We first matched on Hinge. We skipped most of the small talk and decided to meet in person. Since it was during Covid, our options were limited, so we chose a brewery in Chicago. Anuar suggested coffee, but Sofia felt a little liquid courage was necessary for meeting someone from an app. Because of the Covid rules, we had to wear masks the entire time at the brewery. As you can imagine, that got old quickly, and we even got scolded by the staff a few times for slipping them off. Still, the date was going well, and when Sofia came back from the bathroom, Anuar announced he had found a dinner reservation so the evening could continue. Dinner turned out to be much more relaxed when it came to masks. Depending on who you ask, Sofia may or may not have ordered soup as a drink! After dinner, Anuar suggested joining some friends who happened to be at a bar across the street. At first, Sofia wondered if he was using them as a buffer in case the date wasn’t going well. But if you know Anuar, you know that couldn’t be further from the truth. He just loves being around people. The night carried on from there, ending at a friend’s apartment with “second dinner”: the most delicious homemade Carbonara. From that first date on, the rest was history. We’ve traveled the world together, made lifelong friends, lived in different cities, and kept the tradition of enjoying “second dinner.”