Her version:

It all started one very rainy evening in New York where Anika was ready to avoid wearing real pants (the bane of her existence) and call it a night. Everyone else had already canceled going to drinks except one social butterfly who insisted we stick to the plan. Anika negotiated hard, as she does, and they settled to meet at the bar below her building where she could waltz over without any effort. That one drink turned into a glorious session of storytelling and laughter until 4am. She went back home elated and yet confused that night, hating one less man on earth.

His version:

Anika and I met in 2018 at a mutual friend’s birthday party, a few months after I moved to New York. She was (and still is) charming, funny, kind, intelligent, accomplished, and the life of the party. Initially, I thought she was out of my league, but she proved that leagues don’t exist when we would joke around for hours, banter about everything and nothing, and genuinely enjoy each other’s company.

We continued to see each other during the pandemic in December 2019, quarantining separately but video calling every day. Soon we adopted our beloved Australian cattle dog/pug/chihuahua/border collie/probably wolf/crazy rescue mix, Pita. Forcing us to walk him and play with him for hours a day, he brought us closer as a family, and now he and I can’t wait to begin the next chapter with the most wonderful dog mother and wife ❤️