OLGA & DANIEL

We originally met in Brooklyn, NY at New York Fashion Week, September 2019. Olga had responded to a KidSuper post on Instagram seeking help for its upcoming fashion show.

I (Daniel) had been a part of the brand for many years. A few months later, on a cold December night, I was walking in the Lower East Side and felt a tap on my shoulder. Somehow, Olga spotted me from a full block away and caught up to me to say hi. We were both heading to Brooklyn, and decided to take the train over the bridge together. I rambled on and on about my work stresses and Olga listened intently, occasionally lending a word of encouragement. Later that night, I sent her a DM saying I was sure she’d make a great lawyer someday. 

 

We ran into eachother a few more times that winter – first, at a Polish restaurant, where Olga recommended me the best eats, then, at a friend’s art show after which we had our first kiss, and lastly, at an intimate concert at the Soho House. Even though we were with friends at each of our run-ins, we kept finding ourselves in a quiet booth or in the corner of a bar talking the night away. Soon, I asked Olga out on a proper date. However, on March 11th, 2020 – our scheduled first-date night – the country began to shut down due to the pandemic. I botched the first date because work got in the way. Olga requested a raincheck. Thinking the pandemic was only going to last a week or so, I went to Baltimore to visit my parents and Olga got sick with COVID. Little did we know, the raincheck would occur 4 months later. 

 

COVID was a lonely time, but fortunately for us, we didn’t feel so alone. We started to talk on FaceTime every night until the sun came up. We got to know each other very well as we chatted, fixed cocktails, and worked on puzzles through the comfort of our screens. As time went on, my beard grew rampant and Olga was itching for a get-away. Come July, Olga’s lease was expiring and I decided to help her move her things to her parent’s house in Chalotte, North Carolina. I also decided it was time to move out of my Brooklyn apartment. This became a perfect opportunity for a little road trip. Before we embarked, we got to spend two days in New York together – our first in-person date being eating Insomnia cookies in Washington Square Park, next to our alma mater, NYU. As we all know, moving can be such a pain, but together it was a fun, natural experience. Once we arrived in Charlotte, Olga’s parents welcomed me into their home with open arms, delicious food, and so much love. I went back to Baltimore for a week or so but soon returned to Charlotte.

 

A few weeks later, Olga accepted an offer to attend law school in the fall. She was moving to Washington, DC! We quickly planned our second road trip back up the coast. Within a few months, I was fully moved into Olga’s apartment. As the world began to open back up, we started to travel more. We took trips around Maryland and West Virginia, drove up to New York to see friends, spent time hiking in Arizona, and visited my brother and sister-in-law in Texas. By the end of our first year together, we had a trip booked to Eastern Europe. 

 

On that trip, we had a warm visit with Olga’s family in Lubań, a small town in southwestern Poland. We also spent a few days falling in love with Krakow. We enjoyed the food, the beautiful architecture, the pre-war historical sights, the amazing bars, incredible theaters and overall culture. We were mezmerized by Kazimierz (the Old Jewish Quarter), where the sound of klezmer music filled the cobblestone streets on Friday night. We quickly realized that Krakow honored both our Jewish and Christian faiths, as well as our Polish roots. It was on that trip that I promised Olga’s family that I would learn Polish. And I can proudly say that I kept that promise.

 

So… to speed up an already long, detailed story… we moved to Virginia, spent a summer back in New York City, and ultimately decided that we would move to Olga’s hometown of Atlanta once she graduated law school in May of 2023. And, at long last, this past September we travelled to Montreal for Olga’s 10 year high school reunion. I planned to propose at one of Olga’s favorite spots, but each one she took me to was under construction. Finally, I got on one knee on McGill University’s campus and popped the question.

 

And the rest is history…