Local Couple Wins New York Waterway’s “Dream Date†Contest
By mark d Monday, April 02, 2007, 12:12 PM EDT
Stenin & Mark Distler (Paramus)
Just before Valentine’s Day, Mark Distler (of Paramus) entered a contest that was advertised in local newspapers. This “Dream Date†promotion, sponsored by New York Waterway, asked for couples to describe; 1) your best romantic pick-up story, 2) how you met your mate on a NY Waterway ferry, or 3) how you proposed to your spouse in 100 words or less. Mark chose the proposal story and submitted his entry…
Towards the end of 1999 I secretly began to make plans to propose. I booked a trip to Walt Disney World and a romantic engagement package inside the Magic Kingdom. The main event was scheduled in the rose garden at the base of Cinderella’s Castle on Saturday night, Valentine’s weekend 2000. We were welcomed by roses, truffles, sparkling cider, and a glass slipper. I popped the question as Tinkerbell flew overhead and the fireworks presentation began. The crowd cheered as she said “I doâ€. Tears formed in our eyes as we “wished upon the stars and our dreams came trueâ€!
He learned on March 12, 2007 that he had been selected as the winner. Mark broke the news to Stenin, his wife, and the two prepared for a great night on the town. New York Waterway and Richard Frankel Productions made all of the arrangements. The dream date started at about 5PM on Wednesday, March 14, 2007, with VIP parking at Port Imperial in Weehawken, New Jersey. The couple was then taken by bus to Arthur’s Landing where they enjoyed a romantic dinner. They were then escorted back to the terminal where a private ferry took them across the Hudson to the Midtown Manhattan Terminal. They were once again greeted, picked up by limousine, and driven to the theater district. They were treated to an evening performance of “Companyâ€, a Broadway musical starring Raul Esparza. After the show the limousine returned them to the terminal where a private ferry was waiting to take them back to New Jersey.
Mark and Stenin (pictured below, photograph by Jackie Vander Ploeg of NY Waterway) thanked all those involved with this magical evening as they felt like they were treated like royalty from the moment they arrived until the time that they left. They truly enjoyed their “dream dateâ€, which similar to their proposal story, proved to be a once in a lifetime experience.
Stenin & Mark Distler (Paramus): photo by Jackie Vander Ploeg of NY Waterway
