The Hottest Singles Search? We've Got It Down to a Science

Objective

To identify the hottest/sexiest/most socially desirable single in the Washington area.

Hypothesis

Almost every week, some reader asks, "Where can I meet the hottest single women?" or "Who are the most eligible bachelors in town?" How to answer that? So many singles, so little scientific method -- until we realized that every glossy magazine in town has devoted substantial resources to these very questions. Perhaps we could harness their collective wisdom by cross-referencing their lists -- surely they must all agree on at least one hot single.

Tools

Washingtonian, July 2006, "20 Fabulous Singles" cover story; Capitol File, Summer 2006, "Little Black Book" story; Washington Life, February 2006, Junior Social List.

Observation

Nearly two dozen beautiful unweddeds hold spots on the lengthy lists of both WashLife (which also includes young marrieds) and CapFile (which names some famously attached singles -- guys, you don't have a shot with Jenna ). Yet only three of Washingtonian's fab singles (GOP pundit and speechwriter Amy Holmes , 30-year-old association flack Taylor Griffin , our former colleague Mike Allen , 41, now with Time) could be found on either of the other two lists; and no one, surprisingly, hit the Triple Crown. We would have to look elsewhere for the tie-breaking points. For example, Holmes, 32 -- could her ranking on People's "Most Beautiful" of 2000 compensate for her CapFile shutout?

Real-estate investor John Cecchi , 31, also made two lists but was dissed by Washingtonian -- despite the fact the magazine put him on its "best-looking" list four months ago! Could that put him over the edge?

Not so long as Winston Bao Lord's in town. The D.C. native stands astride both the WashLife and CapFile lists, and his surprise omission from Washingtonian is more than offset by his ranking on People's "Hottest Bachelors 2005" and DC magazine's April 2006 best-dressed list.

Conclusion

Lord, 38, spent the past several years as executive director of the Malek/Zients group, which just missed this spring in the bidding for the Nationals; currently, he's "looking for my next big adventure." Why all the love from the glossies? "I was told growing up I had a face for radio, so I'm bemused," he joked to us. "I pay my friends to say good things about me." Is he really that eligible? "I'm actually seeing someone."