Best dates for: Intellectuals

The Library at 540 Park

Nerd out
Test the relative strengths of the Sicilian Defense and the Latvian Gambit in a match at the Village Chess Shop (230 Thompson St between Bleecker and W 3rd Sts; 212-475-9580, chess-shop.com; $2.50–$3 per hour). If you’re still feeling competitive, find an outlet at Social’s Monday night trivia (795 Eighth Ave between 48th and 49th Sts; 212-459-0643, socialbarnyc.com; 7–9pm) or the East Village History Project Trivia Night every first Friday at Bowery Poetry Club (308 Bowery between Bleecker and E Houston Sts; 212-614-0505, bowerypoetry.com; $6). Then it’s time to really blow minds. The Hayden Planetarium’s new space show, “Journey to the Stars” (American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St; 212-769-5200, amnh.org; $24, premieres Sat 4), will help prepare your honey for the supernova of love that awaits him or her after the program.

Tight-jeans, big-brains date
It’s often said that intellectuals live in an ivory tower, cogitating on Big Thoughts while being walled off from the realities of the world. New York might not have any actual ivory towers to visit, but it does have some White Castles. Start your date at the one in Williamsburg (781 Metropolitan Ave at Humboldt St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn; whitecastle.com).

Next, head to the Bedford Avenue bookstore Spoonbill & Sugartown Booksellers (218 Bedford Ave at North 5th St; 718-387-7322, spoonbillbooks.com). There you can show off your vast—yet tastefully offhand—knowledge of literary classics past and present. Take your gently used copy of Sentimental Education over to Atlas Café (116 Havemeyer St at Grand St; 718-782-7470, atlas-cafe.com), and sit quietly, sipping coffee and reading with your date. Now you don’t even have to think of interesting things to say!

The memorize-fun-facts-before-you-go date
You might not be, financially speaking, able to impress prospective dates with your collection of original paintings, but you can brush up on modern-art talking points and head to the Whitney Museum of American Art (945 Madison Ave at 75th St; 212-570-3600, whitney.org; $15). Through September 1, the museum is showing a retrospective of Dan Graham, one of New Jersey’s finest artists. Continue the brainiac lovefest at The Library at 540 Park (540 Park Ave at 61st St; 212-339-4050, loewshotels.com) inside the Loews Regency Hotel, for some food and good-natured date debate about the legacy of Keynes vis-à-vis Milton Friedman, or the party habits of David Hume.—DT

Moonlight romance

Thrill-seeker

Foodie

Intellectual

Indier-than-thou

First dates

Naughty

Artsy

Nature

Touristy

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