Engaged

Heart-shaped, natural purple sapphire, 2.175 carats, on a white gold band. The deep purple color comes from trace elements of vanadium.

I proposed to Dawn on Saturday, March 7 at the Muir Woods National Monument, an old-growth stand of coastal redwood trees in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The sun was shining, a lone unseen songbird greeted us, and Redwood Creek rushed to our left. At Cathedral Grove I kneeled and proposed, and Dawn said "yes."

We spent the remainder of the day visiting Ghirardelli Square for chocolate desserts, riding cable cars, visiting Japantown and Chinatown, and eating an incredible dinner at Chez Panisse in Berkeley.

Dawn requested I include a link to the wine we had that night, the 2007 Bandol Rosé, Domaine Tempier. The waiter explained that the woman who makes it served as a mentor to Chez Panisse founder Alice Waters. Highly recommended by our waiter, deservedly so.