Blind date: ‘He looked like a cross between Andrew Garfield and my primary school crush’ | Life and style

Blind date: ‘He looked like a cross between Andrew Garfield and my primary school crush’ | Life and style

Joe on Alison

What had been you hoping for?
A Guardian-sponsored marriage in time for Christmas. Simply kidding … however I used to be retaining my fingers crossed for a bit of magic.

First impressions?
Attractive! And he or she put me straight at ease.

What did you discuss?
Childhood. Travels. Work. Hobbies. Should-see-musicals. How avocados are overrated. Why turning 30 now requires magnesium dietary supplements. She additionally instructed a rollercoaster of a narrative about her pal discovering love after having her bag stolen at a pub quiz.

Most awkward second?
When the waitress was presenting our starters, I mistakenly referred to the artichoke hearts as figs, however Alison gracefully pretended to not discover.

Blind date is Saturday’s courting column: each week, two nstrangers are paired up for dinner and drinks, after which spill the beans nto us, answering a set of questions. This runs, with {a photograph} we ntake of every dater earlier than the date, in Saturday journal (in then UK) and on-line at theguardian.com each Saturday. It’s been working since 2009 – you possibly can learn all about how we put it collectively right here.

What questions will I be requested?
Wen ask about age, location, occupation, hobbies, pursuits and the sort ofn particular person you want to meet. If you don’t assume these questions ncover every thing you want to know, inform us what’s in your thoughts.

Can I select who I match with?
No,n it’s a blind date! However we do ask you a bit about your pursuits, npreferences, and so forth – the extra you inform us, the higher the match is probably going nto be.

Can I decide the {photograph}?
No, however don’t fret: we’ll select the nicest ones.

What private particulars will seem?
Your first identify, job and age.

How ought to I reply?
Honestlyn however respectfully. Be aware of the way it will learn to your date, and thatn Blind date reaches a big viewers, in print and on-line.

Will I see the opposite particular person’s solutions?
No. We could edit yours and theirs for a spread of causes, together with size, and we could ask you for extra particulars.

Will you discover me The One?
We’ll attempt! Marriage! Infants!

Can I do it in my house city?
Provided that it’s within the UK. A lot of our candidates dwell in London, however we’d love to listen to from individuals residing elsewhere.

Find out how to apply
E-mail blind.date@theguardian.com

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Q&A

Fancy a blind date?

Present

Blind date is Saturday’s courting column: each week, two
strangers are paired up for dinner and drinks, after which spill the beans
to us, answering a set of questions. This runs, with {a photograph} we
take of every dater earlier than the date, in Saturday journal (within the
UK) and on-line at theguardian.com each Saturday. It’s been working since 2009 – you possibly can learn all about how we put it collectively right here.

What questions will I be requested?
We
ask about age, location, occupation, hobbies, pursuits and the kind of
particular person you want to meet. If you don’t assume these questions
cowl every thing you want to know, inform us what’s in your thoughts.

Can I select who I match with?
No,
it’s a blind date! However we do ask you a bit about your pursuits,
preferences, and so forth – the extra you inform us, the higher the match is probably going
to be.

Can I decide the {photograph}?
No, however don’t fret: we’ll select the nicest ones.

What private particulars will seem?
Your first identify, job and age.

How ought to I reply?
Truthfully
however respectfully. Be aware of the way it will learn to your date, and that
Blind date reaches a big viewers, in print and on-line.

Will I see the opposite particular person’s solutions?
No. We could edit yours and theirs for a spread of causes, together with size, and we could ask you for extra particulars.

Will you discover me The One?
We’ll attempt! Marriage! Infants!

Can I do it in my house city?
Provided that it’s within the UK. A lot of our candidates dwell in London, however we’d love to listen to from individuals residing elsewhere.

Find out how to apply
E-mail blind.date@theguardian.com

Thanks to your suggestions.

Good desk manners?
Completely.

Neatest thing about Alison?
Type eyes.

Would you introduce Alison to your folks?
Sure, to those who’ve learn American literature so she will be able to geek out.

Describe Alison in three phrases.
Lovely, heat, partaking.

What do you assume Alison fabricated from you?
She very generously instructed I look a bit like Andrew Garfield, and I attempted to deliver the chicken-shop allure.

Did you go on someplace?
We shared a wet stroll and the tube again to my final prepare.

And … did you kiss?
Not this time.

Should you might change one factor concerning the night, what wouldn’t it be?
Perhaps not leaving the restaurant early to hit a jazz bar in Soho.

Marks out of 10?
9. I’ve to deduct a degree as she admitted to studying the Sunday Occasions!

Would you meet once more?
Right here’s hoping!

Joe and Alison on their date

Alison on Joe

What had been you hoping for?
A enjoyable dialog with somebody new. And loads of materials for the voice word I’d promised mates on the best way house.

First impressions?
Heat, northern, chatty. He seemed like a cross between Andrew Garfield and my major faculty crush.

What did you discuss?
Karaoke decisions. Gigs. Bend it Like Beckham. And we made a pact to drink each time both of us talked about the Guardian or this questionnaire. The bottle vanished fairly rapidly.

Most awkward second?
Getting out of a banquette is more durable than it seems, OK?

Good desk manners?
Impeccable.

Neatest thing about Joe?
He’s one of the vital real and curious-minded individuals I’ve ever met. And he didn’t appear alarmed by how overexcited I bought about our mutual love of the band Paramore and the pistachio-based pudding we shared, or my insistence he watch Bend it Like Beckham instantly.

Would you introduce Joe to your folks?
You might throw Joe into any social state of affairs and he’d thrive.

Describe Joe in three phrases.
Attention-grabbing and .

What do you assume Joe fabricated from you?
Hopefully somebody he loved speaking to, even when I’ll have ruined Budapest for him.

Did you go on someplace?
Simply to the tube.

And … did you kiss?
No.

Should you might change one factor concerning the night, what wouldn’t it be?
Perhaps extra of a romantic spark? It felt like chatting with a pal, however that’s my favorite pastime so no complaints.

Marks out of 10?
8. Wet evenings don’t get significantly better.

Would you meet once more?
We’ve already picked the karaoke duet.

Alison and Joe ate at Quo Vadis, London W1. Fancy a blind date? E-mail blind.date@theguardian.com