Sara couldn’t wait to get her hands on research material and squeezed in between some racks, only to get stuck!
On March 29th, I posted the above picture of Sara on our Instagram account (DaytonUnknown). I received a new notification that “@JustinBirdOfficial” liked the photo. Curious, I clicked and discovered that it was the account of Justin Bird, from Millionaire Matchmaker! We connected and discovered that he was in Dayton for an event, and according to Justin, “…the demographics indicated a large Millionaire Matchmaker fan base in the area, so why not see what Dayton was all about.” Justin and his manager, Jose Roque, invited us to come out to meet Justin and interview him for the blog!
Justin went to dinner with a friend at Barnsider Restaurant, where we initially met him, then he went to drinks at Boston’s Bistro & Pub afterward, where we also joined him. While there, we got a chance to chat and hang out with Justin and the owner of Boston’s Bistro, Dave. We were very impressed by Dave and the atmosphere at Boston’s Bistro and we definitely recommend checking it out!
Justin and Dave (the owner of Boston’s Bistro) definitely hit it off!
We all had such a good time talking and hanging out together that we never actually got to ask Justin our questions we had prepared! We arranged to email them to him, and he so kindly and graciously squeezed in some time to his busy schedule to answer. Here they are:
1. You visited Barnsider Restaurant and Boston’s Bistro during your time in Dayton; what did you think of the two?
Barnsider was a nice mellow old-school restaurant that attracted a relatively older crowd than what I expected. Nonetheless, the food was delicious and the live music on the bar side was lively.
I REALLY enjoyed Boston’s Bistro, as the bar staff and owner were extremely nice and welcoming. I sensed an authentic love and passion for their bar. Cool ambience, diverse crowd, great food, and a wide selection of beer, wine and specialty drinks. The pretzel left a lasting taste in my mouth; I would highly recommend it to anyone who stumbles into Boston’s! When you visit, make sure to say hello to Dave for me!
2. After spending some time here, what is your overall opinion of Dayton? Would you come back?
From what I saw–which wasn’t too much– I would most likely come back later in the spring or early summer. This California native froze when I experience a little snowstorm. I would like to come back and experience more of the local scene for a few more days to get a better grasp on Dayton. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t have any locals showing me the way. Thank you, Google, for being my tour guide!
3. Now we know you’re featured on BravoTV’s The Millionaire Matchmaker, so how did you get started in matchmaking?
It’s hard to say when it all started, but professionally it started last summer! Can you believe that? In the past, I have always had an unrealized talent for setting my friends up since I brought girls around our groups and the pairing began. I figured why not pursue this “talent” on a larger scale? And there you have it, Matchmaking 101!
4. When it comes to dating, what is the best piece of advice you’ve been given? The worst?
BEST: It’s really simple, are you ready? Be YOU! Be RESPECTFUL! And be HONEST! All too often, men and women approach dates trying to be someone they think that the person will like instead of having fun and just being themselves. It’s better to tell who the person is right off the bat than for their true colors or yours to shine through later on. You will never get that time back, date smart! If respectful and honest aren’t you, then you will find someone just like you too.
WORST: The worst piece of advice I’ve heard is when I was told to date in a certain age range…as if to limit yourself which I disagree with completely because everyone is different and we all have different maturity levels.
5. In your opinion, what is currently the biggest dating faux pas?
I think modern dating has shifted into prospects wanting the bigger better deal since everyone is “reachable” now given online dating. As humans we may have always thought like that, but now it’s more feasible. Additionally, relationships are more out in the open today given all of the social networks we use which can harm otherwise healthy relationships.
6. And finally, what is one piece of dating advice that could be applied universally?
Choose one:
1. Don’t expect perfect, because frankly, you’re not perfect.
2. Be chivalrous. No, it’s not dead, contrary to popular belief.
3. Be assertive.
4. Communication is key. Be upfront, and honest. In the longhaul it makes for a healthier relationship.
We had an absolute blast hanging out with Justin that night, and we were very pleasantly surprised at how kind and funny he was. Please make sure to check out his site! Also, please check out Barnsider Restaurant, and Boston’s Bistro & Pub as they are great locally-owned restaurants unique to the Dayton area!
Thanks so much to Justin Bird and his wonderful mananger, Jose Roque, for reaching out to Dayton Unknown!
Dayton Unknown 