Eva on Anita
What were you hoping for?
A petite brunette, and a fun evening.
First impressions?
A petite brunette.
What did you talk about?
Coming out, our fave Buddhist centres, cheese, books, whether we enjoyed school, our degrees, our mutual love of the sea, and both being from south-east London.
Any awkward moments?
Not really. Except I chose for us to sit on the scenic and romantic top deck of the canal boat restaurant, but didn’t know about the very limited food menu up there, so we ordered six blocks of cheese for dinner (which was incredible, to be fair). I also said, “I’ll have a nipple of that one” instead of “nibble”.
Good table manners?
Very good, considering I started using my last cracker as a cheese spoon.
Best thing about Anita?
Her laugh.
Would you introduce her to your friends?
Yeah.
Describe Anita in three words
Kind, smart, giggly.
What do you think she made of you?
Hopefully, cool and fun.
Did you go on somewhere?
Just a shared tube back to east London.
If it weren’t for social distancing, would you have kissed?
The opportunity did not arise.
If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
Nothing. I probably would have still chosen the scenic top deck with the limited food menu.
Marks out of 10?
10.
Would you meet again?
We’ve exchanged numbers, and I’d love to hang out again as friends.
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 blind.date@theguardian.com
Anita on Eva
What were you hoping for?
A fun first post-lockdown date that would be funny-awkward and not just awkward.
First impressions?
Spotted her on the top deck in a lovely blue sweater, and she smiled.
What did you talk about?
Sexuality, canal cycling, her Falmouth surfing life and, of course, the awkwardness of posing for a photo with an imaginary date (they superimpose you together).
Any awkward moments?
The waiter asked if we’d like to see the menu for the main restaurant but also said that we couldn’t order any of it.
Good table manners?
Definitely. I haven’t seen a cracker made into a fork before.
Best thing about Eva?
Good vibes. Easy to get on with. Looked great against pink skies.
Would you introduce her to your friends?
Sure, she could hold her own.
Describe Eva in three words
Anti-cake pickler.
What do you think she made of you?
Hopefully, not a terrible first date. It was a really good evening. She thought I’d be extremely short, so I hope 5ft 3in wasn’t a major letdown.
Did you go on somewhere?
No, but we were heading back on the same tube as we live bizarrely close.
If it weren’t for social distancing, would you have kissed?
We shall never know.
If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be?
More cheese?! No, really, there was enough.
Marks out of 10?
10.
Would you meet again?
Sure, as friends I think.
Eva and Anita ate at The Cheese Barge, Paddington, London W2.
Fancy a blind date? Email blind.date@theguardian.com
