Female readership of the Linx Line….I am taking a poll on your thoughts and suggestions for THE
most eligible Bay Area & Silicon Valley bachelors. 
If you could have a date tonight with one of these hunks…who is on your list? What well-known technology mogul, entrepreneur, or investor-type makes you swoon?
Email me: amy@linxdating.com who is high on your list of steamy, dreamy, desirable men. I’m not publishing anything…so don’t worry about your name being associated with this anywhere.
I am often asked from men what type of women we represent at Linx and when we recruit for these guys (as a VIP client) what the structure of the so called castings are.
A very first step in our admission process is the vetting. I would want to make sure that a prospect of Linx adheres to the standards that Linx represents. Our clients are: well educated (75% have post graduate work completed from top universities), they are all professionals across a very wide range of industries, extremely well-rounded in their hobbies outside of career, dynamic, physically active (keeping healthy, fit, and balanced), and most importantly are commitment and marriage minded. These women are all ages (a huge populations in their 20’s and 30’s, followed by 40-60’s generally). 
Just like Stanford, Harvard, or CAL rejects even the most brainy and accomplished applicants, we do have to filter out people who simply are not a good fit for this network.
Those who are not “good fits” could be based on them not being comfortable with the concept of a commitment, not liking the protocol, not leading a healthy lifestyle, or me sensing that she is not ready for true love. Sometimes candidates possess an extreme anxiety about wanting to meet “the one.” If we sense that their energy is too intense and their expectations totally unreasonable (about what they seek in a match and general timeline of getting matched, engaged, and married), we simply won’t work with them. If we did work with that person, she would be supremely unhappy and our magic would be dampened by stress and stifled by pressure.
It should be noted that we are one of the only matchmaking firms that represents females as clients. We have a huge demand for our services with attractive and brainy women. In Silicon Valley and metropolitan regions such as San Francisco, New York City, and Los Angeles, there is no shortage of extremely accomplished professional women who are looking for love and needing help in their personal lives.
Many women also submit their information everyday to meet our VIP clients. We do regular screenings for these hundreds of women who want us to screen them to see if they have that je ne sais quoi that many of our successful VIP gentleman look for in their dream girl.
The structure of the castings is what we call “Mini Meet and Greets.” These are individual appointments that a female who has qualified for the in-person session makes with our team. We do a short in-person screening with her getting to know the candidate and seeing if she is not only adhering to the overarching standards that Linx represents (per the above) but also is importantly very OPEN-MINDED and flexible with her ideal match criteria since she would simply be in the database where matches/introductions occur opportunistically and flexibility is key in order for her to be matched. 
The women who submit their info to meet the VIPs can differ from those who are premium clients with respect to career. Some are not “as” successful, “hard charging”, and “Type A” as many of our premium female clients. Our premium female clients (just like the guys) want the exact same success they have achieved professionally yet now in their personal lives. The women who submit info to meet VIPs who qualify are not always MDs, corporate attorneys, and C-level execs. They might very well be teachers, nurses, in PR/marketing, assistants, and a wide range of other careers. That said, there are definitely less ambitious females who are premium clients and alpha females opting for a passive way to participate as well. In conclusion, the Linx network is extremely diverse with respect to every metric involved.
I have had quite a few emails from China from a source (with a Western guys name) asking to help in the request of working with a 20-something Chinese girl (based in China) to locate her a Silicon Valley billionaire, yes b as in billionaire. The guy who has been emailing me says he is represented by her family or something like that and I have always suspected that something doesn’t feel right with this whole thing.
One day out of the blue, I got a business contract sent via email to sign a deal with them when I don’t know ONE thing about this girl or her “type” (let alone any information about her “dating agent”) other than she needs a billionaire because her family is deep in the political scene or some crock of you know what like that.
I ignored that email and then another one came today asking to move forward. I had suggested when I was in Hong Kong back in the Fall that this so called agent for the girl and I meet up at a public spot like a coffee shop in Pacific Place or something like that. He didn’t respond till much later and then said it was because his wife had a baby and he was needing to take care of the baby. Don’t most wealthy “elite” people have help and nannies to be there for the kids? Even if the agent is not “elite” by Chinese standards, chances are the duty of a mother is to be with the baby and not the father.
My email response today was straightforward telling this guy I am not interested in doing anything with them. I feel the behavior doesn’t add up and net net, it is not ethnical. In other words, no thanks.
On a daily basis, I get so many business requests from media, other aspiring matchmakers to “team up together”, and of course hundreds of inquires from new friends of Linx about being a VIP, meeting a VIP, and much more.
With the constant excitement of running Linx and sheer intensity of what that major responsibility really means, I always remember to go back to “base line” and remember my original business mantras for when I first started my company. I do this to deal with situations like the wacky email from China today.
Be nimble, act decisively, be intelligent, follow your instincts, don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself (integrity), forge ahead, be optimistic, be kind, persevere, don’t get caught up in the drama of it all, be compassionate, listen, listen more, and never shy away from saying no.
I say NO a lot at Linx for a variety of reasons. No, this is not a good fit. No, you are not being realistic with your expectations. No, I don’t really think you trust my intuition. No, we actually don’t use algorithms here. No, I don’t have a large staff. No, you are not ready for matchmaking and need some date coaching. No, your outfit if not date worthy. No, I don’t have the bandwidth to represent you right now. No, I can’t meet after 7:00pm as I am trying to achieve balance in MY life and have a so called “life.”
Last night I received another email from a lovely sounding woman at Stanford asking if I was “for real.” It really caught me off guard wondering WTF. She explained that up to this point, we have only been communicating via email and as such, am I am “legit business.” I was exhausted after a very intense day of VIP client meetings in San Jose, calls, and conducting a mock date in Menlo Park. I wanted to write her and say, “Actually, you called me on my sh*t. I live in Nigeria and this is a total scam.” but I didn’t.
Humor is essential to run a business like Linx. I had to laugh and be like WHAT is she thinking. Sure, she is doing her so called due diligence but seriously? Acting on that initial instinctual response is sometimes not the right thing to do. Like anything in life, let it simmer and wait to respond for at least 24 hours before you do so. Instead of writing something goofy (which even through I felt like doing but never would have actually done), I knew I needed to wait to respond till the next day. Today I will write something sweet and nice explaining how I am not a scam or robot in Africa wiring money into some shell account and instead a little business owner housed on a historic property in Menlo Park. Hasn’t she read any press on Linx? Hmmm.
Life is full of some of the most twisted ironies. The world is also VERY small. This has played out many times this week. I hear and see so much and not to toot my own horn know a lot and know a ton of people. Ex’s couple up with other ex’s of clients, he dated her, she dated him, she had an affair with his friend, the list goes on. Sometimes in hearing all of this, I need to just go in a cave for a bit. Another lesson of being a good business owner is learning to shut off/down at times. Last night after the absolutely good yet taxing day, I simply had to shut off my laptop. Usually at night I am banging out email after email. Saying No to more emails is OK. It allows one to recharge and do the good old reboot if you will mentally. You will be stronger and ready for the next day.
Interestingly, all of these principles and lessons of business ownership apply to your dating.
Be nimble– in dating you need to be resourceful and wise about how you approach the so called scene.
Act decisively– If you say you will go out, go out. Don’t flake on your date. Follow an East Coast attitude that way. New Yorkers don’t make excuses. West Coasters are notorious for wishy washy, flaky behavior.
Be intelligent– About who you choose to date but also when you are on your date. Brush up on all current events and interesting topics to discuss. Men are attracted to a woman who lights up a room because she is confident and smart. Women are attracted to a man who is confident, well versed, and passionate.
Follow your instincts- Especially with online dating if you feel that someone is not authentic in their profile or there is a shadow of doubt in your mind, don’t go out. Through whatever method of dating, if your gut is saying something about your date, follow what your instinct says. Chances are your instincts are correct.
Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself (integrity)- He wants to sleep with you and you aren’t ready but feel the pressure. Tell him to go ‘you know what himself.’ Kidding. Stand up for yourself and say you don’t sleep together unless there is monogamy. Sex aside, if your date puts you in a compromising situation, speaks poorly of others (and you know that is not how you were raised to be), you must have the conviction to stand up for yourself (and in some cases excuse yourself from the date if it is going that poorly and he is just a total pig).
Forge ahead– Dating can be draining and often frustrating. A series of poor dates can create a hazy attitude and seeing the so called “silver lining” becomes dismal and bleak. Take a mini break from dating if you are in a rut. After your 2 week “hiatus”, forge ahead and march on.
Be optimistic– some stat I found says that 44% of the adult American population is single. That translates to over 100MM people. Those are a lot of fish in the dating pond. View the pond as a sea and start exploring options today. Also always be an optimist on a date. No one wants to be out with Debbie Downer or Serious Sam. Eeek.
Be kind- to those in your life. Compliment your date. Be kind to the waitstaff. In other words, be a nice person. People are very critical of others especially on first dates. Remember that your date is observing you and watching you. Snapping at the waitstaff, mocking others, or being rude to your date will simply become red flags for your match. Be someone that others want to be around. Be likable!
Persevere and don’t get caught up in the drama of it all– When you meet someone right for you, chances are you aren’t going to be asking for all your friends advice. When someone is questionable that you meet, chances are you will be emailing and calling Mom, girlfriends, etc about your date and deconstructing every part of your date. Everyone always wants to be in each other’s business. Sometimes when it comes to dating, the best thing is to keep your personal life close to you and that is it. Otherwise, everyone will have an opinion and all of a sudden, that can convolute your perception and experience with the person you might like.
Be compassionate- Make a manta to yourself to be empathetic, smile, listen, do small acts of kindness, step into your dates shoes, don’t be judgmental, let your guard down, be vulnerable, admit you are not perfect, be deep, show passion. In other words, do to others what you would have them do to you.
Listen- “The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them.” —Ralph Nichols
Listen more- A lot of men and women tell me that they are most impressed when their date later recalls something they said. Focus on your date, put virtual horse blinders on, and listen. Listening and remembering is a huge form of flattery.
Never shy away from saying no– to anything that doesn’t feel right to you when dating.
Our friends at Tog + Porter suggest that Linx ladies make the season all about the accessories. Opt for a dress with clean lines in a solid color of the season. Our favorites are emerald green, lipstick red, and oxblood. Navy, metallic gold and black are also always good choices. 
To stand out from the crowd, personalize the look with a beaded blazer, metallic tights, a statement necklace, earring or fabulous handbag. Sequins are big this season, try using them in an unexpected way, like on a blazer or cardigan. And last, but not least–don’t forget to coordinate your nail color to polish off your ensemble.
Men, take your bold blazer from your office party and have some fun with your look by adding a bow tie in a rich hue, festive plaid, or fun polka dot. Pair this with your skinniest of trousers (very in right now) and a great pair of shoes.
The Economist just published an interesting piece called The Geography of Start-Ups, Something in the Air, Why Birds of a Tech Feather Flock Together.
The distilled message of the piece argues that following economic theory, companies of all sizes (esp the small ones) tend to gravitate together due to a variety of reasons: ideas, labor, access to money, proximity of advice…thus a magnetic effect.
In the Valley people are also close to the latest ideas. “Ideas are exposed to that little tiny region possibly years ahead of the rest of the world,” reckons Mr Stoppelman. “You are always building on the idea that came immediately before. If you are trying to build the thing that comes next, early access to information about the things that are out there helps you.”
Does this thinking carry over to the dating game? Absolutely. Eligible people are drawn to vibrant locations that house other like-minded professionals. Condensed metropolitan locations like San Francisco are a great example where one city can sustain itself built on ecosystem after ecosystem of living hubs. For instance, those folks who choose SOMA, compared to Pac Heights or The Mission often flock to a neighborhood that defines them, arguably to be around others like them (and if single to increase the probability at meeting a mate who is near them and like them). In other words, the neighborhood you choose is a direct extension of your personality, right? 
At Linx, we have a lot of clients that are very specific in their requests. An example might be “ideally she’s more of a mission sorta- girl and not Pac Heights” or she says, “it would be preferred if he was comfortable in Russian Hill or the surrounding neighborhoods compared to the Sunset, Dog Patch.” 
Like the start-ups that nest together, single men and women do the exact same thing. Sociographics, demographics all parlay into access to ideas that could be intriguing, proximity to the types of mates they would like to end up with, and I’d say most importantly being comfortable (safe, happy, at ease) in your surrounding. This comfort can become very close-minded when dating- not only wanting a match just like yourself but never leaving your neighborhood because your own ecosystem has everything it needs in it- so why leave and diversify? Can banding together with your “type” of like-minded person potentially harm the dating game? In other words, do you feel broadening your reach is important when casting your dating net?
I‘d love your thoughts on this as well…write me amy@linxdating.com
I just flew back home from Hong Kong. I was there for a week and this time was my third visit to this spectacular city. Hong Kong is a place like no other that I have seen. It is a place of many contrasts old world (where buildings crumble and ancient dialect is only spoken) juxtaposed with modernity (sleek, incredibly high-end, sophisticated, and an international set speaking English).
Our music selection to enjoy while reading this entry. No Promises by Hott 22 featuring Bonnie Bailey, Thomas Gold remix. A modern club music with a retro disco feel.
I always feels extremely safe in HK- more so compared to when I walk around San Francisco. The public transportation systems are meticulously clean (no one drinks or eats on trains…it is very frowned upon), the streets are generally clean, and there are no homeless wandering around.
The views of the skyline atop Victoria Peak are some of the most awe-inspiring, the food and choice of dining experiences (from total hole-in-the wall to 5 star) is simply mouth-watering, the people friendly (granted a certain distance that I attribute to their culture), and variety to do while staying keeps one very busy (if you want).
It’s hard to distill down to a simple blog entry about HK as you really need to go there to best understand the complexities of such a grand metropolis. Perhaps it is easiest to share through select photos and captions here…. One thing that I always am struck by is how the city continues to do its thing while major construction occurs in the middle of it all. Cranes, cement trucks, bulldozers, you name it….are all motoring through getting the job done. There is always a sign “greatly apologizing for any inconvenience” that the construction site might have caused. Always proper, so HK.
There is always a photo shoot going on. At any time of day, on any random street, you will often see a young woman in bridal wear modeling Asia’s latest fashions.
Cafe Grey is one of the most beautifully appointed restaurants in HK with the finest service HK offers; impeccable 5 star food, gorgeous views, and every little detail (even down to perfectly press linen napkins). We had breakfast there every morning. I’m not used to regular breakfasts like pancakes, eggs, and pastries. When on vacation, I do splurge and splurge I did! On our last day, we ate their famous Dutch pancake (photo above). Quite honestly, I didn’t know what to do other than finish the first massive one (see how fluffy and huge it is? Primary ingredient corn with a hint of sour cream) and order one more. Let’s just say my trainer is very happy I have hired her for extra hours post vacay. 😉 
Views from the UpperHouse, our home away from home in HK. The rooms are modeled after apartments- so they are very large, spacious, and makes guests feel like they are living in a home versus a tiny hotel room. Bathroom at Cafe Grey at Upper House. HK is the most vertical city I have ever seen. A million uber tall and skinny buildings.
Look at the simplicity of this gorgeous arrangement at the hotel. A sleek container potted with a plant and flower can make a room. 
Two great examples at our hotel where simple and modern can make a bold, high impact statement. 
HK definitely offers its fair share of oddities and curiosities. Not for the faint of heart. I stumbled upon this medicinal shop when I did a solo walk for 5 hours around the city one day when my husband was in meetings. I couldn’t believe how weird this was but at that same time didn’t want to judge. They seem to use all aspects of animals for various illnesses. There are medicinal herbal shops everywhere with roots of all kinds- mostly ginseng varieties. A tourist can walk in and ‘oh and awe’ at how serious they are about their herbs but generally you can’t buy any without a doctors written prescription. The photo at the bottom are little deer fetuses. Eeek. 
Which way to go?
Hong Kongers love their department store windows. These are some of the most ornate I have ever seen. Shopping in HK trumps pretty much any city. Gucci, LV, Prada, Valentino multiply after one another on the streets. Imagine how diverse seeing modern and expensive like Louis Vuitton juxtaposed next to a local merchant like the photo above of a very cluttered “Mr Fix It” sort of shop. 1-800 You Got Junk would be in heaven! 
Hong Kongers also adore their holidays. Any holiday! I had no idea how HUGE Halloween was in HK. Here are two photos of vending machines to purchase Halloween items in an express thoroughfare from one mall to another mall. HK is also a city of countless malls. Mall after upscale (and I mean really, really upscale) mall connected together by countless protected walkways. Professionals commute home often by walking these intricate indoor thoroughfares and stopping along the way to eat with friends and shop. They are filled with take-away restaurants, sit down restaurants, shops, and newspaper stands. 
A must have while visiting is Peking Duck. Here we are one duck later at Peking Garden. 
With some delicate negotiation and a little James Bond-esque Andersen techniques, I somehow managed to get us into a private club called “China Club” which is a very chi-chi bar and restaurant in the old Bank of China Building in Central, HK. The decor is in the style of the traditional Chinese teahouse and the floors, lighting and fans are reminiscent of 1930’s Shanghai. They are known for their incredible Chinese modern art collection. 
Giant shoes to fill! 
Spiral staircase at China Club filled with a grand modern art collection. 
More art work at China Club
Ode to David Hockney? Mark Stock perhaps? 
Street art work I discovered while wandering around Sheung Wan.
Seriously good chicken soup on a work day while cooped up in the hotel room. Zero salt. All fresh ingredients (the dark things are mushrooms). 
On a hike one day around the city, I couldn’t help but notice how intelligent this system is for moms on the go with tyke. It is the recommended safe route a mother should take the little one on. A mother’s choice. 
I also found this on a hike one day. So random….two precious little buddhas with burning incense. 
A trip to HK isn’t complete without a visit to Sevva. Sevva is an incredibly sophisticated bar and restaurant in Prince’s building in Central where glamour intersects with world-class views and famous cakes- all of which are housed in a jewel-box like setting. Think ambient lighting, warm colors, flickering candles, and Venini chandeliers. Owner, designer, and founder Bonnie Gokson is famous for her very pricey and delicious Marie Antoinette cake topped with cotton candy (perfect for a birthday princess, tete-a-tete with old friend, or romantic date night). We enjoyed a fantastic lemon crunch meringue cake and wine to pair on that perfect balmy evening. 
At Sevva…
I always pack lots of dressy clothing for HK. Flats for day without question and heels for evening with lots of sparkles as well. I even bought the Sevva CD…all romantic songs.
Lady Gaga makes a statement every time! This cake is no exception.
Bonnie’s Million Dollar Truffle Cake. Perfect for a Silicon Valley IPO soiree. 😉
On a glorious run one day (I tried to work out each day given the amount of meals out) to the Peak, I saw this building under some sort of construction and couldn’t help but immediately think it resembled Christo. 
http://rogallery.com/Christo/Christo-biography.htm
Your glutes will love you for this…..typical HK stairs
Busy HK street in the afternoon
The kitty sleeps while his owner mixes unusual herbal concoctions and remedies. Afternoon street games played by local merchants. A great way to pass time and get a little workout too. Cheap and easy street food in Tsuen Wan, HK. My hubbie had a few bites, I passed on the glorious opportunity that day. We traveled from HK island to Tsuen Wan to visit a semiconductor factory to understand international logistics and chip testing behind the scenes. Our friend, Chris, toured us, showing us how detailed their business is. No cameras allowed inside. This particular company occupies multiple floors in a large industrial building. 12 hour shifts for the factory workers, 6 days a week. No one passes time on FB or runs out for Blue Bottle lattes here. You work, keep working, and then work some more. You are efficient and perfect is expected each time. 
Weddings are a big business in HK. There are gorgeous spots for photographs. One in particular I found was the Hong Kong Park. Here is a sign for the actual place to register with your loved one. 
Wan Chai streets filled with trolleys and folks wandering all around, at any given time of the day or night. 
We enjoyed a Cantonese meal in Wan Chai at a private kitchen of sorts. Nondescript building, no English name, not one tourist, and very authentic food. Most unique and delicious was the chicken and fish stew. 
After a fabulous trip, we returned home to receive this email from our hotel. They are so attention to detail focused and so proper. What American hotel would ever alert you that you left carrots in the room?!
Dear Mr. & Mrs.,
Thank you for staying with us at The Upper House, we hope you enjoyed your visit!
Upon your departure, we found a box of dragon beard candies, an apple and a small bag of baby carrots in your room. The lost and found reference number is 07888.
I am afraid the apple and carrots cannot keep long, but could you let us know if you would like us to keep the box of candies for your next visit?
If we may be of further assistance in this or any other matter, please contact us at your convenience.
In the meantime, we look forward to welcoming you back at The Upper House!Best regards,
Guinnie
Housekeeping Secretary
Q: Amy, I am in a relationship right now where I love going out all the time to various galas, dinners, and events in San Francisco yet my boyfriend seems to get more and more introverted by the day and it’s like pulling teeth out to get him to attend these fabulous parties with me. I am so frustrated. All he wants to do is the occasional dinner with one another out and stay home the rest as he is so exhausted all the time for working banking hours. I really like him though. 
A: When boyfriends or husbands flair up, this is why you should have girlfriends. Any woman needs her pack of female friends to call upon to go to these functions with her. It sounds like you are very social and love being out and about. That is not for everyone so I do understand your boyfriends hesitation.
What I suggest is to do a shared social calendar with your beau- Google has an easy one you both could access easily. On the calendar put all your events and indicate if you are attending the movie opening with friend Sara, the restaurant year anniversary with Chloe, and so forth. Then block out five nights a month for just the two of you. Four are going to be dinners just with you two either in-home or out- aka date night and only ONCE a month will be an event with your beau.
Once you get these on the calendar, tell him about it and explain that you love your time with him very much and understand he might not be up for your parties and that is fine. Would he be ok with doing date night once a week with you and simply going to a party once a month, the rest you will do with your girlfriends?! I think you will have a happy boyfriend and have just figured out the perfect solution to your differences. Good luck! 
As Linx continues to grow by leaps and bounds with our membership, we have been getting more and more requests from friends and clients of Linx to ask me anything dating and relationship related. Music to enjoy for this entry is Justin Bieber featuring Nicki Minaj. Every once in awhile a little cheese it ok. It’s catchy….
We have a new feature on the Linx website where you will see a grey button at the top left of every page. Simply click on it and it will directly port to email where you can ask me anything that is on your mind and I will do my very best to address each one either through an email back to you or as an anonymous Q and A on my blog.
Here are some questions that have trickled in this week into my inbox and my very quick answers in a nutshell.
Q: When is it appropriate to sleep with the guy I am into? We haven’t become exclusive yet and I can barely keep my hands off him. Help!
A: Depending on your personal goals of ending up with this fabulousman, you need to wait till you are exclusive. If you give in and sleep with him as sexy as he is, he will have gotten everything he wants. If it seems pretty clear that he is wildly attracted and into you as well (and respects you and is treating you well outside of the bedroom), I would think it will be pretty natural to have a talk about becoming exclusive. Simply say you are an old-fashioned girl who was raised a certain way and doesn’t sleep around. You also don’t sleep with a man till you are exclusive. If he is into you, he will wait and wait and wait! Good luck! Once exclusive you can crank up The Isley Brothers “Between The Sheets.” 😉
Q: I am a newly divorced dad of 3 young kids and am nervous about getting out into the dating scene. My kids have a mom and I don’t want women to think that I need her to be their mom. What to do?
A: Dating after divorce can definitely be challenging and present a whole slew of new factors that you never knew were out there. Your first date sound byte to this lucky female is that you are newly divorced and one of your greatest passions are your three beautiful children ages (X, Y, Z). You have joint custody (or whatever your situation is) and they see their mom every other week. On the off weeks you do your own thing and on the weeks you have them you bunker down into dad duty. Although things did not work out with their mom, you have a healthy relationship with her and she is a GREAT mother (never tear your ex a new one no matter your relationship with her.) Then you change the subject and pay your date a genuine compliment and focus on the moment and getting to know her.
Q: I work at Stanford campus and am pretty shy to begin with. When I take breaks for lunch or coffee I see some of the cutest guys ever. How do I go about having them pay attention to me?
A: My sister and I were walking at Stanford two nights ago and saw a David Beckham look-alike. Her jaw dropped and she was like Ummmmm he is hot and the funny thing is he totally checked her out! So there are gorgeous and brainy babes all over. There are a variety of methods for you to seek the chaps attention. First dress the part to attract the right guy you want in your life. Be feminine and classy. In my sisters case we were exercising. So in that case, dress in tasteful, clean, and attractive workout clothes. Second, go up to him and ask him a question. If you are working at Stanford chances are you are a genius but in reality there is nothing wrong with sometimes playing a little dumb. I’m not saying to be a clueless ditz, I’m suggesting pulling out your naive card for this opportunity. Ask him where something is on campus. For all he knows today is your first day at work on this big, big, scary campus! Make eye contact, smile, then pay him a small compliment. An example….Hi…I am wondering if you can tell me where Coupa is at the GSB….ohhh..great….(eye contact, lock eyes, smile)….I like your kicks. I’ve never seen Nike make those. At this point, hopefully you can stike up a flirty convo and see where it takes you. Have fun!
Q: I have a major crush on my boss but he is married with a beautiful wife and baby on its way. I would never do anything to break up their marriage but I can’t stop thinking about him. Is there something wrong with me?
A: An attractive and confident man is a sexy thing. It sounds like you are human to have developed an innocent crush. Innocent is thinking about him, thinking he is cute, having a soft spot for him while maintaining your professionalism. A crush steps into very dangerous territory if you channel Alicia Silverstone from The Crush and fixate on him to the point where it is inappropriate or ever come on in a sexual manner. You have a strong intuition and chances are you know what is right and wrong. If you want to keep your job, keep your crush benign.
Q: I hate when construction workers and other guys driving by cat call me and make me feel degraded. Should I just tell them to f*ck off or ignore them? As a strong woman (yet a sensual and very feminine one), I feel women need to stand up and let men it is inappropriate to do this.
A: Yes women do need to stand up for themselves but in this case I think the best strategy to just keep walking. I will share a hilarious scene from Sex in the City when Miranda gets cat called renting a five-hour Danish documentary on the Nuremberg trial (and a pound of gummy bears to boot….remember?)
(Sleazy construction worker) “Hey, hey, it’s my sweetheart. You’re looking good, baby. Good enough to eat. Hey, where you going, doll ? I got what you want. I got what you need.”
(Miranda) “You talkin’ to me?”
(Construction worker) “Oh, we got a live one, boys.”
(Miranda) “You got what I want ? You got what I need ? Uh-Huh. Well, what I want is to get laid!” 
Silicon Valley companies continue to prevail at hiring the most sought-after talent into unique startup cultures and thus at creating the world’s most innovative technologies.
In a recent conversation I had with one engineer working for a hot Silicon Valley startup company, he shared that employees are encouraged to, and actually rewarded financially if they, live closer to the office.
What then happens is that a bunch of the tech engineers at this company choose to live anywhere from one to six blocks max from their work. It’s a brilliant concept for a company to offer to pay an employee an additional 25K annually (I am purely speculating about the amount) and to reap the benefits probably tenfold by having that person essentially never leave a 1 mile radius from headquarters. Work and personal life become completely intertwined and indistinguishable.
Our selection for this entry is Nine Inch Nails Head Like a Hole. I remember listening to this eons ago. Doesn’t he have the sexiest voice? On the Trent Reznor kick, I have a dear girlfriend who once picked me up for a hike in her Mercedes convertible blasting Closer. It was around 7:00am. Awkward to say the least! Her hubbie is an uber successful Silicon Valley engineer. She thinks Trent is king. Maybe she was influenced by her match? What do you think?
A trend I see time and time again is that a lot of Bay Area based female professionals (typically 20 and 30-somethings) will bear the burden and ungodly extra miles and wear and tear on their car to have the purported “city life” of living in San Francisco while still trying to reap the benefits of a great career in the Silicon Valley. In other words, they would rather be in their car for up to 4 hours a day down to the valley and back to the city in order to have the city options of close proximity to cool restaurants and quick bites, bars and hip spots, and the trendy gym. But beyond the cute cupcake joints and Bi-Rite, I find that it goes deeper… Women are very reliant on living inside their social network of city friends. The dense population of city living compounded by knowing a ton of friends equates to being more at ease socially when there is a large rolodex to call upon for last minute social engagements and, frankly, even just basic things to do on the weekend. 
Conversely, although I am generalizing a bit, Silicon Valley techie types could care less about city living and having close access to their best guy friends or late-night snacks at hipster locals like Delarosa or Nopa. Instead, I find that these guys are willing to completely forgo their popularity and replace it with living and working in the exact same vicinity.
Delarosa and Nopa are quickly replaced with In-N-Out Burger, Chick-Fil-A, and Barracuda Sushi – where meals are about extending work conversations with colleagues outside of the office environment and into simple, quick, casual envionments. There is not necessarily a right or wrong here, just mere observations about the culture in San Francisco and Silicon Valley.
Dear Amy,
Linx Line 
