Aaron, a tax lawyer at a public accounting firm, was given the ability to work remotely during Ali’s program, so, with that flexibility, the couple rented an apartment on Third Street for the year. Their plan was to move back to New York at the end of Ali’s program, but they “fell in love with Cambridge and began to look for a place to buy”. The Esplanade and its location “were enticing,” and after they were shown a condo, they knew this was where they wanted to live, made an offer, and moved in by the fall of 2021.

The couple met while they were students at Johns Hopkins University. Ali grew up in Baltimore, where her family lived for generations. Since she was a young girl, Ali has had several interests, including art and painting, math, science, and architecture. Her initial undergraduate and graduate studies were in civil and structural engineering, but she found that the work “required me to spend most of my working hours alone… not ideal for someone who thrives in collaborative environments!” Aaron proudly interjected that Ali has been a student at three outstanding universities: Johns Hopkins, Stanford, and MIT!  Over the years, she has found a position doing just what she loves as a Director of AI, Machine Learning & Data Strategy, spending “tons of time coding and building machine learning models…just what I love to do.” Her company is based in Seattle, and she works remotely from Cambridge, traveling to Seattle occasionally.

In the ‘70s, Aaron’s family moved from New Jersey and New York to Scottsdale, AZ, where they started a New York-style deli, Chompie’s (https://chompies.com/about/ ), that is still in business. Aaron remembers working there “at the baking bench and listening to the family stories as they all worked together in the kitchen. It was a great place to grow up.” Aaron has fond memories of summers in a “Jewish summer camp near Poughkeepsie, NY.” He also ended up at Johns Hopkins University, where he played baseball and met Ali in their freshman year. “We were good friends first and, then, in a little while, our relationship became serious!”

Aaron and Ali then moved to California, where Ali attended a Stanford University graduate program and received her master's degree in Structural Engineering.  During that time, Aaron received his law degree from Santa Clara University Law School. After law school, Aaron joined a public accounting firm serving clients in various fields with their tax projects. Once the couple decided to stay in Cambridge, he moved to an in-house job with hopes of contributing to the greater good in some way through tax. He is now much happier at his job as the Head of Global Tax at a small pharmaceutical company. He still works remotely and travels to the headquarters in New Jersey and occasionally to Dublin, Ireland. “Tax planning for the organization is a lot of work but, in this role, the savings go into life-saving research and products, and that is important to me.”

Throughout their lives after Johns Hopkins, the couple has lived and worked in several places before ending up in Cambridge: Baltimore, Washington DC, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, and New York. They admit to being foodies and have created lists of the best places to eat in each of the cities. (Their present favorite in Cambridge is Giulia’s “although it’s impossible to get in!”) They also have several other recommendations. In addition, their lists include how to get reservations, how to dress, and where to have fun. Speaking of fun, Ali and Aaron love the urban and natural worlds surrounding the Esplanade. “The beauty of the building, the unfettered access to the River, the walking/jogging path along the river, the urban energy, and the closeness of the natural world makes this place special.” Both run and take long walks along the River. They also take Yoga at Core Power. Aaron cooks and Ali bakes. They don’t eat red meat, and Aaron loves the New Deal where he gets his fish. Both fully enjoy what Cambridge has to offer.

I congratulated Aaron on his recent election to the Esplanade Board of Trustees. He looks forward to working with the Board. He plans to understand more of the history of the building and would like to see “the continuation and expansion of our robust community, helping both the younger and aging groups feel at home here.” He enjoyed visiting the Men’s Group; “it was like kibitzing with my family and their friends when I grew up. There is so much potential here for residents to get to know each other and improve the sense of community.”

Ali and Aaron are a fun, smart, and generous couple who enjoy the Esplanade and have a lot to offer to the building and its residents. Say ‘hi’ when you see them and maybe even get some dining-out tips from them!

 --- Jane Hilburt-Davis