Gwen Maul, 36
SINGER-SONGWRITER
The perfect date: Somewhere we can have good conversation flow but still be OK in the pockets of silence. I hate going to the movies for a date. Then you're not talking.
Something most people don't know about me: I love cooking soul food, minus the pork. I'm not a vegetarian, but I do eat clean.
My favorite ...sports team: The Cavs. Basketball is my favorite sport. Poker is one of my favorites too. ... musician/band: Right now my favorite is Lianne La Havas, since I stumbled onto a live taping she did. Her voice is awesome, so smooth and sultry. She kind of reminds me of myself a little. ... TV show: I don't watch TV a lot, but when I do I watch the Food Network. ... place in Cleveland: The Renaissance Hotel lounge. I used to work there. The lounge area is quiet; it's a good place to enjoy a martini and dinner. ... book: Conversations with God. I haven't been able to get past the first chapter of Fifty Shades of Grey. It didn't grab me yet. What is everybody talking about? ... vacation destination: The Dominican Republic. Someday I want to go to the south of France. I just feel like I need to experience it. ...way to exercise: Bikram Yoga on Fairmount in Shaker Heights. It's super-duper hot in there, but it's almost refreshing for me. Tortuous, but it does work. ...month: September. It's my birthday month, and it's always the last of everything: the last picnic, the last long weekend. ... website: Can I say mine? It's gwenmaul.com. It's been a dream of mine. ... drink: Dirty martini, slightly filthy, with blue cheese-stuffed olives.
My usual hangout: On Tuesdays I'm at the B Side for open mic night. Or at the grocery store; I love to cook.
In high school I was ... very silly. I loved to laugh.
And now I'm ... pretty much still like that.
My No. 1 dating rule: Negativity drives me insane. I want to be with people who have a passion for their life.
My deal-breaker: Arrogance. If you are confident in your life, that's fine. But when you talk down or are condescending to people, that's different.
On a first date I never ... want to be misunderstood. If there's a gray area in our conversation, I don't mind a question about it. I like good challenges and I like someone to take an interest.
Biggest turn-on: A sense of humor. Someone who's passionate about their life and what they have to contribute to the world.
Biggest turnoff: Bad hygiene. If you've just come from the gym and decided to change clothes and spray perfume, that's gross. And bad teeth.
My hidden talent: I'm really good at graphic arts. I taught myself Photoshop to create my flyers and everything.
My passion: My music and people. These have been staples in my life for a very long time. I always say, "I've never met a stranger." When I meet someone, within a few minutes, I always feel like I know you.
I own too many: High-heeled sandals. I have about 15 to 20 pairs. Living in Cleveland, you'd think I'd have more closed-toe shoes or boots, right? Ninety-five percent of the time, I'm in heels.
My best feature: My smile.
My bad habit: I'm overly analytical — of myself, mostly.
My first kiss: It was horrible. We clashed teeth. It was painful and awkward. I was in junior high school, and we had no idea what we were doing.
My guilty pleasure: Chipotle. The Coventry location knows me by name. I get the rice bowl with veggies and hot red sauce.
How my ex would describe me: The last one would probably say he was "in love with me" and wants to get back together. Funny, that didn't come up when you were caught red-handed with that other girl! [laughs]
How my best friend would describe me: My mom is my best friend. She would say I'm stubborn and determined and funny.
Going out or staying in: I can be a hermit, staying in for long periods of time. But I love going out too. So I'm both.
Early, late or right on time: I feel that everything happens at its appointed time. When it's work-related, I am on time. But if it's a social thing, I might be slightly late, just five minutes.
Morning person or night owl: Night owl. I sometimes stay up until 4 a.m. if I have music to work on.
Dogs or cats: Dogs.
iPhone or Android: Neither. I have a Blackberry that works just fine.
Dancing ... yes or no: I like a good slow dance with someone who knows how to do it.
Twitter ... yes or no: Yes. It's quick. It only takes that much to get your point across a lot of the time.
My longest relationship: I was married for seven years.
My biggest goal right now: To become a better person in all aspects of my life. Obviously in my music, but being healthy is also a big goal of mine. Over six years, I lost 125 pounds.
Celebrity crush: Idris Elba. He's my beau in my head.
Most unusual place I've met someone: A funeral. It was a guy I'd seen around the city but we hadn't met. We didn't end up dating but became really good friends.
My take on Cleveland's single scene: It's overcrowded with women. I don't have a negative feel about that, because it only takes one.
What do you find sexy about yourself? My personality. I'm an open-minded person.
Why do you think you are single? I chose not to date for a while. I needed to focus on my music. That required a level of concentration that it's just not fair to someone unless they are involved in that kind of lifestyle.
