Washington Post Weekend Section January 21, 2000

Global Appeal by Eric Brace

In October I wandered into the Czech embassy for an evening sponsored by the D.C. Society of Young Professionals to see what kind of night life took place outside my familiar world of bars and clubs. That evening about 200 people, most between 25 and 35 years old, ate Czech food, drank Czech beer, heard a chat from an Embassy attache about the Czech Republic and heard some Czech music. I'd gone to a similar DCSYP event at the Indonesian embassy (wow! what a mansion!) in August and came away feeling pretty impressed at the scope of the events.

But when I spoke with some folks at the Czech embassy, the talk was mostly about how hard it was to be single in this town. And about how groups like the DCSYP were filling a gap for people who aren't inclined to hit smoky bars in hopes of finding their soul mates.

"When we were 24 or 25, going out to clubs was fun," says Greg Bland, the founder of DCSYP, "but now that we're hitting 28 and 29, we're wanting something more, a little classier." Bland himself is 29 and single, but just this week became engaged (not to someone he met at a DCSYP event). He formed his group late in 1998 when he realized that there was a need for something more in Washington. A lawyer and a New Yorker, Bland came to Washington to work, and like most New Yorkers do, found something to be desired in the area's nightlife scene. He co-promoted Decades, the Friday night dance event at the Ritz (and then at D.C. Live), then spun off into DCSYP, merging with another event planner (and another lawyer from New York) Michael Karlan.

"I knew huge numbers of people in legal professions who worked long hours and wanted to meet people but didn't always know how to go about it," Karlan says. "And let's face it. That's where you'll find some very ambitious people, and they all pretty much agree that it's hard to network at bars." So Karlan and Bland have created a combination singles group/networking club of Washington's young professionals, using that very modern way of communicating, the e-mail message list. And while they balk at calling DCSYP a singles group ("Lots of our members are married couples," Bland protests, "they come because we throw interesting events.") they're unrepentant in catering to ambitious people. "These are the future power brokers," Bland says. "In 20 years people you meet at our events are going to be running this city, and maybe this country. Who knows?"

At the Czech embassy, there were virtually no wedding rings on the hands of attendees. Kelly Moser was chatting with Bland when I interrupted her to ask why she was there. "I teach at the Francis Hammond Middle School so I don't get much of a chance to meet people," the 28-year-old Moser said. "This atmosphere is pretty low pressure, plus, it would be nicer to say I met someone at an embassy than I met someone at a bar."

Groups coalesced and dispersed, clusters of men and women chatted by the several bars and tables of food. A trio of women, all in graphic design, scoped the room. "ItÕs a chance to meet people in other areas of work, " said Tamera Lawrence. "The bar scene? Yuk!" said Jennifer Martin. "At least here you know they've paid $50 to get in so you know they're serious."

Ah! Money as weeding out factor! Smart. For your money you get the food and the booze and the music, but not least, it buys you a chance to talk to people. But so why are these three ladies talking amongst themselves? "You're right," said Lisa Catalone. "We're as lame as the guys we complain about, the ones who are afraid to come up and talk to us. Now we're the ones not going to talk to them."

I left them to their search.

D.C. Society of Young Professionals is hosting another international evening on Thursday at the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office and has many other events booked, not all of them embassy evenings. To find out more, click on www.dcyoungpro.com or call 202-686-6085.