You’re Looking for Heat…
Go into the kitchen. There will be a Chaos Cooking event on May 11. Sixty people, sixty recipes and one kitchen – all while drinking and socializing. Hooking up may definitely be in order!

Prospect Park
Take a stroll in Prospect Park on a beautiful day. Find a nice sunny spot to soak up some sun, read a book, or have a picnic with another single friend. The picnic areas are full of other singles when the weather is right. It’s a great way to meet, maybe play some Frisbee, and it’s a little more classy then meeting somebody at a bar. Just do it before dusk, or else you may be attracting a different kind of suitor.

Score!
Hit a home run literally, and meet a cutie on the softball field. There is a Singles Softball league that plays at McCaren Park on Saturdays. They are looking for some new players before the season kicks off on May 21. Visit their site or email: info@s3NYC.com if you are interested in joining the dating dream team.

Puppy Love
Volunteer at the BARC animal shelter. Nothing is a bigger amour magnet than a puppy dog. And these doggies need love too. Make a shelter dog happy by walking it around the Williamsburg streets surrounding the shelter. You’ll probably collect some phone numbers in the process.

Muse
I mean, this is just a great suggestion in general. But, its also a great way to meet others that have similar interests. And, again its way classier then meeting someone at a bar. What’s more romantic then bonding with somebody in one of the beautiful Brooklyn Botanic Garden, or over one of your favorite paintings at Brooklyn Museum of Art.