Story

In October 2018, Blake returned to New York City after spending a season in the 1000 Islands, six hours and a world away from city life. While he cherished his time on the island, filled with dinner parties and sunny days, he missed the vibrant energy of New York City and connecting with people at his stage of life.

Meanwhile, Patrick was living with friends in a Brooklyn brownstone, balancing late nights at work with dancing and making memories at clubs and concerts. Although he enjoyed the bustling city life, he was also intrigued by the possibilities beyond NYC.

As the cliché goes, opposites attract, right? They met for their first date at the restaurant Marlow & Sons (whose legacy lives on at Prairie Whale in The Berkshires, if you get a chance to visit!) and shared stories of life in NYC versus “The River.” In the months that followed, Blake joined Patrick and his friends for late nights out in Brooklyn, and when summer arrived, Patrick experienced the idyllic island life of the 1000 Islands for the first time.

Since then, they’ve built a life together—wherever that may be—in New York, Seattle, LA, and beyond. Now joined by their two dogs, Marlow and Pepper, they find balance in splitting their time between LA and Round Island, enjoying daily walks with their dogs, and being each other's officemates in a world of remote work. They’re thrilled to bring their close friends and family together to celebrate this August!

Q&A

What’s a day-in-the-life look like?

Getting out of the house by walking the dogs. Working from home is nice, but we’d go crazy if we didn’t have the dogs to get us out for a change of scenery. It’s been a great way to explore our neighborhoods and befriend our neighbors. We both love to cook, for others and for ourselves, so a good day involves at least one of us in the kitchen whipping up something veg.

Was there a formal proposal?

We didn’t have a traditional proposal, but we decided to get married, together, at one of our favorite date-night spots in LA, Lolo Wine Bar. We shared the news with both of our parents in person over the holidays, a few days later.

What brought you to the 1000 Islands?

Blake started visiting during his time at boarding school, visiting a best friend’s family home on Grindstone Island. Each summer, he returned, falling in love with the beauty of the River and Grindstone Island, as well as the people and culture. After several summers of renting, Blake and Patrick bought their own cottage on Round Island in 2022 and haven’t looked back!

What was the first trip you took together?

Patrick was in Mexico City for work, and Blake joined him for a weekend extension. It’s said that a first experience traveling together can test a relationship, but the trip remains a highlight for Blake and Patrick to this day. Exploring the vibrant culture and cuisine only strengthened their bond.

Will you have a honeymoon?

We hope and plan to! We’re thinking we’ll take a few weeks off around the holidays and will probably find ourselves in the southern hemisphere. We’re excited to unplug! Feel free to let us know if you have any recommendations :).