Relationship

Blind date: 'We stayed out until curfew'


Chris on Tania

What were you hoping for?
Some interesting, easy-going and engaging conversation, with good grub.

First impressions?
Reet petite, warm smile, very present and super cute.

What did you talk about?
Not knowing what half the things on the menu were, Thailand prisons, the pyramids, mushy vegetables (non-restaurant-related), leftwing bantz, Richard Curtis films, university and, of course, dogs.

Any awkward moments?
When the waiter did that outdated thing of letting the man taste the wine first.

Good table manners?
Better than mine, but she did manage to majestically flip her fork off the table. And she ate her main with a spoon, so call it a draw.

Best thing about Tania?
She has amazing eyes and seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say.

Would you introduce her to your friends?
For sure.

Describe Tania in three words
Intelligent, present, charming.

What do you think she made of you?
Hopefully someone who was open, easy-going, listens well and has a decent story or two.

Did you go on somewhere?
10pm curfew meant no chance either way.

If it weren’t for social distancing, would you have kissed?
Maybe not that evening, after the amount of truffle we both had!

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
A better outdoor heater.

Marks out of 10?
9.

Would you meet again?
Would love to.

Blind date is Guardian Weekend magazine’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 Guardian Weekend 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.

How to apply
Email blind.date@theguardian.com

Tania on Chris

What were you hoping for?
An exciting night out in the middle of a global pandemic.

First impressions?
Lovely smile. Great scouse accent.

What did you talk about?
Our best travel anecdotes, suffragette sex-strikes (the topic of my research), our favourite books.

Any awkward moments?
Chris suggested we share mains, which I was keen to do, but when the food arrived we realised we hadn’t thought how to make it Covid-safe. We worked it out, though.

Good table manners?
Impeccable.

Best thing about Chris?
His laugh, his stories and the way he made me feel at ease.

Would you introduce him to your friends?
Sure! He has an anecdote about finding a lost drone that it would be impossible not to find compelling.

Describe Chris in three words
Charming, funny, interesting.

What do you think he made of you?
That I am a little too obsessed with both the suffragettes and Love Actually which, to be fair, is true.

Did you go on somewhere?
No, but we stayed at the restaurant until nearly the 10pm curfew.

If it weren’t for social distancing, would you have kissed?
We said goodbye in the unromantic glare of fluorescent lighting on the tube, so I don’t think so.

If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
I’d have left more room for dessert. I am still thinking about the rest of that dreamy limoncello panna cotta.

Marks out of 10?
8.5.

Would you meet again?
You never know – our main shared interest was travelling, so maybe in a post-Covid world we’ll bump into each other on top of a mountain.

Chris and Tania ate at Chucs Belgravia, London SW1, before lockdown 2. They were photographed separately for this image. Fancy a blind date? Email blind.date@theguardian.com



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