_
Mazel Toy!
Southfield,
to
East Lansing,
to
Birmingham,
to
Ann Arbor,
to
Manhattan.
SANDI L. KOFENDER
Special to the Jewish News
L
isa Davis, 31, formerly of
Birmingham, met Jeff
Gerson, 30, of New York
City on Nov. 7, 1998. It was
something she never expected.
A University of Michigan football
game brought U-M alumni, including
Jeff, from New York back to Ann
Arbor. Lisa, a Michigan State
University alum, and her friends went
to Ann Arbor to meet some New York
friends after the game. And the rest is
becoming history.
After that night, Lisa and Jeff dated
long-distance, flying back and forth
between Birmingham and Manhattan.
"ph.*
6/30
2000
50
Sandi Kofender is a "best friend" of
Lisa Davis and lives in Birmingham.
After nine months, they decided that
it was time to take the next step. Lisa
moved to New York.
Jeff and his partner own Capital
Advertising. They rent wall and bill-
board space to advertisers. Lisa found
a job at CareerEngine, a start-up
Internet company.
Last month, Jeff and Lisa planned a
30th birthday party for Jeff. It was to
take place on Jeff's birthday, May 18.
Many of Jeff's friends were to attend,
including Jon, who flew in from
Chicago. Jeff told Lisa that they were
going to meet Jon for a drink at a bar at
Lafayette and Houston in Manhattan.
They took a cab to Broadway and
Houston and decided to walk the last
block. As they were walking, Jeff told
Lisa about his new billboard at
Lafayette and Houston, then added,
"Have I told you how much I love
you today?'' Lisa responded, "Yes, but
it's always nice to hear again."
Jeff "And have I told you that I
want to spend the rest of my life with
you?" Lisa, looking down at her bare
ring finger on her left hand: "Not yet!"
As they turned the corner, Lisa
noticed that someone's picture was
already on the billboard. She asked
Jeff who it was. Jeff told her to look
again. She looked back up to see a pic-
ture of herself, with the words, "Will
you marry me?"
Jeff got down on one knee, on a
busy corner of New York City, and
asked Lisa if she would marry him.
Lisa was in shock, but thrilled. She
said yes and the couple are planning
their wedding for next year. The bill-
board stayed up until June 1, when an
Edy's ice cream ad took the space.
After the party — which turned
into an engagement party — Jeff and
Lisa hailed a cab and asked the driver
to make two stops. The first was to
look, at the billboard again. The cab
driver spoke little English and was
clearly frustrated, but the couple were
floating on air and didn't care. Lisa and
Jeff got out and stared at the billboard,
and the cab driver became teary-eyed.
Next stop was home. As the cab
driver pulled up to their apartment, he
adamantly refused to accept the fare.
Instead, he offered them two coins
from his native country and in broken
English wished them all the happiness
in the world.
Lisa was born in New York, but
grew up in Southfield and is a gradu-
ate of Southfield-Lathrup High
School. Her mother is Allie Nicoll of
Southfield. Her father, Stuart Davis,
lives in Imlay City
❑