The Favorite Flower Question and a Tulip Festival

It’s a question that often comes up on a second or third date. An innocent question with a more innocent answer:

What’s your favorite flower?

west-side-tulip-festival-nyc

The follow up question always pops up in my head but I never ask it aloud: Will you actually use this information? Are there flowers in our future?

Do you have a spread sheet in a secret folder on your computer? One that lists the name of ever lady you’ve dated with columns for “Favorite Flower”, “Favorite Candy”, “Favorite Sex Position”? It might not be such a bad idea. Because once you ask, kind sir, know that I shall be disappointed if/when you forget my answer.

For any gentlemen callers actually reading, you’re in luck. This blog notoriously provides a cheat-sheet on dating me.

Tulips. My favorite flowers are tulips.

And lucky for me, my favorite flower is all over New York City this time of year.

West Side Community Garden Tulip Festival uws

Unlike my bemoaned lack of a Magnolia Festival, there is an official celebration for my favorite flower! Every spring the West Side Community Garden hosts a Tulip Festival. Seeing as no man in my life is currently showering me with flowers, I had to go check it out.

Who am I kidding, I would’ve gone even if I had a fella who filled my entire apartment with tulips every weekend! (Cheat sheet: NOT suggesting you do that!)

West Side Community Garden Tulip Festival

West Side Community Garden Tulip Festival

Surprise #1: tulips alive and basking in the sunshine are much prettier than those cut and confined to a vase.

Surprise #2: I’m not the only person in NYC obsessed with tulips. Tulip enthusiasts flocked to West 89th Street in droves. None of us were disappointed. These brightly colored beauties put on a festival worthy show. Just by being themselves.

west-side-garden-nyc

They’re pretty, pretty, purple, yellow, red, and pink selves.

tulip-festival

tulips-uws

Sunshine on tulips and pups with their misters

Walks in the park, wearing shoes with no blisters

west-side-garden-tulip-festival

Slushy gray winters that melt into springs

These are a few of my favorite things.

west-side-community-garden

West Side Community Garden

What are a few of your favorite flowers? Do you ask people you’re dating what their favorites are and make a point to remember? Anyone willing to admit to a spreadsheet?

Also, flowers seem to be such a gendered gift. I feel confident saying: Many women like receiving flowers. I do not feel I can say the same about men. Do you agree? Am I wrong? Has anyone ever bought a man a bouquet? If you are a man, have you ever received one? How did you/do you think you’d react, dudes?

I once wanted to give a man I’d been dating two months something to congratulate him on a exciting new job promotion. Flowers didn’t seem right. Other options- dinner, a bottle of scotch- seemed too big for where we were in the relationship. I ended up not getting him anything, which was the right choice given that he ghosted me a week later. But I still want to know- what’s the dude-gift equivalent of flowers? Tell me your thoughts.

tulip-festival-garden-nyc

Thanks for reading! Until we meet next post! Or check me out on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat @newyorkcliche! Or pressure me to reply in the comment section #ThingsImWorkingOn

Advertisements

About New York Cliche

NYC lifestyle blog by Mary Lane. Events, adventures, epic mistakes, dating, life, humor. A 30-something trying to make it (and make out) in the city of dreams.

4 thoughts on “The Favorite Flower Question and a Tulip Festival

  1. Dude equivalent to flowers is a growler of really good IPA. But, that might just be a PNW kinda thing. (:

  2. I have gotten a bouquet of flowers from someone exactly one time. I’m actually a “buy my lady flowers for no reason” sort of guy, so when I was with an ex, I half-joking, said I’d like flowers for my birthday. My girlfriend at the time then sent a bouquet of blue roses to me at work and it was kind of hilarious but also a really sweet gesture.

    Besides the usual “buy him his favorite beer/booze” idea, I think a good equivalent would be surprising your guy by wearing lingerie. That could just be me.
    Demetrius – Tao of Indifference recently posted…Stop making excuses for your bad dating habitsMy Profile

  3. My ex-husband/current boyfriend (long story) had a really, REALLY bad day at work last Monday and I brought home flowers. I think he loved it! He seemed surprised and really touched. I’d do it again…why not? Men are hard to buy little things for!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

CommentLuv badge