Our Story
THE UNLIKELY MATCH
Lox Club Lovers
Alissa, a Tampa native, and Danny, a born-and-raised New Yorker, never should have met—but fate (and Lox Club) had other plans. Alissa happened to be visiting NYC, a top-choice relocation option, when she joined "the Club" and snuck into Danny's dating jurisdiction. Smitten by the match that seemed too good to be true, Danny quickly moved to ask Alissa out, too distracted by her radiant ashkenazi beauty to read the minor details of her written prompts, such as the disclaimer that Alissa was considering a move to NY and visited often, but currently lived a thousand miles away. Danny would have to work a little harder to meet this Tampanian Temptress - and so he did. Despite her serious concerns that Danny's closed-mouth smile photos were a telltale "teeth-fishing" red flag, Alissa couldn't resist the allure of the beach bonfire specialist that he promised to be. Texting turned to daily phone calls and the two had a real connection, albeit long-distance.
THE FIRST DATE..& SO MANY MORE
Spoiler alert: they were both late
A few weeks of texts and late-night calls later, Alissa was visiting New York for work and granted Danny the coveted Saturday night spot - pressure was on. For the first time in his life, Danny planned a 3-part date in the West Village - dinner, drinks, and a jazz show. He was hellbent on giving Alissa a classic New York date night to remember. Danny was late. Alissa was later. But from the moment she walked in, he was done for. The espresso martinis were good, but the company was better. They'll never forget the dinner that followed at Osteria 57 - where the conversation was flowing, the ricotta toast was legendary, and Danny earned major mensch points when he set the misogynistic waiter straight in Alissa's honor. By the end of the night, it was clear: one date wasn’t going to be enough. Alissa returned to New York for date two, and soon, Danny found himself rerouting a work trip from London just to squeeze in his first visit to Tampa. Their long-distance romance unfolded across cities—meeting for a weekend in Miami, visiting friends in Chicago, exploring Brooklyn and Montauk together, and finally, the Uhaul trip through the South and Mennonite Lancaster that brought Alissa to New York for good. One year later, they made it official—moving in together on the Upper West Side, where Danny proudly became “Papa” to Howie Pickles.
THE ENGAGEMENT
Pickles Approved
When the time came, Danny knew there was only one way to propose—by recreating their perfect first date. Alissa wrote off the familiar drinks invitation (who proposes on a Monday?), and the Junior League call she had to take from the bar helped keep the surprise intact. A casual stroll past Washington Square Park to dinner was abruptly interrupted when Danny dropped to one knee while Alissa watched the heart-melting video Danny made, asking Howie for his permission - a well-established non-negotiable step in the proposal process. Thankfully, not even the ambush of covert ops photographers or the ghost tour that joined the party without invitation could spook Alissa. Through confusion and laughter, she said yes! The celebration continued at Osteria 57, where Danny and Alissa's families were waiting to pop the champagne. The rest of the night was a blur - but it was one they'll remember forever.