Proposal and Engagement Discoveries Boy Meets Girl Mayra and Brice Together Welcome

 

mise en scène

Setting: New York City
Props: wine, dusky sky, Statue of Liberty
Lighting: candle light

Mayra and Brice had their first date on a very rainy October 11th at Bistro 24/7 in mid-town Manhattan.  Mayra thought that he was nice, and had never seen anyone eat quite like Brice did. Such an appetite!  Mayra shuddered when Brice told her that Bruce had said that he thought that Brice could “handle her.” She warmed up to him, however, when he rattled off all the different kinds of Mexican music there are. Both Mayra and Brice are saxophonistas, having learned to play and admire an instrument with an interesting transcultural history.

For his part, Brice enjoyed the ease with which he and Mayra conversed. Having been billed as “intimidating to men”, Mayra seemed, to the contrary, unpretentious, interesting and funny.

Brice called a few days after the first date to arrange a second date.  They met at Lavignia, a wonderful Italian restaurant.  Assuming Mayra to be Italian, the Maître d' greeted her in his native tongue. Brice knew Mayra to be multilingual, but her fluid reply and subsequent queries about the menu made clear her alluring mastery of the romance language. However, Mayra was not sure what to make of Brice when after the date he said that he had to catch a train and ran off.  After a series of progressively more romantic dates at very tasty restaurants, Brice and Mayra had their first kiss at Grand Central Station, a place where they now spend a lot of time.  [Photo: The Kiss, Grand Central Station, NYC by Ernest Haas]
Mayra decided that it was time to invite him to her place to cook him a Mexican meal.  She prepared a four course meal and even baked him a chocolate cake, which almost fell apart as he was ringing the door bell.  She became very worried when Brice popped an entire jalapeño stuffed with feta cheese into his mouth and turned the bright red color of the tomatoes in the Portuguese Chicken, which was the next course! Brice, nonetheless, wrote the next day to invite her to his place where he prepared a mild chicken curry.

 

Culinary Soul Mates?

 

Brice, long before meeting Mayra, completed a course in food preparation at The French Culinary Institute in New York City. Here you see Carolina tasting his chocolate chip pancakes, or should we say "Les Crepes du Chocolat"?

May Brice and Mayra never lose their appetite for the good things in life.

You've no doubt heard of "Le Cordon Bleu" cooking school. But did you know about "Le Éléphant Bleu"? Actually, it is called The Blue Elephant and it is an excellent school and restaurant in Bankok, Thailand. Mayra has a certificate from the school and is shown here with Chef Thu.