Alison and Anuj met in the unlikeliest of times: September 2020, deep in the heart of the pandemic. Alison was living with her parents in Westchester, and Anuj had just moved to Mineola to begin his medical residency. The world was cautiously reopening, with dinners shifting outdoors and first dates involving masks and hand sanitizer. They matched on Hinge—as modern love stories often begin—and decided to meet in Williamsburg for ramen. Over shishito peppers and nervous laughs, something clicked. Ice cream at Van Leeuwen followed, and when Anuj went out of his way to drive Alison back to her brother’s apartment in the city, she took note. It was a sweet first date, and they both left hoping for a second. Then… nothing. Weeks passed. No follow-up, no text. But in November, out of the blue, Alison got a message: “Want to go out again?” She was away with friends and surprised to hear from him—but intrigued enough to say yes. Over pizza in Brooklyn, Anuj explained he'd been buried in night shifts. This time, the timing stuck. Since then, they’ve built a full life together—with laughter, travel, adventures in New York City, and their beloved cat Calzone (who probably gets more kisses than either of them). From Puerto Rico to India to London, they’ve made memories that will last a lifetime. And now, they can’t wait to make even more.