Porsche. Ferrari. Rolls Royce. Given the antics of Ben Simmons (and your neighbour who just spent his son’s inheritance on a flashy sports car) you could be forgiven for thinking Australia’s high rollers were all about that not-so-subtle vehicular flex. New data from Roy Morgan, however, has tipped that theory on its head, with a surprise winner emerging from their latest investigation into the car brands in Australia with the highest customer satisfaction ratings for August 2019.

Numero uno on the Car Manufacturer of the Month Award for August 2019, with a “near perfect” customer satisfaction record, is Lexus, with the remarkably high customer satisfaction rating of 97% – a record on top of an already impressive five and a half year period during which Lexus has maintained a satisfaction rating between 94% and 98%.

The results from the most recent Automotive Brand Customer Satisfaction Report show Lexus was followed by Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Suzuki, Land Rover, Subaru and Toyota (all of which had customer satisfaction ratings of 94%), then Mazda, Isuzu Ute and Volvo (all on 93%).

These satisfaction ratings come from the Roy Morgan Single Source survey, which conducts analysis via in-depth face-to-face interviews with over 50,000 Australians each year in their homes. In response to the findings, Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine said that competitive industries provide the greatest benefit to individual consumers, and the fierce Australian car market demonstrates that.

“The wide-ranging choice that consumers have with vehicle brand, make, size, power and comfort, as well as a selection of cars from all over the world, has contributed to an industry with extremely high levels of customer satisfaction,” she said.

“Lexus’s customer satisfaction rating of 97% is 3% higher than next placed Kia on 94%. While this lead may appear minor, it isn’t. The satisfaction ratings of the following nine leading car manufacturers are separated by only 1%, which shows how significant Lexus’s lead currently is.”

“Compared with a year ago, both Lexus and Volvo have enjoyed the largest increase in satisfaction ratings with a 3% lift. Isuzu Ute – the 2018 Car Manufacturer of the Year – experienced the biggest decline of 3%. All other leading manufacturers remained relatively steady,” Ms. Levine added.

Lexus’ August win was its seventh straight monthly award this year, earning the brand the annual customer satisfaction award for 2019. Lexus has now won five of these since its inaugural win in 2014, and doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.

So far so promising. But how do you tell if a Lexus is right for you? And what does a typical Lexus driver look like? Not to worry: the survey has this all covered too, revealing that the typical Lexus driver is a 35-49 year old man, who lives in New South Wales. He’d also be educated, employed, and far more likely than the average Australian to be earning over $100,000 per year.

More generally speaking, Lexus drivers tend to be professionals and managers, top socio-economic dogs, and big spenders. Unsurprisingly, given their relatively secure financial situation, most of them are optimistic about the future.

Also noteworthy is that Lexus drivers tend to be, as Roy Morgan puts it, “socially aware” and “visible achievers,” traits which account for over half of all Lexus drivers. In other words: Lexus customers tend to hold traditional values about home, work and society, placing great emphasis on providing their families with a high-quality environment, and doing their bit for the environment and society.

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• 21 Things We Loved & Loathed About Porsche’s $271,000 Purist Carrera T
• Ben Simmons’ Bespoke New Rolls Royce Is Slicker Than A No-Look Buzzer Beater

The post New Data Reveals The Car Brand Australian 'High Rollers' Trust Most appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

In this fast-paced world of LinkedIn gurus and ambitious Tinder profiles, slovenliness is a cardinal sin. However, as the BBC recently pointed out, allowing yourself to be bored could be the key to modern-day creative success.

Before you shut your laptop, open Candy Crush and book your flights to the next Pulitzer prize ceremony, however, Sandi Mann, a senior psychology lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK has a warning for you: if you’re looking to truly boost your creativity, that kind of ennui won’t cut it.

But before we get into that; a little context. What is boredom’s role in forming ideas? Here’s what Sandi told the BBC: “When you’re bored you tend to daydream and your mind wanders. And this is a very very important part of the creative process.”

“This is something that we can apply to our day to day lives because if you find you’re stuck on a problem or you’re really worried about something and you don’t seem to be able to find a way out, take some time out, just be bored, let your mind wander, and you might just find that that creative solution will just pop into your head,” Sandi continues.

The problem is, most of us have incredibly low boredom thresholds since we spend most of the day working, listening to podcasts, chilling to music or watching Netflix, right up to the point we go to sleep (and then we wonder why our heads are suddenly bursting with existential thoughts every time we lay down).

The solution, according to Sandi, is to embrace boredom: “Stop swiping and scrolling [y]our boredom away – what we tend to do is when we’ve got a bit of downtime is that we get our phones out, our devices out and… we’re afraid to let boredom into our lives.”

“We get a dopamine hit from new and novel experiences, and of course everything that is stimulating is new and novel – and so the more we have the more we need, and this lowers the threshold for boredom. So – paradoxically – the way to deal with boredom is to allow more of it into your life. Just put your phones away, let yourself be and just let your mind wander – that’s really important so that you can get used to it and learn to manage it yourself.”

This notion is backed up by a study conducted in 2014, conducted by John Eastwood, Jessica Sciarafa and Maggie E Toplak and Corey Jerritsen at York University in Canada, which, among other things, revealed that there are two types of boredom.

As reported by the BBC, “Boredom often goes with a naturally impulsive mindset among people who are constantly looking for new experiences. For these people, the steady path of life just isn’t enough of a rollercoaster to hold their attention.”

“The second kind of bored people,” the BBC reported, “Have almost exactly the opposite problem; the world is a fearful place, and so they shut themselves away and try not to step outside their comfort zone… While this retreat might offer some comfort, they are not always satisfied with the safety it offers – and chronic boredom results.”

While we are firm believers in engaging in a little 90-minute meditation with the Champions League, if you want to think of a wittier Instagram bio or come up with that genius start-up idea, the science says you’d be better off being the ‘second kind’ of bored.

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• Why Being Antisocial Could Make You More Successful At Life, According To Researchers
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The post Why Being Bored Actually Makes You More Creative, According To Researchers appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

After Uluru closed to tourists last month, there are now a number of indigenous groups around the world looking to follow suit with their own sacred sites. Chief among them is the Bundjalung people, the traditional owners of Mt Warning (a popular hiking spot set amongst northern NSW’s Tweed ranges), who are now launching a renewed bid for the mountain’s closure to tourists.

The mountain, also known as Wollumbin, is highly popular with tourists, especially bushwalkers. But as the SBS recently reported, there has been a recent push to have access to Mt Warning shut off, since Uluru has been withdrawn from climbers’ itineraries worldwide.

 

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A post shared by MAI | Travelling Filmmaker (@mai.roper) on Nov 1, 2019 at 1:42am PDT

As Bundjalung Elder Robert Corowa recently told The Courier Mail, Uluru’s closure has given his community new hope.

“I am very motivated by what I’ve seen at Uluru … we’ve been trying to pull the chains down and stop people climbing it for years.”

He says visitors to Mt Warning show disrespect and traditional owners are worried about how the sacred spot is treated, with some hikers even going as far as to defecate on the mountain.

“It makes me really sad to watch people climbing it. I don’t want to let people think they’ve got the right.”

However, as Mt Warning attracts up to 100,000 visitors annually, Rainforest Park Manager Mark Bourchier told The Courier Mail, there was much for him to consider before closing the site.

“If we go shutting the mountain, I can see there would be way less visitors to the area.”

 

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A post shared by Hannah Maree (@spring_beans) on Oct 25, 2019 at 5:32pm PDT

Mt Warning’s closure has been a topic of council discussion for years, with The Tweed Shire Councillor Warren Polglase reportedly saying that serious action could now be taken, in light of the closure of Uluru, which has been in effect since October the 25th.

 

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A post shared by The Pink Hotel Coolangatta (@thepinkhotelcoolangatta) on Oct 25, 2019 at 5:27pm PDT

Influencers beware. What we’re calling ‘the Uluru effect’ is gaining momentum. So treat sites with a little more respect, and maybe we’ll be able to come to a happier compromise for everyone.

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• Indonesia Slaps Tourists With $1,000 Fee To Visit This Famous Island 
• The Embarrassing Mistake Every Australian Tourist Makes In Europe

The post 'The Uluru Effect': Another Popular Australian Attraction Faces Potential Tourist Ban appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Being healthy in 2019 is much like following the correct god back in the middle ages. Place your allegiance with one and be struck down by the other. And while you might not get publically lambasted for your penchant for red meat and white bread in 2019 (or, who knows, walk past the wrong cafe and you just might), there is an equivalent socio-cultural war raging with vegans on one side and low-carb carnivores on the other.Enter: Graeme Tomlinson, an evidence-based nutrition coach (also known as The Fitness Chef) who has made a name for exposing the worst nutrition myths many people – but particularly the diet-conscious – still believe. In particular, he has set himself against the self-proclaimed ‘wellness gurus’ of the world and no-where better illustrates this than a graphic he recently posted to Instagram.

 

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It’s Monica & Peter’s anniversary. It’s been a successful period of companionship. To mark the occasion Peter books a table at a new pop up restaurant called ‘how to eat fitness industry style.’ ⁣ ⁣ They enter to an eery ambiance, a sea of empty tables, candles ebbing towards their struggling demise. To the left stands a man with his arms proudly placed behind his back. “Hello, my name is Bastardo, and I’m your vaiter this evening” “Please, sit.” He presents menus. “I vill be back in a jiff”. Bastardo walks through a set of double doors before returning immediately in a cloud of smoke… and a vampire coat. ⁣ ⁣ Monica and Peter’s eyes meet. Alarmed, they open their menu’s. ⁣ ⁣ Grilled bark branch with slug purée (carb free)⁣ ⁣ Cardboard and fabric softener salad (protein free) ⁣ ⁣ Freshly regurgitated hairball with glass trimmings (sugar free)⁣ ⁣ Today’s special: poached head ⁣ ⁣ The small print at the bottom reads: *Must eat something from this menu or face catastrophic fat gain*⁣ ⁣ Bastardo returns. “Veylll, have vee decided yet?” Peter enquires, “Why are your options free from carbs, fat and protein? And why do we have to eat at all?” Bastardo replies, “vecause carbz spike insulinz and make you fayyyt. Vecause fayyyt makes you fayyyt. Vecause proteinz ruins your organziz and proteinz shakesez makes you fayyyt. Vecause sugarz feeds diseasez and makes you fayyyt. And vecause if you don’t eat you vill go into starvation mode vitch makes you fayyyt. And vecause if you don’t eat here I vill eat you alive.” ⁣ ⁣ Realising the peril of the situation, Peter confidently announces, “We’ll take 2 poached heads please”. Bastardo twiddles his fingers, “Excellent choice sir, I vill notify the chef.” ⁣ ⁣ Bastardo disappears through the double doors. Peter nods to Monica. They both stand up and head for the exit. Alas, locked. “Going somevere?”. They turn to see Bastardo holding a set of keys and a meat cleaver.⁣ ⁣ Monica digs deep into her pockets to find a frutella. She throws it at Bastardo as a last gasp attempt to foil the satanic restuaranteer. Only for him to shatter into pieces. Freedom at last. The door is opened. Risotto and glazed donuts await.

A post shared by Graeme Tomlinson (@thefitnesschef_) on Aug 5, 2019 at 12:13pm PDT

While other nutrition coaches like Max Lugavere question Graeme’s calorie-based philosophy (they claim that, though Graeme may be scientifically correct, if you focus on eating whole foods then you won’t need to count calories anyway as you’ll be too full to eat too much), Graeme still makes a good point in that, realistically, you are never going to have the perfect diet, so you may as well enjoy your imperfections and keep track of them, rather than eating whole foods and binging on Oreos (for example) willy nilly.Graeme also, in his satirical takedown of ‘how to eat fitness industry style,’ exposes the contradictory ‘no fat, no carbs, no meat, no sugar’ demands of the various modern diets. Of course, different diets limit different substances, and people with different levels of physical activity in their daily lives will have similarly different dietary needs (see below), but the point remains: as long as you count your calories, and eat what you know to be healthy (most of the time) you can forget the rest of the zealous mumbo jumbo.

 

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If you don’t eat carbs because you’re under the impression that doing so will result in more fat loss than a carb inclusive diet, you are mistaken. ⁣ ⁣ As low carb dietitians and doctors instruct you to toddle off to buy your allotted protein as fats, proudly walking out of the supermarket free from pleasurable carb rich foods, they do so from a place of ignorance towards scientific research. Or bat sh*t mental interpretations of it to fit their narrative (and their bank account). ⁣ One is the claim that more weight can be lost on a low carb diet. Whilst this may be technically correct, this is merely initial reductions in water weight from reduced glycogen storage. That said, if a low carb diet introduced a calorie deficit, fat mass would also reduce. But not because of omission of carbs, because of a calorie deficit. ⁣ ⁣ High fat/low carb has risen to prominence over the last 20-30 years. This is essentially incessant consumption of fat and painfully low consumption of carbs. The illusion here being the promise of a superior ‘fat burning’ state called ketosis. But as fat is the only immediate energy source available, the fat burned here is simply dietary fats consumed by the wheelbarrow, not total body fat. The latter is defined by an energy deficit with any ratio of macronutrients.⁣ ⁣ The most recent meta analysis by Hall & Guo in 2018 concluded that as long as calories and protein were equated, low carb or low fat diets were virtually the same regarding fat loss. In fact, results showed that low fat diets among subjects resulted in greater fat loss, though the difference was too negligible to be significant. This rigorously proves (for now) that those concerned about eating carb rich foods don’t need to be. ⁣ ⁣ The next time somebody tells you that you can’t eat carbs if you want to achieve your compositional goals, you have my permission to instruct them to climb into a bin loaded with butter, to fester there forevermore whilst you enjoy a mix of nutritious and delicious foods that can support your optimal diet. -⁣ -⁣ #carbs #lowcarb #bread #losefat #weightlosstips #flexiblediet #nutritioncoach #keto #atkins #carbsaregood #caloriedeficit #dieting

A post shared by Graeme Tomlinson (@thefitnesschef_) on Oct 20, 2019 at 10:44am PDT

The takeaway? Risotto and glazed doughnuts, of course. Oh, and if you are interested in more detailed breakdowns of the two trending diets of this era, we have left them down below.

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The post Nutrition Coach Exposes The Biggest Myths 'Wellness Gurus' Still Promote In 2019 appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

A few months ago Timex re-released one of their 40-year-old classic steel men’s watch models. The TIMEX Q is a quartz watch that has touches of some of today’s’ most exclusive models. Like that Rolex inspired Pepsi bezel which people just can’t get enough of. So much so the Timex Q sold out in minutes last week via the Timex US website.

First released in 1979, our original diver-inspired Q Timex gave a new generation a modern Timex® watch with quartz technology. A true reissue, we recreated every detail—including the true-to-the-era woven stainless-steel bracelet, functional battery hatch, rotating top ring, luminescent paint and ticking inside is a modern quartz movement.

We’re here to tell you it’s back for a limited time at Huckberry. 

The Timex Q is one such model and it dropped overnight and can be yours for $180. Best hurry up before it sells out again. 

Buy The Timex Q  $180

The post The Rolex Pepsi Inspired 'Q Timex' Is Back In Stock appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Yesterday evening, Donald Glover (also known as Childish Gambino), the man who was responsible for the controversial hit This Is America and the TV series Atlanta attended the 2019 LACMA Art + Film Gala at LACMA in Los Angeles. The LACMA Art + Film Gala invited notables from the art, film, fashion, and entertainment industries to honour American artist Betye Saar and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón.The likes of John Legend, Jared Leto and Ricky Martin were all in attendance. Normally this would be no big deal. However, considering the event (now in its 9th year) is sponsored by Gucci, you can be sure that shit’s going to get weird.Let’s start with Jared Leto. Always draped in Gucci, he’s like their mascot. Yes, darling. The terms ‘ambassador’ and ‘friend of the brand’ are so 2018. It’s all about mascots now. His tuxedo jacket and wide-legged trousers were complimented with a deep v-neck t-shirt and white Cuban heeled chelsea boots. Gucci is all about gender-neutral fashion, so it’s fitting Jared’s jacket was worn by a woman during their recent runway collection. That’s progress.https://www.instagram.com/p/B4ZMHcggHlKMore importantly, it was Childish Gambino who gave us a masterclass on how to do black tie when you can’t be bothered going full black tie. In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past three years, the bold dinner jacket is all the rage. Gambino opted for a silk floral print tuxedo jacket (which looks more Tom Ford than Gucci) paired with cropped black trousers, brown Gucci court shoes and an open-collared pussy bow shirt. In other words: more progress.This look isn’t strictly black-tie but for a creative approach to an often boring dress code, it’s a suitable substitute. But can you wear brown shoes with black trousers or a tuxedo? We explain that here if you’re interested.Other guests like Tyler, The Creator decided to throw the dress code out the window, opting for shorts and a bucket hat. Feels like Pharrell did this vibe a long time ago.https://www.instagram.com/p/B4YxkPVAd2z/As we said: it may involve a number of – if worn incorrectly – highly questionable looks. But we’d say they just about pulled it off. Right for all the wrong reasons and we are low-key loving it. Take note gents: fashion (or at least, everyone except Tyler, The Creator, who seems intent on mimicking Parrell) is moving forward.

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The post Childish Gambino’s Controversial Shirt Is Right For All The Wrong Reasons appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

It’s not a sickly sex act; it’s worse. ‘Honeypotting’ is one of the most twisted dating moves anyone can pull, and as ex-reality TV contestant, Suzi Taylor, recently demonstrated upon a rather unfortunate 33-year-old man in New Farm, Brisbane, it is also one that can lead to extortion charges.

But what exactly is ‘honeypotting’? While Urban Dictionary calls it an out-there bedroom move, in this age of Tinder roulette, ‘honeypotting’ now refers to something else: seducing someone into your flat or house, only to give them much more than they bargained for.

As demonstrated by 2015 The Block contestant, Suzi Taylor, who appeared in court on Friday and was charged with extorting her Tinder date and holding him against his will, ‘honeypotting’ can range from blackmail to extortion.

As News.com.au reported on Friday, “Suzi Taylor, who won $349,000 with friend Yvonne Cosier in season 11 of Nine’s hit reality series [in 2015], is accused of luring her victim via Tinder and then allegedly assaulting him for money, in what is known as ‘honeypotting’.”

“She had her bail refused today when she appeared in court with her 22-year-old associate, Ali Ebrahimi.”

“Seated in the dock wearing prison greens and no shoes, her solicitor said Ebrahimi was the principal offender. Magistrate John McGrath, however, said given her involvement in the attack of the man, she was at risk of reoffending,” the News.com.au report continued.

The ABC reported on the case too, reporting that Suzi, a former Penthouse model, “allegedly kicked the man as well as punched him multiple times in the face, while yelling ‘give me my money, give me my money.'”

“She and Mr Ebrahimi then allegedly forced him to undertake an online transaction, stole his bank card and withdrew a sum of money.”

As the ABC reported, Suzi and her accomplice “were charged with one count each of extortion with intent to gain benefit with threat of detriment, deprivation of liberty, assault occasioning bodily harm and possessing dangerous drugs.”

The ABC also reported that the magistrate refused her bail request, ruling her risk of re-offending as “simply unacceptable.” In response (it would seem) to the ruling, Suzie posted the following to Instagram, in what appears to be an act of contrition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Suzi Taylor (@suzitaylorofficial) on Jul 8, 2019 at 2:42pm PDT

Suzie’s followers were not all sympathetic, with many urging her to get her life together. As for us? We’d advise her to, after she has served her punishment, use her ‘honeypotting’ skills for good – like the Australian investigator Miss Honey Potter, who uses hers to (legally) catch cheating spouses red-handed.

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The post ‘Honeypotting’: The Creepiest Dating Trend Yet appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Rob Lowe may have risen to fame as a babyface heartthrob, but as the years tick by (and his peers fall into dermatological despair), his face remains better preserved than an Ancient Egyptian cat.Lowe appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday, stepping out in a sharp black suit with black oxfords and a solid gold Rolex GMT-Master II.

Not one to waste an outfit, he put on a good show, opening up about his friendship with Arnold Schwarzenegger with the same charisma with which he has impersonated Paul McCartney (and talked about amputating an arm) during previous Jimmy Kimmel appearances.The actor looked comfortable in his fitted black suit, proudly rocking the ‘skinny tie’ look of the noughties (which is now making a resurgence). Oh, and despite the rise of smart-watches in day-to-day life, Lowe’s Rolex GMT Master II provides a timely reminder that, when it comes to formal events, the modern gent is always best advised to wear a classy timepiece.

Lowe has been nominated for six Golden Globes and awarded two Screen Actor Guilds (and recently starred in Holiday In The Wild), but his greatest achievement to date is his vampire-like ability to never age.Hence the commotion around his new skincare range, PROFILE | Cobal: a youth preserving, affordable luxury skincare line for the active man, which he launched in October. The line capitalises on the male market’s growing interest in skincare, and features seven products that cost between AU$12 and AU$17, including a face scrub, shave gel, face wash and an SPF30 face moisturizer.

 

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A post shared by Cobalt By Rob Lowe (@cobaltbyroblowe) on Oct 31, 2019 at 10:47am PDT

All up, Rob’s Jimmy Kimmel ensemble (and fresh face) hold two lessons for the fashion-forward gent. First: don’t be afraid to recycle old trends, as long as you do so with pizzaz. And second: age is all in the mind (and in how much you are willing to invest in your skin). So quit whining and – if you notice your complexion start to sag – take action.

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The post Rob Lowe's Rolex Flex Is Proof The 55 Year Old Still Has Game appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

From Berghain’s buxom cocktails to Brandenburg’s arches, Berlin has many attractions. Many of the 40 million yearly visitors, however, seek a different type of Prussian experience. So far so Tinder tourism. The problem is, whether you’re coming from Australia, America, the UK, or even a closer neighbour like Belgium or France, there are a few rules to remember when entering Berlin’s underground dating scene.The question then, for wannabe-Bavarians, is how do you navigate this? Whether you’re a blow-in with a bar job, a mid-life cris-ee with a visa or a blogger with a Hemingway complex, this article will (try) to help you find love. Or at least to understand why you are currently sitting alone in your apartment eating Saurkraut for one.How? With the help of Alemannic dating experts (and expats). So: whether you are an American overstaying your Schengen, an illegal Australian, or a Brit with a lust for life, here’s everything you need to know about dating in the hipster city that is revolutionary in some ways and stuck in the early oughties in others.

Approach directly, but not with a personal question

Whether you’re in the infamous Berghain nightclub or Cafe Berlin, try to start conversations with direct questions that are not too personal. In other words: find the balance between being open-minded, but also not beating around the bush. As Love Derani, an international dating advice website says of German culture, “They prefer a direct question [over] anything, and prefer people who speak their mind freely. Germans [are] rarely offended by these kinds of questions, and they definitely will give you the same straightforward answer.”

“But if you just meet him or her, or it hasn’t been to long after both of you meet, don’t ask a very personal question.”

Be ready to expand your horizons

Dating in Berlin? Don’t shy away from topics that you might otherwise avoid on a first encounter at home. As many expats attest, while shooting the breeze over the latest Netflix special might help you develop rapport in Australia and America, light conversation is not so much of a thing in Germany, and especially not Berlin, where everyone likes to consider themselves an amateur diplomat.This means, while breaking the ice and small talk are still obviously valuable assets, you have license to move beyond this stage in your relationship into the more interesting topics more quickly, and even broach those taboo topics you might not touch back home (ie. brush up on your politics, economics, and business conaissance).Also, speaking of expanding your horizons, many British expats have been shocked by the prevalence of polyamory in Berlin. While it is still not mainstream in any sense, it is still something to be aware of.

But also, don’t pretend to be something your not

Every travel blogger and his WordPress likes to repeat the line that you need to be worldly and sophisticated to impress a Berliner. But the truth is, as anywhere in the world, personality reigns supreme. In other words, your passion for fashion and origami, if expressed playfully and with a smile, could be more attractive to a German than your regurgitation of Wikipedia’s take on Brexit.

Drop truth bombs

Every country has their own etiquette. While this means editing to truth to save face (yours or theirs) in some countries, Germans – and particularly Berliners – are known for their penchant for avoiding white lies. The positive? You don’t have to pretend to like your new German partner’s clingy best friend. The negative? They don’t have to pretend to like you.Also, as Love Derani points out, this means that you shouldn’t be too shocked if your partner criticises you then goes on as if nothing had just happened. “Don’t expect him [or her] to say only nice thing[s] about you. For example, he picked you up from your place and you asked, “How do I look today?”. If he said you are beautiful, [that] means he thinks that you really are. But if he said that you put on too much makeup, you have to seriously consider it on your next date.”

Don’t assume Berlin is one massive sex club

It may have a reputation for illicit substances, bondage-happy discotheques and all-night raves but the locals of Berlin are – day to day – actually pretty chill. Sure, we all like to let our hair down every now and then (and they live in one of the best cities in the world to do it), but when you think about it the only ones who can afford to regularly pull three-day nocturnal expeditions are tourists (or those who don’t have a full-time job).

Don’t mistake shyness for disinterest

As The Local, a European travel and news website points out, “When a German single is on a date with someone from abroad, we seem a little reserved or shy in the beginning because we take time to get to know someone. We are also in general not too over-excited in the way we greet you and speak with you.”

“Don’t take this for a lack of interest, it’s just the way we are… But once we get to know you and we like you or, even better, we fall in love with you, we open up a lot. We open up our hearts by telling you about our families, our friends, and our inner thoughts.”

Don’t hide your sense of humour

Forget the Fawlty Towers stereotypes; Germans love a smart joke as much as anyone. It’s just that the language and cultural barrier over the years (plus the English loving to joke about some things the Germans don’t particularly like joking about) has led to Germany gaining a reputation for being humourless. While it might take longer to break the ice, it is worth the wait.

Don’t assume your date loves sausage (or jugs)

Especially in Berlin, where locals pride themselves on their metropolitan nature, you don’t need to trawl TripAdvisor for the best Saurkraut bar. Just take your date someplace cool or up and coming.

Equality is king

Massive generalisation? Sure. But compared to Italy, Spain and even France, by most accounts Germans and – particularly Berliners – are more apt to split the bill.

Don’t rely on Tinder

Finding love (of some kind or another) online is what you might call ~trending~ all over the world. Including for Berlin. However, from our observations, while these apps are great for meeting people, finding the right person for more than a casual fling is harder than ever which is why many Berliners reportedly “tend to take online partners not too serious, and prefer to find one in the real-life instead.”

Forget traditional dating expectations and go with the flow

Many expats have reported that Germans and especially Berliners are dismissive of the more traditional dating rules that are taking longer to die off in other countries (like wait x hours to text back, or save such and such for the third date).

Lose your inhibitions in the bedroom

While this is obviously something to consider on a person-by-person basis, generally speaking, Berliners are slightly less vanilla than some other cities around the world. In other words: saucier than Sydney, but less bonkers than Bourdeaux.

Be ready to feel at one with your body

One word: saunas. Of course, this is not a challenge you will likely face until you’ve been going out with someone a while, but it’s always best to be ready.

Punctuality is key

Want to get your hoch-deutsch on? Don’t be late.

Read Next

• Important Dating Rules You Need To Know Before Hooking Up In France
• Local Slang That Will Score You A Date On The Amalfi Coast

The post Rules You Need To Know Before Dating In Berlin appeared first on DMARGE Australia.