Dating in NYC can be a train wreck.
Just ask Anastasia Gregory, whose post-pandemic hunt for “the one” was plagued by derailments and dead ends. Swiping far and wide on dating apps — and making the scene at various Big Apple hotspots — all proved fruitless for the elementary school teacher.
It wasn’t until the 27-year-old took a look underground that her true love was found.
“I met my fiance on the subway,” Gregory, who grew up in Westchester, told The Post about her morning commute, cute with groom-to-be Spencer Seabaugh.
The straphanger cuties, who now live together on the Upper East Side, had their first date on a train downtown A in March 2022.
Now, they’re set to say “I do” on November 2 – Big Fat Greek Wedding style.
“At the time, I was hoping to meet a woman I could marry,” said Seabaugh, 27, a finance executive from Kansas. “Then one day, she just showed up on the subway.”
The constant crash of the constantly crumbling system due to being infested with rats, cockroaches and danger aside, the rails are in reality a virtual breeding ground for romance.
Date While You Wait host Thomas Knox has transformed the platforms into mini mixers, providing a welcoming space for singles to mingle before a hectic journey.
Newlyweds Daniel Jean and Esmy Valdez, of Flatbush, chose the L train to serve as the backdrop for their wedding in late June.
The underground soirée was complete with nibbles, bubbles and a huge cake of the day for the bride and groom.
And when it comes to ski-wearing Gen Zers like Gregory and her boyfriend, casually bumping into their regulars while performing everyday tasks — such as commuting — is preferable to online dating.
In fact, 92% of men and 88% of women ages 18 to 27 prefer to meet a potential partner in person rather than online, according to a June report.
And the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is happy to double as the cool authority.
“Nearly 4 million people ride the subway every day, making it a great place to meet people,” MTA spokeswoman Kayla Shults told The Post.
“Not only is mass transit the fastest way to get around the city,” she added, “but the love of your life can continue on to the next stop.”
Connell Barrett, a dating coach in New York City, agreed.
“The subway isn’t just rats and robbers,” said Barrett, who has been nicknamed the “real-life Hitch.”
“It could be a tunnel of love.”
But the pro encourages passengers to consider his top three tips for making a move while on the move.
One, be aware of the other person’s personal space, compliment a non-physical attribute—perhaps a scent or clothing—and, most importantly, read the room.
“If you offer someone a compliment on the subway from a friendly distance, and they give you a one-word response or look away,” Barrett said, “take their social cues, politely excuse yourself, and move on.”
Fortunately for Gregory, Seabaugh’s social cues signaled him to make the first approach.
“I was rushing on the train to work and I saw this cool financier brother in a suit,” she told The Post with a laugh.
“We kept making eye contact and I thought, ‘Should I say something? If he won’t, I will.’ “
In her first attempt to initiate a flirtation, Gregory swapped her seat on the train with one next to Seabaugh and handed him her phone, wordlessly asking for his contact information.
“She texted me later that day, we went on our first date a few days later and we got engaged on November 18, 2023,” Seabaugh said.
“The juxtaposition of this beautiful love story with the dark subway is interesting – so many things could have changed the outcome,” he opined.
“Yet here we are and now we’re getting married.”
But the newlyweds are not the only beauties that Cupid knocked under the concrete.
“My husband, Gary, and I met on the N train from 42nd Street to Ditmars 12 years ago,” Allie Vider, 35, a stay-at-home mother of two young children, told The Post.
The metro sweethearts, who now live in northern New Jersey, married in September 2015.
“And, coincidentally,” she said, “my grandparents met on the N train and were married for 66 years.”
Gary, 41, a stand-up comedian, often works his and Allie’s date in line with his co-stars, joking that if he hadn’t said “God bless you” to the cute girl who sneezed on the train, he will become a free man.
But light hearted strokes do not bother his bright-looking bride.
“I love it,” she said of Gary’s wisdom. “His whole act, he really cracked me up. And many of them are so accurate.
“He is my soulmate,” she added. “And to think, if we had boarded different train cars, or if one of us had been five minutes late, we wouldn’t be here today.
“It was a cool way to meet.”
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Image Source : nypost.com
