No history lessons today about Cinco de Mayo, or at least nothing remotely political I promise you. I do find myself contemplating this calendar date today - and the peculiar personal histories that attach to particular dates, or spaces perhaps. Random occurrences and some maybe not so random. This morning I'm thinking of a little wine shop in Brooklyn that opened on Smith St, on an ordinary May 5th, 2004. A shop that would hire Max Davis one day... who would hire me there years later (and then hire the woman I'd marry years after). A date, a friendship, and a connection that would be reimagined and now lives on with OAKLAND YARD.

I think of two people I know, strangers at the time, who were randomly assigned seats next to each other, flying back to NYC on an ordinary May 5th. They exchanged numbers and met up for tacos and tequila that same night. They married a year later.

I know in my heart it's all simply random, but looking through my phone again today, it's hard not to be curious about some mystical math at times. Ask me to show you this photo here: my wife and I in a small hospital room, hearing our daughter's heart beat for the first time, on an ordinary May 5th.

Where am I heading with this? I certainly didn't begin writing you to alert anyone that they'll meet the person they will marry today. Or to convince anyone to get married. Or to remarry. Or to open a wine shop! But... if anyone is making such plans and commitments - or simply finding cause to gather and celebrate on small or grand scale, know that we are here for you and have staff dedicated to helping you with whatever wines are needed for the big day or special event. We'll help with pairings and parents, and we have the answers for any quantities, queries, and quandaries. We'll keep things fun and simply fuss free. We've been absolutely delighted to be a part of several weddings this year so far and our hearts are full knowing that we were chosen to be a small part of that profound joy.

I'll leave you with what started this... this brief note, about beginnings. This came through our store email and I'm still smiling about it this morning.

Hi there,
Hope this message finds you well! My partner and I are getting married and wanted to order our wine through you. One of our first dates was at Oakland Yard, where we both connected over a song that was playing. In fact, we'll be walking down the aisle to that song, Yo La Tengo's "Green Arrow" .


Happy May 5th,

Daniel

(If you read these, congratulations, K&E! :)