After moving from Connecticut, Justin was fully settled into his Southern California lifestyle having lived, enjoyed, and worked in the area for a little over a year. Krystle was a fresh college grad, having just received her undergraduate degree from UCSD a few weeks prior.


July 1, 2011 – Krystle and Justin both decided to spend their Friday night at Bar West in Pacific Beach. This was commonplace for Krystle–this was her favorite bar, ever. Krystle had become best friends with the bathroom attendant, frequented Bar West almost every weekend, and oft referred to the establishment as “Bar Best”. Conversely, this was Justin’s first (and only) visit to Bar West. (Fate? Probability? You decide.)

Unfortunately for the purposes of this story, the night Krystle and Justin met was mostly forgettable. The conversation was dull--Krystle talked about liking tennis; Justin repeated the three Filipino foods he knew, over and over. Undeterred by this apparent lack of chemistry, the two exchanged phone numbers.

The next day, Krystle received a text from Justin asking HER to add HIM on Facebook. The theory goes that Justin had no recollection of Krystle’s name or even what she looked like. Justin has maintained this was not the case. (You decide.)

The phone numbers went mostly unused over the next few weeks; save for a few texts of Justin asking Krystle to have dinner and Krystle responding that she had already eaten. For reasons forgotten or unknown, Krystle decided she was hungry and finally took Justin up on his dinner offer.

That first date that never seemed like it would happen, happened. Picture an episode of “The Bachelor,” – on a budget. Bike rides around the Bay and along the beach, a dinner that was barely eaten, conversation that never ceased, and capped off with a Sea World fireworks display. The date lasted 9 hours and they haven’t looked back since.




Krystle’s Perspective:
I would like to think some act of god/love/fate allowed us to meet at my FAVORITE bar that night, but, let’s be real, I was there almost every weekend, and probability says I would have found someone willing to marry me, eventually. But I'm thankful it was Justin. I didn’t fall in love at first sight, I didn’t fall in love on the first date, but I instantly felt how compatible we could be. It was the easiest, most fun, first date I have ever been on. It’s 6 years later and I have yet to forget a single detail about that day. It’s 6 years later and everything about a day with a, then, stranger makes me smile. During that first date, I texted my roommate that she needed to, “Come meet my future boyfriend.” Because when you know, you know—now he’s going to be my husband.




Justin’s Perspective:
I didn’t text anyone that Krystle was going to be my future girlfriend/fiancé/wife that day. Sorry, romance buzzkill.

But for the record, I did remember Krystle’s name and face (FACT!), and I do remember that first date. I remember Krystle very excitedly told me she went to Aaron Rodgers’ house a couple weeks before—she would not stop talking about it, and still hasn’t. Even though I now hate that story, I remember checking the boxes in my head. Football fan, check! Later that night, we went back to Krystle’s house to play Super Smash Brothers on her Nintendo 64—the boxes are getting checked left and right at this point. Krystle ended up beating me badly that night, so I think I asked her on a second date just so we could play again. Fast forward through a handful of dates to an early Saturday afternoon, I texted Krystle that I couldn’t hang out because I had to work; Krystle, (showing her persistence for ME) showed up a couple hours later with lunch in hand. Krystle doesn’t remember this day, but food really must be the way to a man’s heart because L&L chicken katsu checked that last box for me. Now she’s going to feed me every day.