What were you hoping for? Good food, good company and hopefully a bit of romance.
First impressions? Relaxed, well-dressed and had a kind and intelligent aura. It took a while to warm up (I was fairly nervous) but after that we chatted for hours.
What did you talk about? Musicals. Travelling/working in China. Second-hand embarrassment. Soup.
Most awkward moment? I was goaded into talking about what I normally have for lunch, which really isn’t the most attractive thing about me …
Good table manners? Excellent – especially impressive given she ordered mussels.
Best thing about Tina? She is very impressive with her work, travels and experiences, which makes her really easy and comfortable to talk to. She also has a corgi – what can top that?
Would you introduce Tina to your friends? Absolutely.
Blind date is Saturday’s dating column: every week, two strangers are paired up for dinner and drinks, and then spill the beans to us, answering a set of questions. This runs, with a photograph we take of each dater before the date, in Saturday magazine (in the UK) and online at theguardian.com every Saturday. It’s been running since 2009 – you can read all about how we put it together here.
What questions will I be asked? We ask about age, location, occupation, hobbies, interests and the type of person you are looking to meet. If you do not think these questions cover everything you would like to know, tell us what’s on your mind.
Can I choose who I match with? No, it’s a blind date! But we do ask you a bit about your interests, preferences, etc – the more you tell us, the better the match is likely to be.
Can I pick the photograph? No, but don't worry: we'll choose the nicest ones.
What personal details will appear? Your first name, job and age.
How should I answer? Honestly but respectfully. Be mindful of how it will read to your date, and that Blind date reaches a large audience, in print and online.
Will I see the other person’s answers? No. We may edit yours and theirs for a range of reasons, including length, and we may ask you for more details.
Will you find me The One? We’ll try! Marriage! Babies!
Can I do it in my home town? Only if it’s in the UK. Many of our applicants live in London, but we would love to hear from people living elsewhere.
Describe Tina in three words. Engaging, warm, funny.
What do you think Tina made of you? Maybe slightly self-sabotaging with my interrogative questions and stubborn food habits, but I hope she found me entertaining enough.
Did you go on somewhere? Tina had flown back into London at 6am so we decided to call it an early night. But time flew by – we didn’t notice we had been chatting for more than three hours.
And … did you kiss? A quick kiss before parting ways …
If you could change one thing about the evening what would it be?
Maybe dress a bit smarter to match Tina’s style – I felt slightly underdressed!
Marks out of 10? 10! It was a fantastic evening.
Would you meet again? Another date is in the works.
Tina on Adam
What were you hoping for? A nice evening and someone interesting to talk with (and not to be stood up).
First impressions? Kind, curious and really nice eyes.
What did you talk about? Books. Musicals. Travels. Joys of spending time with yourself. The three elements needed to start a fire. Quarter life crises … The date lasted way longer than anticipated, especially for a week night.
Most awkward moment? As we sat down, the waitress came over to welcome us – and quickly realised we’d only just met.
Good table manners? Impeccable.
Best thing about Adam? He has great stories to tell, he’s a good listener, asks a lot of questions and can make me laugh.
Would you introduce Adam to your friends? Absolutely.
Describe Adam in three words. Kind, curious, smart.
What do you think Adam made of you? I genuinely have no idea, but hopefully that he had a fun evening! And that I have great table manners.
Did you go on somewhere? To the tube station.
And … did you kiss? Maybe.
If you could change one thing about the evening what would it be? It was truly a great first date. I could have been a little less sleep deprived, but everything else was perfect.
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