Couple Reflects on First Date When a Golden Girls Quote Sparked a Marriage Proposal

Anthony Ashdown, 33, described his first date with Jake, a man ten years his junior, in a personal essay published by The Guardian on 15 November 2026. The meeting took place at a coffee shop in Miranda Fair, Sydney, after the two matched on a dating app and arranged to meet for coffee before heading to Cronulla beach.

During the date, the pair exchanged references to several television series, including The Simpsons, Friends, Star Wars and Seinfeld. In a home‑wares store, Jake recited the line “OK, picture it, Sicily, 1922,” a catchphrase from the character Sophia Petrillo on The Golden Girls, a show that Ashdown said held personal significance because he watched it with his late grandmother.

Ashdown recalled that the reference prompted him to exclaim, “Oh my God, did you just quote Golden Girls at me? Marry me!” He noted that the comment was spontaneous and reflected his enthusiasm for finding a partner who shared his nerd‑culture interests. The couple later married in Leura, New South Wales, ten years after the initial encounter.

The essay also mentions Ashdown’s personal circumstances at the time of the date, including his recent breakup and his involvement as a surrogate father for a lesbian couple. He highlighted that Jake’s acceptance of his situation contributed to the connection they formed.