Blind date: ‘Most awkward moment? When I accidentally called her Melissa’
What were you hoping for?
An unforgettable evening.
First impressions?
Glamorous.
What did you talk about?
Birmingham, as we both went to university there, but at different times and came away with contrasting perceptions! Food, with a particular focus on madeleines. Reality TV. Music. Comedy. Dancing. Football.
Most awkward moment?
Embarrassingly, I accidentally called her Melissa. (Sorry!)
Good table manners?
Yes – despite Michelle asking me to try her steak tartare, even though I’d mentioned that I was a vegetarian.
Best thing about Michelle?
Easy-going and forgiving (after my slip-up with her name).
Would you introduce Michelle to your friends?
Yeah. She’s easy to get along with.
Describe Michelle in three words
Chilled, creative, bougie.
Q&AFancy a blind date?
Show
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.
How to apply
Email blind.date@theguardian.com
What do you think Michelle made of you?
Chatty and mildly funny (a couple of my jokes didn’t quite land).
Did you go on somewhere?
Nope, it was a Tuesday night, and past my bedtime.
And … did you kiss?
I don’t kiss on a first date.
If you could change one thing about the date what would it be?
The time: it was in the evening after work, and I was pretty tired. Also, the timing meant I missed the Champions League games on TV that night.
Marks out of 10?
7.5.
Would you meet again?
We’re plotting our next outing.
Michelle on James
What were you hoping for?
To meet someone genuinely interesting who could hold a great conversation.
First impressions?
He came across as incredibly warm and had a relaxed energy, which immediately put me at ease.
What did you talk about?
Our mutual love for discovering great music – it was brilliant to delve deep with someone who appreciates it just as much as I do.
Most awkward moment?
There were none, except at the end of the date when one of my heels broke off.
Good table manners?
Absolutely.
Best thing about James?
He is wonderfully articulate, which made for a really engaging and thoughtful conversation.
Would you introduce James to your friends?
I think he’d get on really well with them.
Describe James in three words
Vibrant, smart, ambitious.
What do you think James made of you?
I’d like to think he found me to be bubbly, fun and naturally gregarious.
Did you go on somewhere?
No, we just stayed at the restaurant for the evening.
And … did you kiss?
No, we didn’t.
If you could change one thing about the date what would it be?
I’d definitely swap out my footwear!
Marks out of 10?
7.
Would you meet again?
Yes.
Michelle and James ate at Duchy, London EC2. Fancy a blind date? Email blind.date@theguardian.com
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.