Q&A: Lauren McCutcheon

Ever wonder how to get out and do something for the first time ever? From surfing to buying your first bling to dating a single parent, Lauren McCutcheon's got you covered with A Virgin's Guide to Everything. We sat down with Lauren to talk about her book, the city and her new venture with Philadelphia Magazine.

Where did you get the idea to write A Virgin's Guide to Everything?
I actually can't lay full claim to the idea. It belonged to a couple of friends, who originally conceived it as a TV show. It was their concept – to offer women fun instruction on how to do little, everyday things for the first time – and their title, which, of course, isn't about what it sounds like it's about. They hired me to develop the whole package into a book. I guess I seemed virginal.

How much of the book is your own experience and how much is information you went out and field tested?
I have a professional background in food and lifestyle writing, so I certainly had experience when it came to eating sushi, shopping sample sales and taking yoga class. My own everyday experiences informed sections on how to ask for a raise, how to hire an accountant, how to throw a cocktail party. There were a few places when research called for me to go out and try it myself. Surfing was probably my most memorable book-related first (a first and a possibly last).

For those who have never seen A Virgin's Guide to Everything, how is the book organized?
The book is chunked into category-theme chapters, each of which deal with a handful of deflowerings. The dating chapter, for example, includes first blind date, first internet date, first date with a single parent, first date after a breakup, first weekend getaway.

Each of these sections offers general advice, plus advice from a "go-to girl," an expert in her field: designer Tracy Reese for first fashion investment, Gail Simmons (from Food & Wine) for first meal in a four-star restaurant, singer-songwriter (and mental health advocate) Dar Williams for first therapy, Philly sommelier Marnie Old for first wine tasting and Philly jewelry designer Elaine Tse for first big-girl bling.