Sono arrivato a Venezia
Dec 27th, 2014, 07:04 AM
#41
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tarquin, sounds like you could have an exciting evening should he figure it out... BTW I only know the origins of your name due to meeting someone you know, here.. 
So much to catch up on, now. Have had a wonderful week and hope everyone here has enjoyed the hols and their friends and family.
I added a few more photos but it is slow going now. I tend to snap with my iPhone and post on facebook immediately, leaving the "real photos" on flickr for much later. But, the two I added I think are quite decent! Hope you enjoy them.
A brief update, very brief:
The Xmas party on 12/23 was in the Palazzetto Pisani. So much fun and what a privilege to share a Xmas moment with such a nice group of people in this lovely palace overlooking the Grand Canal. We all had to bring a small and fun gift with us for the "tombola" (sp?) after the holiday songs. Sort of like a secret santa.
Dec 24 I went to midnight mass in the Frari. I knew better than to attempt San Marco and according to the webcam that evening I was right. It was so humbling to hear the bells pealing at midnight, drawing in the locals and the tourists alike as so many have been for so many years. I would estimate at least 200 people in attendance there, if not more.
Xmas morning I went to mass with a friend at San Marco. Again, how thrilling to be taking part in such a tradition.
After mass was Florians for hot chocolate, and, a group of us spent most of the afternoon at Beccaficos in Campo San Stefano. My friends come here year after year for at least a month so they are regulars there and after the meal itself we were plied with two bottles of limoncello as well as liquirizia, my new favorite (think licorice-cello, but not like the licorice you usually think of - rather more like blackstrap molasses, sort of).
Y'day morning I was up quite early to meet some friends at the Molo for sunrise photos. We got some good early morning light shots, but, the sunrise was behind clouds so no go. By afternoon it was a sunny glorious day so I went to Burano - the two new photos, currently, are from Burano.
Today I just wandered. It rained all afternoon and we are expecting snow tonight. More great photos!!
The above are placeholders and I will try to fill in more later...
a domani!
So much to catch up on, now. Have had a wonderful week and hope everyone here has enjoyed the hols and their friends and family.
I added a few more photos but it is slow going now. I tend to snap with my iPhone and post on facebook immediately, leaving the "real photos" on flickr for much later. But, the two I added I think are quite decent! Hope you enjoy them.
A brief update, very brief:
The Xmas party on 12/23 was in the Palazzetto Pisani. So much fun and what a privilege to share a Xmas moment with such a nice group of people in this lovely palace overlooking the Grand Canal. We all had to bring a small and fun gift with us for the "tombola" (sp?) after the holiday songs. Sort of like a secret santa.
Dec 24 I went to midnight mass in the Frari. I knew better than to attempt San Marco and according to the webcam that evening I was right. It was so humbling to hear the bells pealing at midnight, drawing in the locals and the tourists alike as so many have been for so many years. I would estimate at least 200 people in attendance there, if not more.
Xmas morning I went to mass with a friend at San Marco. Again, how thrilling to be taking part in such a tradition.
After mass was Florians for hot chocolate, and, a group of us spent most of the afternoon at Beccaficos in Campo San Stefano. My friends come here year after year for at least a month so they are regulars there and after the meal itself we were plied with two bottles of limoncello as well as liquirizia, my new favorite (think licorice-cello, but not like the licorice you usually think of - rather more like blackstrap molasses, sort of).
Y'day morning I was up quite early to meet some friends at the Molo for sunrise photos. We got some good early morning light shots, but, the sunrise was behind clouds so no go. By afternoon it was a sunny glorious day so I went to Burano - the two new photos, currently, are from Burano.
Today I just wandered. It rained all afternoon and we are expecting snow tonight. More great photos!!
The above are placeholders and I will try to fill in more later...
a domani!
Dec 27th, 2014, 03:02 PM
#43
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Che bel viaggio!! I am really glad you went to the masses. We last were at morning mass on Palm Sunday, followed by hot chocolate at Florians (with croissants) followed by shopping for lingerie at Coin, with my husband in one dressing room, other woman's husband in next, each of us women, calling Marco, Marco--seems that our husbands had the same name. Once one of them responded to wrong room....
Great trip report! You are making me homesick. And please do take pictures. I've never seen Venice in the snow
Great trip report! You are making me homesick. And please do take pictures. I've never seen Venice in the snow
Dec 28th, 2014, 04:40 AM
#44
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I did wonder, flygirl, but I thought it must be from a thread in the Lounge about screen names earlier this year. So glad you met our friends in Venice, it sounds like you know lots of people there. We will be in Venice 22nd to 29th January, but I imagine you will have left by then?
By the way, does C_V know that annhig is "looking" for her?
By the way, does C_V know that annhig is "looking" for her?
Dec 28th, 2014, 05:51 AM
#45
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Hi all
No sticking snow after all that. Just a lot of slush last night and this morning a lot of rain. Nonetheless I have some new good photos (not online yet).
tarquin, I would really just call everyone an acquaintance. People I've met before and try to keep up with in between trips or who I have just met... nonetheless it's nice to have some familiar faces!
I am going on a ciccheti tour with Monica Cesarato in an hour or so in fact I probably should get going...
No sticking snow after all that. Just a lot of slush last night and this morning a lot of rain. Nonetheless I have some new good photos (not online yet).
tarquin, I would really just call everyone an acquaintance. People I've met before and try to keep up with in between trips or who I have just met... nonetheless it's nice to have some familiar faces!
I am going on a ciccheti tour with Monica Cesarato in an hour or so in fact I probably should get going...
Dec 29th, 2014, 07:07 AM
#47
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Last night was such a blast! Monica is great - she has a blog and is on instagram too.
We first stopped at Quanta Basta for some utterly fabulous hot chocolate. It was so good I went back today.
We also stopped at Vino Vero, which is one of the only (maybe the only?) place to get organic wine in Venice. I had polpette and an open faced tiny sandwich (IE no top) of cheese and prosciutto. I didn't write down anything, so I don't recall the cheese name. All I know is that it was so good I got a second one. And a glass of red Valpolicella.
We also stopped at Sbarlefo which was not very far away. ew had a Soave (white) and some fried cicheti. I had one with zucca and one with cheese.
We ended at All Amarone which is near the Rialto Bridge. Wow. I had a glass of Amarone which came to about 14E - they had different types of Amarone to choose from and that was almost but not quite the most expensive glass. They had other wines of course but I had to try that. A large piece of bruschetta (huge) and then tiramisu... then they brought out the sgroppino which is an old favorite for me - and this place is now crowned the king of sgroppino (by me, for what that is worth) and displaces my old fave of Taverna San Trovaso who also does good sgroppino.
Today I was back to Caffe Rosso in the AM while I waited for my clothes to wash (lavanderia near San Rocco, as mentioned previously) and then after dropping it off in my room I was back at Quanta Basta for more hot chocolate (and pizza slice).
And more wandering....
I am going on another ciccheti tour this evening in about an hour... will report back on more places!
We first stopped at Quanta Basta for some utterly fabulous hot chocolate. It was so good I went back today.
We also stopped at Vino Vero, which is one of the only (maybe the only?) place to get organic wine in Venice. I had polpette and an open faced tiny sandwich (IE no top) of cheese and prosciutto. I didn't write down anything, so I don't recall the cheese name. All I know is that it was so good I got a second one. And a glass of red Valpolicella.
We also stopped at Sbarlefo which was not very far away. ew had a Soave (white) and some fried cicheti. I had one with zucca and one with cheese.
We ended at All Amarone which is near the Rialto Bridge. Wow. I had a glass of Amarone which came to about 14E - they had different types of Amarone to choose from and that was almost but not quite the most expensive glass. They had other wines of course but I had to try that. A large piece of bruschetta (huge) and then tiramisu... then they brought out the sgroppino which is an old favorite for me - and this place is now crowned the king of sgroppino (by me, for what that is worth) and displaces my old fave of Taverna San Trovaso who also does good sgroppino.
Today I was back to Caffe Rosso in the AM while I waited for my clothes to wash (lavanderia near San Rocco, as mentioned previously) and then after dropping it off in my room I was back at Quanta Basta for more hot chocolate (and pizza slice).
And more wandering....
I am going on another ciccheti tour this evening in about an hour... will report back on more places!
Dec 29th, 2014, 07:28 AM
#49
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Flygirl--Taking notes on our cichhetti I zeroed in on the lavender reference. I'd love to do laundry while in Venice. Is is wash and fold or self service? I couldn't find your earlier reference to it. Any details beyond near San Rocca that would help me find it?
Thanks so much for your detailed posts and taking the time!
Thanks so much for your detailed posts and taking the time!
Dec 30th, 2014, 01:43 AM
#51
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Ok, very quickly. The below are all near the Rialto but for Estro which is near San Rocco. All were fantastic ciccheti and for certain a full meal after stopping all the places.
All Amarone was a bit later, my friends had already left for home and I thought I'd wander over for a nightcap - I literally did not finish one ombra of wine at each place before that. Monica was there with a group and motioned me over... Amarone, sgroppino, grappa, and prosecco later... I will be detoxing when I get home, for sure!
Do Mori
Do Spade
Dai Zemelli
Estro (again)
All Amarone (again)
annhig, I agree!
All Amarone was a bit later, my friends had already left for home and I thought I'd wander over for a nightcap - I literally did not finish one ombra of wine at each place before that. Monica was there with a group and motioned me over... Amarone, sgroppino, grappa, and prosecco later... I will be detoxing when I get home, for sure!
Do Mori
Do Spade
Dai Zemelli
Estro (again)
All Amarone (again)
annhig, I agree!
Dec 30th, 2014, 01:55 AM
#52
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ps. laundry:
As you round the corner from the Frari and San Rocco comes into view, you will see a sotoportego to your left. Duck into that small campo and keep walking. Very soon you will see a bridge. At the very bottom of it, after you cross it, is the self-service laundry. Very easy to do, and cheap. I have gone over to Caffe Rosso in C Santa Margherita while it was washing (30 minutes) and the dry cycle is only 20 mins on hot. Tonolo is nearby as are a number of shops to amuse yourself while it all dries...
As you round the corner from the Frari and San Rocco comes into view, you will see a sotoportego to your left. Duck into that small campo and keep walking. Very soon you will see a bridge. At the very bottom of it, after you cross it, is the self-service laundry. Very easy to do, and cheap. I have gone over to Caffe Rosso in C Santa Margherita while it was washing (30 minutes) and the dry cycle is only 20 mins on hot. Tonolo is nearby as are a number of shops to amuse yourself while it all dries...
Dec 30th, 2014, 04:38 AM
#53
in the library yesterday, I picked up a book by Donna Leon about venetian cooking, and in particular the dishes that feature in her Bruneti books.
i found the introductory chapter very sad - she describes the changes of shops along the Strada Nuova telling us how many of the original food shops have disappeared, to be replaced largely by shops selling "Murano" glass, "venetian" masks, and in one case, McDonalds.
Am I right to feel a degree of trepidation about my trip to Venice in February. flygirl, or am I worrying unnecessarily?
i found the introductory chapter very sad - she describes the changes of shops along the Strada Nuova telling us how many of the original food shops have disappeared, to be replaced largely by shops selling "Murano" glass, "venetian" masks, and in one case, McDonalds.
Am I right to feel a degree of trepidation about my trip to Venice in February. flygirl, or am I worrying unnecessarily?
Dec 30th, 2014, 05:03 AM
#54
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Jumping in here, annhig.
You have to work harder to find them in Venice these days, but the local shops are still there, for instance a good ironmongery at the far end of the Strada Nuova, and a wonderful coffee roaster halfway along, as well as the children's shoe shops and so on. This is one of the reasons why I like Venice in January, tourists are thin enough on the ground to observe the local activities like Scouts night on Thursdays, and it's not a scrum in winebars and restaurants (except for Paradiso Perdu, always busy.)
And there are many shops supported by tourists which make beautiful things, the glass jewelry, leather bags and handprinted paper which make browsing in shops such a pleasure. The Micaela Scibilia book Botteghe is a good reference for these.
I think Donna Leon is a bit curmudgeonly, an opinion reinforced by having just read her book of essays, but having said that, I await her next Brunetti book eagerly. Have you seen the Toni Sepeda one with Brunetti walking itineraries?
You have to work harder to find them in Venice these days, but the local shops are still there, for instance a good ironmongery at the far end of the Strada Nuova, and a wonderful coffee roaster halfway along, as well as the children's shoe shops and so on. This is one of the reasons why I like Venice in January, tourists are thin enough on the ground to observe the local activities like Scouts night on Thursdays, and it's not a scrum in winebars and restaurants (except for Paradiso Perdu, always busy.)
And there are many shops supported by tourists which make beautiful things, the glass jewelry, leather bags and handprinted paper which make browsing in shops such a pleasure. The Micaela Scibilia book Botteghe is a good reference for these.
I think Donna Leon is a bit curmudgeonly, an opinion reinforced by having just read her book of essays, but having said that, I await her next Brunetti book eagerly. Have you seen the Toni Sepeda one with Brunetti walking itineraries?
Dec 30th, 2014, 05:13 AM
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Flygirl,
Your description of how to find the laundromat was a wonderful way to begin my morning--it sounded translated straight from dialetto. And I love the Frari, San Rocco and Campo Santa Margherita. To be in the latter to see college students celebrating their laureas is one of the more fun things to do in Venice!
annhig,
Donna Leon is wonderful and I, in fact, have a collection of photographs of McDonald's in Italy (the one on the Spanish steps in Rome is a riot and should not be mixed), but Venice is still Venice, there is still Torcello and Santa Maria dei Miracoli, and walks along the Zattere and Carpaccio and the famous but lovely Vaporetto numero uno, going to mass at San Marco, Florian for hot chocolate, the museo Accademia and the museo della Dogana (new and knockout cool--interplay of art and architecture and windows on Venice streetlights like a musical trio).
You can't expect to find Venice unspoiled, you can expect to find it magic.
I don't care for Murano, but Burano is also really fun.
Are you going during Carnevale? If not, you are in great shape. If so, you'll have to do serious crowd management. Either way, I hear the winter light in Venice is pink.
Your description of how to find the laundromat was a wonderful way to begin my morning--it sounded translated straight from dialetto. And I love the Frari, San Rocco and Campo Santa Margherita. To be in the latter to see college students celebrating their laureas is one of the more fun things to do in Venice!
annhig,
Donna Leon is wonderful and I, in fact, have a collection of photographs of McDonald's in Italy (the one on the Spanish steps in Rome is a riot and should not be mixed), but Venice is still Venice, there is still Torcello and Santa Maria dei Miracoli, and walks along the Zattere and Carpaccio and the famous but lovely Vaporetto numero uno, going to mass at San Marco, Florian for hot chocolate, the museo Accademia and the museo della Dogana (new and knockout cool--interplay of art and architecture and windows on Venice streetlights like a musical trio).
You can't expect to find Venice unspoiled, you can expect to find it magic.
I don't care for Murano, but Burano is also really fun.
Are you going during Carnevale? If not, you are in great shape. If so, you'll have to do serious crowd management. Either way, I hear the winter light in Venice is pink.
Dec 30th, 2014, 09:11 AM
#56
You have to work harder to find them in Venice these days, but the local shops are still there, for instance a good ironmongery at the far end of the Strada Nuova, and a wonderful coffee roaster halfway along, as well as the children's shoe shops and so on. >>
tarquin - I have seen the book of walks you mention - again from the library i think - and I will look out for the botteghe book you mention. on my last visit to Venice we rented an apartment round the back of the campo San Bartolomeo and did our shopping in the neighbourhood to the north-east of there where there were many little "locals'" shops - I hope that they are still there!
anyway, my main concern is whether the shops that sell wine from the barrel are still there!
flygirl - I'm glad that venice isn't irreparably changed [yet!] and i suppose that people have been grumbling about it being spoiled since time immemorial. We will be there during carnevale, but attending the language school for the mornings. hopefully it won't be too crowded once our studies are finished!
tarquin - I have seen the book of walks you mention - again from the library i think - and I will look out for the botteghe book you mention. on my last visit to Venice we rented an apartment round the back of the campo San Bartolomeo and did our shopping in the neighbourhood to the north-east of there where there were many little "locals'" shops - I hope that they are still there!
anyway, my main concern is whether the shops that sell wine from the barrel are still there!
flygirl - I'm glad that venice isn't irreparably changed [yet!] and i suppose that people have been grumbling about it being spoiled since time immemorial. We will be there during carnevale, but attending the language school for the mornings. hopefully it won't be too crowded once our studies are finished!
Dec 30th, 2014, 09:58 AM
#57
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The shops that sells wine from the barrel are still here and in fact there is one near Rialto.
For all that people pooh-pooh Rialto, there is quite a bit here. Plenty of good restaurants including some very old ones... old time shops (Drogheria Mascari for instance).
http://www.imascari.com/
You can lose the crowds merely by going one side street over. It's that easy. Now summer maybe it would not be as easy...
I really recommend that Corto Maltese book I mentioned above... you will ferret out a number of things you might otherwise pass by.
For all that people pooh-pooh Rialto, there is quite a bit here. Plenty of good restaurants including some very old ones... old time shops (Drogheria Mascari for instance).
http://www.imascari.com/
You can lose the crowds merely by going one side street over. It's that easy. Now summer maybe it would not be as easy...
I really recommend that Corto Maltese book I mentioned above... you will ferret out a number of things you might otherwise pass by.
Dec 30th, 2014, 11:58 AM
#58
The shops that sells wine from the barrel are still here and in fact there is one near Rialto.>>
hurray! Thanks Flygirl.There was also a very nice cheese seller on the left just as you came over the bridge towards the market - is he still there? and what the owner of our apartment said was the best baker in Venice - again on the left towards the market.
BTW I have just ordered the Corto Maltese book and will report back on how useful i found it.
hurray! Thanks Flygirl.There was also a very nice cheese seller on the left just as you came over the bridge towards the market - is he still there? and what the owner of our apartment said was the best baker in Venice - again on the left towards the market.
BTW I have just ordered the Corto Maltese book and will report back on how useful i found it.
Dec 30th, 2014, 12:38 PM
#59
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Do you mean Casa Parmigiana, down nearer to the actual market itself, not on the main drag? Near Bancogiro etc? I have bought many a cheese there on this trip including today. What is the baker name, is it near the cheese?
Dec 30th, 2014, 01:31 PM
#60
if the Casa Parmigiana is more of a shed, less of a shop, then yes. [it was 2008 that I was last in Venice]. I've just checked my TR, and unfortunately I failed to make a note of the name of the bakers, so I'll have to wait till February to tell you, if I can remember exactly where it is.
We discovered our own excellent baker in the area behind our apartment [near the co-op] which I'm hoping to find again this time. In fact I loved that whole area of Venice - there was such a great assortment of shops, from the baker to a wonderful ciocolatiere [it was easter and the easter eggs were superb] to a shoemaker who displayed shoes in the shape of gondolas in the window.
We discovered our own excellent baker in the area behind our apartment [near the co-op] which I'm hoping to find again this time. In fact I loved that whole area of Venice - there was such a great assortment of shops, from the baker to a wonderful ciocolatiere [it was easter and the easter eggs were superb] to a shoemaker who displayed shoes in the shape of gondolas in the window.
