I liked so I went and put a ring on it :D

Summary: For the impatient, I proposed to my girlfriend on the night of November 1st, 2009 in front of Island Restaurant which was inexplicably closed. For those of you are more patient, read on!

History: I've been dating Dela for 2 years roughly 9 months. I knew after a year that I was dating my future wife. I wanted to propose in the place where we first met, a place called "Black Finn" in NYC. Originally I was going to try and rent out the top floor, have a romantic dinner there, and pop the question. They replied that they don't do that sort of thing. If they did, it'd be a min $600 and I'd also need 30+ people. I decided to figure out another way to do this.

Also, this year Dela went back to school for her masters. I wanted to take her to a restaurant in Astoria called "Island" for her birthday, but she had class. We had a celebration that weekend instead at a different venue.

Present Day: Dela wanted to see the NYC marathon because it runs through the town nearby (Long Island City). There's also a place where we like to eat brunch in LIC. and there's a really nice park there too called Gantry. Here's a YouTube video of Gantry park I took this past summer.

After watching the runners and eating some pancakes, we head over to the park. Unfortunately the park isn't nearly as pretty in fall as it is in summer (though probably better in fall than in winter). When we get there, there's only 1 spot where I'm thinking that I might be able to do this, but the ugly background just made me say "Hell no! This is not the place where I'm proposing".

Then I remembered Island and I suggest that we go there for dinner. When we get there, the place is CLOSED! Frustrated, but hungry, we wind up going to Chicago Uno instead.
At some point while eating I thought "Should I do it at Chicago Uno?" and my brain yelled back "HELL HELL NO!!". Did I mention that it was "wear your favorite football jersey" night? I decide that Island is the place where this should have happened and that's where it will happen.

As we're heading home, I ask her if we could circle back to the restaurant to see if they have any hours on the window that we might have missed. We get there, our leftovers in hand, and Dela starts to get a little nervous because there aren't that many people on the street. I calm her down and tell her that I want to tell her a story.

I recapped our relationship in a seriously abridged version. Our first email, our first date, when I asked her to officially become my girlfriend, and the first time I told her I loved her. I told her that I've always wanted to do "something" and the ways that "something" could have happened. Now she's starting to realize what happening and she says "I have to sit down". There are little steps in front of Island and she takes a seat there.

I finish by saying "If we had come here for dinner, we'd have a lovely meal. We'd have a little bit of wine and some chocolate cake for desert. Afterward, I'd look into your eyes, like I'm doing now. I'd hold one of your hands [I take her hand] like this. I'd get down on one knee [I get on my knee and start reaching for the ring], like this. [I pause my motion for getting the ring]You'd be a little higher because you'd be sitting in a chair instead of on a step [I make a hand motion indicating that she'd be higher up. With her sitting on the step, she was at eye level with me. I then continue my motion and pull out the box and open it]. I'd say 'Dela, I love you and I will always love you. You're truly the love of my life. Will you marry me?' "

I'm pretty sure she said yes before I got the whole question out. :)

We haven't set any dates yet, but I'm officially a fiance.