Dating and Mating_Valley Scene Magazine article
Arts and Culture
Dating, Mating, and Manhandling
The Orthinological Guide to Men
By Gwenette Ridoloso
At the newly minted Chocolat Restaurant & Bar (formerly Le Moustache Café) in the heart of West Hollywood on Melrose Ave. Lauren Frances Ph. Double D introduced her new book, “Dating, Mating and Manhandling: The Ornithological Guide to Men”. It is a luscious self help way for any woman to understand men better, grab their attention, know how to play their games, pick the right one for you and how to train and keep them. All wrapped up in one fun filled book.
The evening was sprinkled with some celebs and paparazzi lined up at the entrance snapping pictures as my mate and I entered Chocolat like one of the pretty and privileged. Chocolat was transformed into a sexy electrical vibe. The restaurant décor and atmosphere was themed in pink rose petals and silky chocolate hues on its tabletops. D.J. Richie Rich was the musical host for the evening spinning out old school tunes mixed with some modern beats, the bar was open and the hors d’oerves were delicious treats of French, Asian and some Latin flavor. It is a great introduction to the menu for those who haven’t eaten there yet, but gives you something to look forward to. Chocolat is definitely a beautiful romantic restaurant with a gorgeous patio with plenty of natural light, seats with some secluded areas and a fun separate bar area. An obvious natural selection to hold this special occasion. The same owners of Le Moustache Café have completely revamped and modernized the location into a seductive new place to eat and enjoy wonderful company.
Beautiful people milled about including the author herself who was deluged by well wishers, friends and admirers. It was meet and greet all night for Dr. Frances Ph. Double D. Being a celebrity author, she has made appearances on radio, T.V. on VH1 and Extra. Along with her book she created the Institute for Romantic Research. She is a love coach to be reckoned with and as sexy and gorgeous as her pictures. I had a chance to skim over the book itself while there and now look forward to getting a chance to thoroughly read the book myself. Some of the highlights I picked up from “Dating, Mating and Manhandling: the Ornithological Guide to Men” is that man as our lovebird, is identified and broken down to three kinds of archetypes: nightingale, chicken and pterodactyl. (Ornithology, meaning the study of birds, thus the title) Each kind of bird (man) is a helpful guide to understand the type of man you may have on your hands, or the kind of man you may meet. Note to all women, none of the above are the best choices but with Lauren Frances’s help, you can whip these birds into shape in no time or as they say “set them free”. You’ll learn ways on how to flirt and ways on how to get rid of your ex! The book is a great manual to deciphering a potential lovebird and how to keep them without letting them feel caged!
Grooving to the music we made our way around the restaurant and had an opportunity to bump into some acquaintances and people watch just like everybody else looking at who’s who. Some of the celebs were spotted, some faces were familiar, and others were guessing games. Actresses Amy Brennemen, Jo De La Rosa, Ashley Sousa, Jackee Harry was seen, the rap singer Coolio, as well as Rick and Kathy Hilton, parents of Paris and Nicky Hilton among others. There were many better-known celebs socializing about, but I had to pay attention to my date (although he didn’t mind) as we mingled amongst the crowd. It was a night where the topic of the evening was obviously the book itself and its author but also on love, relationships or applying some of Lauren Frances’s tips and the relevance of relationships needing to be broken down in various ways to be understood. I for one believe that everyone can use all the help you can get and then some until you’ve learned your lesson. The conversations were light and funny, music and energy by all who attended kept everyone funky all night. What a great way to end the summer, with a party and a good book!
Gwen Hardin 