Just after sunrise on Christmas Day, Gia and I were engaged to be married at Pietra Santa Winery in the Cienega Valley of Hollister, the town we both grew up in. This is also the location of where my Mother was born in a vineyard shack.Here's the back story:
We knew of each other since grammar school at Sacred Heart. Gia is one class ahead of me, the acquaintance was minor.
Our parents know each other and her sister Carla and my sister Anita ("guns") were friends in childhood.
We went to high school together and ran in separate circles.
Fast forward 25 years and both living in San Francisco, me for a long while and still single, and her after several years living in Rome and San Jose.
Gia and I ran into each other at a several film festivals in SF and became email buddies and later hung out as friends. I patiently pursued the relationship further for the next 6 months.
Finally she started seeing little "Ricky" from Hollister in a different light.
We've been together ever since, 4 years this week.
Through ups and downs in a growing relationship I knew deep in my heart she would one day be my wife.
The engagement:
On Christmas Eve day I went to the Borelli's, her parents house (which is 6 blocks from my family) to say hello, and her Dad recruited me to help prepare the dining table leaves and chairs. I cornered him in a back room, and asked for permission to marry his youngest daughter. He agreed and had some nice things to say and about my family and about our relationship.
When Gia arrived later that evening we had cioppino at the Borelli's with her larger extended family. We opened white elephant gifts (above the neck) and judged the 3rd annual dessert bake-off. Later we joined my family for our 44th annual Christmas "play" where I sang a song from Sweeney Todd (a customized version of "Johanna" (Gia)) to her great embarrassment in front of about 40 of my family members.
We went to bed late and I mentioned to Gia I wanted to wake up early.
I prepared coffee the night before.
At sunrise I woke her up and she reluctantly but quickly agreed to go with me, to my surprise, for a mysterious early morning drive. I put the coffee in a large thermos and hid a coffee cup and some breakfast snacks in a small backpack.
She went to the car before me and warmed it up, but the windows were icy. I hosed 'em down, alarming her with the spray. Poor girl was chilly, half asleep and wondering where the heck we were going.
We drove half way out to the country when I realized I had left the coffee thermos on the counter. I also wasn't able to play the "love mix" I painstakingly prepared on the iPod due to technical difficulties. However, I plowed ahead.
We arrived at the location I chose, with the help of my niece Nicky 2 days earlier, just outside of the winery where we'd setup an iron table and chairs overlooking the hills and vineyards.
I offered Gia biscotti and fruit but she wasn't exactly feeling hungry at 7:30am especially with no coffee to wash it down.
Then I pushed the backpack to her and asked her to dig in for anything else she may want. She was still clueless until this moment when she found the cup and attached was a diamond ring jingling from the handle. She cried, then I went to a knee, asked her THE question and told her I had her father's permission. She said "YES!" and we proceeded to laugh for several minutes. It sort of felt kind like a final episode of "The Bachelor" I suppose.
Soon we went back to the warm car and I turned the radio on where ironically the wedding march "Pachelbel's Canon" was playing. It was a perfect follow-up to the proposal. We immediately told her family, then my large family where we woke up several of my many sisters at Ridgemark where they were staying. We shared the unused coffee and some honey donuts her Mom made and gave hints until they figured it out. It was really sweet and emotional. Several of my sister started following us with cameras in tow like paparazzi as we headed to my Dad's house.
We told more folks as the day went on including Gia's cousins and Aunts and my Aunt Marian who was most pleased.
Gia returned to SF that same night since she had to work the next day.
Plans are immediately in the works for a wedding date and location, and will be announced sometime next year.
Thanks to everyone for the support and well wishes and we'll keep you informed right here.
Merry Christmas and a Peaceful New Year!
