Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Venice in November....

(finally the last installment - any questions feel free to ask)

11/12
Woke to grey clouds, mist and fog - a nice moody change but also realized this was my last full day in Venice.  On today's agenda - the Fenice, a couple palazzos and a little bit of clothes shopping. I had tried to arrange  a grand canal tour through the hotel but the tour company never got back to us. After photographing the misty piazza from numerous angels, it was time to do a little shopping at Etro - a couple shirts and a scarf later (not too much damage but better than if I had bought it in NYC) - VAT document stamped and folded into my passport - I went to the Fenice to reserve a space for the english tour at 1:20 pm. I wanted to have lunch at Dalla Marisa in Cannaregio because the quarterly 'Art of Eating' had praised it - "...all locals, not a tourist to be seen...a great meal, served in typical Veneto fashion..." however I was having dinner in Cannaregio and I wasn't really in the mood for a big meal. Aqua Pazza is near the Fenice - but I had read the portions were really large. I decided to go to tktktktk because Raphael at Le Calndrae had recommended it but they are only open for dinner so I settled for Mascaron, which was next door. Ordered a plate of cicheti (15E) and a half liter of house white (6E) - the surprise with this selection were razor clams, artichoke hearts and roasted vegetables - cash only.  The clock was ticking when I left Mascaron - I had about 15 minutes to get to the Fenice.   Of course the streets around SanMarco were packed - passed Etro (must resist going in) - a wrong turn here - back track there - over a bridge - and there was the Fenice - I walked in the door on time. Of course being Italy - the tour didn't start for another 15 minutes. Having finished 'City of Fallng Angels' the day before I was really excited being here.   Aldo Rossi (another architectural god) won the competition for the renovations after the Fenice burned in 1996. What is great about his design is that it brought the theater into the 21st century - he blended the past with the present.  He didn't propse an exact duplicate - historical mimicry. After viewing a model (learned that you can arrive by gondola for a performance) we were taken to the royal box - then down to the main floor. The main room is gorgeous - the chandelier is so delicate and graceful - the royal box a tad showy (but anyone can rent it if available). Wandering around afterwards - I heard a gondolier singing and followed the sound - once again, turn here, back track there, cross bridge, hot, cold, hotter, hotter - I watched him disappear around a corner just as he was finishing his song - ripples of applause echoing down the little canal - a sweet moment. Hopped on the vaporetto to see the Ca Rezzonico - unfortunately they stopped selling tickets an hour before they closed. Hopped back on the vaporreto to Ca' d'Oro - the views framed by the beautiful fairytale Gothic loggias over the Grand Canal are great. Be sure to go visit the garden and the ground floor - the marble tiled floor is gorgeous. As evening settled over the city - I walked by a bar that had a wonderful inviting warm glow eminating from it windows, reflecting off the canal adjacent to it - people esconced in plush leather chairs and sofas. Three campari spritzes later - and already digging into a new book I made way back to Orseolo to begin packing and shower for my evening meal. I had dinner reservations at Anice Stellato - located in Cannaregio - a quick vaporetto ride to San Marcuola - the Grand Canal was misty, the palazzos lit up like chinese lantern boxes. Once again - I was able to find the restaurant fairly easily. From the top of a small bridge canal, Anice's warm glow was like a beacon. "Traditional dishes enlivened by the odd creative twist." Started with cicheti - for a primi, rasatta (sp? - like a risotto but with pasta instead of rice) with prawns and zuchiinni blossoms and for my secondo,, lamb rolled in green pitashcios (fantastic). Everything about this meal was modern but still drew inspiration from traditional flavors. For dessert, cheeses and a couple dulce vinos, espresso and grappa. Including a bottle of wine, the meal came to somehting like 70E - really reasonable prices - and flavors - wow. I will definitely come back here - highly recommended. I decided to walk back instead of taking the vaporetto - and somehow wound up in Castello (maybe a little too much grappa) - walking along riva degli schiavoni late at night, listening to the gondolas slap against the water, passing through the silent piazza - I wasn't meloncholy about leaving, in fact I was ready to get home.

11/13
As I was checking out Barbara presented me with a small gift for my dog, Joshua, from their dog, Bruno. ( A little background - about two months ago my 12 year Labrador had to go on heart and thyroid medication - I went back and forth about whether or not to still go to Venice - he would have good days followed by bad days. About two weeks before I was schedule to go to Venice - I emailed Orseolo and explained my situation - they emailed back saying that they have a 5 year old Lab, named Bruno, who has had some health issues and that they totally understood my situation and concerns - and just let them know, not a problem at all. Just that small gesture meant the world to me - and made my stay more enjoyable). On the Alaguna water taxi - I saw a private boat taxi zip by with two people who I recognized form NYC - winds up they had hopped over to Venice for a long weekend. The flight home was uneventful and we arrived about an hour ahead of schedule. When I got home I called the kennel immediately - Josh was fine - and they would be dropping him off tomorrow morning.