20 FEBRUARY 2 0 2 0
Photos by Natura Collective @naturacollective
Photo courtesy of Brian Chin
VALENTINE'S DAY
Jeanna and Brian Chin
Astoria residents Jeanna and Brian Chin
can’t remember the very first time they met;
they worked together, so they’re “pretty sure it
was some time in the beginning of 2012 in a
conference room,” Jenna said.
“The first time I really remember interacting
with Brian was trying to walk
home together from Manhattan over
the Queensboro Bridge after Hurricane
Sandy and even though we wound up not
being able to find each other, I remember
thinking it was nice to have a cute
boy that wanted to walk with me,” she
continued.
The first time the couple hung outside
of work was at The Rapture, a bar that has
since closed. On Feb. 1, 2018 — exactly
five years after their first outing — Brian
proposed to Jeanna on that street corner.
“The proposal was perfect,” Jenna said.
“I was completely shocked and had no
idea it was coming. We had dinner at Sugar
Freak and then Brian led me home on a
roundabout path that went past the Rapture
corner … not the most direct route
home, so I thought he was going crazy
until I realized where we were.”
The Astorians were engaged for just a
little under two years and tied the knot
this past December.
“When we started dating in 2015 and I
first told her that I liked her, we were on a
friend’s rooftop in Long Island City and I remember
it like it was yesterday,” Brian said.
FAVORITE LOCAL DATE SPOTS:
QUEENS COMFORT
FATTY’S CAFE
SUGAR FREAK
Lisa Lee
and Stephen Trostle
Long Island City couple Lisa Lee and Stephen
Trostle found each other in a dorm
room at Colgate University in 2009 when
Lee became his R.A.
“When I first saw him I thought, ‘Well,
that will be nice to look at throughout the
year,’” Lee said.
The lovebirds said “I do” this past June at
Sands Point Preserve in Long Island, where
they also got engaged. They took their engagement
photos on the Long Island City
waterfront.
“A special moment at the wedding was
when we took the time to partake in Pyebaek,
a traditional Korean custom/wedding
ceremony, in front of all our guests.
This involved both Steve and I bowing to our
parents while dressed in traditional hanbok
attire, along with a handful of other activities.
Since I am Korean-American, this was special
to us since we were able to add a cultural element
to our wedding festivities,” Lee said.
Lee grew up in Sunnyside and prides herself
on being a Queens native. In fact, some
of her favorite moments with her life partner
include walking to the 7 train and commuting
into the city together.
“The walk we do together to the Vernon-
Jackson 7 train stop from our apartment is
always enjoyable. Whether it’s the joyous
screams of toddlers at the parks or the church
bells that go off every now and then on Vernon,
we love taking it all in and appreciating
the history and diversity LIC holds,” Lee said.
FAVORITE LOCAL DATE SPOTS:
GANTRY PLAZA STATE PARK
SLICE
CENTRO’S
THE GUTTER
Photos by Eryc Perez de Tagle @erycpretzeltaco