8 MARCH27, 2022
Date LabWITH PRACHI GUPTA
D
uring the pandemic, Dana Kravitz, 26, “got really
invested” in reading Date Lab with her family. She even
occasionally read the column aloud as a sort of dramatic
performance. “We were joking about me applying,” she recalled.
One night in 2020, after a few glasses of wine, she went for it.
When we first reached out, Dana was at the beach “with 40
family members,” she said, who immediately became invested
and requested updates. But the date was postponed, and then it
was canceled. Dana was set up again, and her second match
backed out too. By the time she was matched a third time, Dana
decided to keep it a secret from everyone except close family and
friends. She wasn’t expecting to meet her person, but she was
hopeful. “It’s hard to meet somebody, and this would be a cool
story.” Ultimately, she’s looking for a relationship with someone
who can make her laugh.
To relieve some pre-date anxiety, she picked an outfit the
night before the date with her best friend and her best friend’s
boyfriend. She settled on a cream crop sweater with black polka
dots, a leather skirt, black stockings and heeled combat boots.
The day of the date her mom called, and her brothers cracked
jokes about the column, which helped calm her nerves. When
she arrived at Seven Reasons on 14th Street NW, her date, Geoff
Dubrow, 30, was already seated. “I thought he had an
approachable look about him and kind eyes,” Dana told me.
Geoff, a food chemist, had a “surprisingly hectic” day at work.
For the evening, he put on a patterned button-down, brown
slacks and boots. To ease his jitters, he called his sister on the
30-minute walk to the restaurant. He’s interested in a
relationship with someone who keeps him “challenged.” “I tend
to have a lot of hobbies,” he said, which includes rock climbing
and cycling, and is looking for someone who is similarly
“interested in exploring, trying out new experiences.”
“I thought she was attractive,” Geoff said of his first
impression of Dana. “We were able to settle into a conversation
pretty quickly.” Their exchange was propelled by a random,
disarming connection: Geoff had once bought a plant from a
rare-plant seller who lived in Dana’s building. They were talking
so much that the waiter had to come by twice before they
decided to order cocktails. For food, they shared scallops, tartare
and a seafood rice dish. After appetizers, the waiter came by
with a round of mezcal shots — compliments of Dana’s family —
which was a fun surprise.
The discussion branched off naturally; they both enjoy
cooking, which segued into Geoff sharing some of his
experiences studying strawberries and grapes. He was interested
in hearing about how Dana decided to become a social worker.The outcome wasn’t
what she expected
Dana Kravitz
is 26 and a clinical
social worker. Her
dream date is with a
“hot comedian who
is also an advocate
with a heart of gold.”Geoff Dubrow
is 30 and a food
chemist. He is
interested in
someone who “has
some shared
activities (a fellow
cyclist or climber!)
and is always
fascinated by the
world.”PHOTO: DANIELE SEISSSign up for Date
Lab at washington
post.com/datelab.