. >> reporter: young sylvia noland had a big crush on steven b when they both worked in a hawaii radio station back in the early days, so she worked up her nerve. >> i went in and asked steven b. if he'd be my date to the beach boys concert. and he turned me down and i was just like devastated, you know. and so i was sitting in my little sales cubical. and -- i -- >> what's the matter with me? >> i know. and the general manager walks in and he goes, "i think you need to know something." and i said, "what?" and he goes, "well, if you were a boy he would have gone." and i'm like -- here i am from west virginia, 18, i'm like, "what?" and he goes, "he's gay." it's like -- "oh, ok, well i can accept that then." so -- >> reporter: and that very day sylvia and steven began a warm, lifelong friendship. many afternoons spent lingering at this coffee shop. and many memorable evenings. >> what were those dinners like? >> oh, steven's an amazing cook. >> if you were patient, he was good. he was a phenomenal cook. but you had to be geared to eating at, like, 10:30 or 11:00 because he was the type o