Your potential dinner partner on www.grubwith.us
Thanks to my good friend Susan, I have been alerted to a company called Grub With Us, “that brings groups of 20- and 30-somethings together for low-key, friend-making dinners at local restaurants…This is a really non-awkward way to meet new people. You’re taking your online social network offline, and you’re doing it over food,” says Grub With Us development director Sen Sugano. The dinners, he explains, are meant to be relaxed, unlike networking events, where careers are thef ocus, or dates, where romance is the goal.”
So I started to wonder what kind of people would take advantage of this new service. After all,there is something called Meet Ups, which has been around forever and has a zillion activities people can take advantage of. So what makes this different? Since you have to fill out a profile first, and you get to read the profiles of others, this would prevent uncomfortable dinner conversations often encountered in the scary, trendy, white collar, upwardly mobile world of Washington, DC area, such as:
“What do you do for a living?”
“Well, since I’ve gotten out of prison, I now work at a day care center.”
*****
“Do you have children?”
“Nineteen. And counting.”
*****
“I notice that your hair is an interesting color.”
“Yes, I have it straightened with formaldehyde. I find the iridescent glow advantageous when friends have to find me at wine festivals.”
“Has your skin always had a glittery sheen like that?”
“Formaldehyde, again. I think it compliments my eyes, don’t you think? Oh, can you pass the cilantro butter, please? My fingers haven’t been working properly lately.”
*****
“If you’ll excuse me, I must run to the men’s room to uh, wash my hands.”
“Didn’t you just come back from there?”
“Uh, yeah, but I just shook your hand. Be right back.”
*****
“I’m really excited about this dinner. It’s my first social outing since The Rapture.”
Life in the Boomer Lane 
livelaughloveliquor
June 8, 2011
hee hee hee love it. After my divorce, there was a similar type website, but it strictly for dating purposes where everyone would meet for dinner. I’ve always imagined scenarios exactly like the one you described, sooooo i never was brave enough to attend!
TexasTrailerParkTrash
June 8, 2011
If I were single I might try something like that, but I’d have to get permission from my cats first.
Kathryn McCullough
June 8, 2011
How hilarious! This is brilliantly funny, Renee! I love the “since I got out of prison” comment!
Kathy
comingeast
June 8, 2011
Hysterical! I do like the idea of it being a group thing instead of a couple thing. Gives you more options, plus you can do a lot more listening than talking if you want. I think it is hard for young people to find someone these days.
carldagostino
June 8, 2011
Any hobbies? Yeah, I collect axes and chain saws.
lifeintheboomerlane
June 9, 2011
Funny guy, Carl. Hey, do a cartoon about that.
kim sisto robinson
June 9, 2011
I think it’s a great way to meet people….especially if food is involved & perhaps wine 🙂
Amy
June 9, 2011
I don’t care how well you fill out a profile, get a bunch of 20-30 somethings together and there’s bound to be uncomfortable dinner conversation. That’s what would make it fun for me, though. If I wanted comfortable conversation, I’d just stay home.
lifeintheboomerlane
June 9, 2011
Oh that’s so funny.
SisterMerryHellish
June 9, 2011
That sounds like a treasure trove of blog material!
Tori Nelson
June 9, 2011
Because I am an awful person, I would go FOR the uncomfortable moments (uncomfortable because I made them so). What can I say? I get a sick thrill from the shocked looks of crowds when I bring my kid to dinner and ask the waitress if they serve mojitos in sippy cups.
lifeintheboomerlane
June 9, 2011
You’re my kind of gal. I’ll even spring for the mojitos.
writerwoman61
June 12, 2011
Please tell me this guy isn’t holding giant plastic revolvers…I can’t get past the picture! Yikes!
Wendy
lifeintheboomerlane
June 13, 2011
He’s holding giant plastic revolvers.
Claudia Anderson
June 13, 2011
ha…very good…scary thought that there really are people out there like that…