Photo by Dainis Graveris on Unsplash
The best places to get cuffed ASAP
Winter is upon us. If you still haven't locked down your fireside-and-chill partner to last you til the thaw, here are some IRL places to try
As we all know by now, in dating discourse, the term “cuffing” does not always mean something X-rated. These days, it refers to the concept of being handcuffed to a partner — in the romantical sense! — only during the winter months, when having a reliable snuggle partner seems more appealing than trudging outside to first dates in the cold.
But whether people are looking for a hookup, a short-term fling or a long-term relationship, dating app fatigue is in the air. People want to meet other humans more organically, in real life — imagine that.
Fortunately, the borough is full of people — and places where you can meet them. Here are some options to help you get creative in your cuffing game. It’s getting cold. Get on it.
The climbing gym
If you’ve been on any mainstream dating app over the past few years, you’ve noticed the trend: photos from the climbing gym. Besides the fact that climbing is in, along with looser- fitting pants and beards for guys, showing that one climbs is an easy way to convey that you are active, sinewy-limbed and above the douchebaggery that can come with CrossFit. It’s also more of a social activity than most exercise, and it’s less weird to approach someone for “help” (i.e., conversation). Have fun belaying your next date into your heart.
The Cliffs, which also has other workout gear and a sauna, has emerged as a favorite for climbers. They have locations in Dumbo (99 Plymouth St.) and Gowanus (242 Butler St.). There’s also the Brooklyn Bouldering Project, also in Gowanus (575 Degraw St.), and the VITAL Climbing Gym in Williamsburg (221 N. 14th St.).
Prospect Park Dog Beach
It’s no joke: Owning a dog is scientifically proven to improve one’s social life. And to cut to the cuffing chase, it doesn’t take Einstein-level knowledge to know that dogs are the ultimate conversation starters.
Brooklyn is littered with nice dog parks, but the Prospect Park Dog Beach is a special oasis. Nestled in the middle of the park, not far from the baseball fields and the concert bandshell, it’s a perfect spot to chat with others while your dogs splash in a small lake — provided it hasn’t iced over. Dogs are resilient. Learn from dogs.
The pickleball court
What’s something that’s trending even more than climbing? Pickleball. You’ve seen the think pieces; now there are multiple books on the game and its rise. It can get intense (and its players like to get loud on the court), but as real dinkers know, pickleball is more of a chill “sport.” There’s a reason why it took off first with an older crowd. It’s the perfect active date idea — have a friend bring a friend to a doubles match.
Several recreation centers across the borough have courts, but the Court 16 club in Boerum Hill (526 Baltic St.) also has some, as does Brooklyn Bridge Park (150 Furman St.) at its Pier 2.
Williamsburg Bathhouse
Bathhouses have a place in American history as the ultimate hookup space for gay men, but the Williamsburg Bathhouse (103 N. 10th St.) has taken the concept and applied it to the world of fitness and wellness. The upscale center is designed to make you feel like a Greek god — there are cold and hot pools, steam and dry sauna rooms, and heated hammam rooms to go along with a variety of treatment services, from massages to “vigorous” water and CBD scrubs to soaks in a bath of essential oils. Oh, and there’s a well-reviewed Eastern European-influenced restaurant, too.
“The spa is often an isolated experience,” cofounder Jason Goodman told Vogue in 2019, “but bathhouses are bustling, fun, engaging places.”
The classics
They show up on every “best hookup bars in NYC” list for a reason. Even as many of their competitors fade away into the post-Covid ether (RIP, Battery Harris), Williamsburg mainstays Union Pool (484 Union Ave.) and The Woods (48 S. 4th St.) remain two places where one can reliably find a horde of YOLO-type youngs on a Saturday night. (Why is a taco stand attached to each of these bars? Maybe that’s their secret to longevity.)
For a newer alternative, check out Schimanski (also in Williamsburg, at 54 N. 11th St.), a dance hall that frequently hosts themed parties and middle-tier (see: affordable) DJ sets.
