Rebecca on James
What were you hoping for?
A fun night out with someone lovely, and a heap of good wine.
First impressions?
A well-dressed, charming man.
What did you talk about?
Stories, games, families, Norse gods, clinical exam acting, the origins of the word trivia, our mutual love of ice-cream.
Any awkward moments?
None. He was easy to talk to and asked me lots of questions.
Good table manners?
Excellent. He shared all the food we ordered and poured me some unfairly generous glasses of wine. What’s not to like?
Best thing about James?
He’s a kind, conscientious person, and knows what brings him delight in his life.
Would you introduce him to your friends?
Yes. They’d like that – because he’s a more enthusiastic board-game player than me.
Q&A
Want to be in Blind date?
Show
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 [email protected]
Describe James in three words:
Warm, fun, thoughtful.
What do you think he made of you?
That I’m a keen talker, unable to accurately pace eating with speaking, and just as game for conversational rabbit holes.
Did you go on somewhere?
We didn’t, we were still propping up the bar close to midnight.
And … did you kiss?
No, we didn’t.
If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
That we’d ordered the cheeseboard as well as dessert.
Marks out of 10?
9. There wasn’t a romantic connection for me, but I had a lovely time.
Would you meet again?
Yes, for sea loitering and pints as friends.
James on Rebecca
What were you hoping for?
A decent conversation and some romance to the evening.
First impressions?
She seemed very cool and chilled, until we got to talking, when this tidal wave of excitement and interest just came out.
What did you talk about?
Blimey, nearly everything: our pasts and families; the idea of “sea loitering” instead of sea swimming; her interest in witches.
Any awkward moments?
One or two where the conversation shifted too quickly, but they were minor things at most.
Good table manners?
Exceptional. It was a sharing plate restaurant and she diplomatically made sure we had similar portions.
Best thing about Rebecca?
Her energy and enthusiasm. She made every conversation feel fresh, and the night never dragged because of it.
Would you introduce her to your friends?
Definitely. I think she’d get on with them pretty well.
Describe Rebecca in three words:
Vibrant. Delightful. Inquisitive.
What do you think she made of you?
That I was genuine, but I don’t think she saw me as a romantic prospect.
Did you go on somewhere?
We did not. We spent five hours at the bar, happily chatting away, before we realised how late it was.
And … did you kiss?
No, although we did hug and swap numbers.
If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
Ask her more questions! She got so many in, I barely had time to ask any.
Marks out of 10?
Solid 9 out of 10. Very few things could have been improved.
Would you meet again?
Fingers crossed! But I get the sense it would be as friends.
James and Rebecca ate at Plateau, Brighton. Fancy a blind date? Email [email protected]