— Our Story —
How did you meet?
Online . Chris, that is not an acceptable response, our guests want a better story than that.
Chris and Jim did in fact meet online, using the site OkCupid. Jim messaged Chris, “Happy Saturday, what’s up? :)” and after chatting back and forth for a bit, they decided to meet in Princeton on March 2, 2013. As Jim approached their meeting place, the Princeton Library, Chris spied him from the 2nd floor, having gotten there early. After walking around in the cold for a bit, having a lovely dinner at Alchemist & Barrister, and walking around some more, they ended up at Jim’s car. Being a nice guy, Jim drove Chris back to his car, and little did he know, it would be the last time he would be driving Chris anywhere. It wasn’t that Jim was a bad driver, it was more that Chris just ... does the driving.
How did the proposal happen?
In June of 2021, Chris and Jim embarked on an amazing vacation to Hawaii. During the planning of this trip, Chris secretly began thinking that this might be the best spot ever to propose to Jim. After giving it some thought, he began planning that he would propose to Jim on the top of Mauna Kea, on the Big Island of Hawaii. It is one of Chris’s favorite spots in Hawaii, they would drive to the summit in time for sunset, and Chris would propose there. The Big Island was the second island that they would be visiting, after first visiting the island of Maui. On June 15, 2021, Chris and Jim drove to the summit of Haleakala. It was a beautiful day and there were magnificent views all around. On the way back down the mountain, they decided to pull over at one of the scenic overlooks and take a walk around. There were even more wonderful views both into the crater of the volcano, as well as down the side of the mountain to the beach. And there was nobody else there, it was amazing! Chris began to think, ‘what if I do it now?’. It is beautiful and romantic, and there is nobody else here! He tried to set up a camera on a rock to “take a picture” but the camera would not stay, and Jim kept wandering around taking more photos. So Chris just got down on a knee behind Jim while he was admiring some views, in order to surprise Jim. As Jim turned around, he was completely surprised. Chris said:
“We have been together for 8 wonderful years, and now we are here in beautiful Hawaii. Will you marry me, and be my Danno?”
Jim said yes, obviously, otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this. They continued the day, exploring more of Haleakala, then returning to Kaanapali and having a lovely dinner at Leilani’s with Hula Pie for dessert.
“Will you be my Danno?”...
What’s with all of the Hawaii Five-0 references?
In September of 2020, Chris and Jim began planning a trip to Hawaii. They were tired of staying home throughout Covid, and it seemed that June of 2021 would be a good time for a vacation. While Chris was busy looking into hotels, flights, and rental cars, Jim suggested that they prepare for Hawaii by watching Hawaii Five-0 (The new version of the show from 2010). Chris was suspicious of this idea, as prior to a previous trip to Nashville, Jim suggested watching an episode of the TV show Nashville, and that turned into six seasons. Hawaii Five-0 had ten seasons! Chris agreed to try out the first episode one evening, and a few days later, after thinking that it was alright, they tried a second episode. This is the episode where Danno shows up in his Camaro … or more accurately, Steve shows up driving Danno’s Camaro. It was immediately a new favorite show for Chris, and they continued watching the series. After several episodes, it started to become apparent that Danno possessed a lot of the same qualities as Jim. They both have a fierce loyalty to their friends and family, are very outspoken and emotional, and often complain to their driver (Chris/Steve) whenever they are going places. It became an ongoing joke that Chris would call Jim “Danno”, and when they were in Hawaii, on the top of Haleakala, Chris proposed to Jim, asking “Will you marry me, and be my Danno?”. Well, since Jim was Danno, that meant that Chris would have to be Steve McGarrett. Both Chris and Steve share a number of similar qualities as well, including being exceptionally good drivers, always having a plan, and are generally calm and in control.
Wait, I’ve watched Hawaii Five-0 and Steve and Danno are not in a relationship... are they?
Although it isn’t explicitly stated in the show, it is quite obvious that Danno and Steve are in a relationship. Between the couples counseling, the times they say ‘I love you’, and the sheer compassion they show for each other... You may need to re-watch the show and pay closer attention.
