Once upon a time in Texas, there was a girl with an appetite and a dream...

7.15.2009

Love Born in the Blogosphere, or How I met my DoBianchi



Here's a story of two people who somehow managed to find each other in this big wide world (as Alice said) with a little help from Blogger and Wordpress. Read his version here.

Recently returned from my 4 and a half year stay in Italy, I started a new life in my old town, Austin. On March 17, 2008, I began my job in wine sales and was enjoying the ease with which one can "do things" in this country.

I spent a few months reconnecting with family and friends, helping me ease back into the different rhythm of life here. It was good! I was home! And happy.

And then it got better.

*cue going-back-in-time harp*

Over the previous year, I had visited a blog called DoBianchi, written by a musician-wine-guy-writer-Dr. Jeremy Parzen...who was this guy? I couldn't understand exactly what he did, or more specifically, how he did all of those things, but I liked his blog.

Last June, I had a conversation with my friend, mentor, and fellow wine blogger Alfonso Cevola (a.k.a. "Italian Wine Guy" whom I also met via blogging) about Jeremy. Alfonso had met him in January, becoming fast friends. I was intrigued, I asked, "What does he do? What is he like? People seem to hold him in such high esteem...WHAT IS HIS STORY, ALFONSO?!"

Actually, I was a little more discreet, but inside I was curious! Very.

After some not-so-gentle nudging at the hands of IWG, I joined Facebook (end of June, '08). Two weeks later, on July 15th, 2008, I got a very fateful friend request from Jeremy. I accepted right away and noticed that it was the day after his birthday. I wished him happy birthday and went straight to his blog. Read here what I found.

There was a post about his bday dinner, the wines they opened, and a very lonely comment section. I wished him happy birthday again, on the blog, the first to do so, thank you very much!

And then, it happened. Jeremy sent me an email. "Thanks for the comment at DoBianchi. Tracie B, I'm intrigued...what made you come back from Italy?"

I was flattered by his curiosity...I responded, and thus began our story.

One email a day quickly turned into 20. Twenty emails a day quickly turned into song dedications and mixed CDs in the mail and that turned into Jeremy flying from San Diego to Austin to meet me for the first time.

His visit was brief, but quite enough for me to know that I had found what I had always wanted. If you don't know, my Jeremy P is a kind, handsome, creative, intelligent, dynamic, interesting, musical, devoted guy.

AND he speaks Italian! Yes, we certainly share "an acute case of Italophilia," as he wrote in his first email.

After that initial visit at the end of August of last year, he went away for 5 weeks. I was under the impression that 5 weeks consisted of 35 days, always. But this 5 weeks lasted exactly an eternity.

The end of September came and his visit lasted a week--a week that lasted .073 seconds.

There was pining, pining, and more pining between trips, but he came back again every month. I went to visit San Diego once too. (F.Y.I.--Crying on a Southwest flight back home gets you a free drink from sympathetic attendants.)

Every time we had to part, my heart broke right down the middle, then into a million pieces. But on December 15th, 2008 my sweet DoBianchi drove his old Volvo across the country with all of his belongings. He came to Austin to live. He moved across the country for this country girl, can you believe that?

*back to the present*

That's the short version...it has now been a year and here are some of our special memories:

Me and 2B at Ginny's, his first time. We brought Premier Cru Chablis there that night!

Surprise tickets to the Willie concert in October for my birthday!

Lisini Riserva, Tracie vintage ('75)

Borgogno Riserva, Jeremy vintage

Xmas with my family

New Year's Eve

France! Nous Non Plus (Jeremy's Band) mini-tour

My first trip to San Francisco (with Kermit Lynch!)

Last weekend, having fun with my (our) family :) Isn't he handsome?

So you see, it's been a good year. Our story doesn't end, but now begins...on Saturday May 9th, this fairytale became even sweeter when that Jeremy P asked this Tracie B to marry him.

I said CERTO! Of course I will...it has been a stellar vintage, after all. He has made me the happiest Texana this world has ever seen and in January of next year, we will celebrate the best pairing yet.**

Here's to my DoBianchi! You jumped out of the computer screen and into my life with courage and purpose. So glad for the internet, and so glad that we were both just crazy enough to believe that love could happen, even in wine blogging.

**Sorry for the cringe-inducing wine-analogy cheesiness, but that's what love does to a girl.

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34 Comments:

Blogger Sara, Ms Adventures in Italy said...

I KNEW what was coming!!!! Very nice story, as always...CONGRATS!!!! Coming to Italy on the honeymoon? ;)

7/15/2009 7:11 AM

 
Blogger Michelle | Bleeding Espresso said...

YAAAAAAY! Auguri to both of you! Such a fabulous story, Tracie; thank you for sharing it with us :) Now what wine will be served at the reception?

7/15/2009 7:31 AM

 
Blogger Susan said...

How totally romantic and beautiful....Auguri!

7/15/2009 8:16 AM

 
Blogger Anne in Oxfordshire said...

A lovely story, well worth the wait to read it..Thanks for sharing it with us!

7/15/2009 8:33 AM

 
Blogger Cindy Tirado said...

What a wonderful story. I'm also an Austinite with a love for Italia, just got back from there a couple of months ago. But, we have more in common than that. :)

Thanks for sharing.

7/15/2009 8:45 AM

 
Blogger Do Bianchi said...

o Tracie B, love of my life, thank you for my beautiful beautiful blogication (and all the prizes and blueberry pie for my birthday yesterday!). I can't wait to spend a lifetime telling and retelling our story... tvbtlb!

7/15/2009 9:03 AM

 
Blogger fabj said...

Great story for two great people...c ya soon

7/15/2009 9:23 AM

 
Blogger Angelisa said...

What a beautiful love story, Tracie B! Am so happy for you! Thanks for sharing it. TANTI TANTI AUGURI!!!!

7/15/2009 10:49 AM

 
Blogger nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

amooooore! What a beautiful story. Auguri.

7/15/2009 10:52 AM

 
Blogger Unknown said...

congratulations Tracie and Jeremy and tanti tanti cari auguri to both of you!
I hope you will come in Italy for honeymoon, so we can meet
Franco

7/15/2009 1:19 PM

 
Anonymous Cherrye at My Bella Vita said...

What a great story, Traci! Auguri. So happy for you. I mean, for ya'll!

7/15/2009 2:27 PM

 
Anonymous thompson said...

you know... i DIG you, chick! ...just had to say it (as if you didn't already know)...

;)

7/15/2009 5:54 PM

 
Blogger Alfonso Cevola said...

see that blogging thing does lead to bigger and better things, eh ragazza?

tanti auguri

7/15/2009 7:54 PM

 
Blogger Sicilian said...

Yesterday I was browsing and thought that I wished you'd write your story.
I love your story. I wish you many many years of happiness.
Ciao

7/15/2009 8:15 PM

 
Blogger Annika said...

damn it damn it damn it I just put on mascara and now I'm crying my eyes out. GOD you wrote that so beautifully!!!

Happy anniversary, and once again congratulations to both of you!!!

7/16/2009 12:36 AM

 
Anonymous Jill said...

What a wonderful story!! I am finally delurking to say congrats...I have enjoyed following you around Italy and back to the US. This is a wonderful story and I wish you both much happiness! AUGURI!!

7/16/2009 2:49 AM

 
Blogger Tracie P. said...

sara--yes, we will probably come italy, surprised?

michelle--if you read jeremy's blog, we'll serve the wine in the pic...as well as a few others that have been in our lives!

susan, anne, st albert's--thx for reading! it was fun to write...y'all should read his version, so much better than mine!

2B--i remember when i responded to your comments before we met :) i love you too!! wedding bloggin...?

annika--sorry! :)

jill--thx for coming out of the dark!

sicilian & cherrye--thanks for the comments, so nice that people are enjoying our story as much as us

franco--i think we will come, i would love to meet you!

ace--this is all your fault, you know!

7/16/2009 6:39 AM

 
Blogger Texas Espresso said...

Congrats tracie! man i totally how you felt about those early visits and time lapses in between - they suck! I am so so happy for you. yall seem like such a sweet couple and I wish you a lifetime of happiness!

PS. sometime when yall come to dallas, give me a call. My Italian and I would love to meet you.

7/16/2009 7:49 AM

 
Anonymous J.Doe said...

That's a great story! Congrats!!

7/16/2009 7:53 AM

 
Blogger nikinpos said...

OH Crap! ANd now I've read that I remember that you even sent a photo of your ring adn I COMPLETELY forgot to reply to you. I IGNORED you!! And then it slipped my mind. Sorry. Sorry Sorry. Auguroni e un grandissimo abbraccio da tutti noi.xxx

7/16/2009 2:00 PM

 
Blogger Vinogirl said...

What a lovely, moving story...you both sound like the perfect match!

7/16/2009 3:46 PM

 
Blogger Shelley - At Home in Rome said...

Wow! Congratulations! I am so happy for you both. You are a beautiful couple. You can have the best of both worlds now... live in the US and visit Italy. After 7 years there and one year back here now, I am convinced that is the best way to go.

7/20/2009 4:45 PM

 
Blogger Unknown said...

Everything does happen for a reason! That's why you left italy.. :)

7/22/2009 7:34 AM

 
Blogger Daantjes Blog said...

Che bella storia! In one word: a-ma-zing! Tanti auguri!! And enjoy your private fairytale

7/28/2009 2:20 PM

 
Anonymous Ice Tea For Me said...

I've been absent from blog reading for a while and just catching up.

What a lovely post to read on how the blogsphere brought you both together. Congratulations.

Linda

7/31/2009 1:52 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow. What a story! THIS is why you had to leave Italy, though it was unknown at the time. An oenophile match made in Heaven. Congratulations!
~Rose in Cali

8/13/2009 1:53 PM

 
Blogger Stasya said...

wow wow wow.

8/31/2009 10:45 PM

 
Blogger Di Mackey said...

I had given up knowing how life was going for you. There was me,a sometimes reader and one day I just lost where you were at.

Congratulations! A beautiful story and I wish you every happiness.

9/22/2009 7:45 AM

 
Blogger Iron Chevsky said...

Wow, I've been reading DoBianchi, and ended up following here... You guys are quite a couple. Best wishes to you, and keep up the inspired writing. Perhaps we'll meet one day at a wine event somewhere.

10/22/2009 10:28 AM

 
Anonymous Filipino love said...

so exciting happy ending of a fairly tale alike love story. Nothing is impossible when it comes to love.

11/05/2009 2:23 AM

 
Anonymous SEO Services said...

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2/05/2010 2:25 AM

 
Blogger RD said...

Congratulation!!!!
I am in love with ur posts!!!
Really fantastic...Wish U a great married life ahead!!!

2/12/2010 4:57 AM

 
Anonymous rain said...

I was just in Rome 2 weeks ago, and could not bring myself to leave. The wedding pics are romantic :) what a nice way to share your life

7/15/2010 6:15 AM

 
Anonymous Anthony said...

What a great read guys!!! I am not sure if I had read it before but it is very romantic!!

If you ever venture to the land down under let us know. My wife and I would love to share a meal with you guys!!

cheers
Anthony

7/24/2010 9:04 PM

 

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