

Exactly three years ago, I did one of the most daring things I had ever done in my life – I went on a date with someone I met online. I arrived almost an hour earlier than the designated time because the anxiety and excitement of the first date shoved me out my house way too early. I was meeting a very handsome guy I met on OkCupid.com at a popular coffee shop in Palo Alto called Coupa. He had just graduated and was in the process of applying to medical schools. I was trying to enjoy my summer while recovering from oral surgery. We had been sending each other messages through the website and text messages for a week before I decided it was safe – I mean time – to meet him.

Because I arrived at Coupa first, I picked a cozy table in the back and entertained myself with the internet to pass the time, which was moving at a glacial pace. My fingers were dancing on top of my keyboard when a man gently tapped on my table. I looked up, and there stood the guy who up until that moment, to me, only existed in my inbox.

Our date was perfect. So perfect that I thought it was all too good to be true. I kept waiting for him to tell me something that might snap me out of Cupid’s spell like “I enjoy collecting human hair” or “I like to set things on fire”. But nope, our date stayed perfect until he walked me to my car and I drove away.

Since that first date, we have been inseparable and today we are celebrating our three year anniversary!! As you may know crystal and glass are the traditional three year wedding anniversary gifts. It’s not documented anywhere, but I am pretty sure the three year dating anniversary gift is moist dense banana cake with fluffy cream cheese frosting.



For the first few months of our relationship, I told everyone we met at Outback Steakhouse (it was the first restaurant that came to mind!) because what was a college gal online dating for? This was before the rise of dating apps, so truthfully I was a little embarrassed. I came clean soon after, and one of my friends asked, “and Outback Steakhouse was better…?”

Once in a while I try to think of what my life would be like if I had never met Karl. I find it not just challenging but impossible. He may or may not know this (he certainly will now after reading this post), but he changed my life.

I wouldn’t be nearly as happy, as confident, as peaceful if it weren’t for him. When I met Karl, I was a young glum Economics student struggling to find passion and purpose in my work and in my life. He had this hardy confidence in me and convinced me I could do anything I wanted as long as I loved it. I changed my major to Psychology at the beginning of my junior year and fell in love with the field. I spent my time doing things I really enjoyed, like cooking and baking. Ironically it was his stable love for me that helped me make my decision to accept a job offer in Boston. Although we were on opposite sides of the country, I could always feel his support and confidence in me.

Cheers to three beautiful years! *clink*



Thank you 100 Layer Cake for the decoration inspiration! The cake recipe was adapted from my burnt sugar cake and fresh strawberry rhubarb cake recipes. The cream cheese frosting was adapted from my carrot cake with fluffy cream cheese frosting recipe.

