One of the things I love about NYC is it is also home to old friends from earlier seasons of my life. When I first arrived, one of the first people I reached out to was my former boss and close friend in San Diego, Joe. We were two peas in a pod when we worked at the Andaz San Diego and our friendship is one of my fondest memories from living in San Diego. Joe is originally from New York and he moved back in 2010. It has quite literally been six years since we last saw each other, despite seeing each other frequently through social media. We met for dinner one of my first weeks in town and we picked up exactly where we left off and it was like no time had passed at all. Gotta love that!

So we decided we were well overdue for Joe to meet Zach and this past Tuesday we finally made it happen at Cibar in Gramercy Park. I knew it would be great fun but it was even better than I imagined. Two men from two distinct parts of my life and they sincerely enjoyed each other. Joe had moved back to New York months before I met Zach in 2011 and Zach has only ever heard about Joe from my San Diego stories. Joe was an integral part of my San Diego experience, he was there for me through the highs and lows and a huge part of me gaining confidence in my mid-twenties. For a significant time, Joe and I referred to him as my gay boyfriend. To finally have these two worlds collide was simply wonderful. We’ve already got a handful of plans in the works and I can’t wait! My heart is full and so ready for more good times ahead.