Each month, we set two daters up at a restaurant, give them free food and drinks, then wait for the magic to happen. This month's Blind Date, we set Naomi and Andy up for a special night at ND streetBAR in Boulder.

Meet The Daters

Naomi


 

Dream Job: I don’t dream of labor; I’d have a farm 
Last concert: Jungle 
Ideal date night: Happy hour in the summer or picnic in the park 
Biggest Pet Peeve: Knee bouncing, any of those ADHD ticks, loud eating
Cats or Dogs: Dogs 
Winter or Summer: Summer 
Do you want kids? I don’t … know 
What’s your type: Tall dark and handsome, tattoos and mustache 
Deal Breakers: Not being open-minded
Strangest date story: One time I had a guy come over to watch a movie and we took edibles, he only took about 5mg, then said he had to go help his friend at a concert. Five minutes later Snapchatted me that I was weird and my roommates were mean —my roommates weren’t there when he came over… 
How did your last relationship end: Long distance killed it. 
Celebrity Crush: Harry Styles 
Guilty pleasure: Ice cream (Phish Food) 

 

Andy

Dream Job: Event Planner.  
Last concert: Passafire. 
Ideal date night: Do something outside together or competitively then come back and play split-screen video games. 
Biggest pet peeve: When people identify super strongly with basic things like wine or dogs. 
Cats or Dogs: Both. I have a cat but I started having good experiences with dogs recently. 
Winter or Summer: Summer 
Do you want Kids? Less and less everyday. 
What’s your type: Super chill and open minded. Down for anything. 
Deal Breakers: If they’re an extremist of any type. 
Strangest date story: I matched with someone on Tinder. Within three minutes she called me and asked me to drive three hours to her place then hung sex over me as a means to get me to buy 100 whippets for her. I bought them and she ended up doing 101 whippets. She asked me to put gas in her car as well but I refused. 
How did your last relationship end: Her and I realized simultaneously we were different people. 
Celebrity Crush: Juno Temple 
Guilty pleasure: Tik Tok when I can find the time. 

 

 

First Round

The daters arrive at Next Door ready to mingle and toss back a few drinks. Naomi, a Californian who’s not your typical girl next door, and Andy, a software engineer with a wild side, the daters dive into the conversation while sipping on beers and craft cocktails. After a few drinks, we pull them aside to see how things are going. 

 

How would you describe your dating life in three words: 

Naomi: Exhausting. Annoying. Hopeful.
Andy: Unique. Sporadic. Fun.  

 

 

What are you most nervous about for tonight?
 

N: Nothing. I’ve been on so many first dates, I don’t get nervous. 
A: Not a lot. There were zero expectations since it’s a blind date. 

 

Where do you normally meet potential partners?

N: Dating apps. 
A: Dating apps and real life. 

 

Why do you think you’re a catch?

N: I’m really funny. I’m smart and cute and I’m a good time. 
A: Very easy going and easy to talk to and your parents will love me. 

 

 

What are you looking for in a partner?

N: Someone who I can hangout with, do anything with: day trip to Rocky Mountains, eat ice cream at home.
A: Someone I have a lot in common with, where we can spend quality time together.  

 

What makes for a successful relationship?

N: Communication. Honesty. Laughter.
A: Shared interest in communication. 

 

Did you get any advice for this date?

N: My roommates told me to wear the blue skirt but I wore the jeans.
A: That I should come in a tux or Halloween costume.  

 

How did you prepare for the date?

N: I drove up from Denver, did my makeup and changed in my car.
A: Self grooming. Listened to some hype music.  

 

What was the first thing you noticed about your date?

N: His tattoos. 
A: She’s short and has cool hair. 

 

What are your first impressions?

N: I think he’s pretty cool. Good sense of style. I like where his heads at. Date wise and life wise. 
A: She is not a norm-y, which is good. She seems fun and open-minded. 

 

Are you attracted to your date?

N: Yeah.
A: Yes. She has a cute smile.  

 

Round Two 

She likes dogs, he's more of a cat person, but first impressions still seem like there's room for some spice. The daters finish their delicious appetizers and meals then we interrupt once again to see if the flame is getting hotter.  

 

How was dinner? What did you have? 

N: It was good. I had the impossible cheeseburger. Superb.  
A: Chicken and rice bowl of sorts. It was good. 

 

Have your first impressions changed?

N: No, my first impressions have not changed. 
A: Yes, she’s a lot more normal than I originally thought. 

 

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

N: 7 and a half. 
A: Probably a 4. 

 

Do you guys have anything in common?

N: Yeah! We like animals, farms and that kind of lifestyle. Tattoos. 
A: A few things but not a lot. Not as many as I’d like. 

 

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

N: The conversation and the laughter and also the fritters. 
A: When we shared memes. 

 

Are there any deal breakers so far?

N: Nope! 
A: Not really. Nothing extreme. 

 

What’s something interesting you’ve learned about your date?

N: He’s from Michigan and went to a high school with 90 people versus I graduated with almost 500 people. 
A: She’s obsessed with survivor and has seen all 41 seasons multiple times. 

 

What would your parents say about the dater?

N: I think my parents would say he’s nice and cool. 
A: They’d love her.

 

How do they compare to other people you’ve dated?

N: On the positive side. 
A: She’s certainly more lighthearted and fun. 

 

Where do you see the night going?

N: Walk around Pearl for a little bit. I might show him some spots.  
A: Probably go our own ways after dinner.

 

Round 3

The daters bond over memes, farms and tattoos. Although Andy doesn't think much of the chemistry, we're hopeful if we leave the daters to their own, things might change. Rooster leaves for the evening and let's the daters hang back. The next morning, we reach to see how the night ended and if there's a future. 

 

What did Rooster miss after dinner? 

N: After Rooster left, we stayed at Next Door for a little longer and talked, mostly showing each other tattoo inspiration and cool artists on Instagram.
A: All my jokes fell flat, like when I propositioned marriage she didn't seem entertained. We started talking about our tattoo plans and comparing artists though and she has good taste!

 

After all was said and done, how was the night?

N: Overall it was a super fun experience and very positive date! It’s always a good time when I feel like I don’t have to struggle to make the conversation happen.
A: As good as it can be without clicking super well. Regardless, I appreciate her impressive knowledge of Survivor.

 

Would you have changed anything about the date?

N: The only thing I would’ve changed about the date was that the kitchen was out of chicken for the fried chicken sandwiches! And I love those sandwiches.
A: Maybe have you guys sit farther out of earshot for the interview parts.

 

Final question, would you go on a second date with them? 

N: While I did have a great time on the date, I think we were lacking a little bit of the chemistry I’m looking for, so I don’t think I’d go on a second date.
A: We did swap numbers but I don't think we'll go out again. I did it for the experience so that's fine.

 

 

Conclusion

Swing and a miss! The daters didn't feel the chemistry this round which was evident by the daters looking at memes the entire date. On another note, Rooster finally made our first blind date marriage, as the daters from the Nov. 2020 issue are getting married after meeting on the blind date. We did it!