ELIZABETH BALIS/Arizona Daily Wildcat Agricultural technology management and education senior Tim Cloninger dines with Judaic studies senior Sarina Gluckman at Ovens Bistro Saturday night. Earlier in the day, the couple received separate makeovers, including haircuts, highlights and facials.

When the winning couple meets for dinner, will their new looks generate sparks or is love based on more than appearances?

After a long day of picking out clothes, sitting under the heat of salon blow dryers and applying lipstick for the first time, Sarina Gluckman arrived at the rendezvous point: The Ovens restaurant in the St. Phillips Plaza. Her date was not there yet, so she decided to wait outside for him.

Gluckman and her date, Tim Cloninger, were the winners of LiveCulture's makeover and blind date contest, and now it was time to cash in on the second part of their winnings.

"Hopefully we'll both be really open-minded and just have a good time," Gluckman had said earlier in the evening.

After Cloninger pulled up in the parking lot, he headed over to the door of the restaurant, where the light shining from indoors put Gluckman in the spotlight and left his face temporarily hidden.

Despite her new look, one thing initially caught Cloninger's attention.

"She was pretty short," he said. "She seemed really nice and easygoing, but on the first impression, I wasn't very attracted to her."

As the couple shook hands and introduced themselves, a beaming smile spread across Gluckman's face.

"He was cute," she said. "He had a very friendly smile."

After being seated inside the restaurant, the couple began to talk about themselves in the search for the all-important common interest.

The conversation took off at a gentle pace. They discussed their favorite TV shows - Cloninger likes "Seinfeld," while Gluckman prefers shows on TLC, such as "A Makeover Story." When they found no shared interests, the conversation switched to hobbies and favorite pastimes.

Gluckman, who recently wove an entire rug out of newspapers, enjoys creating art and weaving, in addition to babysitting and going out with friends.

I had a good time. No regrets. - Sarina Gluckman makeover/blind date contestant

As Cloninger prepared to wow the table with his knowledge of art, the waiter arrived and grimly distributed the menus before slouching away.

The topic of conversation changed on its own as the couple contemplated their dinner selections.

After announcing that she only eats kosher meats and has "never, ever" eaten a portion of a pig, Gluckman settled on a salad.

Cloninger chose a spicy Cajun dish that later proved to be a bit too spicy, much to the amusement of his dining companion.

As the couple awaited the arrival of their meal, Gluckman brought up a tender topic for a first date: relationship history.

After confirming that Gluckman and Cloninger were not seeing anyone at present - a potential first-date damper - Cloninger talked about his last relationship that took place over the summer in Australia.

Having not had any major relationships in college, Gluckman said she is finally ready for a commitment.

"I've gotten to that point of maturity where that would be a good thing in my life," she said.

As they began to feel a little more comfortable with each other, Gluckman and Cloninger started to dish over their favorite features of the opposite sex.

Gluckman said she is attracted to a man's eyes and she wants the men she dates to be open-minded, confident and Jewish.

Cloninger said he looks for nice legs, a "good" face and not necessarily anything major "up there," as he brushed his hands upwards on his chest.

Most importantly, he said, he looks for personality.

The waiter made a second appearance, this time bearing plates of lukewarm food, which he silently placed on the table before making another hasty exit.

As the couple dug in, the conversation turned toward old memories and awkward moments.

Gluckman talked for a while about a trip she took to Israel her freshman year in college, where she lived and worked in a community with others.

She then recalled her high school prom and the date she took who could not dance because he had a nervous condition.

She then brought up the fact that she was recently caught topless in her apartment by a neighbor.

The conversation picked up after that, and by the time the check had been signaled for, Gluckman and Cloninger had decided they had enjoyed their meals and each other's company and that they would go home together.

After pausing for a hug in the parking lot, they embarked toward their final destination.

As fate would have it, en route to Gluckman's apartment, Cloninger received an urgent text message from his roommate, insisting that he return home immediately because their apartment had been "red tagged."

Relaying the information to his disappointed date, Cloninger bid Gluckman farewell after keying her phone number, which he later accidentally erased, into his cell phone.

The morning after

On Sunday, Gluckman headed out to play soccer, while Cloninger reflected on the day before.

"I definitely like the hair; I like the highlights," Cloninger said. "It was a really nice salon, even a straight guy feels comfortable. I definitely might go back."

ELIZABETH BALIS/Arizona Daily Wildcat Seniors Sarina Gluckman and Tim Cloninger hug each other in the restaurant's parking lot after dinner Saturday night.

As for the date...

"Honestly, I was a little disappointed," Cloninger said. "I wasn't really her type, but it wasn't that bad because she wasn't really my type either."

Stating that they "probably would not" see each other again, Cloninger cited their differences as a major barrier to a future relationship, or even a second date.

"She's pretty interesting and she's had a lot of different experiences," Cloninger said. "She's just too different for me."

When Gluckman returned from her morning out, she was pumped up from working out and receiving lots of attention on her new look.

"Everyone noticed the highlights," Gluckman said. "They were like, 'Oh! It's so fun!'"

Gluckman's only regret from the makeover was that she wasn't aware exactly which products the makeup artist used and exactly where they were supposed to go on her face.

As she summarized her opinion of the evening, Gluckman said, she too, felt Cloninger was not her type.

"He seems a lot more laid back, and we definitely don't have that much in common as far as what we like to do in our free time and our interests, even," she said.

Gluckman also said she felt the conversation was awkward at times, and she found herself putting on a fa�ade, being a different person in public and toward Cloninger than she truly is.

"I felt very out of my element," Gluckman said. "(Looking back) I wouldn't have talked so much. I would have done more question asking then answering and also would have tried to find a topic that interested us both."

Open to the possibility of a second date, should Cloninger give her a call, Gluckman said she'd be fine either way.

"I had a good time," she said. "No regrets."