How to Be Single (49 page)

He nodded and leaned over and said to her, “As much as I can, I try not to wear anything that hurts the planet.”

Serena nodded, intrigued. “What's a guy like you doing in a club like this?”

The guy smiled at her. “Hey, I may wear hemp but I still love to dance!” And just like that, he put his arm about Serena's back and swirled her around the room. She was laughing and blushing. For a moment as she passed by me, she gave me a look as if to say, “What are the odds of
this
?”

After dancing a bit, Alice, Georgia, Ruby, and I eventually sat down at a little table. We had a 180-degree view of the New York skyline, with the Empire State Building lit up in white and blue. Serena was now at another table, talking to the hemp lad. He seemed to be fully smitten by her, and they were laughing and chatting like two old friends.

“So…do you think we're witnessing a small miracle right in front of our eyes?” Alice teased.

I smiled at the thought. “You never know.”

I looked around the club at all the beautiful women that were dancing, flirting, talking to men, talking to their friends. They were all out, trying to or having a good time, looking their stylish, unique, sassy best. I thought again about my travels. It could have gotten me discouraged meeting all those single women all over the world, all with their own struggles, their own needs and hopes and expectations. Instead, it comforted me. Because the one thing that I can keep with me, hold it like a tiny love note in one of my pockets, is that no matter what I've learned, or how I might feel about my single status on any given day, there is one thing I am clear about now. I am definitely not alone in this.

I am definitely not alone.

And you know what else? Miracles happen every day.

T
here are many, many people who helped me research this book, particularly the women and men I interviewed all over the world, and all my “hosts” who got me access to those people. The list of all of them by name might be as long as the book itself. But I am deeply indebted to all those people, particularly all those women, who took time out of their busy lives to talk to me about love and dating, with great honesty and great humor. It truly was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I am humbled, grateful, and in awe of all of them. I thank them all from the bottom of my heart.

Specifically, I would like to mention a few people in each country who were invaluable to my research.

In Iceland, I need to thank Dröfn and Rakel for organizing the amazing meeting of the women of Reykjavík; as well as Brynja, Rakel, and Palli for their friendship, always.

In Brazil, my hero Bianca Costa, along with Tekka and Caroline of Copacabana films. Thank you to Matt Hanover from Yahoo. And Cindy Chupack for her brilliant mind that I wish I could have as my own.

In Europe, my camera crew Aaron, Tony, and James for making us laugh all the way through Paris and Rome. In Paris, my two fixers, Laure Watrin and Charlotte Sector. In Rome, Veronica Aneris and Monica De Berardinis (and John Melfi for always being there to help, in any country he can). For Dana Segal, for a friendly face during a chaotic time. To Gabriele and Domenico for inspiring me always, not just in Rome. In Denmark, Thomas Sonne Johansen and Per Dissing, thank you for being there for me on the last, coldest leg of my Europe trip.

In Mumbai, India—Hamida Parker, Aparna Pujar, Jim Cunningham, Monica Gupta, thank you all for helping us navigate a very difficult-to-navigate city. You were generous hosts to us.

In Sydney, Australia—Karen Lawson, thank you for your endless enthusiasm, humor, and boundless energy. Thank you, George Moskos, for your additional help with the blokes, and your good humor about it all, and a thank-you to Bernard Salt, for giving me so much of his time for a long, hilariously depressing interview. And a special thanks to Genevieve Read, now Genevieve Morton, whom I've never met, but inspired me so.

In Beijing, I must thank two ladies, Chen Chang and Stephanie Giambruno, for all their help making Beijing one of the most memorable trips of my life. And for Chang, for her bravely honest insights. I'd like to thank Han Bing for his additional help and Nicole Wachs for being the best companion an aunt could ever ask for.

And overall, my research and this book would not have been possible if it wasn't for Margie Gilmore and her relentless, tireless persistence, and Deanna Brown for her faith in us both. Margie, thank you again for giving me the world.

In the U.S., I need to thank the people who were there when this was just a germ of an idea and were ready to help. Mark Van Wye, Andrea Ciannavei, Shakti Warwick—and Garo Yellin, for that night when he figured it all out for me.

During the writing of this book, thank you Craig Carlisle, Kathleen Dennehy, and my savior Kate Brown.

And then to those without whom I would be nothing: Andy Barzvi for being the pushiest, most delightful agent a girl could ever ask for, it's all her fault, every last bit of it; my editor Greer Hendricks—I'm still trying to figure out what great thing I did to deserve her; and to my publisher Judith M. Curr, I'm still learning how lucky I am that she's in charge.

Thank you to my sushi and story ladies for being ready and willing to go way beyond the call of duty. Thank you to Marc Korman and Julien Thuan on whom I rely for everything. Thank you to John Carhart for all his hard work and good humor, even when he hates me. A special big international thank-you to Nadia Dajani, for taking this journey with me and being a witness to it all—and I mean all of it. The world would not have been so much fun without you. A special thank-you to Michael Patrick King, because he started it all, and will get a special thank-you always. And to all my friends and family, whose encouragement irritated me so, thank you for your patience with me. I am nothing without you.