This community is great!
 

I just got an e-mail this morning from the wonderful glassmaker I've recommended in Venice,Mauro Vianello. He wanted to know where on the internet I've written about him.Four different people have visited his shop due to my postings here!That made my day. For anyone who's interested,his website can be found at www.glasshandmade.it.

Posts like this always bring a smile to my face. I've often wondered about the extent of any affect we may have on the establishments we tout here.

What a nice reward for both of you.

How fantastic is that? I'm sure that he's very appreciative of your recommendations. I can't express it enough.....you never know what people will glean from your posts (no matter how insignificant you may think certain details may be....post them! lol) or how much more enjoyable their trip was made as a result of the tremendous giving spirit of the members of this board.

Despite our occasional 'spats', this is probably the BEST travel board out there as far as comraderie and sharing information is concerned.

That is good news. Massagediva, thank you for letting us know. I've bookmarked his site for future reference. I, too know firsthand about the effect of this board. My friends who run the B&B I stay in London have thanked me for helping bring business their way. It's a great feeling.

Massagediva, I plead guilty to being one of the four. Last Friday, my wife and I visited Mauro. I had copied your post and showed it to him, trying to explain where I got it. He was touched by what you had written. He remembered you (and your sister) very well. He was easy to talk to, just as you said. And refreshingly honest. Upon learning that it was my wife's birthday, he gave her a free glass Easter egg! We ended up buying a bunch of neat stuff. A great visit with a very nice man. All because of you. Thanks!!

Dave

That's wonderful,Dave.I feel all warm and fuzzy now!

How nice that people that go out of their way to give good service and treat their customers correctly can increase their customer list due to all of us here. I think Fodor's is a great website. Thanks for sharing your experiences massagediva. It brings a smile to my face also.

What fun! My daughter (who does glassblowing) is in Venice now, so I e-mailed this to her. If she doesn't get it before she leaves, we'll check it out with her when we're all there in May.

I also came upon another place I e-mailed her that I found in my research...the showrooms of Venini, Moretti, Barovier at the Murano collezioni at fondamento Mani 1/Cd. Don't know much about it, but if she went there, I'll report back to you all about it.

Yes, this is a terrific community!

massagediva, I was already planning to go there when I'm in Venice in Sept. I collect art glass, and your description sounded great!

Terrific! As a small business owner,I live on people's referrals,so I'm always sure to do the same for others.

I emailed him and told him I was coming in July. He emailed me back. This is really neat!

i too will be visiting when I am in Venice in a couple of days (we begin our trip today!) Thanks for the info :-D

Prunella-Wow,that's some creative reading between the lines.There is a HUGE difference between advertising your services and recommending the services of another.That,dear Prunella,is the very purpose of this forum.

Prunella, there's a huge difference between advertising your own products and recommending someone else's. As travellers, it's nice to get honest opinions about goods and products in foreign lands. Sure, there's no guarantee that the poster's recommendations are honest but there's no obligation to buy if you smell a rat. Massagediva's post prompted me to check out Mauro in Venice and it turned out to be one of our many Venetian highlights. I really appreciated the reference. And I've told others here about that pleasant experience. It's always good to be vigilant for posters here who are less than honorable with their intentions and the folks here are good about sniffing out such persons. But I can assure you Massagediva is not one of them. Dave

Totally agree with you, massagediva. Otherwise, almost anything posted could be viewed as advertising, since it's all personal recommendations/word of mouth!

I have recommended hotels and all kinds of attractions and never once felt like I was advertising, as it was a review and an opinion. I want people to enjoy the places that I loved and I like to share my opnions. Were I affiliated with the businesses, well, that would be a different story. I highly doubt massagediva is getting some kind of kick back from a Venetian glassmaker, as well as the possibility that she and he are in cahoots as lovers. This isn't a Danielle Steele novel. Just a website.

laclaire-one can dream!

I post websites of places I recommend as a convenience to my fellow Fodorites and I'm going to keep doing it. And, Prunella, if you'd click on Massagediva's name and review her posting history and read some of them, I don't think you'd be throwing around silly and false inuendos. And I don't even know massagediva except thru this forum. Fodorites like and appreciate personal recommendations. In fact, that's arguably the best part about this forum. Most of the posts here solicit the very kind of information you are apparently trying to discourage.

Posts like this keep my going as a tourist.. Through Fodors and several cruise boards I've found a great driver and hotel in Barcelona and more information pre-cruise or travel than I could ever imagine.. I know now that when or if I go to Venice... this is going to be a "must"...(I'm a glass fanatic btw) The driver in Barcelona has gotten more e-mails from people that Parrot Mom has recommended and I too received a lovely thank you from a woman I had written to. It makes all the time spent on the internet checking out and looking for help and hopefully returning the favors.. well worthwhile..Thanks massagediva

Prunella, I believe it only counts as "advertising" when a business attempts to post about themselves.

I got free desert from a great restaurant in Madrid when thay saw me writing notes on my journal. A nice waiter came over and in a friendly, jokingly way asked whether this was going to be a good/bad review. I told him I was a frequent poster at Fodor's (he was familiar with the travel series) and what a great dining experience it was. The restaurant is El Asador de Aranda located at 44 Calle Preciados. The best roasted meats, pork shops and steaks. Great wines.

I have a related question. For about 5 years, but no longer, I did freelance work (writing) for a villa rental company in Tuscany. I wrote about a variety of subjects for tourists, and sometimes questions concerning a subject that I researched comes up here on the board. Most recently, there was a question about truffles in Tuscany. I researched this extensively and wrote about it in the newsletter I did for the company.

Now, should I continue to post links to the articles, when they are germaine to the discussion here, or should I copy the info and paste it into my posted replies?

This is not my company, and I no longer write for them (but it is possible that I will in the future). Could my posting links there be thought of as advertising?

I've been wondering about this, and I'm taking this opportunity to ask.

I agree with Prunella-I think it's very inappropriate for Massagediva, who herself is a small business owner, to post a SPECIFIC thread SPECIFICALLY touting ONE particular business over another, WITH email address-it's one thing to mention and refer to a particular favorite shop in a generalized post for information where EVERYONE who is responding provides their own favorite shop in a particular category-rather than giving preferential treatment as MDiva is doing here-in part because she has a friendly relationship with the owner-thus advertising his products above all others.

I believe this very much IS a violation of the ban on advertising, in spirit, if not in fact.

I hope Fodor's will delete this thread, or alternatively, other Fodorites should come on to this post and post their OWN glass favorites in Venice, because there are many wonderful glass shops in Venice with talented artisans BESIDES this Mauro Vianello.

tuscan- I think if it is your work you have every right to bring it to attention in a relevantt context.

Viajero- it is so funny that you mention the Asador de Aranda because that is where my father and I had our worst meal of the entire trip. Actually, it is up there with the worst meals in restaurants ever. Horrible service, the meat was good, but everything else was just awful (including the wine, and life is just too damn short to drink crappy wine). I always tell people to steer clear.

I think Prunella and Girlspytravel are feeling rather trollish today.

Hello-the POINT of this forum is to share experiences from your travel.The fact that I am a massage therapist in the U.S. does not preclude me from telling other travellers about businesses and businesspeople that I meet and enjoy.That's just stupid.

I spent about 7 of the last 24 hours in a car on a business related road trip. Aside from the fact that the destination held llittle to recommend itself touristically, the biggest source of aggravation was the @%&*! drivers who see themselves as self-appointed keepers of flow and insisted on driving in the left (passing) lane at speeds that they thought all should observe (despite the posted limits). Why this rant? Seems to me it is pretty much the same thing with fellow posters who feel the need to enforce their interprettaion of the posting rules. If you find it objectionable, notify the editors - then get out of the way.
(gosh, driving makes me cranky, huh?)

girlspytravel- well then post some other glassmakers in Venice for us.

People post hotel recommendations with website info all the time. I happily use this information. Shops too - are frequently recommended - I am sure this forum contributes greatly to any number of businesses. Nobodys getting paid - its just word of mouth and sharing good experiences. I don't have a problem with this and I appreciate Massagediva providing me the info.

GypsyTravelGirl,
If everyone who owned a business were prohibited from offering travel advice here it would be a pretty small forum. Surely, you aren't suggesting that only those who work for huge conglomerates need post here at Fodor's.
It wouldn't be a very interesting forum if people only posted about big hotels and well known restaurants would it? There are Wal-Marts and Home Depots in Europe for people who don't want anything unusual but for those of us who do, please, lets not let's not sterilize that aspect of this site.
I bookmarked the glass shop in my Italy file for future reference.

I'm always suspicious of new posters whose one post gives a glowing report about one commercial site with a web address. But this OP has been posting since 2003!

Do you really think she's spent the time and effort to post over 800 times over a period of three years just so that she could build up to posting an "ad"? That'd make for one pretty expensive ad, don't you think?

I agree that girlspy and Prunella need to get a grip. What's the difference between this and posting links to restaurants and hotels. It saves us a lot of time searching on our own..and the recommendations increase our interest. I'm sure that if Fodor's thinks it's a violation, the post will be removed... we really don't need policing by other posters.
I'm glad to hear of an excellent glassblower... and will add it to my listing for my next trip to Venice.
I sort of collect antique Venini chandeliers when I can afford them, and would love to see some work by another glassblower.

Patricia

laclaire-- I am sure you must be aware that there are about 7-8 Asador de Aranda restaurants, right? That's why I specifically posted the address (the one in Calle Preciados). I could not even fathom bad service at the place in Preciados, the waiters were just so nice. I ordered a Ribera del Duero wine; tough to go wrong when you know ahead of time what specific wine to order. Too bad, about your experience. I take my Mom there every time we are in Madrid.

Hi Tuscan,

>This is not my company, and I no longer write for them (but it is possible that I will in the future). Could my posting links there be thought of as advertising?<

I think, that in general, if you have a relationship with a firm that could be considered a fiduciary interest (ie, the other person is relying upon you to act in their interst), you should refrain from recommending them.

If you once had a relationship, but have severed it and don't expect to restore it, you are no longer bound to protect the other's interests and you can say what you think - good or bad.

If you think that making nice comments about a firm on this board might aid you in developing a relationship, you oughtn't to do it.

It's a matter between you and your conscience. :)

((I))

Who chaired the committee that wrote the statement on professional responsibility for his former employer.

((I))

I think it is wonderful when people post positive experiences and others benefit. I know I have been recommending this Paris apt guy since having a good experience with him in 2001. What happens? I have been accused of being in business with him when I recommended him.

Some people just enjoy starting fights and I find that very sad. I told the individual from whom I rented the apartment (whose name will not be mentioned on this thread because it is irrelevant to the topic) that I was going to promote him on the internet. I have sent him a lot of customers and no one who has actually dealt with him has had anything bad to say. So nice to know that others can benefit from a positive experience by having one too. And, it makes people feel more confident in their vacation plans as well.

I don't see what's wrong with what massagediva has written. She doesn't have a personal interest in this person's shop. All she's doing is recommending it to others here the same way others including myself have recommended hotels and restaurants for example.

Vianello's website is very attractive and stylish.

I fail to see any substantive difference at all in this very specific thread about one shop, replete with a deceptive come-on title, "this community is great!" and any of the numerous other one-time posters who come on this board to "shill" for their respective websites.

Simply because the OP is a regular poster does NOT make it okay, by any means, (in fact, it is worse) because it does not change the substance of the post or what she is doing-which appears to be helping out a friend and fellow business owner, by creating a SPECIFIC thread, (not a post to a generalized question, but a thread) with the helpful addition of the shop owner's website-JUST to extol the virtues of this ONE shop-there is simply no difference in this crass example of oblique advertising than there is for any other of the more obvious one-time wonders who come on the board-it is wrong, pure and simple, and should not be allowed, if the ban against advertising on this site is to have any substantive meaning at all.

Well,Girlspytravel,you found me out.Good for you.

As we speak,this Venetian glassmaker is posting on a message board for Italians that they absolutely MUST book a massage with me while in Baltimore.

I really thought I could get away with it.

Thank you for posting his information. It is just what I was looking for and have printed the map and directions to his store. I would rather have first hand information rather just wandering into a store and picking up an "imported from China" glass figurine. Whether she works for the shop (which I strongly doubt)or not, I know I will get quality glass.

When people ask to recommend a nice Parisian hotel I more often than not recommend two Ile St. Louis hotels. No. The hotel doesn't pay me to recommend them but I do anyway.

I suppose if I started a thread about these two hotels it would appear suspicious too. But really in this case I believe massagediva started a thread just to let the Fodor's community know about this particular glassmaker and that's all.