14th Birthday in Venice on April 7
Dec 24th, 2006, 07:00 PM
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14th Birthday in Venice on April 7
Very silly question, but here it goes.
Our somewhat spoiled and very sheltered daughter is lamenting having to be in Venice for her 14th birhtday this year (the horror!) Need I mention that we will be travleing with another couple and their daughter who is best friends with our daughter. Anyway, she's very put out that on her special day she won't be with all of her friends eating "white cake" and doing the usual very Americanized birthday scene.
So.... I'd like help in figuring out how to make this day enjoyable for her that doesn't involve smuggling a Betty Crocker white cake mix on the plane. (Did I mention that she's very picky!)
So far, I've decided that our gondola adventure needs to be on her birthday. Anything else that you can suggest to this day, which comes at the beginning of a 2 week Italy vacation, that will make it memorable for her as well as for the rest of us will be greatly appreciated.
Our somewhat spoiled and very sheltered daughter is lamenting having to be in Venice for her 14th birhtday this year (the horror!) Need I mention that we will be travleing with another couple and their daughter who is best friends with our daughter. Anyway, she's very put out that on her special day she won't be with all of her friends eating "white cake" and doing the usual very Americanized birthday scene.
So.... I'd like help in figuring out how to make this day enjoyable for her that doesn't involve smuggling a Betty Crocker white cake mix on the plane. (Did I mention that she's very picky!)
So far, I've decided that our gondola adventure needs to be on her birthday. Anything else that you can suggest to this day, which comes at the beginning of a 2 week Italy vacation, that will make it memorable for her as well as for the rest of us will be greatly appreciated.
Dec 24th, 2006, 07:29 PM
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Stop at an internet cafe and let her gloat to all her friends about how amazing Venice actually is.
I think once she is there her attitude will change, especially if you give her spending money to choose her own birthday present.
Kids!
I think once she is there her attitude will change, especially if you give her spending money to choose her own birthday present.
Kids!
Dec 24th, 2006, 08:05 PM
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LOL Kim, your daughter reminds me of my daughter around that age. We were so thrilled to tell her that we were taking her to Italy for two months that summer. She had a fit and a half as she did not want to go. She wanted to stay home and spend the summer doing things with her friends. Finally her father told her she was going "end of discussion". She during her tears and temper tantrum said "I won't enjoy one moment". Her father said "alright that is fine but you are going". I got a headache.
Long story short, at the end of this trip guess who was crying when we got on the plane to fly home?
The horror indeed! Your poor daughter, something she can whine about to friends for years "and my parents MADE me spend my 14th birthday in Venice". Not funny I know Kim, but I am laughing. And my "spoiled" daughter who is all grown up and has raised two sons would be giggling too.
Oh btw, Italy has wonderful bakeries. But no doubt her birthday dinner will be at a restaurant right? Make arrangements with the restaurant for a birthday cake for your poor browbeaten daughter.
My only warning..my daughter ended up loving Italy and Italians so much she later ended up married to a Roman. But no complaints, he is the most wonderful husband, SIL, man you could ask for. But just wanted to alert you. Take care and enjoy your time in Venice, I KNOW your daughter will!
Long story short, at the end of this trip guess who was crying when we got on the plane to fly home?
The horror indeed! Your poor daughter, something she can whine about to friends for years "and my parents MADE me spend my 14th birthday in Venice". Not funny I know Kim, but I am laughing. And my "spoiled" daughter who is all grown up and has raised two sons would be giggling too.
Oh btw, Italy has wonderful bakeries. But no doubt her birthday dinner will be at a restaurant right? Make arrangements with the restaurant for a birthday cake for your poor browbeaten daughter.
My only warning..my daughter ended up loving Italy and Italians so much she later ended up married to a Roman. But no complaints, he is the most wonderful husband, SIL, man you could ask for. But just wanted to alert you. Take care and enjoy your time in Venice, I KNOW your daughter will!
Dec 24th, 2006, 10:36 PM
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Kim: Adopt me? I've proven myself unspoilable, and I would have loved to have spent my 14th birthday in Venice with my best friend. What a deal!
I think she'll change her mind once she gets off the plane and sees what she almost passed up. She's a teen only once. If you have to sneak Betty Crocker cake mix to Venice with you, then so be it (serve with a side of gelato). Will you have access to an oven? But hopefully, she'll like the bakeries there.
I love your idea of a gondola ride on her birthday. If she likes jewelry, I'd suggest getting her a beautiful Murano glass jewelry.
I'm just trying to remember myself as a 14 y.o., but never really celebrated my birthday with anyone except family then, so don't know how I would have reacted. Tell her that I think she's one lucky young lady.
Merry Christmas!
I think she'll change her mind once she gets off the plane and sees what she almost passed up. She's a teen only once. If you have to sneak Betty Crocker cake mix to Venice with you, then so be it (serve with a side of gelato). Will you have access to an oven? But hopefully, she'll like the bakeries there.
I love your idea of a gondola ride on her birthday. If she likes jewelry, I'd suggest getting her a beautiful Murano glass jewelry.
I'm just trying to remember myself as a 14 y.o., but never really celebrated my birthday with anyone except family then, so don't know how I would have reacted. Tell her that I think she's one lucky young lady.
Merry Christmas!
Dec 24th, 2006, 11:23 PM
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The Gondola sounds good. you may also like to consider a vaporetto experience.(local waterbus) An hour long ride costs £3.60 and you can see the most glorious of Venice's palace facades. Vaparettos 1 and 82 run between the railway station at one end of the Grand Canal and Santa Maria della Salute at the other end.
Dec 25th, 2006, 06:07 AM
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Hi K,
Another vote to have your hotel or restaurant arrange for an Italian birthday cake - side order of gelato or spumoni or tartuffo.
Give her a s,all glass of sparkling Asti Spumante or Prosecco.
Take a ride on the vaporetto on the grand canal at dusk and watch the city light up.
Skip the gondola and hire a water taxi down the Canal, out to the lagoon and back,at dusk.
Wish the spoiled-rotten, little brat a happy birthday for me.
PS, she doesn't sound any worse than mine were at that age.
Another vote to have your hotel or restaurant arrange for an Italian birthday cake - side order of gelato or spumoni or tartuffo.
Give her a s,all glass of sparkling Asti Spumante or Prosecco.
Take a ride on the vaporetto on the grand canal at dusk and watch the city light up.
Skip the gondola and hire a water taxi down the Canal, out to the lagoon and back,at dusk.
Wish the spoiled-rotten, little brat a happy birthday for me.
PS, she doesn't sound any worse than mine were at that age.
Dec 25th, 2006, 09:04 PM
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Last year, we were on vacation with our son on his birthday, though in Newport, RI, not Venice! He was a little put out at first, but as he helped plan his special day, he changed his mind. He didn't get to select everything we did that day - it was everyone's vacation, after all, but he did have a stronger say.
We were staying at a B&B during that time period, and we arranged beforehand for an extra-special breakfast for him; they also had a small gift (tokens for a nearby video arcade - he was turning 11). Dinner was at his restaurant choice, with a special dessert.
This year, we will also be on vacation during his birthday, though in the Dordogne. He's very excited about it this year!
We were staying at a B&B during that time period, and we arranged beforehand for an extra-special breakfast for him; they also had a small gift (tokens for a nearby video arcade - he was turning 11). Dinner was at his restaurant choice, with a special dessert.
This year, we will also be on vacation during his birthday, though in the Dordogne. He's very excited about it this year!
Dec 25th, 2006, 11:40 PM
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Do you mean your daughter is having her birthday within the next few days (I'm unsure, because you said her 14th birthday this year)? In any event, go ahead with the excellent Venice suggestions, but I'd also encourage you and her to consider having an American birthday party two weeks late. With scheduling constraints, how many birthday celebrations are actually held on the actual day anyway?
Dec 26th, 2006, 11:04 AM
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This past October I experienced the wonderful opportunity of taking my 14 year old granddaughter to Venice. She loved it! Besides the obvious 14 year old delights...window shopping, finding the best gelato, a tour of St. Mark's and the Secret Itinerary tour of the Doge's Palace..we took a gondola ride. What made that such a fun time was deciding ahead of time that if we were going on a gondola, we would search for a really "cute" gondolier! That resulted in finding a young, polite, and personable young man who made our afternoon ride a happy and memorable experience that we won't soon forget. It also made for great photos for her to show her girlfriends back home!
Dec 26th, 2006, 11:32 AM
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The perfect solution:
leave your daughter at home to celebrate with her friends and TAKE ME in her place!
Seriously, I agree to the idea to make arrangements with a restaurant that will bring out a cake with candles and they will sing. I've seen that often. I'd personally die of embarrassment, but I suspect she'll end up loving it.
leave your daughter at home to celebrate with her friends and TAKE ME in her place!
Seriously, I agree to the idea to make arrangements with a restaurant that will bring out a cake with candles and they will sing. I've seen that often. I'd personally die of embarrassment, but I suspect she'll end up loving it.
Dec 26th, 2006, 12:55 PM
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Thanks for all of your help. I'm going to contact our hotel and see what they suggest for a great place to take her for a birthday dinner. I made her read all of your posts so she knows its not just her mom that thinks she's being ridiculous not wanting to be in Venice on her birthday! It's also nice to hear that some other kids react like mine does.
I know she's going to love her Italian birthday.
I know she's going to love her Italian birthday.
Dec 26th, 2006, 03:31 PM
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I imagine one of the dueling bands in Piazza San Marco could be persuaded to play Happy Birthday to her - I think it's a pretty generic song! And our waiter was a clone of George Clooney! May not do much for a 14 year old, but this almost 60'ish was smitten! Can't help with the cake problem but if I remember correctly there was a fantastic bakery on the piazza as well.
Dec 26th, 2006, 03:49 PM
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Yes Kim, the Happy Birthday song "Buon Compleanno"..if you could work that out that would be precious.
BTW, I mentioned your daughter to my daughter last night as we were enjoying Italian wine and music. She had the good grace to blush..remembering her tamper tantrum about "being forced" to go to Italy, lol.
Tell your sweet daughter for me she will remember her special 14th birthday the rest of her life. Oh, my Italian son-in-law said to tell your daughter that a birthday cake in Italy is soooo much better than any birthday cake here in the US (he misses the bread of Italy also).
BTW, I mentioned your daughter to my daughter last night as we were enjoying Italian wine and music. She had the good grace to blush..remembering her tamper tantrum about "being forced" to go to Italy, lol.
Tell your sweet daughter for me she will remember her special 14th birthday the rest of her life. Oh, my Italian son-in-law said to tell your daughter that a birthday cake in Italy is soooo much better than any birthday cake here in the US (he misses the bread of Italy also).
Dec 26th, 2006, 03:58 PM
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If you are looking for a place for a special birthday dinner, you might consider Antico Martini:
http://www.anticomartini.com/
Here is Fodor's own review of it:
http://tinyurl.com/y6x55j
They make it sound "stuffy" but it is not at all. Expensive, but the service is terrific, and the food is very good for Venice. I don't understand the one comment about it lacking in atmosphere; you can see from the photos that it is very pleasant. Maybe that reviewer was comparing it to canal-side dining. But in April you wouldn't do that anyway. The pink tablecloths provide a warm, friendly ambiance.
I e-mailed for a reservation and got a reply from Signor Baldi, congratulating us on our special occasion and promising a nice table with excellent service. Which is exactly what we received.
http://www.anticomartini.com/
Here is Fodor's own review of it:
http://tinyurl.com/y6x55j
They make it sound "stuffy" but it is not at all. Expensive, but the service is terrific, and the food is very good for Venice. I don't understand the one comment about it lacking in atmosphere; you can see from the photos that it is very pleasant. Maybe that reviewer was comparing it to canal-side dining. But in April you wouldn't do that anyway. The pink tablecloths provide a warm, friendly ambiance.
I e-mailed for a reservation and got a reply from Signor Baldi, congratulating us on our special occasion and promising a nice table with excellent service. Which is exactly what we received.
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