New York
A First Meeting in New York, Borough by Borough
New York has five boroughs and a free ferry run by the city. Ideas for a first meeting away from a loud bar, from the Conservatory Garden to Staten Island.
Introductions have started in Singapore. Other cities open one by one.
A loud bar is one option among many across five boroughs; here are a few others.
WeMet (wemet.dating) is a modern matchmaking service for adults in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the United States and Canada. No swiping and no chat: WeMet uses AI to choose one introduction a week, when there is someone who fits what you both said you want, and explains why before you see a photo. Introductions open city by city.
Manhattan: a formal garden and an elevated park
Central Park's formal garden is the Conservatory Garden, opened in 1937, with French, Italianate and English-style sections. The High Line, an elevated public park on a former rail line run by Friends of the High Line with NYC Parks, works for people who would rather walk and talk than sit still; it moves you past the city instead of through it. Bryant Park, managed by the Bryant Park Corporation, is a third option, though some of its events need a reservation ahead of time.
Brooklyn: Brooklyn Bridge Park on the East River
Brooklyn Bridge Park runs along the East River, and entry is free, per the park. That makes it an easy place to suggest without either of you weighing up a ticket first, and you can walk along the water. If gardens suit you better, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is ticketed, though its Eastern Parkway entrance is temporarily closed, so plan to arrive another way.
Queens: two waterfronts in Long Island City
Long Island City has two waterfront parks worth considering. Socrates Sculpture Park is a waterfront public-art park where the art itself gives you something to react to together. Gantry Plaza State Park keeps its restored gantries and looks straight across the water to the Manhattan skyline. Further into Queens, the Queens Museum sits inside the 1964 World's Fair New York City Pavilion in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, an option for a slower, indoor conversation.
The Bronx: two gardens
The New York Botanical Garden is ticketed; Wave Hill describes itself as "A public garden & cultural center". Either one gives a quiet, living backdrop for a first conversation, an alternative to a loud bar across the borough.
Staten Island: the ferry from Whitehall, then Snug Harbor
The Staten Island Ferry is a free service provided by the City of New York, running between Whitehall in Manhattan and St. George on Staten Island. On the Staten Island side, Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden combines museums and gardens, worth considering as a stop once you are off the boat.
Five boroughs, one country
You can join from New York at 18. New York runs on Eastern Time: clocks go back an hour at 2am on the first Sunday of November, forward again the second Sunday of March. Once introductions open, the letter follows that same clock — Wednesday evening, 7pm, three days to answer. Introductions stay inside whichever of the five countries you joined from, border or no border: someone in Toronto never shows up in a New York letter, however close it sits on the map. Say yes, both of you, and WeMet steps in to help plan a first meeting.
Questions
Could I be introduced to someone in another borough, or in New Jersey?
WeMet works out distance by postcode and travel time, not borough lines, so there is no promise either way inside the five boroughs. New Jersey is in the same country, so the border rule does not rule it out; whether someone there fits depends on travel time and what you both said you want. Canada is different: someone in Toronto never appears in a New York letter, however close it sits on the map.
Is the Staten Island Ferry a good first meeting?
It could work: it is a free service, per the city, and the ride gives you a shared view to talk about. Pair it with Snug Harbor on the Staten Island side if you want a stop to walk to afterward.
What time does the Wednesday letter arrive after the clocks change in November?
When introductions open in New York, the letter is timed to 7pm New York time on a Wednesday, before and after daylight saving ends at 2am on the first Sunday of November.
Do the five boroughs count as five different cities for WeMet?
No. Introductions open city by city, and WeMet works out distance from postcode and travel time rather than borough lines; the United States is one of the five countries WeMet serves.
Is WeMet open in New York yet?
Not yet. Introductions have not started in New York yet. Introductions have started in Singapore. Other cities open one by one. You can join, verify your phone and email, take the free quiz and build your profile in New York today, free of charge.
How does WeMet verify members who join from New York?
The same way everywhere: you verify your mobile number and email, then take a selfie that is compared with your main profile photo before anyone else sees you. WeMet never asks for a driver licence, passport or other government identification.
What age do I need to be to join from New York?
You need to be 18 or over. (A few US states set it at 19 or 21; New York does not.)
Where is my data stored if I join from New York?
In Australia, in Sydney. WeMet holds all its data there, whichever of the five countries you join from. Support is available every day, 09:00–21:00 Sydney time, in English and Chinese.
If introductions open in New York, how would the weekly letter work?
When introductions open where you live, WeMet writes to you once a week — at 7pm your time, US Eastern time (EDT/EST) in New York — only when there is someone who fits what you both said you want. You would have three days to decide, and some weeks there would be no one.