Each month, we set two daters up, give them free food and drinks, then wait for the magic to happen. This month’s Blind Date we set Heather and Phil up at Briar Patch in Denver.

Meet The Daters! 

Name: Heather

Occupation: Onboarding Specialist

Star Sign: Libra

Why are you going on Rooster’s Blind Date?

 Because why not?

What’s a good way to win you over?

 Kindness and being funny.

Most irrational fear:

Space. The fact that it’s never-ending and I never want to get stuck up there.

What’s your greatest strength?

I’m very open and accepting of others.

Do you want kids?

Maybe eventually.

What do you geek out on?

Skincare and marijuana.

Immediate red flags:

Being rude to service workers and a lack of emotional intelligence.

Immediate green flags:

Being open, honest, and funny.

What is your toxic trait as a partner?

 I’m lazy and I love to binge-watch things.

One thing you can’t live without?

My skincare routine. I’m a licensed esthetician. I start with toner. I won’t go into the cleansers because that’s a whole different thing. It’s probably 10 steps.

Why did your last relationship end?

There was a lack of communication and emotional intimacy.

Celebrity crush:

 Bradley Cooper.

Guilty pleasure:

Candy. Anything that’s sour.

Name: Phil

Occupation: Product engineer

Star Sign: Virgo

Why are you going on Rooster’s Blind Date?

My friend signed me up. Fun fact: she also signed up another friend who was on another one.

What’s a good way to win you over?

Being kind, compassionate, fun, and outgoing.

Most irrational fear:

Getting the ick from my favorite food. 

What’s your greatest strength? 

I’m responsible, reliable, and kind.

Do you want kids?

With the right person.

What do you geek out on?

Mostly bikes. All bikes. Anything with two wheels. 

Immediate red flags:

Being mean, making mean-spirited jokes, and being a bully.

Immediate green flags:

Compassionate, kind, caring, but also driven in what they want.

What is your toxic trait as a partner?

I can be too much of a people pleaser. It can be problematic.

One thing you can’t live without?

That jalapeño ranch.

Why did your last relationship end?

We weren’t on the same page with what we wanted.

Celebrity crush:

Dua Lipa.

Guilty pleasure:

Jalapeño ranch! Is it Little House or Lighthouse?

ROUND 1

Love, like a rose, is a delicate thing. Sometimes it blooms effortlessly. Other times, you’re just standing there in the Briar Patch wondering how something so soft can still have thorns. Phil and Heather walked into this date with refreshingly simple expectations: just two people genuinely trying to connect over dinner and drinks. After sharing an appetizer, we pulled them aside to see how things were blooming… or if any thorns had started to show.

How are things going so far? 

P: I think well. She seems really kind and really cool. She’s funny.

H: It’s going good. We’re getting to know each other, and he’s nice and funny.

What were your first impressions of the dater? 

P: She’s very cute. Once we started talking, she seemed very kind and very interested in getting to know me, which I think is good. She seems fun, easygoing, and also likes snowboarding, which is a big plus.

H: He’s cute and kind. I like his hair.

What was the first thing you noticed about your date?

P: Her eyes. She’s got a kind eye look. I think they’re blue-greenish… I’ll check when I get back.

H: I don’t really know. I’d say his demeanor. He seemed very chill. I like that. 

Is this the type of person you’d normally date?

P: I think so, yeah.

H: Honestly, no. I feel like we all try to go after our “type.” I think the biggest thing about my type is facial hair. I’m more attracted to facial hair, so it’s a little surprising. It’s not a dealbreaker.

Where do you normally meet partners?

P: I don’t really. Mostly through mutual friends or going out to events with my friends. It’s more of a meet-people-through-people situation.

H: I don’t really know how to answer that, because this is my first date in a few years.

What are you most nervous about for tonight? 

P: The interviews. You guys are fun and super nice, but being interviewed halfway through is something I’ve never done before. The nerve-wracking part is what she’s saying, too, but I guess we’ll find out later.

H: Just meeting someone that I knew nothing about. I feel way less nervous now. Now that I’m actually here doing the date and I’ve met him, I feel a lot more comfortable.

Did you get any advice for the date?

P: Yes. My friends asked me these questions. My other friend who went on the date asked me questions, too. And then the typical checking in with my outfit.

H: Just to be myself and be open-minded.

How did you prepare for the date?

P: I just showed up. Tried not to overthink it. Just be open-minded and meet someone new. I can certainly psyche myself out.

H: I hyped myself up with music on the way. I listened to a lot of dubstep, specifically RUVLO’s Chaos and the Confines. 

How did your date dress tonight?

P: Really cool. I like her style. She looks really comfortable in it, which is how I choose my outfits, but she also looks really good in it.

H: Nice and casual. Nothing really stood out to me. I was nervous on my way that I might be underdressed, but I feel like our vibe is similar in how we’re dressed. I was a little scared he’d show up in a tie.

What are three words that you’d use to describe him? 

P: Kind, curious, fun.

H: Gentle. Cute. Interesting.

What are you looking forward to in the next round?

P: Getting to know her more. See what other shared interests we have.

H: Just getting to know him. We were just talking about childhood and where he grew up versus where I grew up. It’s very different.

ROUND 2

Right away, this one felt easy. Phil and Heather both described each other as kind, cute, and easy to talk to. A promising first bloom. Phil was drawn to her eyes, while Heather liked his calm, gentle vibe. The nerves faded quickly, and by the end of the round, things were flowing naturally. No thorns in sight.

How were drinks and dinner at Briar Patch? 

P: Good. Really good. I got the salmon. It was very tasty. Drinks are really good too. I got the Revolver. I liked it.

H: Very good. I got the Tuscan pasta and the Birds of Paradise drink. That was good.

How’s the date going?

P: I think well. We’re still chatting, still asking questions, still getting to know each other. We’re talking about a little bit of everything. Where we grew up, what type of music we like, what we do for fun, and what we geek out on.

H: Good. It’s a nice flowing conversation. It’s nice to get to know someone. We’re talking about a lot of the same stuff. Our interests, and about him growing up in a very different place than me. I think it’s pretty cool.

Do you two have anything in common? 

P: Music-wise, a lot. We share the same interests. Snowboarding. We have the same pass, the Ikon pass. Perhaps a skiing date in the future, but the snow isn’t helping us right now.

H: We both love all kinds of music. He likes folky-type music, and Hozier is one of my favorites, so that kind of aligns with that. He’s also been to a Ganja White Night show, so that was cool. 

What do you like about your date? 

P: She’s nice, she’s kind, she’s funny. And she’s asking questions about me and not just talking about herself, which I think is good.

H: He’s really sweet and easy to talk to. It’s just easy to make conversation and there’s not too much pressure.

What do you not like about your date?

P: Nothing. So far, so good.

H: I don’t know. I can’t think of anything. 

What’s the most attractive thing your date has done so far?

P: Being really curious about who I am, where I grew up, and what makes me me.

H: I like how he keeps circling back and asking me more in-depth questions. He wants to know more about me.

How would your parents feel about the dater?   

P: Intrigued, perhaps. They would want to get to know her more. I think they would get along, maybe. It’s hard to tell sometimes with my parents.

H: They would like him. I would take him home to meet them.

What’s been the best part of the date so far?

P: Honestly, we’re both equally excited about the new experience and getting to know each other.

H: The conversation is easy. There hasn’t been a moment when we didn’t know what to talk about. It’s just flowing naturally.

What could make the date better? 

P: I don’t know. I feel like usually when I go on a date, I’m doing something else as well, so an activity would be helpful. We share a lot of music interests, but if you add music it’s hard to talk, so maybe that would be more of a later thing.

H: This might be silly, but maybe if there was more commotion around. But it is a Monday night. I could see this place popping on the weekends. 

How’s the chemistry on a scale of 1 to 10? 

P: 7 or 8. It’s good. 

H: 7ish. This might be stupid, but because this is my first date in so long, I feel like I’m realizing maybe I’m not ready to date-date. But I like everything about this date.

Where would you like the night to go from here?

P: Just keep getting to know each other and learn more about her.

H: It might sound silly, but I’ve had a long week at work so I’m kind of tired. I’d go home and go to bed. I’m kind of boring in that sense. I love going home.

What’s a fun fact that you learned about your date? 

P: While she’s waiting for me to answer the questions, she’s been staring out the window at the person across the street and wondering what they’re doing. 

H: I think it’s really interesting that he’s from Costa Rica. I think that’s really cool — a different upbringing, a different way of life there. I’m from Kentucky. I’ve spent so many nights in a half bath or a closet because of tornadoes.

Do you think there’s going to be a second date?

P: Hopefully! Maybe a concert. I haven’t looked up any concert schedules, but maybe a concert or snowboarding since we’re both interested in that.

H: Yes, but again, I don’t think I’m ready to date-date. Maybe more of a hangout date.

Do you think there will be a hug, a kiss, or an exchange of numbers?

P: Hopefully an exchange of numbers. We’ll see about the others!

H: He hugged me coming in, so probably a hug goodbye. I would exchange numbers with him.

ROUND 3

By dinner, things were clearly blooming. Easy conversation, shared interests, and a natural chemistry. But tucked in between the petals, a small thorn: Heather admitted she might not be ready to date-date just yet. Still, the connection held, warm and easy, even with that quiet hesitation in the background.

What happened after Rooster left? 

P: We just ate dessert, chatted a little more, and eventually realized they were trying to close, so we left.

H: We stayed a little bit longer and then exchanged phone numbers. We stayed for maybe another 30 minutes.

What was the best part of the date and why?
P: The conversation kept rolling throughout the whole night, which was really nice. It was a fun new experience for me.
H: I would say the fact that it was a blind date. It was a first experience for both of us, and it was something we could immediately bond over and talk about throughout the date.

Would you have changed anything about the date?
P: Nope. It was great.

H: I don’t think so.

Was there a goodnight kiss, hug or exchange of numbers? 

P: Nothing juicy. I walked her to her car, exchanged numbers, gave her a hug, and said bye. I texted her yesterday and she texted me today that she’s not ready for dating.

H: We did hug and exchanged numbers. No kiss.

Will there be a second date? 

P: Probably not. I would be into hanging out with her as friends. She’s super cool and friendly, and I told her if she ever wanted to hang out to let me know.

H: I don’t think so. We did text a little after, but after thinking about it, I decided that I’m not ready to date. At the moment, but maybe in the future if I am ready.

Any advice for future blind daters?
P: It’s not as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be. It was just a normal date with occasional interludes where they ask you about how it’s going. Have fun, essentially.
H: The same advice I got. Just being open-minded and being yourself.

CONCLUSION

Phil and Heather had the kind of connection that’s easy to root for. They lingered, shared dessert, exchanged numbers, and ended the night on a warm, respectful note. But in the end, that earlier thorn held true. Heather realized she’s not quite ready for dating, and instead of forcing something forward, they let it be what it was. Sometimes the rose is there, but it’s just not the right season.

Are you tired of ordinary dating? Do you like free food and drinks? If you are 21 or older, then you may be entitled to a  Rooster Blind Date!

Click HERE to sign yourself or a friend up!