Date Lab
Blind dates just
aren’t for everyone
Nathan Christopher, 23, congressional staffer Emily Warheit, 26, graduate student
Your tYpe …
Nathan: Smart and funny, with the emphasis on smart.
Likes or plays
sports, but not obsessed. Passionate about job/school. Emily: Scruffy grad-student types. Has interesting things to talk about. Gainfully employed but not obsessed with money. Vegetarians are a major plus.
Interests to share …
Nathan: Outdoorsiness, politics, sports, traveling. Emily: Cooking, concerts, “The Wire,” indie films, dessert, golf.
how You hope s/he’s dIfferent …
interviews by elizabeth terry
7:30 p.m., Founding Farmers, Foggy Bottom
nathan: I’m pretty new to the area. Some friends at work kind of forced me to [apply for Date Lab]. I was [at the restaurant first], and I tried to grab a seat at the bar, which didn’t work because it was so packed. So I ended up just going and sitting at the table for five minutes. emily: I’ve never been on a blind date. [I applied] a year and a half ago, so I kind of was nervous when I got matched up because I didn’t even remember what I had said [on the application]. I had recently been broken up with, and as a morale thing some people at work were like, “Oh, sign up for this. This is fun.” I drove, but then I parked too far from the restaurant, so I walked several blocks to get there, and it was windy, and I felt like my hair was poofy. I went in, and it was really busy around the host stand
Got a thing for mental gymnastics and a wacky sense of humor? We’re
looking for puzzle-loving singles willing to go on a nontraditional date ... to the 2010 Post Hunt on June 6! Find out how to apply at
washingtonpost.com/
datelab.
8 The WashingTon PosT Magazine | may 30, 2010
so I decided to just find the ladies’ room and then come back. I need[ed] a moment to compose myself. One of the hostesses took me over. nathan: I was definitely taken aback. [She had] reddish strawberry blond hair; you don’t see a lot of that. I’m not trying to be shallow or anything, but, you know, I’m glad she’s attractive. She was wearing a kind of a red dress, I couldn’t even explain it: kinda, like, fluffy. emily: I thought he looked younger than people I normally date. He had youthful features. Usually I’ve dated people who are older. [He looked] average in an approachable, regular- guy kind of way. nathan: We started talking right away; it was really comfortable. I work for a New York politician, and she’s from New York, so we talked a little about that, and she’s really into art, so we talked about how we’re both drama geeks. emily: We [talked] about politics at least a little, [and] we agree in that area. I don’t understand people who could date someone who disagrees in that area. For me, it’s just too important. nathan: I don’t know who brought it
Nathan: I would actually like someone who is more introverted than I am. I tend to be very outgoing, and I think I need someone to bring me back to planet Earth once in a while. Emily: More Zen/less anxious, slightly more certain about their career direction.
up first, but we’re both pescetarians; we don’t eat meat other than fish. We had the fried green tomatoes, and we both apparently absolutely love goat cheese. emily: It’s not something that I look for initially when I date someone, but it’s definitely a bonus. I guess from my upbringing, [food is] more than just eating; it’s sharing. nathan: I have no problem with people that do [eat meat]. Neither one of us is, like, PETA animal-rights crazy; it’s more of a health reason. It’s easier when you have the same kind of reason for why you did it. She got the tuna steak. I ended up getting crab-stuffed ravioli. nathan: She’s into drama therapy; she wants to teach. I think no matter what I end up doing in the future I want to help people. That’s why I got into politics, so [it’s] awesome that she wants to teach kids how to use drama as a social building tool. I didn’t even
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