be really fun you guys if you missed the first two  check them out we talked about using very common  

topics to to start small talk talking about  entertainment what someone's watching talking  

about what they do in their free time these  are great subjects and we're going to give  

you the third easiest most popular today which  is to talk about a local hotspot yeah so all of  

these conversations and vocabulary guys this is  all stuff that you can use uh to network to talk  

to new clients to develop relationships with  co-workers um and these are also conversations  

you can have in daily life if you want to make new  friends or meet other students this is all stuff  

that you could use in any situation both formal  and informal um guys if you love today's episode  

if you have seen the other episodes as well  don't forget to hit like and subscribe right now  

subscribe to all ears english guys because we  are loving making these series for you this  

series this small talk series in fact is based on  a poll we did of all ears english subscribers guys  

so be a subscriber and you could tell us what you  want in the next series so hit subscribe and like  

right now guys um all right so we're talking  today about local hot spots now i envision this  

more than the other two topics in fact i feel  like today's topic is even better for networking  

for developing relationships with new um people in  your professional world yes for sure right because  

you think about it so it's a win-win not only  are you having this interesting conversation and  

getting to know someone and what types of places  they might get to go to you're also giving them  

recommendations and you're getting recommendations  for them so it's going to feel like a very  

fruitful conversation for both of you yeah totally  um now what do we mean by hot spots like what  

what does that even mean local hot spots yeah it  means popular a popular place that is fun to go  

to it could be a restaurant a cafe a coffee shop  it could be a new art exhibit or a theater right  

it's just some place that's pretty popular  maybe lots of people know about it but your  

friend might not yet and you want to share it with  them yeah exactly so like aubrey said restaurants  

it could be nightlife places like clubs or bars  entertainment cinemas theaters museums it could  

even be outdoor places like parks and monuments  like anywhere in your city that people like to go  

um so aubrey here's the next question before we  get to that role play when do you talk about local  

hot spots i would talk about with anyone honestly  like friends that i've had for a long time totally  

if a new place opens up or even just one that has  been there a while but i'm not sure they've been  

strangers if i strike up a conversation like i did  yesterday at the orthodontist while i was waiting  

for my daughter i i would ask them you know  are what are the best places to eat around here  

yeah it's an easy conversation to have with  anyone um if you guys have listened to aubry and i  

talk on the ielts energy podcast you might  already know us a little bit aubrey and i love  

talking to strangers yes we just love talking  to people um i talk to people when i'm in line  

you know so like this is something you know  if you're outline if you're in line outside  

uh you know a museum or a restaurant or something  you just talk to the person in front of you you  

could be like have you have you been to this  place before like is it worth waiting in line  

do you know any other restaurants around here  that don't have lines maybe i could go there  

so again guys like this is such an amazing  topic to connect with anyone about so before  

we get to this role play guys i want to remind  you that we have a free english quiz for you  

all ears english dot com slash fluency score get  your english fluency score and free materials we  

made based on that score are you at fifty  percent sixty-five percent eighty percent  

where are you get materials based on that score  guys it's a short quiz and it's very effective  

go to all ears english dot com slash fluency score  and remember guys hit like and subscribe right now  

so vocabulary before we get to the role play  we have three terms that are awesome for you  

guys to use in these conversations the first  phrase is swing by this is a phrasal verb it's  

an informal phrasal phrasal verb i would say it's  a little slangy as well um and it just means go to  

usually for a short time you know exactly  right i'm gonna swing by happy hour  

even though i only have a few minutes yeah it  definitely kind of means you're gonna pop in  

make an appearance hang out for a little  bit you're probably not gonna stay for  

hours yeah so if a co-worker is like oh hey  are you going to this event tonight are you  

going to happy hour tonight blah blah blah you  could be like i mean i'm going to swing by for  

sure but i might not get to stay too long right  so awesome phrase for you guys um the next one  

very informal grab a bite it just means eat right  like i'm gonna grab a bite at that salad place  

yes exactly right or if you ask someone hey you  want to come grab a bite with me totally this  

is such a great way to ask it because it's a very  casual very informal like we're just going to go  

grab a bite this is not a date i'm not expecting  to have a serious conversation with you i know  

whereas would you like to go to dinner with  me oh there's a little more nuance there  

would you like to accompany me to a lunch place  guys remember we're not about textbook english  

we are very honest with you about what natives  really say to each other like aubry said like  

using language like this this natural native  informal language it's a great way to take  

the pressure off a relationship and establish a  trustworthy vibe so if a customer like you don't  

want the client to think you only care about  their business right so you could be like you  

know what do you want to take a break and just go  grab a bite and then it's like okay we don't have  

to talk about work for a little bit now we could  talk about the other small talk topics like tv  

and free time um all right the last is an idiom  guys to catch sight of and that just means to  

see for a short time or glimpse so you will hear  all of these phrases in the role play so aubrey  

what is this role play we're going to be doing so  i'm visiting portland for a conference and i meet  

jessica jessica's also attending the conference  but actually lives in portland this will be not  

too far from reality you know it's okay  they stay in a role play so we don't get  

too off track write about what you know that's the  golden rule okay all right um hey that was a short  

session i thought it was supposed to be like two  hours i know right hey are you from here by chance  

i'm starving but i have no idea where to go yes  i do live here what are you in the mood for there  

are actually tons of great spots around here to  eat at oh i don't know just a sandwich i guess  

well that's easy bunks sandwiches is  just up on 11s i work near here too  

and i often grab a bite there when i need  something quick perfect oh and since you're  

kind of on vacation you should definitely  swing by 50 licks a local ice cream place  

it's near here too you know what i think i might  actually do that would you want to come with me  

yes i would love that let's do it we might even  catch sight of the unipiper the what a local  

street performer that rides a unicycle and plays  bagpipes what that's wild i please tell me that's  

real that's real i love that so much you can  look him up on wikipedia the portland unipiper  

it's hard enough to ride a unicycle without  playing the bagpipes we got a unicycle it i'm  

gonna kill myself every time i try to get on it  it is dangerous it's so hard you guys portland  

is a wild place um so anyway i love this  role play for you guys to practice and gain  

confidence through because this is such a great  example of how you could take a couple risks and  

really make a new connection and you know like  maybe well i'm just making a good friend or  

maybe aubry is somebody that i could develop  a work partnership with in the future right  

but at the very least i get to have lunch with a  cool person like you know and you're not taking  

you know when you just say would you like to come  with me maybe it may want to come with me yeah you  

know who cares if they end up saying oh i can't no  big deal right no big deal yeah you shot your shot  

it was worth it to put yourself out there like you  totally might make this a great connection might  

make a friend or a really good business connection  it's worth it just asking you never know they  

might be free they might love to join you totally  and practice some english right like just go for  

it guys you got to take risks if you're going to  improve um so comment on this video guys if you  

have a suggestion for another series you'd like if  you did not watch parts one and two of the small  

talk series go back and watch those remember to  hit like and subscribe on this video right now  

um and then guys go to all ears english dot com  slash fluency score for a free english quiz and  

materials all right aubry this has been the  funnest series it was a really fun series it makes  

me want to just go introduce myself to a stranger  and ask them about all of these things what are  

they watching on tv what are they doing every time  and where's a cool place to eat around here those  

are all the things okay those are all the things  we need to talk about um all right aubrey well  

enjoy the rest of your day and i'll see you  next time yep see you in the next series bye

you