Aaron on Tara

What were you hoping for?

Someone to split a mortgage with. If not that, a nice night with someone new.

First impressions?

Great smile and really well dressed. Tara and I arrived at exactly the same time, which took some of that nervous anticipation away. I felt pleasant with her quickly.

What did you talk about?

Work. Family. The joys of being from the capital of the world (south London). The chat flowed throughout.

Most awkward moment?

There was a bit of indecisiveness about whether to call it a night or have another drink.

good table manners?

Great. She navigated the sharing plates more elegantly than I did.

Blind date is Saturday’s dating column: every week, two strangers are paired up for dinner and drinks, and then spill the beans into us, answering a set of questions. This runs, with a photograph we take of each dater before the date, in Saturday magazine (in then 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?

Wen 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 yoru mind.

Can I choose who I match with?

No, it’s a blind date! But we

Blind Date: ‘There wasn’t a romantic spark, sadly’

He: Ben, 34, marketing manager
She: Tara, 31, yoga teacher

The venue: Dishoom, Shoreditch, London

Ben and Tara met at Dishoom in Shoreditch for a blind date orchestrated by The guardian. Ben,a marketing manager,and Tara,a yoga teacher,seemed to have a pleasant evening,though a romantic connection didn’t quite blossom.

First impressions?

Ben: Tara was lovely! Really smiley and warm. I immediately felt at ease. She has a really fascinating job too.

Tara: Ben was very handsome and well-spoken. He seemed a little nervous at first, but quickly relaxed.

What did you talk about?

Ben: We talked about our jobs, travel, and hobbies. tara’s lived a super-interesting life and I liked her adventurous spirit. She’s done a lot of yoga retreats in amazing places. I told her about my recent trip to japan.

Tara: We had a really nice conversation.We talked about our families, what we’re passionate about, and our favorite places to travel. Ben is very enterprising and driven.

Any awkward moments?

Ben: Not really. I felt a bit underdressed, to be honest. Everyone else was looking a bit more stylish.

Tara: No, not at all. It was a really comfortable date.

Good points?

Ben: tara is bubbly, smiley, and warm.She’s a genuinely lovely person.

Tara: Ben was a great listener and very easy to talk to. He was also very kind and considerate.

Bad points?

Ben: I’m not sure how well our worlds would mesh. We have quite different lifestyles.

Tara: I think we just have different energies.

Chemistry?

Ben: Sadly, there wasn’t a romantic spark. I think she’s a 10/10 person,but the date itself was closer to a 6.

Tara: it was a nice evening, but I didn’t feel a strong connection.

Would you meet again?

Ben: I’d say “Hi” if our paths crossed again.

Tara: Probably not.

Overall impression?

Ben: Tara is a fantastic person, but we’re just not a match.

tara: Ben is a lovely guy, but we’re looking for different things.