Dinner With Cupid

Dinner with Cupid is a column in the Boston Globe that matches two singles on a blind date.  You must fill out a lengthy questionnaire to help the Globe find you a good right match.  The date is paid for by the Globe and if you’re chosen, all you’re told is where and when to meet, and the name of your date.  Then when the date is over, you’re required to fill out a survey and give your date… a letter grade!  The Globe then publishes the date reviews in their column, pictures included.

I’m writing about this because our intern Sam, went on a Dinner With Cupid (Andrew) last night.  They met at Mamma Maria in the North End.  I walked Sam to the restaurant and knew she was nervous, but she had such a good attitude about the whole night- best case scenario, they’d hit it off.  Worse case scenario, it’d make for a hilarious story.

As common as meeting a date online is these days, or being set up on a blind date, there’s always a big chance that it won’t go well.  Would we hit it off?  Would he get my sense of humor?  Will we have enough to talk about?  Would he be a total weirdo?

Luckily, the date went well.  I know this because I talked to Sam, but also read her “exit interview,”  details everyone else will be able to read in the Globe’s column.  A few of Sam’s thoughts on the date:

Q: When you got to the restaurant, how did you know who your date was?
A: When I got to the restaurant I told the host the details of my reservation. He led me upstairs to Andrew, who then introduced himself and gave me a hug.

Q: What was your first impression of your date physically?
A: He was tall, dark and handsome, with a really warm smile and pretty eyes.

Q: What did you talk about before ordering drinks?
A:   I immediately explained why I was carrying two giant bags, because I probably looked like a bag lady- I had just walked from work and I had my morning gym bag with me. We talked about where we went to school, when we graduated, where we live, where we are from and if it was too tacky to order American beer at a really nice Italian restaurant, which we decided it wasn’t.

Q: What did the two of you have in common?
A: What stuck out the most was our shared interest in food, cooking, bands and a mutual dislike for people who are too dependent on technology.  We also talked about why we filled out Dinner with Cupid applications.

Q: Was there a point when you wanted to leave? Why?
A: Only at the end of the dinner when I realized it was later that I had expected and I still needed to get back home.  A good sign!

Q: How did the date end?
A: Andrew walked me to Government Center, we talked about how we enjoyed our evening and I told him that I’d quote him for saying we should go out again sometime.

Sam’s date grade for Andrew?   A 

For Andrew’s date grade of Sam, stay tuned for the write-up in the Boston Globe!  You might also find it first on twitter @DinnerwithCupid, or on Dinner With Cupid’s blog.