6 May 15 , 2022
Date Labwith Prachi Gupta
L
eading up to meeting his match, Zach Gilman, 25,
deliberated his mustache. “I was thinking, no way I keep
this for this date in The Washington Post,” he said. After
a friend persuaded him not to shave, he realized he wanted a
boyfriend who “can recognize the fun in a mustache.”
Zach applied to Date Lab after hearing a few of his friends’
positive experiences with the column. He’s looking for a partner
— someone who’s funny, handsome and has a stable job — but
isn’t in a rush. “If it’s not a match, it’s not a match.”
On the day of the date, he also struggled with what to wear.
He sent photos of three outfits to friends and asked for advice.
He decided on a long-sleeved striped shirt, jeans and boots. He
studied the restaurant menu and took a shot of raspberry vodka
to calm his nerves.
His date, Jeremy Frisch, 26, went through a similar process:
He had applied on a whim after reading a recent column. He,
too, is looking for a serious relationship — with someone
talkative and trustworthy. Consumed by a career shift into real
estate, it wasn’t until the afternoon of the date that he felt
anxious. Jeremy also sent photos of his outfit to friends for their
approval, landing on a blue button-down shirt with jeans.
Before leaving for Lapis in Adams Morgan, he drank some
wine.
Zach arrived early and was seated at a table. While he
waited, he read the comments on previous Date Labs. “One of
the comments was that you should always wait for your date to
arrive before you sit down,” he said, laughing. “That one
commenter is going to hate me.” About 10 minutes later,
Jeremy, who had been waiting outside, walked in (on time)
when our photographer realized Zach was already inside.
They spent a long time discussing the Afghan bistro’s menu
and debating what to order, going back and forth about specific
dishes. “He was like, ‘Oh, I probably won’t eat this, but I will eat
this and this,’ ” Zach observed, a potential compatibility issue
suggesting to him that Jeremy was “not willing to try a lot of
stuff.” In the end, they settled on the starter sampler and
Afghan shrimp dumplings to share. For their entrees, Zach
ordered a lamb shank and Jeremy had kebabs.
“I can be a picky eater,” Jeremy admitted. “There were a few
things I was nervous I wouldn’t like, and I actually liked a lot of
them.” Zach had a gin specialty cocktail, and Jeremy ordered a
ginger lemonade. After Zach pointed out that the lemonade
didn’t contain alcohol, Jeremy asked the server for a shot of
vodka and poured it in.
“I don’t really go to fancy restaurants that often,” Zach said to
Jeremy, trying to break the ice at the beginning of the date.The moment when
it all went downhill
Zach Gilman
(left) is 25 and works
for the government.
He is seeking
someone who is
“funny, knows their
way around a video
game console, works
out” and is
easygoing.Jeremy Frisch
is 26 and is making a
career change to real
estate. He is looking
for a man who is tall,
confident and
politically liberal.photo: Daniele SeissSign up for Date
Lab at washington
post.com/datelab.