Smirting and Hot Human Rights Activist

LONDON, United Kingdom

July 23, 2007 (Tuesday)

It all started in Dublin, Ireland, in 2004 when the smoking ban was introduced. Smirting is basically flirting while smoking; it is one of these words like fragmeration from fragmentation and integration. Anyway, I have noticed that so many people are outside bars, cafés and pubs smoking and having fun.

People are using cigarettes as a tool for social networking. Asking for a lighter or a spare cigarette is one of the few pick-up lines. I was smirting with Nathan couple of weeks ago. Here is reminder of that:

"...I was desperate to get home when a hot stud approached me. It was Nathan, American-born half-Norwegian and half-Chinese from Los Angeles. One cigarette turned into many more and we were making out in his hotel suite on the Piccadilly..."

In essence, you have about three minutes to sell yourself during that smoke date, so to say. It is a smoker to smoker pulling and, in a way, the smoking ban turned into a bonus activity for singletons of the capital. The street life livened up and people are chatting with each other rather than acting indecisive indoors.

For those who would like to try smirting, here are few places that could be fun to check out depending on what kind of crowd you like.

Media people usually smirt at The White Horse on Newburgh Street. Gay smirters highly recommend the Rupert Street Bar in Soho. If you are into Australians, New Zealanders or South Africans then The Walkabout in Shepherd's Bush is a good location to flirt while having a fag. For fans of Latin looks, Café Kick on Shoreditch High Street is worth trying. Fashion divas, cinema fans and admirers of architecture are welcome to smirt in Shoreditch House on Ebor Street. If you want to hook up with a City professional, then Le Coq D'Argent in the City is perfect for you. However, you can smirt anywhere as long as there is a potential date and chemistry, and, of course, a cigarette.

Today I have met with Anton. He is a London-based Russian human rights activist. Anton is a very handsome young man with striking dark eyes coupled with intelligence. I guess Mother Russia was generous with some. Our date was somewhat in a Russian-style with laughs, tea and some sweets. He was not too tall but taller than me. It turned out that he had somewhat similar educational and ethnic background as Michael, my former boyfriend in America. Anton's first degree was in Physics and is a Jew. Michael had Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and is Jew as well. Both of them are now in law and human rights. For some reasons, I was always attracted to Jews subconsciously despite I never agreed with Israel's policy towards Palestine.

At some point during our rendezvous I felt like I was on of these reality shows where a bachelor interviews all potential candidates. I thought he was evaluating my looks and me overall. We sat tête-à-tête and I could see some parts of his body. I was satisfied with what I saw. Man, that dark hair, eloquent and flawless Russian speech, his smile and our freedom of press talks were surely checking all the ticks. He was dressed trendy and relaxed; his apartment was very clean and there was a vase full of fresh roses on the table. Matryoshkas, Russian wooden dolls, portraying Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, Nikita Khrushchev, Leonid Brezhnev and Mikhail Gorbachev, caught my attention. Anton is a native of Siberia where my ancestors come from. After a nice afternoon, we gave each other a tight hug (melting) and agreed to meet very soon. I cannot wait to our next meeting.

Happy smirting,

~ζ