A group of my friends started a tradition several years ago of gathering in a place to celebrate our 50th birthdays. It started with a gathering in Florence where we celebrated the birthday with dinner in a private villa outside the city, another year we celebrated my 50th in Nice, France where we took over a restaurant for an evening and then the next day took a private bus to St Paul de Vence where we had lunch. Last year we celebrated another friend's big day on a cruise ship. This May we're planning on Venice. I'm looking for a place to have a celebration. It could be a restaurant, private home or whatever. Any ideas???
Thanks in advance

Here is everything you ever needed to know! Check this thread:
Franco's favourite ... Venetian food & restaurants

Thanks. I checked the thread and it is helpful. But I should have mentioned in my original post that there will be about 18 people in our group so we'll need someplace that will accomodate us all.

No ideas, just want to tell you that this is a lovely idea. Happy Birthday to you and all your special friends!

Corte Sconta isn't as good as it used to be but it's suitable for a large group. My favorite for great food is alle Testiere:
http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/gui...=1154654632502

It's small enough you could reserve the entire restaurant.

You may want to check out having dinner at a private palazzo.
I stay a lovely Palazzo on the Grand canal...Tiepolo...the lovely owner has started to offer dinners in her home.
I think it would be a truly wonderful experience!!

http://www.cortetiepolo.com/eng/catering.php

Or you can pose your question on the thread I mentioned...I think that Franco moonlights as a restaurant critic in Italy/his knowledge is encyclopaedic!