This photo is of my husband, Adam… looking pretty sexy if I do say so myself.  He took me on a date last night to see The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and then we hit up Mole (MOLE-AY) a cute little Mexican restaurant on Allen between Houston and Stanton for some delightful margaritas and a late night snack.

Mole holds a very special place in both of our hearts because it is the scene of our first date back on September 26th, 2007.  We had been talking back and forth a bit – both online (we met over JDate) and over the phone before meeting for the first time that night outside Mole.  We greeted each other with a friendly hug and then made our way into the restaurant, where we got a table by the window.  The night continued on swimmingly – margaritas flowing, conversation easy and entertaining and the general vibe honest, open, fun and flirtatious! The rest is history… until January 24th, 2009.

On January 24th, 2009 – also Adam’s birthday, he took me once again to Mole for some cocktails before we met a bunch of our friends for his birthday dinner.  We took a taxi even though it was only a few blocks away, because the night before, Adam had accidentally spilled an entire kettle of scalding hot water all over himself, receiving 2nd degree burns on his leg and other places I won’t mention.

When we got to the restaurant, he asked for a table by the window (just like on our first date) and he faced the inside of the restaurant while I faced the street outside.  I kept thinking he was acting a little funny.  He seemed sort of distracted and a couple times it seemed like he was trying to communicate something to the bartender or waiter without me knowing.  Then, he told me he had bought himself a little present and asked me if I wanted to see it. My stomach got a little fluttery as he asked me to close my eyes.  When he told me to open them, there he was, kneeling (uncomfortably) on scalded knee, with my gorgeous engagement ring glittering at me from the box. Of course, this was followed by tears, and hugs, and kisses, and MANY more tears, and phone calls to my parents, and more tears, and more phone calls, then dinner with a bunch of our close friends… who all knew this was happening prior to dinner.  It was a glorious night that I will always remember.

Last night was the first time we’d been to Mole in a while and sitting once again, in our little table by the window, with my mango margarita buzz in full effect, I couldn’t help but feel all giddy and romantic.  I could see the Adam and Nell of three years ago, meeting for the first time and sharing stories of our families, careers, friends and childhoods over margaritas.  I re-lived the excitement of seeing my engagement ring for the first time and knowing that Adam was my man for good and we were officially starting our life together… and it’s been magic ever since.  So cheers to Mole and to margaritas for igniting a love that will that never die.