Meet Sarah and Nour - both are friends of Hala’s from different periods of her life and a couple of years ago, they ended up together. I was there to witness their relationship bloom as I became friends with them individually and as a couple.
What makes them even more special is that as a duo, they officiated our wedding. I don’t mean to sound bias, but Hala and I had the best wedding celebration I’ve ever been to and their heartfelt ceremony was just the start of it.
If you ask me what my favorite restaurants are, I would say Cafe Mutton and Lil’ Deb’s Oasis. Both are queer owned, radiate infectious energy, and have gifted Hudson with some of the best food experiences in the area. The best part is, when Hala and I walked into them for the first time, we immediately felt at home.
I’ll have to admit, it’s still strange to come back to an area I often visited as a kid and feel like a different person. I had no knowledge of what it was like to be queer in the Hudson Valley compared to the comfort I felt being in New York City, a place that embraced me at every stage.
Today, Hala and I introduced two other queer couples to Lil’ Debs and watched them fall in love with it just as we did. As I sat at our table, conversations washing over me, I felt a sense of gratitude. We found our place here and we’re excited to show it off to people we love. There’s something really special about that.
Not pictured: Our incredible brunch at Cafe Mutton, celery soda and all.
Have I mentioned how much I love our house lately? How in the mornings, light spills through the dining room windows and greets us as we start our day; and in the evenings the sun kisses our walls wishing us a good night…