#bonfiresandbrujos2022

The Home of Jean-Yves + Linda Albert 2228 Hudson Lake Road, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, 74003 5pm - 11pm

Once upon a time in Tulsa, there was a scummy dive bar called Downtown Lounge, (affectionately called DTL by those that frequented this particular haunt). Nico and Kyle were longtime regulars at this establishment, both appreciating the amenities like cheap booze, loud heavy metal music, and dark corners in which to hide. Somehow in all the years of being in very close proximity to one another, their paths did not cross until one night in August of 2016. That night, Kyle saw Nico across the crowded room, love at first sight. Nico did not entirely remember meeting and giving her phone number to Kyle, but nevertheless engaged in conversation with him the next day, when she received an enticing proposition from him: "HMU foo." How could she resist? Over the months that followed, Kyle and Nico grew closer. They shared stories, attended metal shows and powwows together; Nico making Kyle eat weird Asian foods, and Kyle making grand gestures of love and devotion every step of the way. After one long year, Nico finally realized what Kyle had known from that very first night: that their paths were destined to intertwine, and that she couldn't imagine her days without Kyle to share them with.

In November of 2019, Nico was invited by the George Kaiser Family Foundation to travel to New York City to prepare a meal for guests from a variety of media outlets to represent the culture, history, flavor and future of Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was afforded spots for two assistants; one longtime friend and fellow Cherokee chef Bradley Dry, and of course the other being her partner in all aspects of life including side hustles, Kyle. It would be a short and laborious trip, with one day to travel and one day to traverse Manhattan shopping for ingredients, preparing, and serving the 4-course dinner. After arriving in NYC and hauling all their equipment and coolers from airport to hotel, Bradley, Kyle and Nico had the evening to explore the city before the Nico-imposed curfew required in anticipation of the busy work day ahead of them. After gorging on Katz's pastrami sandwiches and knishes, Bradley needed a nap and Kyle and Nico needed a walk. Kyle seemed to be in search of "the right spot" - somewhere by the water with a good view of the city. They walked through the city hand-in-hand, marveling at the sights in spite of the biting cold temperature that dropped the closer they got to the harbor. As the sun set, they decided to take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry for the ultimate view of the iconic skyline and the Statue of Liberty. On the return trip, Kyle announced that they needed to take a picture on the deck of the ferry, and went to find a kind-looking older Brazilian couple on the ferry who seemed least likely to steal his phone. With the city lights sparkling in the background, Nico unwittingly posed for a "photo" as the freezing wind whipped around them, and Kyle got down on one knee. After the weeks and months of buildup and anticipation, in the moment Kyle couldn't bring to words the speech he had been preparing; in the howling wind and dizziness of excitement, Nico would barely process the words he said anyway, all she knew was that the answer was "YES."