A recent survey by Chemistry.com confirms it: Santa Fe is home to the third most optimistic single men and women in the nation. According to the site, a pleasant balance of dopamine, serotonin, testosterone and estrogen has Santa Fe singles looking on the bright side of love. Here at SFR, the honor took us by surprise. As natural skeptics, we wondered: Who are all these happy singles? So we took to the streets to uncover some. It was a cold, snowy morning, but we managed to catch a small sample for analysis. Here’s what they had to say. Visit SFReporter.com for a video of Santa Fe’s hottest (read: most willing to talk on the record) singles.

Lawrence Tenorio
ChocolateSmith
“Most optimistic singles? I guess, in some ways, I’d like to know how you break that down a bit. What is an optimistic single, you know what I mean?…There’s a lot of people who are traveling through. Just the fact that they are travelers and they are seeking things in general, they are more optimistic.” When asked if he’s optimistic: “A little bit of optimism, but not really. I think I feel more like a realist. For me, my head is not there right now. Honestly, being single is pretty lonely sometimes. I don’t mind it because I just want to accomplish what I want. If that means having to be alone, that’s OK.”

Jessica Koorey
317 Aztec  
After 20 years of living in Santa Fe, Jessica Koorey was a little less philosophical than Tenorio. “I think it’s crap,” she said, laughing. “I’m single, and I’m not optimistic about it…That’s a very odd statement. It’s not easy in this town. It’s hard to trust people.” She continued: “For me, I think that would make me less optimistic. You know, about actually meeting someone who is a decent person.” She added, “But I love Santa Fe.”

Ardry Adams
Sena Plaza Parking
“No…no.” The No. 3 seed had Ardry shaking his head immediately. Originally from east Texas, he’s been working in Santa Fe for 18 years. “The pickings are kinda slim around here. If you want to settle, yeah. But, no.” He shakes his head. “I don’t mean to be sexist. I know some smart women, intelligent women who worked for the state, for the city, but women who come here have a lot of issues. It’s like what Eddie Murphy said in Coming to America: ‘Is it me, or do most of the women in Santa Fe have emotional problems?’”