Mrs. Martin & Mr. Blohm Series- Episode One :
You’ll never believe how it all started

This is how I felt at 30!

Regina Martin was the kind of woman who knew exactly what she wanted in life. Born in Germany and raised in Munich, she had a clear vision of how her future should look. Her dream? To be married by the age of 30 — ideally to an Italian man. Definitely not a German! Her perfect match had to have that unmistakable Mediterranean charm, preferably with silky black hair.

Regina herself was tall, blonde, slender, blue-eyed, and undeniably a natural beauty. She had built a successful career in the fashion industry and was thriving in Munich — the “capital” of Germany’s south. With Italy just a short drive away, finding her dream man should have been easy. Or so she thought.

But as her 30th birthday approached, Regina found herself newly single after ending a long, unhappy relationship. There was no fiancé, no boyfriend, no potential in sight. The deadline she had always set for herself was slipping past — and although she tried to convince herself that missing it by a year wouldn’t matter, it still stung. Sometimes, she told herself, things unfold faster than we expect — just not this time.

The Call

Then the phone rang. It was her best friend Elena, full of energy as always.

“What are your plans for your 30th birthday?” she asked.

Regina sighed. “There’s nothing to celebrate.”

“Of course there is!” Elena insisted. “Your birthday has to be celebrated no matter what age. And it falls on a Saturday this year — that’s a good sign!”

Despite the sunshine outside, Regina felt gray on the inside. Her life had not turned out the way she had imagined. She wasn’t in the mood to celebrate at all.

“I’ll organize everything for you!” Elena chirped. “It will be fabulous.”

But Regina knew what that meant — a guest list full of people she didn’t want to see. That wasn’t how she envisioned her milestone birthday.

“No,” she said firmly. “I’ll organize it myself. I’ll invite exactly 30 people — one for each year of my life. That feels right. But thank you for offering.”

Elena relented. “Fair enough. So, what’s your birthday wish?”

Regina laughed softly. “You already know. To find the man of my life.”

“He’ll come,” Elena said confidently. “You just have to believe.”

“But if we’re talking about today,” Regina added, “I’d really love to have a Palm.”

For those who may not remember — I hope at least one of our readers does — back in the year 2000, a Palm was the coolest device you could own. It couldn’t make calls like a phone, but it could store all your contacts, appointments, and notes — everything. Think of it as the iPhone before the iPhone.

“I’ll organize that too!” said Elena. “Each of your guests can chip in. Just six days to go, and we’ll raise a glass to you.”

The Party

After the call, Regina sat alone in her apartment. Planning her own party which hadn’t been the plan. She had imagined being on a honeymoon with her husband by now — celebrating in some romantic, faraway place. But instead, here she was, single and decorating her apartment for 30 friends.

May 4th, 2000 arrived. The party turned out to be one to remember — loud, chaotic, and completely legendary. Regina felt a little like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. You know the scene — the party where the cat jumps from one guest’s shoulders to another, the fridge door swings open, Audrey’s cigarette holder sets a fancy hat on fire, and her charming neighbor saves the day with a splash of water. A sensational moment in cinema — and that’s exactly how Regina’s 30th birthday party felt.

Her friends gifted her 750 Deutsche Marks toward the Palm. (In 2000, Germany still used Deutsche Marks — the Euro wouldn’t arrive until two years later.) A beautiful gesture — but still, no man. No love story. No fairy tale. She woke up the next morning with a pounding headache. Her favorite Prosecco wasn’t even available in Munich at the time — only on the island of Sylt.

This wasn’t how she had pictured her life. Everything needed to change.

And it needed to change now.

The Dress

One week later, at 2 a.m., Regina was driving home after another wild night out. Still no Mr. Right. Still chasing something that felt impossibly far away. A little tipsy — back then, this was more common, and while she’s not proud of it, it was the truth — she drove through the quiet streets of Munich. Uber didn’t exist yet, and taxis were too expensive.

Suddenly, something caught her eye.

One shop still had its lights on — her Turkish tailor’s. And in the window stood a single wedding dress, bathed in soft white light.

It was the dress.

The exact one she had always pictured in her imagination. She had flipped through countless wedding magazines over the years, but none of the dresses ever truly moved her. But this one — this one was different. Elegant, romantic, and with a vintage charm she couldn’t resist.

She nearly slammed on the brakes to get a better look. This had to be a sign.

That night, she could hardly sleep. The moment the shop opened the next morning, she was there.

“Good morning,” she said.

The Turkish tailor, Fatma, was helping another customer. She looked up and smiled. “Good morning! How are you?” she asked in her thick accent and broken German. Her grammar wasn’t perfect — Fatma and her family had worked hard to make a life in Germany, and the challenges showed in the lines of her face. She didn’t come across as warm or joyful, but she was an outstanding tailor. Always wearing her headscarf and rarely offering more than a brief smile, Fatma wasn’t one to chat — but her work spoke for itself. That’s why Regina had trusted her for years.

“I’m well, thank you. I saw the dress in the window. Is it for sale?”

“Yes,” Fatma replied. “It’s secondhand. From London. Just came in — my husband brought it when he visited our son there. Freshly cleaned. You want to try?”

“I’d love to.”

Regina stepped into the fitting room and slipped into the dress.

It fit like a dream.

Like Cinderella stepping into the beginning of her own fairy tale.

Fatma gasped. “Wow, Mrs. Martin… this dress made for you.” Her eyes were glowing — something Regina had never seen in her before.

Even the other customer couldn’t take her eyes off Regina.

“Could it be altered later?” Regina asked. “In case it doesn’t fit someday?”

“Of course,” Fatma nodded. “When is wedding?”

Regina laughed. “I have no idea. I don’t even have a boyfriend.”

The two women looked at her in stunned silence.

Still wearing the dress, Regina pulled out her phone and called Elena, her best friend at the time.

Because something had shifted. A new chapter had just begun.

And for more… stay tuned for Episode Two — launching Sunday, August 10th.