Composite: Sophia Evans and Christian Sinibaldi View image in fullscreen Composite: Sophia Evans and Christian Sinibaldi Blind date Dating Blind date: ‘He asked if my disco ball tattoo was an onion’ Shahar, 29, a graphic designer and music label manager, meets Stephen, 34, a product designer
Prefer the Guardian on Google Shahar on Stephen View image in fullscreen What were you hoping for? I’d never been on a blind date, so a good story, and a new connection.
First impressions? Kind, a bit nervous. Very engaged, but kind of in awe of the situation.
What did you talk about? Our careers in design. Music. What we like to cook. Artwork and posters we own. His extensive cap collection. Films (lots of movies I need to add to my watchlist).
Most awkward moment? He asked me if my disco ball tattoo was an onion.
Good table manners? Excellent. At one point, talking to the waiter, he referred to me as “the lady”, which we had a good laugh about.
Best thing about Stephen? He was really engaged, easy to talk to, made me laugh – and very generous with compliments. He’s good at leading the conversation, but also at recollecting details and circling back.
Would you introduce Stephen to your friends? After a while, yeah. It’s quite a compliment, introducing someone to your circle – gotta earn that trust!
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
Thank you for your feedback. Describe Stephen in three words Thoughtful, authentic, curious.
What do you think he made of you? I hope he thought I was funny. I did make him laugh quite a few times.
Did you go on somewhere? We spent four hours over dinner and it was a Sunday, so we called it a night.
If you could change one thing about the date, what would it be? I wish I’d come across as slightly more curious and not drawn a blank about recent albums I liked. Also, I wish I’d had more room to finish dessert!
Marks out of 10? 8 (8.5 really, but I’m honouring Stephen’s dislike of .5 ratings).
Would you meet again? We did chat about mayb…