Instagram’s ‘25-Year-Old Bachelor’ Is an ‘Old Soul’ Who Says ‘Chivalry Isn’t Dead’ (Exclusive)

This Valentine's Day, Anthony Polcari is sharing his secrets to dating, living life to the fullest and what gives his salmon a "burst of flavor"

D.C.’s most eligible bachelor is spreading the love this Valentine's Day.

Anthony Polcari, known by his 180,000 Instagram followers as “Tony P.,” offers a glimpse into the life of a “25-year-old bachelor in D.C.” with videos getting ready for dates, making meals — namely salmon — and showing “weekends in my life.”

“I had moved to D.C. and just gotten out of a relationship — it was a tough breakup,” Polcari tells PEOPLE about the beginnings of making Instagram and TikTok videos.

Moving to a new city, he says, "can be hard." However, he became more comfortable after seeing influencers' posts about what they were doing in D.C.

Related: You Could Meet Your Valentine on This Video-Only Dating App Created by Comedian Norm Macdonald

"As time went on, I started noticing there weren’t a lot of male influencers in D.C., so I decided to give it a try,” he says.

Not someone who goes clubbing and parties every weekend, Polcari wanted to offer a new perspective.

"I just went to my first nightclub last week," says the "old soul" who likes to make the most of what D.C. has to offer. “If I could go back in time, I would change my line to ‘A day in my life as a 45-year-old trapped in a 25-year-old’s body’,” he jokes. “I like to Netflix and chill, go golf, have dinner with friends and then maybe a show.”

Referring to himself as a “wholesome Mr. Rogers type,” Polcari hopes to show his followers that “you can be a single person or a bachelor and have a really full life.”

The 25-year-old says dating is an important part of his life, and he dates intentionally. “I’m not dating just to date,” he tells PEOPLE. “I’m doing it because I’m looking for a long-term connection. As I grow this business and try to figure out my life, it’d be nice to have someone by my side.”

This Valentine’s Day, Polcari is focused on himself and building his business, with the hopes that “next Valentine’s [he] will have a really nice big date” that will include “ice skating at the Georgetown waterfront, and having that nice moment together, along with dinner.”

Related: The 75 Best Valentine’s Day Gifts of 2024

For Polcari, dating as an "old soul" requires respect. "Chivalry is not dead," he says. "I grew up around wise people who showed me how to have real connections with people at an early age."

Even if he doesn’t meet his soul mate, Polcari says he enjoys what a date offers. “You’re still meeting someone new and practicing how to connect with people … I’ve dated a lot of people that I ended up being good friends with. Also, they’re fun! I like activities.”

Date activities for Polcari include mini golf, a visit to a museum or making his miso-glazed salmon. "It’s just a nice burst of flavor," he shares. "It makes your mouth water."

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Polcari, an only child from a divorced family, dreams of having "the picket house fence in the suburbs, cute kids, and the soccer games" life he envisioned as a child. Still, he is willing to wait for the right person.

“I’d rather date, and it takes me a while to meet the right person than to ignore the red flags,” the 25-year-old says. “I want to be my authentic self, and if that turns someone off, I can go another day with somebody else.”

Related: Men Are Being Asked to 'Name a Woman' as Part of New TikTok Trend — and Their Answers Are Hilarious!

Polcari is known for his authenticity and owning his “vibrant masculinity” on his platform.

“For guys, we’re often taught to restrict our emotions, to hold things in, to try to be a refined version of ourselves so that we can compete in dating life and professional life,” he says. “I believe that you should live full force and dive into everything with passion, with emotion, with dedication."

Polcari is excited to keep spreading love through his videos. "I bring together people on all sides of the spectrum…and this is what gets me up in the morning," he says. "We don't have a lot of moments to unify us right now, and if I can do that and help unify people and give people a safe space, we can all have a good time."

Looking ahead, he hopes to be a "26-year-old bachelor who is with the greatest person on Earth that lights [his] fire and makes [him] better."

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