Trishna Patel

If you're a fabulously unattached Angeleno, the LA Marathon is the place to be, regardless of whether it falls on Valentine's Day—which this year it does. Here are five reasons why: 1. Hybrid cuties The Marathon route, from Dodger Stadium to the Santa Monica Pier, lends itself to a wide variety of city dwellers. Of course, you'll see and meet the typical neighborhood stereotypes, from hipster Silver Lake to fratty Santa Monica. However, the marathon allows for you to engage with more of an elusive LA hybrid. Think of it this way: Just as the neighborhoods start to change and blend, so does the pool of guys and gals. These are potential dates we can't label. (And when it comes to dating in LA, that's a good thing.) 2. Brunch views Boozy brunch is an essential part of any LA weekend. Throw in nearly 25,000 participants running along almost every major boulevard in the city and a slew of great restaurants, and you have yourself a real viewing party. (Favorites include: Intelligentsia, Homestate, The Eveleigh, St. Felix and Sugarfish, to name a few.) 3. Marriage proposals at mile 10 So if you do happen to hit it off with a "borderland hybrid" (see #1), meet them at the intersection of Hollywood and Vine. At mile 10 marker, both runners and spectators are "highly encouraged" to make their Valentine's Day memorable by getting married or renewing their vows. Fun to participate, but also pretty sweet just to watch. 4. Fitness with a side of philanthropy If you look past the heart-s

Meet the Electric Flight Crew (EFC). They're an exclusive, invite-only running club of hot, young, LA-based professionals with careers in medicine, law, media and tech, just to name a few. Every Tuesday night, the members—45 members in West LA and roughly 20 from West Hollywood—meet for custom-designed runs in their respective neighborhoods. After the workout, they enjoy well-deserved, guilt-free libations during a tradition called "No Shower Happy Hour." The group was co-founded by Jonathan Fitzgerald Patton and Dr. Josh Goldman, whose bromance began at UCLA. Patton sat down to dish on their exclusivity policy and plans for the future. How did living in Los Angeles factor into the birth of EFC? Living in LA makes it easy to get outdoors to workout with fun, large groups. Our year-round weather is second to none, and the fitness community is embraced by most Angelenos. We wanted to build a network outside the "typical model" of working out, then going home. So why not build a social fitness crew that get a hard workout in together, followed by drinks. Talk some more about the exclusiveness? How LA of you. Haha, so LA! It is invite only... but I'd like to think we're more "inclusively exclusive." The idea behind the exclusiveness is that we want to make sure we're attracting the right type of people who are active, successful in their fields and who want to make a positive impact in our community. One way to do that is to surround yourself with like-minded people. This goes bo

Los Angeles is the kind of city that attracts all types of people. Those people bring their hopes and dreams... and their issues and neuroses along with them. It's this kind of baggage that we Angelenos experience while trying to navigate LA's seemingly impossible dating scene, so as a local, I've come to learn that categorizing men (and women) is helpful, efficient and above all, necessary. Take the "Persistent Flaker," for example. Also known as a "PF," this dater not only flakes on you (everyone in LA has dealt with that) but also persistently badgers you to hang out. At first, it's oddly flattering. You excuse the behavior because there's always a follow up text expressing interest to hang out again and again. In fact, the more they flake, the more enthusiastic they become. In my experience, the acceptance of persistent flaking is a phenomenon unique to a bustling city like Los Angeles. You think, "Well, I get it, I'm busy too. After all, I have a job, a life AND I SoulCycle. If my PF is still willing to try, then so am I, right?" WRONG. Cut 'em out ASAP. Here are 5 signs you're dating one: 1. You make tentative plans... all the time. Most LA dating veterans understand that playing the tentative card sets a precedent that there are no real expectations. But according to one life-long PF (who asked to remain anonymous) it's the "non-committal understanding" that provokes them to maintain contact. 2. You find yourself getting idealistic. You get the feeling that the potenti