My friend Nicole kept telling me about these crazy Russians until one day she invited me to New Year's Eve party at Liliy's house. I got to meet everybody, although Misha and I barely talked that night. Then, a couple months later, Nicole invited me to Spring Awakening Music Festival where again, Misha and I barely talked. He ran around waving a flag pole with this Chicago flag on it, shouting something about loving house music. Little beknownst to me, house music would become the very thread that would bring us together!💖 So a few weeks later, Gene finds out that I draw. He has this brilliant idea that we need to make paintings/prints to sell at this festival called Hydrotechnics in New York. Misha and I worked so closely together the next few weeks preparing for this first ever festival that his company, EVOL Chicago, was about to vend. On the drive back from New York, Misha and I spent hours talking about our hopes and dreams. A few weeks later, we were officially dating.