Captivating Couples 2011
Amber & Samantha
Philadelphia, PAAmber Hikes, 27, Director of Upward Bound
Samantha Giusti, 25, Manager of Corporate and Foundation Relations at WOMEN’S WAY
Despite their busy careers in the nonprofit sector, Amber and Samantha find time to support their community. Amber helps low-income, inner-city students prepare for college and is co-producer of The Stimulus Party, a diverse and popular monthly women’s party in Philadelphia. Samantha raises money at the country’s oldest and largest women’s funding federation and coordinates Stimulus Gives Back, the community service initiative of Stimulus Productions. Although they went to the same graduate program, Amber (originally from Atlanta) and Samantha (a New Jersey native) were two years apart in school and never met. Luckily, a mutual friend later introduced them, but Amber was in a relationship at the time. Later on, the two (now both single) met again and their first date was at the first-ever Stimulus Party, which was also a fundraiser for the Philly Dyke March. “From our first moment, it felt like we had known each other forever.” Amber says. “We danced, laughed and Samantha won a butt plug in the sex toy raffle. Clearly, this relationship was destined for greatness from the start!”
They met online, in grad school and even at an adoption center. Their love stories quell the naysayers and show us all that it can happen. Quit mooning over your exes and be inspired!
(And they’re in no particular order ‘cause we’re captivated by them all!)
Andrea & Heather
Boulder, CO
Andrea Gibson, 35, Spoken Word Artist
Heather Mann, 31, Web Designer
Andrea and Heather had seen each other around Boulder, occasionally stopping to chat. One day, Heather complimented Andrea on her scarf. “When I told her I crocheted it myself she asked me to crochet her a scarf of her own, not thinking I would. I left town for a month and I crocheted Heather’s scarf and gave it to her the next time I saw her in Boulder,” Andrea says. “A week later, we were on our first date—at the batting cages. I think I missed almost every ball I swung at. Heather did not.” With this auspicious start, the creative couple enjoys making up dance routines, freestyle battle rhyming and writing love songs with their ukuleles. The two say they keep their relationship “fantastically romantic” by writing each other love letters, painting each other paintings, skinny dipping and going to drive-in movies—but they never watch the movie.
