The sun has returned to southern Germany, but there's a hint of fall in the air. This morning, I looked out my window and discovered that the leaves had already begun changing colors. I know when we return from our vacation, the wine mountains in and around Würzburg will already shine golden against the fall light. Fall is such a beautiful time of year, but I'm not yet ready. I'm ready for the deep heat of Italy, the sun-ripened tomatoes, and antipasti. I always find myself remembering past vacations in anticipation of the one around the corner, kinda like little vacation apperitifs that motivate you to pack, clean, and tie up loose ends before heading out. Lately, I've been sipping on the vacation we took two years ago when we landed at an amazing bed and breakfast called Il Giardino dell' Arte in Anacapri.


Franco, the delightful owner, managed a top notch hotel in Capri for more than forty years and less than a decade ago, decided to turn his family's wine cellars on Anacapri into apartments. He wanted to offer the "normal" tourist all the perks of this beautiful island without the high cost that usually accompanies locations with views such as the ones from the grounds of Il Giardino. He wanted to give everyone the chance to experience the paradise he had grown up with. Upon arriving, we were greeted with cold drinks on the terrace and told to help ourselves to the sun-kissed tomatoes and figs that beckoned from the garden below. Franco went above and beyond to make us feel at home and, as if that weren't enough, he treated to one of the most amazing fests I've ever been to. Enough said, words just don't do this slice of heaven justice...maybe some pictures will??










Now for the fest. It took place on a long, narrow street that we almost gave up on looking for. Oh, was it worth the search! There were five or six courses served along this narrow piece of heaven and every few meters, you were treated to something new. The first course was bruschetta.


The second course was pasta.




Then there was wine.


Then came the meat.


Then came the dessert. We didn't get a shot of this, it was getting dark and the boys were getting tired, so I'll leave you with this...the reason for this delightful celebration in a street tucked away from Capri's center that we probably wouldn't find again if we tried.


In celebration of moments in time that cannot be repeated or relived.