The New York dating scene

The New York dating scene is a world (and blog post) unto itself. The following are things I've learnt, observed and been advised on by both locals and visitors experiencing the same thing.

In no other city are such rules, practices and behaviour so widely-accepted.

1. Guys will approach you anywhere - on the train, on the street, in a 24 hour diner with no shame after attempting to cockblock the guy you're already talking to, in the queue for a public toilet, at a self help lecture, the list goes on. If you want to pick up tonight, you know you can. All you have to do is walk out the door.

2. There are 40% more women than men in this city. So guys get to have their pick and it means they are rarely going to commit. Like a kid in a candy store, when you have so much choice, why would you choose just one? And it's for this reason that...

3. Guys punch above their weight. Waaay above their weight. It's almost impressive and awe-inspiring what the average looking bloke can get here. But it also leads to insane egos and what most women commonly agree upon..

4. The problem with New York men is.. they're from New York.

5. The Australian accent carries its weight in gold. And it also means Australian guys will punch WELL above their weight. Astonishing really. Open your mouth and the American girls will open their....

5. Cougars are acceptable. In fact, they're not even really seen as cougars because being 30+ and single is normal. (There have actually been very few 18-23 year old sightings which is quite refreshing compared to a Saturday night out in the Cross.) As one friend put it - it's NeverNever land and the Peter Pan phenomenon. No one has to grow up here and no one is in the rat race to settle down, worrying about when they'll buy their first home and why they need to have a baby by 30.

6. You can be regularly sleeping with 5 guys or girls at once and it's acceptable. No one thinks you're the town bike.

7. On the same hand though, you can be seeing someone every single day for 3 months, 6 months.. a YEAR and unless you've had the 'exclusivity chat', you're not exclusive.

8. 'Going public' is different to 'seeing someone' but doesn't mean you're 'exclusive'.

9. Online dating is acceptable and not for losers or geeks or freaks.

10. Physical distance is as much a problem here ("He lives all the way uptown. It's just so far) as it is at home ("He lives in the Shire..what a schlep when you're coming from Bondi"). Thus, often leading to couples moving in together very quickly and out of convenience..and because the rent is so damn high.

12. If you meet a girl or a guy and you think they're something special, get them the hell out of the city and bring them back home. For both your sakes.