Date Lab She likes ’em outgoing; he’s
more reserved. Problem? Pat Sanford, 24, engineer Tara Eddy, 26, nanny and student
Happiest wHen ... Pat: I’m typically happiest hanging out with my friends by the grill and having a beer after spending the day playing rugby or running, something active that makes me feel like I spent the day productively. Tara: Outside on a beautiful spring day, with cocktail in hand, hanging out with friends.
How you’re not D.C. ... Pat: I’m still very much a Rhode Island boy: I love being outside, staying active, sailing, running, hiking. Which is all a bit difficult in D.C., but I try and make it work.
Tara: I don’t take myself too seriously.
interviews by Christina breda antoniades
7:30 p.m., District Grill, Downtown Tara: I was definitely a little nervous, because I’ve never gone on a blind date before and I’ve never really even done any dating Web sites, so it was very new to me. I got off work at 6 and went home and showered really quick, and then I rushed down there. Pat: I wasn’t too nervous. I had gone for a run before the date, so I was more focused on that. I arrived right at 7:30, went in, made sure they sat me down. Tara was already there but in the bathroom, so I waited a few minutes, and then [she] came in. Tara: There weren’t many people there, so I saw him right away sitting at the table. From across the room I was like, Oh, he’s cute. I hope that’s him. I walked over, and he stood up. He’s tall.
Active 40-something seeks teddy- bear type with a quick wit. Is that
you? Apply now at washingtonpost. com/datelab. Find out what else we’re up to at
facebook.com/datelab, and follow us on Twitter @datelab.
That’s good, because I’m 5-9, and I had 3-inch heels on. [And] you could see that he had a good body. I went in for a hug, but he did the handshake. That was fine. I’m just very friendly and outgoing. Pat: She was tall, blond hair; she looked pretty fit. That’s definitely my type. She was very attractive. We sat down and started talking. There was a little awkwardness just from it being a blind date, but overall, it was comfortable. Tara: I’m talkative, so I started throwing out questions right off the bat. “How are you? How was your day? Where were you coming from?” We ordered some drinks and an appetizer. At first, I could tell he was nervous. He was twitching his foot. But I guess because I was talking so much and asking questions, I would say by the time our meal got there, he was more comfortable. Pat: I’m usually more reserved for
6 The WashingTon PosT Magazine | June 20, 2010
your type ... Pat: I typically go for the blond hair, blue-eyed girl, but personality is really what makes it for me. I look for a girl who can hang out with my friends and drink a beer, or just go running with me but still can pull on a dress and look great. Tara: Tall, athletic but down-to-earth. Someone who is outgoing and likes to have fun.
interests to sHare ... Pat: I’m extremely active and enjoy being outdoors, so I would hope my date likes similar activities or can open me up to brand-new things along the same lines. Tara: Sports (I love watching and playing them), positive outlook (no “naysayers,” please), friends, travel.
meeting new people, and then after a little while, I come out of my shell. We’ve both been playing sports our whole lives, so that was a big topic. I’m into triathlons and rugby. I’m doing a half-ironman in July. She played basketball in college, and I played in high school, so we talked about that. She said she watches ESPN all the time, which I found pretty exciting. Tara: There isn’t much we didn’t have in common — we’re both really active and love to work out; we love sports and being outdoors. I love the water;
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