Podcast Summary: All Of It – "What's Love Got to Do With It?"
Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Guest: Anna Martin (Host, Modern Love podcast)
Date: February 12, 2026
Episode Overview
In this lively and heartfelt episode, Alison Stewart welcomes Anna Martin, host of the Modern Love podcast, to explore how people define and recognize romance in their lives. Inspired by Modern Love’s own listener-submitted episode, "The Secret to True Romance," the show delves into tales of romantic gestures—grand and humble, odd and sweet—shared by listeners and guests. Through candid conversation and memorable stories, the episode examines how love shows up in everyday moments and asks: What’s the most romantic thing anyone has done for you?
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Everyday vs. The Grand Gesture
- Media and Myth: Anna discusses how movies and pop culture paint romance as big, show-stopping gestures.
“I think of the grand gestures. Running through the airport. Boombox under the windowsill... But my first image of romance, holding hands, is free.” – Anna Martin [03:59]
- Personal Roots of Romance: Anna credits her parents as her earliest model of romance—the simple act of holding hands, and Alison shares a touching story about her parents and blueberries.
“It’s the blueberries. She did that for, you know, 40 years... such a romantic gesture.” – Alison Stewart [03:44]
2. Listener Stories: Big Love in Small Gestures
- Memorable Calls and Messages:
- Nancy in Greenwich, CT: Remarried after widowhood, her husband asked, “Would you like to be my Valentine?” on their first date—and they've been together 13 years. [04:48]
- Lucy in Westchester, NY: While studying in Florence, received 100 roses from her sweetheart, pre-Internet era. [05:38]
- Kat from NJ: After breaking her arm, her partner arranged a tandem bike ride to help her feel free again. [06:25]
- Wendy in Springfield, NJ: Her partner cooked her birthday dinner after a year of dating—now 38 years strong. [08:10]
- Reflection: Anna remarks on the power of vulnerability and attention, noting that deeply personal gestures—however “weird”—feel most genuine.
“We kind of like submissions that are a little bit weird... That's what we're looking for. These stories that are so individual.” – Anna Martin [09:03]
3. Standout Modern Love Stories
a. "He Saw the Stars in Me"
(Caroline’s Freckle Story)
- Caroline felt self-conscious about her freckles. Her young boyfriend traced the freckles on her legs, saying,
“Maybe if we connected the dots, eventually we could find all the constellations.” [11:01]
- Anna emphasizes why such early, vulnerable moments linger for decades:
“I think romance is so sticky, right? It sticks in the brain... moments where we feel truly seen.” – Anna Martin [12:22]
b. Retro Romance & The Cassette Tape
- A listener recalls getting a cassette tape from her high school boyfriend featuring the Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses” while she was recovering from mono—an act of love that resonates decades later. [13:24]
c. Noticing and Remembering: The Ultimate Romance
- Kate from Sayville, nearly 80, shares how her then-fiancé remembered every detail about her from years prior—a green dress, French twist, Christmas earrings—which she never knew he noticed. [24:51]
“You spent most of the night in the kitchen talking to your friend Blanche…” [25:51]
- Anna summarizes:
“It’s the type of close observation we afford to those we really want to get to know.” – Anna Martin [26:17]
4. The Cookie Couple: Romance Among Colleagues
"Mamoul Cookie Man"
- Hannah’s Story: On new dates, her partner (later revealed as show producer Simon) brings mamoul cookies, her favorite, remembered from date one. By the third, fourth, fifth... he kept the tradition going. [16:02]
- Revelation: Turns out, Simon is a producer on the show, and the couple surprised each other by appearing on the radio.
“You are basically a celebrity to me. You are the cookie man.” – Anna Martin to Simon [18:07]
- The Why: Simon explains:
"I wanted her to know that I had listened to her on the first date, and I wanted to pay attention to things she liked and cared about." [22:19]
5. Grand Gestures: The Valentine’s Day King
- Lonnie Anderson of Albuquerque: For 30 years, Lonnie has staged outlandish public declarations (crop circles, poems in rocks) for his wife, Anne.
- Reciprocity in Love: Anne, herself private, recognizes her participation as an act of love in return for Lonnie’s exuberance.
“It’s her act of love back to Lonnie to accept these Valentines… it’s something that she can give back.” – Anna Martin [29:46]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the Definition of Romance:
“I’ve really become convinced that romance is woven into the fabric of our lives. It’s all around us, if we’re ready to receive it.” – Anna Martin [07:07]
-
On the Value of Small Gestures:
“Small might imply less impactful, but for me, it absolutely doesn’t. It just means that it might be more present.” – Anna Martin [07:07]
-
On Being Seen:
“It’s allowing yourself to be known, and it’s deeply knowing someone else.” – Anna Martin [26:17]
-
Alison Stewart on Storytelling:
“I’m hearing people noticing small differences, small things about the person they’re with and remembering them and bringing them back up to them.” [26:14]
Key Timestamps
- 00:39 Introduction & why discuss modern romance
- 01:26 Eva’s story: the portable knocking block
- 02:58–03:26 Anna and Alison’s personal examples of family romance
- 04:48, 05:38, 06:25 Rapid-fire listener stories: Valentine’s date, 100 roses in Florence, tandem bike after injury
- 10:11 Caroline’s freckle/constellation story
- 13:24 Listener receives "Wild Horses" cassette
- 16:02 Hannah & Simon: The mamoul cookie dates, the sweet on-air surprise
- 22:19 Simon on the meaning of the cookie gesture
- 24:51 Kate, 80, reflects on her fiancé’s perfect memory of a long-ago meeting
- 26:52 Jack in Cambridge: Partner ensures the best seat for his partial deafness
- 28:50 Lonnie Anderson: 30 years of extravagant Valentine's gestures
Conclusion
Through listener contributions, Modern Love stories, and rich discussion, this episode demonstrates that true romance is found as much in everyday acts of thoughtfulness as in grand gestures. Whether it’s a partner buying blueberries for forty years, a cookie tucked in a pocket, or a seat at the right side of the table, the ultimate romance is paying attention, remembering, and letting oneself—and one’s beloved—be known.