Episode 39

Some love stories don’t end when the relationship ends, they keep echoing across years, cities, and versions of yourself. I with my longtime friend Steffie unpack the unforgettable New York romance that started on a cheap Chinatown bus, turned into a whirlwind of cab rides, late-night texting, and secret-door dates, and still shapes how they think about love today.

What begins as a funny travel memory turns into a deeply personal conversation about attraction, timing, and the kind of connection you only recognize in hindsight. I revisit the guy who changed my idea of courtship forever, while Steff, the friend who witnessed it all from day one, adds the outside perspective that makes the story hit even harder.

You’ll hear about:

• The chaotic $100 Chinatown bus trip from New York to Washington, Buffalo, Philadelphia, and Niagara Falls
• The unexpected lobby phone call that brought the “right” guys down from the bus
• The instant chemistry, banter, and age-gap tension that made everything feel like a movie
• Why the romance felt so magical in New York, and why it became painful later
• The hard-earned lesson about not living in fantasy, not overcorrecting in dating, and not judging your younger self too harshly

I also reflect on how this story inspired my writing, including my upcoming New York love story, We’ll Always Have New York.

Steff brings the grounded, supportive perspective of a true friend who saw the connection unfold in real time and still believes in what it meant.

If you love romantic real-life stories, “how did this even happen?” moments, or honest reflections on love after heartbreak, this episode will pull you in fast. It’s warm, funny, messy, and painfully relatable, the kind of conversation that reminds you why some memories never really leave you.