EAT: I Chu-Chu choose you

It's all about Miss Chu. She's short, sharp, subscribes to the 'treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen' theory and offers up all sorts of deliciousness in the process.

Asian 'yellow fever' enthusiasts -  look elsewhere or go find your own mail order bride. This is about purely about awesome Vietnamese food.

There are 2 types of Brownie Points seekers who will find this useful -

1. The boyfriend / partner 'It's your turn for dinner' seeker
2. The newly-dating 'Come round for a DVD and dinner' seeker

You will love: the pork belly stew; large array of dumplings on offer; peking duck pancakes; fried king prawn vermicelli salad; the prices; being a Brownie Points star because...

She will love: that you suggested somewhere different; that it is fresh, organic and healthy; the wagyu beef pho (noodle soup); the fresh rice paper rolls offering varieties like sashimi tuna, roast duck and banana flower and free range egg omelet, avocado and balsamic caramelised onion; seared atlantic salmon vermicelli salad; the cute setting and lights if you eat in; the cute packaging if you get take out.

Brownie Points P.A memo: Make sure you know what you want to order and have your cash or credit card ready on hand. This place is so popular, Miss Chu can be like the Seinfeld soup nazi.

PLAY: Seeking sporting talent

 A friend I know rates girls instantly-hotter the minute he knows they're sporty - sporty in that Jessica-Biel-not-Amelie-Mauresmo way. Whether this mentality has anything to do with his decision to double up and play the mixed touch footy comp as well as the mens is anyone's guess - although he is a rather talented player.

The Sporting Talent rule states that the level of talent, on and off the field, correlates directly with the level of participation in mixed competitions. Obvious? Yes. Always the case? You'd hope so when it comes to mixed netball.

It's as baffling as watching a man trying to squeeze himself into skinny jeans and owning too many facial products. It's only when the Sporting Talent rule comes into place that mixed netball really makes sense. Befriending the long-legged Goal Attack in her little netball skirt until the umpire yells 'contact'? Yes, that's why men play mixed.

At the end of the day, a season's worth of early Sunday morning or late weeknight games can lead to some decent talent scouting at your end-of-season drinks. You've already laid the groundwork with some solid plays through the season.. now it's yours for the win. What a result.

Unattached Brownie Points seekers and talent scouts, your mixed comp is where it's at.

Brownie Points P.A memo: If you can't fathom a mixed team because being male and winning at all costs is your thing, just go and cheer a mate on. Yep, you might be called a blister, showing up when the hard work's been done, but there are two teams so plenty of talent opportunities.

PLAY: The marriage-and-mortgage-ready demographic

A brownie-points seeker recently lamented the lack of girls in his life. Not that he is short of any takers with 5 different dates over one weekend. What he really meant was girls that piqued enough interest to warrant more than a boring first date or the 2 week take-her-home expiry date. It got the other brownie-points seekers at the table, and Your Brownie Points P.A, talking -  this isn't the first time a guy  has raised the issue of a decent-talent drought.

The  (very) general consensus was that most girls in the 24-28 year old range are riding that long term relationship, domestic diva status -  hard.  This age demographic, more often than not, is impenetrable. And if she's not taken, then she's usually in a wannabe-suzie-homemaker state of mind.

So what to do for the single  25-35 year old male NOT currently engaged in a marriage-and-mortgage-ready relationship? Two tongue-in-cheek options:


1. Go for the early twenties if you can keep up with her (and her giggling group of friends)
2. Step it up to 30+ for some cougar cub craziness - she'll know what she wants and it's more interesting than which wedding venue or what you earn. 
3. Move to New York: Read why

Brownie Points P.A memo: As a general rule, Brownie Points P.A is more about the practical. So take this with a grain of salt. If it's dating-doctor you're after, you won't really find it here.