S&A - Thanks M. For setting us up in your own special way.
A - We first met in London towards the end of 2009. Samantha was on a date with someone else (an old colleague of mine) and luck would have it a small group of us ended up going for dinner that evening instead. And that's where it all began...
S - My date seemed like a real dud next to Alex. Don’t judge me, it was a first date! I didn’t owe him anything. It took all of five minutes to realize who the gentleman in the group was and I set my sights higher. Mom taught me well.
A - Samantha and I ended up sharing a venison platter while her date enjoyed his steak in oblivion. She and I split a cab home to west London while the others went East. I got her number before she jumped out of the cab and asked her out the next day.
S - To a pub! My friends were not impressed. I'd had plans with the girls that night and I met them pre-date where they implored me not to go. What kind of first date was a pub?
A - Give me some credit. It was the Harwood arms. The first Michelin starred pub in London before it got its star. Samantha still loves it.
S - I’m not arguing. Food aside, it was a great date. (Also, the food was really, really good.)
A - It worked. One date led to two, three, four, and two fun years together. (Even if Samantha had to go back to work after every date.)
S - We broke up because that is what you do when you are young and dumb.A - The friendship endured, and for the next five years we stayed in touch, occasionally connecting when we were in the same place...
S - Alex quit his job to join some friends on a sailboat in Bahamas. They spent a year sailing when they weren't fixing sail boat...
A - Samantha made the leap to follow her passion for food and wine (great choice) in New York.
Definitely Not the End…. Click the circular photo on the right above to read more.
S - In 2016 Alex met me in Alsace for a long weekend in wine country. Has was forever the gentleman (good job Annelies!) and let's face it, the English accent didn't hurt, especially after all that time in New York.
A - You worked with the French! Anyway… A month later we met in Chicago, then in Champagne, then DC, then Botswana, New York, London, Halifax, Toronto, Berlin and on it went. I had to make sure we saw each other regularly...
S - We are complete opposites. Alex liked to plan each trip before the last one ends to make sure there wasn't too long a gap in seeing each other. I like to plan my trips the day before I leave... his way drove me crazy...
A - Her way is ridiculous.
S - Finally over Christmas I agreed to move to London… but then leaving my work, friends, and colleagues was harder than I thought so I made Alex wait.
A - She took 8 months! Glaciers move faster!
S - Alex, ever the gem, never complained. :)
A - To you…
S+A - Thanks Brett and Andy for giving us so much time off. We would never be here today otherwise!!