I'm an artsy gal who finds that the places I like to hang out - art galleries and bookstores - aren't exactly hotbeds of eligible bachelors. That's where 18-month-old Social Circles fits the bill. This activity service organizes group activities in which the 700-plus members meet with anywhere from 7 to 25 new people on a given night. Once you join, you receive a monthly activity calendar of 30 to 40 events ranging from sky diving to swing dancing. After events, where chatting isn't allowed (such as plays), Social Circles typically plans an informal gathering at a bar and ensures that the ratio of men to women is roughly equal. According to the owners, Graham McAden and Jose de Lasa, the key is providing opportunities. "The point isn't to put you on a date, but to put you in an environment where you can meet potential friends and dating partners who share your interests," says McAden.

For my first Social Circles outing, I attended a Mets game. Unfortunately my fellow members were mostly die-hard fans more interested in watching the scoreboard than getting to first base with me. But my second activity, a salsa dancing lesson at a Tribeca studio was great. Rotating dance partners provided the opportunity for some very brief eye contact with every man in the room. I saw a few cuties, including a guy with light blue eyes with whom I chatted afterwards over wine and cheese though neither of us made a move.

For my final evening with Social Circles, a group of went to see De La Guarda, the show in which cast members swing on trapezes over the audience. Afterwards, we gathered for drinks at Candela, a restaurant around the corner. A handsome real estate attorney struck up a conversation with me, I gave him my number, and we went out a few times. The first date was great, the second mysteriously uncomfortable; on our third meeting he stood me up. He later apologized profusely, and I obsessed about whether to give him another chance, then decided to forget the entire episode. Nevertheless, the activities were a lot of fun.