Gracie04's Trip Report: Milan, Bellagio, and Venice. April 30- May 07, 2008

Wednesday, 4/30

Arrived at Malpensa after a smooth and uneventful (the best kind) flight. K and I managed to have a row to ourselves, so we had a little room to stretch out. Is it just me and my jet lagged stuper(sp?), or is MXP kind of a depressing airport? It struck me as kind of old and dark. Very 70's looking.

After getting our luggage, we found our way to the Malpensa Express. Euro 11/pp, very easy and cheap. We took a taxi from Cadorna station (Euro 7) to the Hotel Spadari.

I really liked this hotel. Lots of plusses. Great location, very comfortable beds. (What is it about those Italian mattresses that are so comfortable?) Room was spotless. Best thing was that we had a street facing room and it was very quiet. A big plus in my book. The front desk staff was very friendly. We got there early, around 10:30am, and they got a room ready for us.

Euro 198 tax included for a king room with two twin beds. www.spadarihotel.com

K went to sleep when we got up to the room. I decided to take a shower and keep going. I walked next door to Peck delicatessen to have a look around. Impressive. Then on to the Duomo. I didn't go in since I knew I would be going back with K later. Walked around the Piazza admiring the architecture of the church. Had several of those guys trying to put those stupid bracelets on me. It took several firm no's to get them to leave me alone. I hate that.

Made my way over to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. Went inside Prada and did my "Woo hoo, I'm in Prada, in Milan!" dance. I was very discreet, I don't think anyone noticed.

After finding a travel agency and buying our train tickets for Venice Sunday, I went back to the hotel to get K. We were both hungry, so the lady at the front desk told us to go to the smaller Peck restaurant (Peck Spa, ) down the street. Good, but very pricey. We both had mixed salads, K had risotto and I had lasagne. With a bottle of water it came to Euro 47.25.

The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering around inside the Duomo (magnificent) and going up to the roof for a birds eye view. Could be a little scary if you have a problem with hieghts, but very cool. Stopped in at Grom for some gelato. I was on a quest to find the best pistacchio gelato, and this was really good. Just the right combination of sweet and salty. Taste testing is fun!

After some window shopping, we got a cab and made our way to Santa Maria delle Grazie for 6:45 Last Supper reservations. I wish we had longer than 15 minutes to take it all in. After the Last Supper, we went to supper at Antica Trattoria della Pesa. I was so glad we found out about this restaurant, because it was excellent. We ordered several things and shared. A couple of dishes that stood out were the risotto salto (risotto poured in a thin layer in a saute pan, made into a kind of pancake. Crispy outside, still a little creamy inside.) and Veal Bocconcini-- very tender, flavorful bites of veal and the best mashed potatoes I've had in a long time. Euro 76 for 2 Pane/Coperto, 1 bottle of water, 1 antipasto, 2 primi, 1 secondo, 2 glasses of house wine.

After that, we were both exhausted from jet lag, so back to the hotel and to sleep.

I wish we had more time in Milan. 24 hours is in no way enough time to do it justice. Not a lot of people write about it on this board, and when they do, it's not always positive, so I wasn't sure what to think of the city before I got there. But the little I saw of it I enjoyed, and I see it for its potential. I'd like to go back and spend a few more days.

Next up: Bellagio

waiting for more . . .

Me, too!!!

me three

Thursday, 5/1

First a note about the weather we had. I kept checking accuweather.com before we left, and it kept saying "periods of heavy downpours with considerable cloudiness." That is so not what you want to hear. We really lucked out, though, because with the exception of a couple of days of light rain, it was gorgeous. The temps were stil cool, also which I enjoyed.

We woke up early so we could walk around some and grab some breakfast before the driver came to take us to Bellagio. Got some cash at the ATM across the street. I guess in our fog yesterday we never realized there was a linen store next to the hotel. It was closed today for the holiday. Too bad, we both would have liked to browse around. The name of the store was Telerie. Went to Cafe Spadari for capuccino and pastry. For some reason, I never drink coffe at home, but always do when I go to Europe. When in Rome (Milan), I guess.

We headed back to the hotel to wait for our driver from best viaggi. He (Anthony) walked in at 10:00 on the dot. Why did we decide on a driver to take us to Bellagio? No other reason than it just seemed like something nice to splurge on, and since I got my plane ticket for free, there were some funds to play with. The van we had was clean, Anthony was very nice, and personable. He was very easy to talk to, and told us a lot about the area. A few things got lost in translation, though. I told him I loved the way you could bring your dogs around everywhere in Italy. I think he thought I said "daughters", so that caused a little confusion. He gave me this look like "why wouldn't you be able to take your daughters around with you?"

The original plan was for him to take us straight to Bellagio, but the day before we left, I got an email from Nick, the owner of the company saying there was a landslide and the road to Bellagio was closed. Actually, his email had lots of exclamation points. There has been a landslide! We must change the road! Nothing else can be done! So in the end, Anthony took us to Varrena and we ferried over from there.

We got to Varrena and it was pretty chilly. I was glad I had a jacket.

The scenery of the lake and the mountains was simply breathtaking. I'm going to have to get a thesaurus, because I can't just keep saying beautiful and gorgeous.

The ferry let us out at the dock in Bellagio, and then we had to figure out how to get ourselves and our luggage up to La Limonera. I saw a bellman from one of the hotels, so I asked him if there were any taxis. He said there was, but it would probably be a while until it came around again. "Just take your luggage up those stairs, and it will be just to your right", he said. Sounded easy enough, except I didn't take my own advice to pack light. There was an Austrailian couple who were on their way down the steps who got a laugh from us. "We did the same thing yesterday."

Finally made it to the top and to the wonderful Residence La Limonera. Turns out we made it there earlier than I thought we would, (did I mention that Anthony's nick name should be Speedracer?) so Daniela wasn't there. There was a maid who told us she would get a room ready for us, and to leave our luggage.

About La Limonera: I'm so glad we stayed here. It's in a lovely garden setting. We had a room with a great view of the lake. Lots of space for the two of us. I took the bedroom, and K took the sofa bed. Very clean, good water pressure in the shower and lots of hot water. Again, those comfortable matresses. There is a kitchen area. Right outside the gate is a small grocery store. We really enjoyed our stay here.

Euro 135 tax included for a medium apartment. www.residencelalimonera.com

While we waited for our apartment to be made up, we walked around, and had lunch at the outdoor tables at Hotel Florence. It was really just like heaven. Trellises of Wisteria, and those gorgeous lake views. We had our "welcome to Bellagio" Prosecco and just took in the views. For lunch I had proscuitto and melon and a bowl of minestrone, K had salad and a very good steak. With a bottle of water and our proseccos, the bill came to Euro 67.

Made it back up to LL where our room was ready. Took naps (it was a vacation, after all!) with the windows open. The cool air felt nice.

K slept longer than I did, so I went out to explore. I had made reservations for dinner at Bilacus before I left, so I went to find it. Window shopped for a long time.

The good thing about Bellagio is that all those stairs and steep streets give you a good excuse to eat gelato. The good thing about La Limonera is that there is a gelateria right outside the gate. Perfect!

K was up and ready to go, so we walked around before our 8:00 reservation for dinner at Bilacus.

I loved Bilacus. We sat on the patio, and it was a nice evening. The food was fantastic. K and I both had green salads. She had the pappardelle and I had the crespelle. Very, very good. We split a bottle of Pino Grigio. I can't find the receipt for the meal, but I can tell you I remember it was reasonable.

The family sitting next to us had their black lab with them, laying under their table. They let me pet him, so I was happy.

After dinner was spent walking around. Also, we went to Mario Tacchi's shop and I bought small olive wood bowls for friends. We ended up buying several things from here over the next two days.

Back to LL and bed.

Tomorrow, Villa Balbianello

Anxious to read more!
2010

Stayed in Varenna with a friend two years ago and had lunch twice at Bilacus. One lunch was us celebrating our April birthdays. Lovely memories. Glad to hear you had such a great trip. Waiting to read more.

Gracie,

I am planning a similar trip for friends of mine later this year in the fall, so I am very interested in your report. I enjoy your style of writing.

I'm looking forward to hearing about the tour of Balbianello. Were you able to visit other villas? One of the people I am planning for has trouble walking distances, would this be a difficult place for her to visit?

VC

Friday, 5/2

The highlight of today was a trip to Villa Balbianello. Thanks to a suggestion from NeoPatrick, we decided to take a small group tour (Euro 45/pp) that leaves from a dock close to the Metropole. I'm usually not a tour kind of girl, but this was nicely done.

We left on a small boat that held maybe 12 people. The guy driving the boat was pretty cute, and did a good job of pointing out different villas along the way.

Once at the villa, you were taken on a guided tour of the house by a docent from the organization that runs the villa. This is where K and I had two different experiences. Before we got to the house, K wandered off looking for a bathroom. I went along with the group, and had to finish taking the tour of the house; after a certain point it's hard to sneak away. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, the history of the house and the last man who owned it (he was a nut)was interesting, but really, at least in my opinion, the star is the grounds. By the time you finish the tour, you still have about a half an hour to wander around the grounds before the boat comes back to pick you up. Balbianello was the only villa that we visited, but I think I'm safe is saying it is the most beautiful. I very much enjoyed my time here.

Dinner this night was at La Punta. The people who work here are so welcoming and pleasant. We had a very sweet waitress who's English was about as good as my Italian, but we got by. They start you out with a complimentary glass of prosecco and an appetizer, which was two pieces of quiche. We shared a plate of bresaola with lemon and olive oil for starters, and a very good bottle of Barolo, I wish I had written down the name. K had ravioli with butter and sage, and I had spinach crespelle. Very good, but not quite as good as Bilacus's. We split a side of sauteed spinach and for dessert split a piece of tiramisu that was light and creamy. With a bottle of water and two cover charges, the total was Euro 86.00.

We walked "the loop" after dinner, and then back to La Limonera.

Up next: Lugano, Switzerland or: Big bus + narrow mountain roads= one crazy ride!

Oh, and VC, I forgot to answer your question. If your friend has trouble walking , I'm not sure about Villa B. There are stairs and steep walkways to take into consideration. If she can just take it slow, it could be alright.

Johanna

Saturday, 5/3

We were up early today to ferry over to Menaggio and catch the bus to Lugano. Let me just say that I have the utmost respect for those bus drivers. It's amazing to me that they can maneuver those busses through narrow, steep mountain roads with other cars and busses coming at them. At one point on the way back, we had to back up so another bus could pass.

When we crosssed over into Switzerland, we stopped and a couple of policemen boarded to check passports. Very uneventful. Too bad they don't carry stamps with them.

So about an hour after we left Menaggio, we got off the bus at Lugano. I did no research for this little outing, it was kind of spur of the moment, so I had no idea of where to go or what to do.

We walked in the direction of the water, and came to a nice park. The flowers were in full bloom; lots of tulips and pansies. Swans were swimming in the lake. Families were out with their kids. It was all very picturesque. We walked along the waterfront for a while and then wandered around the back streets. Had lunch at a cafe in the piazza, and then wandered around some more and window shopped before walking back to the bus. It was a pleasant day.

We decided to go back to Hotel Florence for our last dinner in Bellagio. We couldn't pass up taking in those views one last time. Two bowls of minestrone, two pasta dishes, a bottle of water, and a bottle of wine, plus the cover charge came to Eruo 75.00. The food was still good, but we both thought we liked their lunch menu better.

After dinner, instead of making the usual loop, we walked a long time and ended up in a residential area. Passed by a cute little movie theater, just showing one movie. Back to La Limonera to pack up. I didn't want to leave...

Next up: Venice

Great report so far...cant wait for more!

Thanks to everyone for the feedback.

If anyone could teach me how to make a Euro symbol, I would appreciate it.

Johanna

Nevermind, I looked it up here on the board. Let's see if this works:

€

Sunday, 5/4

Up early to catch the ferry to Varenna. Sat on the balcony taking in the veiw of the lake and mountains one last time.

We were much smarter leaving with our luggage than we were arriving with it. Instead of lugging it down the stairs, we walked down the road that makes the loop. Our luggage rolled smoothly behind us, and was a much better experience. It was quick and easy, and there was no cursing involved.

When I was doing research on Bellagio here on the forum before I left, I read lots of posts debating which town along the lake was best to stay in. Here's my two cents: I was happy with my decision to stay in Bellagio. Yes, Varenna has the train station, and Menaggio has bus connections, but I don't think it does Bellagio justice to just see it as a daytripper. I would think, especially in the hieght of tourist season, it would be nice to come back in the evening after visiting other towns and have the place to yourself after the daytrippers had left.

So Speedracer Anthony met us in Varenna and drove us back to Milan, (to Milano Centrale). Our train was a half an hour late, but it was a smooth and fast, though pretty warm, ride. I'm not sure if the train (EuroCity) just didn't have AC, or if because it was still cool outside they just didn't have it turned on yet. The conductor opened some windows, and that helped a little. If it really didn't have AC, I would have hated to make the ride in summer.

Got to the Venice station, and purchased our 72 hour vaporetto passes. € 31/pp. In our three days there, I don't think we saved money buying these, but we probably broke even. I think single rides were € 6.

Okay, well I have no idea what just happened. I hit "preview my reply" to see if my Euro signs were working, and everything that I typed after that didn't show up. Frick!

So since I don't feel like re-typing all of the rest right now, I'll do it later this evening, if anyone is still interested.

Johanna

I want to hear about Venice!!!! Please continue your trip report.

Great report...can't wait to hear about Venice. I tried searching "tries2packlite" to see pictures you mentioned but didn't find them. Were they on this forum?

hi mamamia,

I may have written her screen name wrong. Try Tries2pakLite instead.

Johanna

Thank you!! I still haven't seen the pics because I had to register & have them email her to request I view pictures. Wonder if I did it wrong. ???

I can't wait for Venice part of your report. We just found out my husband is going to Milan for business & I plan to tag along..would there be plenty to occupy myself with in Milan until we can travel somewhere together??(like Venice I love walking around cities & just experiencing the culture.

I'm interested, please tell us about your time in Venice.

Okay, so let's try this again...

Where was I? Oh yeah, the vaporetto passes. We probably broke even on the cost of them. The weather was so nice most of the time that we walked everywhere. It was nice having a pass, though, instead of having to buy a ticket each time. Finding your way around Venice was actually much easier than I had imagined. I thought we would spend the majority of our time wandering around lost, but between using the landmark signs on the buildings, and a good map, we did well. Don't get me wrong, we got turned around more than once, and finding our hotel for the first time was an adventure, but on the whole it was pretty easy.

I purposely didn't plan anything specific for us to do while we were here. Our time was so limited, (3 days) that I really just wanted to spend time wandering around, taking it all in. The only things that I researched was different neighborhoods, restaurants, and of course, where to stay. So instead of a day by day report, I'll just give the highlights. Here goes...

First, our hotel:
Corte Grimani, € 200/night tax included.
www.cortegrimani.com

I have nothing but good things to say about Corte Gimani. It's like an apartment set up with hotel services. Great location, between Rialto and San Marco. Our apartment (#302) was a "classic standard", but was very spacious. K took the bedroom this time, and I took the sofa bed in the living room. I was surprised, for a sofa bed it was comfortable. Trying to find the hotel for the first time was a challenge, but once you know where it is, it's easy to find your way back. Donatella and everone at the front desk was very kind and helpful. Another thing that I really enjoyed: the hotel across the way, the Bonvecchiati, had a guy playing jazz on their patio at night until around midnight, so when we would get back to the room, we would keep the windows open and listen to him play before we fell asleep. It was kind of like having a room on Bourbon Street without the drunks.

My impression of Venice:

I fell in love with this city. I wish I could have had a few more days, but I guess that just gives me a reason to return. I had read things about Venice before we left that were negative: It exists just for the tourists, which there are too many of, the food is bad, etc... I'm sure there is truth to that, but I loved it. I think Venice is one of the most beautiful and unique cities I have visited. I think, though, that the reason I loved my stay here so much had to do with several things. First, I think we visited at a good time of year. The crowds weren't bad yet, and the weather was still cool, which was nice for walking around so much. Second, I took the advice of the posters here who said to visit Rialto and San Marco either early in the morning or late in the evening, and concentrate on lesser visited neighborhoods during the day. My favorite memories are getting up early, leaving the room by 7:30, going to get my capuccino and cornetto, and then walking around taking pictures. Third, I also took your advice on restaurants, and we had some really great meals. More on that next.

Restaurants:

Bancogiro: Near the Rialto Markets. Thank you Statia for this suggestion. We had drinks here our first afternoon. What a great place to have a glass of wine and watch boats go by on the Grand Canal. K had a spritz, which she liked. I wasn't a fan.

Vecio Fritolin: San Polo (dinner)
I knew while I was in Venice, I wanted to try Sarde in Saor. I figured this was the place to try it. The sardines were a little strong, but it was a very good dish, and served with polenta, which is always a good thing in my book. I also had seard tuna with zucchini and baby artichokes. K had a salad of snow peas, shrimp and oranges, then pasta. We shared a dessert of lemon mousse. With two glasses of wine and a bottle of water, the bill came to € 90.20.

La Campagna: not far from the hotel, going toward Rialto. (lunch)

This was a Sandra Gustafson Great Eats Italy recommendation. She wrote a good review of it in her book, but I thought it was just okay. K and I both had mixed salads, I had pasta pesto which didn;t have a lot of flavor. K had pork scallopine which we both thought was a little dry. Packed at lunch with a mix of locals and tourists. € 36

La Zucca: S. Croce (dinner)
What a great place! We had a (shared) table next to a canal. Our food was wonderful. Our waiter was nice, and took the time to explain the dishes, and the best way to order from the menu. I had the pumpkin flan topped with ricotta salata and pumpkin seeds (if it was acceptable to lick the plate I would have) and ossobucco. K had salad and lasagne. We split a plate of balsamic glazed cippolini onions. Can't find the receipt, but whatever we paid was worth every penny.

La Calcina: Along the Zattere, Dorsoduro (lunch)

Outdoor seating, with a view of the Guidecca Canal. We shared a plate of mixed bruschetta, K had salad and pasta. I had salad and crespelle. Not nearly as good as the crespelle at Bilacus in Bellagio. Came out cold. I liked this place for the view and drinks better than the food. € 70

Sempione: San Marco (dinner)
This was a last minute decision. We weren't planning on having dinner this night, but we passed by it on our gondola ride. I remembered it had gotten good reviews here, so we went in search of it. We got turned around trying to find it and almost gave up. All of a sudden I tripped on the pavement, went flying but made a very good save (people clapped for me) and when I looked up, we were right in front of it. I took it as a sign. Very pretty restaurant with canal side tables. Food was nicely prepared. I had a bowl of bean soup and veal Milanese w/salad. K had octopus salad and lasagne. Can't find the receipt, but I remember thinking it was less expensive than other restaurants. I enjoyed this place and would eat there again.

Rialto Markets:
Bought fresh strawberries and blood oranges to take back to the apartment. We have good strawberries where I live, but these were amazing. Red all the way through, and so sweet. I'm craving some right now.

Okay, that's it for now. Next up, the Peggy Guggenheim Museum.

Hello gracie, your beautiful report is wonderful and so informative! I have not started going through my clothes closet as I planned on doing as came across this report of yours and became enthralled.

And "tripping on the pavement"..I have tripped and a few times went splat on the pavement while in Italy, sigh. Just one "trip" per visit though. I am glad you didn't actually fall.

I am glad you enjoyed Milan. Unlike some I love that city! I look forward to your next segment.

LoveItaly, thank you so much for your kind words, you have made my day.

I would love to go back to Milan one day and experience it when I wasn't jet lagged and had more time. I didn't make it to the Castello Sforzesco, or the museum, the name escapes me right now-- Pinoteca Brera??

Mamamia, yes, there is plenty to keep you occupied while your husband is working. I think you would have a wonderful time.

Johanna

Gracie - really enjoying your trip report!! I will be in Venice in October and loved that portion of your report.

Gracie - grazie mille!

Okay, so I thought I would finish this report up today with a list of some things we enjoyed.

The Peggy Guggenheim Museum

(Dorsoduro) Admission: € 10/pp
As much as I love big museums, I really appreciate a smaller collection that doesn't take days to see. K and I were walking along the Zattere when it looked like a big storm was about to blow through. We needed a place to duck into, so we thought this would be a good time to visit the Guggenheim. What a gem! Not only is the art interesting, but the palazzo it is housed in is as well. In the back, there is a courtyard that is a nice place to rest and get off your feet for a while, and in front is the Grand Canal. You can't go wrong. Plus, Peggy herself was a fascinating person. She reminds me of Auntie Mame.

I Frari Church (San Polo)
Small admission to enter, maybe € 6

This magnificent church holds such treasures as Titian's "Assumption of the Virgin" and the Bellini triptych. Plus, the San Polo neighborhood was my favorite for wandering around.

A Vivaldi concert at Chiesa S. Vidal (San Marco) &euro 24/pp

I like classical music, but it always makes me sleepy. I thought for sure that seeing this concert after dinner at La Zucca, I'd be out like a light. But I wasn't. The church was beautiful, the accoustics good, and the orchestra was entertaining. It was a nice way to spend the evening.

The obligatory Bellini at Harry's Bar:

We walked to Harry's Bar after the Vivaldi concert. It was a fun way to cap off the night. Still pretty crowded at 11:00. Much smaller inside than I expected.

Fortuny Terrace, Hotel Cipriani (Giudecca)
This was one of my favorite things we did. When I die, if I'm lucky enough to go to heaven, I'm hoping it's like the Fortuny Terrace. You can take a free water taxi from San Marco to the Cipriani Hotel. The bellinis here were much better than the ones at Harry's Bar. I don't know why. There are gardens in the back of the hotel you can wander through, and views across to San Marco from Cip's Club.

Cafe Florian
Yes, it's expensive, but think of it as paying for the whole experience. Sitting there at night under the stars in San Marco square, with the band palying, all I could think of was how lucky and happy I was to be there.

Finally, a gondola ride. I have to say, this wasn't as cheesy as I thought it would be. In fact, I really enjoyed it. We went in the evening, and it was very relaxing. We stuck to mostly the smaller canals, and it was a great way to see Venice. € 70

So that's my first ever trip report. I hope it can be helpful to someone. Thanks for reading,

Johanna

MomDD and Bokhara, thank you.

MomDD, have you been to Venice before? I think October would be a nice time to be there.

Johanna

Thanks for a great report. I'm taking lots of notes from you!

VC

topping

Thanks, VC. Have a great trip!

Johanna

Hi again,

Forgot to add a link to Hotel Cipriani.

http://tinyurl.com/6az3ye

Johanna

Your report brought back so many memories for me! We spent two weeks in a venice/cortina/bolzano/lakes/milano/verona loop last september. Milan was a last minute addition and we also loved it. It was the anniversary of Maria Calla's death so LaScala had a huge exhibition of her many costumes and gowns. Our favorite restaurant there was Cafe Piccolo - very close to our hotel, tiny as the name implies and probably one of the two or three best meals I had on the trip. venice is magical - it was our second trip there and we also spent more time exploring the neighborhoods than San Marco, etc. There are so many tiny churches and alleyways to explore! ciao -

hi cmeyer54,

I think that was my favorite part of Venice, just wandering around the alleyways. The art that is in the churches amazes me, also.

Mamamia66, out of curiosity, were you able to look at those pictures?

Johanna

Hello, I am still gathering information! Was there an elevator at La Limonera? I didn't see it mentioned on the website.

VC

Hi VC

Yes, LL does have an elevator.

Johanna

VC

(Love your screen name, by the way!)

Corte Grimani has an elevator, also, if you are interested.

Johanna

Johanna - no, this is actually only my second visit to Europe. I went for the first time last year and how do you say...I am hooked?

I have been to Rome and Florence in Italy but that is it...

very much looking forward to Venice.

Hi MomDD

I know what you mean about being hooked. I certainly am. I'm already starting to get ideas together for my next trip.

Have a wonderful time in Venice. October will be here before you know it.

Johanna

I sure do hope the dollar increases slightly soon...I doubt I will see it before my trip but I know what you mean about "feeling" it. Even as I pay for our apartments etc I am feeling it. But I would still rather go!

Oh yeah, I'd still rather go, too.

By the way, there was a thread on here before I left saying that Harry's Bar was giving an, I think, 20% discount to Americans... yeah, that didn't happen. They didn't offer, and I didn't ask.

Johanna

great report!

Hi marigross,

Thanks for reading. Glad you enjoyed the report.

Johanna

Hello Johanna

You may like to know based on your reviews, I have reserved an apartment at La Limonera for my friends in October. They are very excited! I only wish I were going, too.

VC

What a wonderful report. What a wonderful trip. Thank you for sharing.

Hi VC

Glad to hear you booked LL for your friends. Let us know how they liked
their stay.

uhoh_busted, thanks for reading! This was my first attempt at a trip report, so it's nice to see people reading it.

Johanna

Hi Johanna!

Hey I can't believe I missed your Italy report! I saw your wonderful pics a while back but never saw this.

Sounds like you and your sis had a great time - I'm happy for you.

Really made me want to go back to Venice, I'd love to see the Guggenheim museum again...

We are going to Barcelona in Feb. 09 and I am aching to return to Rome for maybe a couple days as well but the dollar being where it's at may put a damper on my longings.

Anyway thank you for writing your report and it was so nice to see you in your pics ; ) 39 is treating you well.

Be well, Eileen

Hi Eileen!

I have been out of town for a few days, so I'm just now seeing your reply. Glad you liked the report!

You'll like Barcelona. I was there a couple of years ago and really enjoyed the city. I hope you are able to tack on a few Rome days. I know what you mean about aching to go back.

I'm going to San Francisco in September, looking forward to getting away from the heat and humidity here in the Florida panhandle for a few days. I guess I need to start hanging out on the US Board for a while!

Take care,
Johanna

Great trip report. I hope to make a similar trip in October!

Hi Johanna,

If you are interested, I do know of a hotel that I can recommend. We stay at it when we go to the city.

I only live about two hours away if you are interested in meeting and if it works out time wise. Just let me know.

Ciao, Eileen

Hi Eileen

I'm researching SF hotels now, if you have one to recommend, I'd love to hear about it.

I think it would be fun to meet for drinks! I'll let you know closer to the date how things are looking time wise. I'm not sure if we are staying in San Francisco, or also going to do a day or two in Napa or Sonoma.

Johanna

Johanna,

Here is the company link: http://www.jdvhotels.com/

I would sign up as a JDV member, it does not cost anything and they give upgrades to members.

We stay at The Hotel Carlton - Not the Ritz Carlton ; )
http://www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/carlton

They also have hotels in Napa. Let me know how the hunt goes.

Ciao, Eileen

Eileen,

Just to let you know, our plans have changed. Looks like we're going to Chicago that weekend instead of San Fransico. Next time I'm in CA, I'll let you know.

Johanna

Ohh I love Chicago! Good for you and yes, next time you are in S.F let's meet.

Here are two restaurants I recomend in Chicago.

www.giordanos.com

RUSH STREET Location
(312) 951-0747
730 N RUSH ST.

Here's my all time favorite, Shaw's Crab House. See the link to this very cool ol timey restaurant. It's downtown by the Tribune. Inside it has two eating sections, personally I like "The Main Dining Room Bar" opposed to "The Main Dining Room" but both are great. I hope you can try it.

http://www.shawscrabhouse.com/chicago/index.shtml

Have fun! Eileen

Hi Eileen

Thanks for the recommendations! I'll check them out.

Johanna

Hello Johanna

I spoke with my friends last night. They love La Limonera! I wanted to let you know since they reserved an apartment there based on your recommendation. I am thinking of planning a trip for myself!

VC

Hi VC, it's good to talk to you again. I'm so glad your friends love (loved? are they still there?) La Limonera.

Thanks for letting me know.

I have to admit, I got a little nostalgic the other day in the wine store. When I was at the check out counter, there was a copy of this month's Wine Spectator magazine. On the front was a picture of Hotel Serbelloni, and inside, a great atricle of Lake Como. It made me wish I was back on my little balcony at LL, drinking a glass of wine and looking at the beautiful view of the lake.

Johanna

More nostalgia tonight... I was watching Rudy Maxa, and it was his show on Milan/Lake Como. Maybe it's a sign I should return....



Johanna

gracie, you brought back some nice memories for me. We have just got back from our trip and we also stayed at La Limonera which we loved ( we had the garden apartment). We did the same as you and asked someone in a nearby hotel how to get there from the ferry wharf. She said "Don't wait for a taxi but go up the stairs OR around the road to the left and you will easilly get there". We did the latter and only had to pull our luggage behind us rather than carting it up those stairs. We loved LL and Bellagio itself. The other thing we did like you was attend the Vivaldi concert in Venice in that same church. So thanks for the memories!

Hi Peteralan,

So glad you enjoyed the report, and it brought back some good memories!

Yeah, it would have been nice to know about taking the road around to LL, but it makes for a funny memory now.

When you went to the Vivaldi concert, did you have the orchestra with the, how shall I describe him, very enthusiastic cello player? I think he's what kept me awake!

Glad you had a good trip. Will you be writing a report?

Johanna

Well I am not sure about that but it was the Interpreti Veneziani orchestra.Funnily, re-reading your report, I noticed that the day you mentioned going to the concert(6/9) was the actual date we went!Also, you said the San Polo was your favourite area. Well that is where we stayed and we loved it.Not sure about writing a report as I would not be able to go into the detail you did.Still a bit jetlagged!

for future reference

Bookmarking

Topping for a friend.

Very enjoyable report, it reawakened my desire to see Venice again.

Hi bdjtbenson

Maybe you'll start planning a Venice trip soon!

Johanna