Blind date Thread

So The Guardian has this Blind Date Column and I find them hilarious and entertaining. People go on a date and are asked a set of fixed questions about the date after. Its funny and interesting to see the totally different perceptions about the dates. My take away is dating sucks, that 'this might be it' excitement and the occasional let down. Enjoy


Did law student Leigham(left), 26, and fashion buyer Vincent, 28, click?

Leigham on Vincent
What were you hoping for?
A pleasant blind date experience. Which it was.

First impressions?
This guy looks interesting.

What did you talk about?
Food, cooking, helping old people, roller-skating, jeans.

Any awkward moments?
I didn’t notice any.

Good table manners?
Perfect.

Best thing about Vincent?
His cordial character.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
Yes.

Describe him in three words
Warm, happy, stylish.

What do you think he made of you?
Maybe he thinks I’m an idiot. The wine went to my head, so I probably made little sense.

Did you go on somewhere?
No.

And... did you kiss?
No.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
I got intense food envy and considered running off with Vincent’s pork belly. But he let me taste some and the tragedy was avoided.

Marks out of 10?
7.

Would you meet again?
There was no romantic connection, but maybe we’ll catch up as friends.

Vincent on Leigham
What were you hoping for?
A pleasant evening with good food and great company.

First impressions?
Tall, dark and handsome.

What did you talk about?
We struck common ground in music, food and marathons.

Any awkward moments?
I don’t think so, though I did almost spill my champagne.

Good table manners?
Yes, he offered me a taste of his venison, which was a plus.

Best thing about Leigham?
Really easy to talk to, and open.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
He’d get on with them.

Describe him in three words
Calm, eloquent, lighthearted.

What do you think he made of you?
I would like to think he found me interesting.

Did you go on somewhere?
We stayed at the restaurant until just after 11, then he walked me to the station.

And... did you kiss?
We didn’t.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
I wouldn’t change a thing.

Marks out of 10?
8.

Would you meet again?
We discussed meeting in the future – he took my number, so we shall see if he uses it.



Tom(right), 31, restaurant manager, meets José, 36, project manager.

José on Tom
What were you hoping for?
That I hadn’t dated him before. London is smaller than one might think.

First impressions?
Friendly and elegant.

What did you talk about?
Pets, managing restaurants and how good the live music was.

Any awkward moments?
Only the waiter breaking up the conversation at regular intervals.

Good table manners?
Of course, but I don’t normally pay attention until a fork flies through the room.

Best thing about Tom?
Very chatty.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
Why not? But most of them are in Portugal, so it could be a logistical challenge.

Describe him in three words
Chatty, positive and friendly.

What do you think he made of you?
I have absolutely no idea.

Did you go on somewhere?
We went to the BFI bar for a last drink.

And... did you kiss?
Nope. Just a warm hug.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
I wouldn’t have just seen that episode of Black Mirror where they constantly rate people with their phones.

Marks out of 10?
7.

Would you meet again?
I think so, but we didn’t exchange numbers.

Tom on José
What were you hoping for?
Hopefully a little chemistry. Breakfast would be a bonus.

First impressions?
Lovely guy, very interesting.

What did you talk about?
Holidays, London life, dating and having children.

Any awkward moments?
The goodbye, because I wasn’t sure what he was going in for.

Good table manners?
No complaints.

Best thing about José?
He was incredibly easy to talk to.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
I certainly would, although we didn’t have much in common.

Describe him in three words
Genuine, cultured, easy-going.

What do you think he made of you?
There wasn’t a real spark between us, but I’d hope he enjoyed the company.

And... did you kiss?
No, just a hug.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
That the waiter was slightly less intrusive.

Marks out of 10?
7.

Would you meet again?
I don’t think so.


James(left), 34, fashion student, meets Lucas, 29, stylist

James on Lucas
What were you hoping for?
A decent human being and some good food.

First impressions?
“L” (the tattoo on his chest), nice eyes, cool style.

What did you talk about?
Exes, TV shows, online dating.

Any awkward moments?
I don’t think there were any.

Good table manners?
We shared starters and he let me try his chocolate cake so nothing to complain about.

Best thing about Lucas?
He is very chilled and really smart.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
They’ll see him when they read this column.

Describe him in three words
Smart, confident and well-dressed.

What do you think he made of you?
He did not run away (which I take as a good sign), and he knew that I was nervous.

Did you go on somewhere?
Sadly, we didn’t. The food was too good – it made us sleepy.

And... did you kiss?
We had a hug.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
I wish I could have drunk more.

Marks out of 10?
8.

Would you meet again?
We swapped numbers and we are following each other on Instagram.

Lucas on James
What were you hoping for?
To find a boyfriend.

First impressions?
A nice smile.

What did you talk about?
Our interests are similar so we had lots to chat about.

Any awkward moments?
I drank a lot more than he did.

Good table manners?
Very good. He even offered not to eat meat in front of me, which I thought was sweet.

Best thing about James?
Very friendly and easy to spend time with.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
Yep, I think they would really like him.

Describe him in three words
Artistic, sweet and friendly.

What do you think he made of you?
I think he liked spending time with me, but I didn’t get a romantic vibe.

Did you go on somewhere?
No.

And... did you kiss?
A quick peck on the check.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
He would have drunk more.

Marks out of 10?
A solid 7.5.

Would you meet again?
Yes, if he wants to.


Pádraic(left), 26, trainee architect, meets Josh, 23, charity campaigns officer

Pádraic on Josh
What were you hoping for?
An ageing billionaire with no next of kin.

First impressions?
Handsome and friendly.

What did you talk about?
Elizabeth Warren, almond milk, homophobes, Alzheimer’s disease, his theatrical inclinations.

Any awkward moments?
I mistook a waiter for my date, so I started to introduce myself to him.

Good table manners?
Impeccable.

Best thing about Josh?
He was very pleasant company and easy to talk to.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
Absolutely, all three of them can’t wait to meet him.

Describe him in three words
Passionate, ethical, cheerful.

What do you think he made of you?
Flawless, outrageously good-looking and very modest.

Did you go on somewhere?
Just to the tube: he wanted an early night.

And... did you kiss?
Nope.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
I would have made fewer unsolicited advances on waiters.

Marks out of 10?
8.

Would you meet again?
We didn’t exchange numbers.

Josh on Pádraic
What were you hoping for?
To meet a guy who could hold a conversation.

First impressions?
He was very forgiving – I was 15 minutes late.

What did you talk about?
University, New York, charity work, our Netflix binges.

Any awkward moments?
He let slip the ending to Drag Race Season 6. I was livid.

Good table manners?
Of course.

Best thing about Pádraic?
His good time management.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
Can’t see why not.

Describe him in three words
Smart, considerate, relaxed.

What do you think he made of you?
That I was a friendly guy?

Did you go on somewhere?
No, I sashayed away home.

And... did you kiss?
No.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
The restaurant was a little empty.

Marks out of 10?
7.

Would you meet again?
There wasn’t a spark for me.


David(right), 33, global health adviser, meets Marco, 35, buyer manager

David on Marco
What were you hoping for?
A chilled evening, interesting food and nice company.

First impressions?
Very Italian-looking, smelled nice, sharply dressed.

What did you talk about?
Travelling, London life, food.

Any awkward moments?
I fell off my bike on the way, so I was a little shaky, but a G&T sorted me out. I also had an embarrassing incident in the toilet where I slightly wet myself.

Good table manners?
Didn’t notice, so I am guessing impeccable.

Best thing about Marco?
Interesting and interested in equal measure.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
If he wanted to meet them.

Describe him in three words.
Sophisticated, smiley, chatty.

What do you think he made of you?
Young-looking for my age and slightly strange.

Did you go on somewhere?
No, it was pretty late and I was on my bike.

And… did you kiss?
Nope – didn’t get that vibe.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
I wish I’d taken off my cycle leggings from under my trousers. I was a little hot.

Marks out of 10?
9. Can’t fault the guy, but I’m not sure we clicked.

Would you meet again?
We come from slightly different worlds, but Marco says he wants to buy a bike, and a cycle round Richmond Park would be nice.

Marco on David
What were you hoping for?
Great food and vino and a good connection.

First impressions?
Good-looking, smiley and easy-going.

What did you talk about?
The Guardian, the Economist, online dating and life goals.

Any awkward moments?
I was late and out of breath; luckily he was still there.

Good table manners?
Excellent. He let me have the last caramelised aubergine.

Best thing about David?
His life attitude and his eyes.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
With pride.

Describe him in three words.
Positive, smart, nomadic.

What do you think he made of you?
Hopefully a nice guy.

Did you go on somewhere?
Four hours was enough for a first date.

And… did you kiss?
Nope – a big hug instead.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
It would have been a Friday.

Marks out of 10?
A nice 8.

Would you meet again?
Maybe. We certainly had a lot to talk about.


Accountant Rafiq Alam(left), 28, meets arts administrator Alex Ehmcke, 27

Rafiq on Alex
What were you hoping for?
Someone nice, funny, with maybe longer-term hopes if things went well.

First impressions?
Quite talkative (in a good way), smiley, polite.

What did you talk about?
Family, theatre, travel, holidays, where we go out in London.

Any awkward moments?
No, not really any.

Good table manners?
Yes.

Best thing about Alex?
Very easy to talk to, and his interest in what he does.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
Yes.

Describe him in three words
Talkative, enthusiastic, friendly.

What do you think he made of you?
I normally come across as a bit shy when meeting people for the first time, and I think it was no different with Alex.

Did you go on somewhere?
We tried to, but the pub was closed.

And... did you kiss?
Yes.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
The restaurant was serving everyone the Thanksgiving menu. It was a bit too much, and neither of us really liked pumpkin pie.

Marks out of 10?
7 or 8.

Would you meet again?
We exchanged numbers, so probably, but just as friends.

Alex on Rafiq
What were you hoping for?
To have a laugh, and enjoy a free meal.

First impressions?
Attractive, great smile.

What did you talk about?
Family, Christmas, where we'd go on an all-expenses-paid holiday.

Any awkward moments?
None that I was aware of.

Good table manners?
Perfect.

Best thing about Rafiq?
His taste in musicals.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
Of course.

Describe him in three words
Kind, funny, intelligent.

What do you think he made of you?
That we had a laugh together.

Did you go on somewhere?
We tried to go to a pub, but it was closed. So we went back to the restaurant for one more.

And... did you kiss?
A friendly kiss goodbye.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
Honestly, nothing.

Marks out of 10?
7.

Would you meet again?
Definitely, as a mate.


Will web developer Paul(left), 27, hit it off with innovation consultant Jim, 26?

Paul on Jim
What were you hoping for?
Decent food, conversation and a story to tell afterwards.

First impressions?
Well-dressed, cheery, better than I imagined.

What did you talk about?
Living abroad, the Kingdom Hearts games and RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Any awkward moments?
A drunk lesbian next to us wanted our help in convincing her straight friend to sleep with her.

Good table manners?
Couldn’t have been better.

Best thing about Jim?
He made me laugh.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
Definitely: they’d get on well.

Describe him in three words.
Intriguing, fun, charming.

What do you think he made of you?
I’d hope he thought I was a decent guy and a laugh.

Did you go on somewhere?
We headed off to a pub next door for a couple more drinks, then on to another when that one closed.

And... did you kiss?
We had a goodbye kiss as we left to go home.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
I would have stayed longer and dealt with the night tube.

Marks out of 10?
A solid 8.

Would you meet again?
We swapped numbers and have chatted a bit. I hope to meet up again when we’re both free.

Jim on Paul
What were you hoping for?
Well, I tidied my bedroom, just in case.

First impressions?
“He looks nice.”

What did you talk about?
Favourite films, places we’ve travelled, Jeremy Clarkson.

Any awkward moments?
When a drunken couple at the bar dared us to make out and we pretended we hadn’t heard.

Good table manners?
Impeccable.

Best thing about Paul?
How talkative he was.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
Steady on!

Describe him in three words.
Chatty, open, fun.

What do you think he made of you?
He asked for my number...

Did you go on somewhere?
Yes. Two other places.

And... did you kiss?
A cheeky smooch at Liverpool Street station.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
He was a really lovely guy, but I’d like to keep it as friends.

Marks out of 10?
7.

Would you meet again?
We’ve agreed to. We’ll see!


Patrick(left), 24, PR assistant, meets Giuseppe, 30, graphic designer

Patrick on Giuseppe
What were you hoping for?
Great conversation, a hilarious story to tell, and a hangover the next day.

First impressions?
Definitely lives in Hackney, charming and easy on the eye.

What did you talk about?
Drag queens, Grindr, and our shared love of negronis.

Any awkward moments?
When he kissed me in front of a very old couple who were staring at us.

Good table manners?
Neither of us has. You should have seen the state of the tablecloth when we left.

Best thing about Giuseppe?
His spare ticket to see Four Tet the next day.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
If I had any…

Describe Giuseppe in three words?
Affectionate, sarcastic, seductive.

What do you think he made of you?
Annoying, flirtatious, and hopefully funny.

Did you go on somewhere?
We stayed at the restaurant quite late, and had plenty of wine and espresso martinis.

And… did you kiss?
We sure did.

If you could change one thing about the evening what would it be?
That the hot waiter joined us.

Marks out of 10?
8.

Would you meet again?
In his dreams. Just kidding, Giuseppe!

Giuseppe on Patrick
What were you hoping for?
Someone who wasn’t a total psychopath – and cute.

First impressions?
He seems nice and he’s almost as blond as me.

What did you talk about?
Actor/director Xavier Dolan, and Springfield, the town where both Patrick and The Simpsons are from.

Any awkward moments?
He asked pretty sexual questions, but I found it funny.

Good table manners?
Yeah, good with tagliatelle.

Best thing about Patrick?
He got my jokes.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
Sure.

Describe Patrick in three words?
Funny, easy-going, smiley.

What do you think he made of you?
Funny, I hope.

Did you go on somewhere?
We were quite drunk, so no.

And… did you kiss?
Yes, we did.

If you could change one thing about the evening what would it be?
A bottle of wine less, maybe.

Marks out of 10?
7.

Would you meet again?
We swapped numbers. We go to the same places, so maybe.


Myles(left), 25, paralegal, meets Oliver, 28, partnerships manager

Myles on Oliver
What were you hoping for?
To meet someone new and a bit different.

First impressions?
Inquisitive and friendly.

What did you talk about?
Politics, sex and religion; the three things his mother told him not to talk about on a first date.

Any awkward moments?
I guessed Oliver’s accent as Canadian when it’s Scottish.

Good table manners?
He tried to cut up a burger with chopsticks, but then, I drained half a glass of wine in a couple of seconds, so I think we’re even.

Best thing about Oliver?
We laughed a lot and nobody got offended (I think).

Would you introduce him to your friends?
Yes.

Describe Oliver in three words
Towering Brixton hipster.

What do you think he made of you?
Australian, honest, weak bladder.

Did you go on somewhere?
To a pub up the road for a couple more wines.

And… did you kiss?
Just a hug at the tube station.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
I would have been able to change out of my office wear.

Marks out of 10?
7.

Would you meet again?
Yeah, I think we could be good friends.

Oliver on Myles
What were you hoping for?
Lively conversation.

First impressions?
A nice smile. I’m not usually attracted to guys with long hair, though.

What did you talk about?
Inadequate nightlife for gays, Australia v UK.

Any awkward moments?
One very inappropriate joke.

Good table manners?
Yes.

Best thing about Myles?
His self-belief and conviction.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
Sure.

Describe Myles in three words
Funny, honest, carefree.

What do you think he made of you?
Confident, funny, eccentric.

Did you go on somewhere?
We had a few more glasses of wine in Soho.

And… did you kiss?
We did not.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
Hearing about the guy he’s dating (and how bad it is).

Marks out of 10?
6.

Would you meet again?
We probably won’t.


More Blind Dates here; Blind date | Life and style | The Guardian