It sounds like the setup to a bad joke — an architect and a dentist walk into a restaurant to meet for a blind date. But when Eric (the architect), 35, and Alina (the dentist), 27, were introduced to each other at Giovanni Rana in Chelsea Market, they immediately became all smiles. Over a meal they both describe as one of the best they’ve had in New York City, Eric and Alina established a foundation they could build on — and more than likely will.
He said:
It was clear Alina’s laid-back but also a hard worker. It’s not every day you meet a dentist with her own practice who takes Muay Thai classes. I’m pretty sure she could kick my ass.
I admitted not going to a dentist for the bulk of my 20s. That led to an interesting conversation where she convinced me why one would become a dentist.
Giovanni Rana was a great date spot. The octopus dish was unreal and the staff was friendly, too. After dinner we wandered through Chelsea Market, then stopped at the Dream Downtown to enjoy a round of smoky scotch. We texted a bit afterward, and I’m looking forward to seeing her again.
She said:
All I was told about Eric was that he is a “worldly architect” who is about my height. When he arrived, he was indeed only slightly taller than I am, but we hit it off right away.
Standard “first-date questions” led to swapping lots of personal stories. I enjoyed hearing all about his work designing interiors of nightclubs, airports and restaurants.
Rana’s service and food were top notch. Even if Eric and I had nothing in common, the date would have been great anyway because the meal was delicious!
I discovered Eric had never walked through Chelsea Market, so I showed him around, pointing out the subtle architectural touches that make it special. We agreed to see each other again, and I’m interested in getting to know him more!