Hands on Venice: Making Mosaics
May 29, 2008 events & offerings
I get a such kick out of folks who come looking for “secret Venice” in the day-and-a-half they have planned for their visit here. Almost every tour company in town offers something along that line, as it is in such demand; unfortunately, few participants realize that the millions of travelers passing through each year all request to see Secret Venice, and as a result, there is little of it left — there is instead only what one has allotted time to see. That doesn’t preclude, of course, each of those millions being astounded one-by-one at the legendary late-night view from atop the Ponte Accademia, for example. A place doesn’t have to be a secret to far piassèr.
Tags: mosaics
See Sara sing. Sing Sara, sing.
May 27, 2008 events & offerings
Sara Bardino, Daniel de Vicante, Floriana Fornelli, Julie Parsons, and Fausto di Benedetto are presenting a bis of a private concert they gave earlier this year. It’s free to the public as long as seats hold out (call the telephone numbers below to reserve).
The concert features some extraordinary selections by Richard Strauss, and includes 19th c. classic, romantic and post-romantic leider and other works, from Der Rosenkavalier to Ariadne auf Naxos to an assortment of chamber music.
The concert will be held in the Palazzo Abrizzi, the seat of the Italian-German Cultural Association, this Friday, May 30th, at 8:30 p.m. (ring the ACIT bell).
Ready, set, row! Vogalonga 2008.
May 9, 2008 events & offerings, viva la voga
The Vogalonga is this Sunday, May 11th, 2008. Keep an eye out, we’ll be four (likely worn-out by the time you’d spot us) women in white skirts and a totally tricked-out sandolo. We’ll be one of about 1,500+ boats, if past years’ enrollments are any indication…there are over 50 folks from our remiera alone. There’ll be oared-powered boats of every size-and-shape, with the non-Venetian boats easily out-numbering the locals. The best part: no motorized traffic of any kind from the early a.m. ’til almost 3p. Venezia di una volta…
The course is 32 km, just under 20 miles. I never thought I’d be in any sort of marathon…but I can’t resist. Please keep your fingers crossed for sun and not-too-much wind (we’ve already calculated the tide will be rising as we head back from Burano. No rest for the weary). If we make it to Murano though, we’ll be set.
p.s. There’s a great representation of the route, along with a wonderful historical recount and more info on vogalonga.it (there’s an English version, don’t worry). There’s also a great animated, arial youtube presentation posted by user vongalongavenezia…look for the hi-res version on youtube itself.
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Alza remi!
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Tags: venice, viva la voga, vogare
Mixed emotions.
May 4, 2008 beyond venice
The first thing I did when I awoke this morning (excited to head for the remiera, as we were in caorlina to accompany the Doge in his Buccintoro for the Festa della Sensa) was to check the results of the 134th Run for the Roses.
People ask, what do you miss about the States? It’s not dryers, it’s not garbage disposals; it’s certainly not having a car. It’s things like the inevitable tearing up along with 150,000+ Churchill Downs attendees as the band tunes My Old Kentucky Home prior to unleashing twenty powerful three-years-olds to pound their hearts out in a race some call the most exciting two minutes in sports.
Venice Connected: Un sogno, davvero
May 3, 2008 Instructions for Use, vita venexiàn
They sound so confident…I hope they know of that which they speak.
First of all, I just ran across an excellent new (beta) site focusing on contemporary Venice (yes, there is one). Ben trovato, veneziadavivere. I’ve always like the pub, now it’s virtual. Uuu-ra! (They have an entry for the Festa della Sensa that we’re rowing in tomorrow. I’m happy they still consider that contemporary.)
They also have an article talking about Venice Connected, an expansive project for wiring (or wi-fi-ring, you might call it) Venice with an informational network that provide anyone with up-to-the-minute city info and booking of transportation, lodging, events, restaurants, attractions, and access to public wi-fi, etc, but that will also be available via regular Internet. There will be discounts available to those who plan their visit on days when the city is less crowded, which will be indicated on the network. The Wi-fi seems such a logical option, the city is nothing if not compact; although network will be deployed along the main routes. Here’s the map:
(I do have horror, I’ll admit, of mobs of tourists planting themselves on bridges or bumping into one another as the stare into tiny tel screens to get their updates).
Logic would be only part of what it would take to implement this in the end, however…I only hope the rest fall into place. If it works as projected, and people take advantage of it, it could be such a help to the city and its visitors, both.
Spring of 2009, they say. Sarà da vedere…
