A 1-year anniversary “surprise”

Because we weren’t able to be together for our 1-year wedding anniversary, we agreed we’d celebrate it at some point during our little getaway in Italy.  Mr. Fischer (being the killer husband that he is) offered to plan our special day.

Stefan and I had our very first date at A16 – a fabulously simple Italian restaurant (with to-die-for pizzas and a book for a wine list) in San Francisco. 

from here

The restaurant is named after a very famous highway in Campania wine country that leads to the region’s best vineyards and therefore specializes in Campania wines.  A16 is one of the only few spots in the US where you can find all of Campania’s best wine labels (many of which we had tried on our various dates there since that faithful first one) under one roof.

It just so happened that Positano is a meer hour and a half away from the real A16, so Stefan figured we had no choice to go.  And since wine has always played a special role in our relationship (we got married on a vineyard and our entire wedding ceremony was about how marriage is like making wine), we figured a day of wine-tasting fit the bill for the big 1 year.

(Much better than personalized stationary in my book.)

While the whole thing was supposed to be a surprise, Stefan knows me oh-so-very-well and therefore knows I (like so many of the Krieg clan) need to know what the “plan” is.  
For example:
For my mom’s 50^th birthday, my dad gave her a romantic trip to Hawaii.  But he didn’t just tell her about the trip, he presented her with an entire booklet outlining every single thing they would do (where they’d play golf, what they’d eat, when they’d work out) down to the minute: “A Plan with Activities” as my dad titled it.  She absolutely loved it. 

Stefan took a cue from my father and did the same for me.  A few weeks before this day, he “surprised” me with a booklet outlining exactly what we’d do on this special, celebratory day: which wineries we’d visit (along with the history behind each one), where we’d eat dinner (with sample menus might be), and where we would spend the night (along with pictures of the spot): a surprise that I knew all about –  I was in heaven.

To get us out there, he rented a classic, red Fiat convertible which we picked up first thing in the morning and drove along the scenic Amalfi Coast.

While gorgeous, the curves on this road made California's Highway 1 look like a cake walk.  That combined with insanely narrow streets, huge buses with no regard for what else might be on the road, jaw-dropping cliffs the entire way, and crazy Italian drivers without fear of death made for one hell of an exciting drive.

After a good hour and a half of excitement, however, we had arrived at our first locale: Montevetrano.

This stop was so good, it requires its own post.  Tune back in soon.

xoxo
KK