Snowing Venice
Mar 10, 2010 Vita venexiàn
These fat white flakes turned to slush almost immediately, and by Friday will be distant memory, hopefully. In the meantime, we’ll huddle up with a nice bowl of zuppa di lenticchie (lentil soup), pasta e fagioli, polenta con ragù, or, heck, polenta with anything…
Did I mention, it’s March? March?
Splashing in the Venetian New Year
Jan 1, 2010 Vita venexiàn
An estimated 30,000 people, undeterred by the high-water forecast, amassed to joyfully herald in the New Year yesterday evening as the ankle-deep tide washed over Piazza San Marco. Half of the revellers came from the mainland, the Comune surmised; the other half were locals and in-town lodgers. From the photos it looks like most donned rubber or plastic boots or even garbage bags to ward off wet feet while enjoying the festivities and the spectacular midnight fireworks display.
Here are are the photos from New Year’s Day Gazzettino. Now, don’t you wish you were there?
AP photo credit Luigi Costantini
Ba-aaaah-uon Anno!
Dec 31, 2009 Vita venexiàn
A friend from Greece (Mama Mia was shot on her island, for heaven’s sake) just sent me this photo. What it has to do with New Year’s, I’m not sure, but aren’t they the cutest things?
So, bah-ba-ah-ah-aah, 2009, and best wishes to all of us for a happy, properous – or maybe just even less challenging – 2010.
(Ba-aah…)
The sounds of sirens: acqua alta or Santa’s sleigh?
Dec 25, 2009 Vita venexiàn
The traditional, all-fish feast at a friend’s 4th floor home on Christmas Eve was interrupted by the audio warning for the event we’d already prepared for: the arrival later that evening of the 150cm (five-foot) tide:
“Disquieting,” was the word they used to describe the sound; inquietante. Fortunately, the sirens were followed not long after by bells from the San Marco campanile signaling the beginning, consecration, and end of midnight mass. Much more hopeful and comforting, they were. Between them and the capesanti, spaghetti con peoci, gamberi, tonno, pesce spada (scallops, spaghetti with clams, shrimp, tuna, swordfish), and Pan d’Oro, our spirits were lifted in short order.
By the time I left at about 1:15 am, the water was ankle-deep at the Ponte dei Giocatoli. It deepened just before I crossed into Campo Santi Apostoli, dried up along the Strada Nova, approached calf-high on the Misericordia.
The water’s still rising as I write, and will be til about 4:30 a.m. Good thing I’d taken my boots with me to dinner…
As I nod off to sleep, I can’t help but think of all the trash left on the streets that will be floating through the city canals on Christmas Day. Now, that’s disquieting. There oughta be a law.
In the meantime,
Merry Christmas to all…
and to all a dry night!
Michela’s gone iPhone with Venice eatery on-”tap” app.
Dec 10, 2009 Vita venexiàn
We knew she’d do it; it was only a matter of time. Michela Scibilia, one of our most reliable go-to girls for Many Things Venice has made it that much more convenient to have her eating and drinking preferences at the tip of your fingertips…if you have an iPhone, anyway.
TapVenice Eating may not be the most imaginative title ever, but it certainly forthright and more English and SEO friendly than Osterie e dintorni. That’s the perfectly logical title of the first Italian pub by Michela that I picked up over fourteen years ago to find my way around consumable Venice (the English title is Venice Osterie). Since she has also penned Venice: Botteghe and A comprehensive guide to the island of Murano. TapVenice could be the first in a series…ya think?)
Not surprisingly, the app is very well-organized and quite navigable: her recs are listed in alpha order, but you can also perform a multiple-criteria search: look for something near your current location, with outdoor seating or good wines or a kid-friendly spot, say; and of course, set your language for English or Italian (that’s right, locals rely on her too). There’s also a glossary for any “foresti” – Italian or otherwise – who might not be familiar with Venetian foods and dishes.
From the list, you can click on any eatery and discover a photo, description, relative price range, address, telephone number (reserve, please…and then show up), closing days, with both on- and offline maps, which means you don’t have to be online to get a locale’s location.
I’ve downloaded and installed the TapVenice app, I’ll be testing it out in the next days and will note any idiosyncrasies, should I find any. With Michela’s track record I don’t expect to, however.
For more images and info, click through to the TapVenice Eating web site. The app is $2.99 and available on the iTunes Store.
Any plans for additional formats, Michela? IMWTK… 
The Voga Girls: We are VIVA
Oct 2, 2009 Vita venexiàn
I’ve been talking and writing about the voga alla veneta, the unique style of Venetian rowing, for some time. In my mind, it’s the world’s best exercise. Whole body, no impact, as aerobic as you want it to be, practiced often in compania (with friends), but it’s also possible alone. And anyone will tell you, whether you’re here by birth or by choice, there’s nothing that will make you feel more Venetian that rowing a traditional Venetian boat across the lagoon or through the intricate rii, or small canals, of the city.
That’s becoming difficult, however. The lagoon and the city canals are being churned up more and more by motorboats not designed for its shallow waters that exceed the speed limits more often than not without a thought. They create incessant waves that chisel away at the city walls and make passage impossible for the traditional boats that cause no damage (including the gondola) designed hundreds of years ago specifically to navigate the lagoon and the city’s canals.
Various organizations have tried to fight this highly damaging phenomenon…and being devoted both to the city and the voga, we have now formed one ourselves. We are VIVA: Voga per l’Identità Veneta, and our goal is to celebrate and document all we can about the culture of this unique rowing style (including the production of the documentary). We’d like to join together with the “Venetians of the World” to try and convince broader interests (and there are quite a few) that motorboats and row boats can now only peacefully co-exist, that the more they do, not only will Venice and its lagoon will be better off…Venice will be even more the city travelers expect when they arrive.
Looking for la vera Venezia? The one everyone thinks is disappearing? This is just a small part of it….and it’s not going anywhere. Meet just a few of the women that are members of our new association. We are VIVA:
Membership in VIVA is not limited to residents of Venice…quite the contrary. We’d not only love to have you along, we need you. You, the occasional visitor, the part-time resident, the scholar, the Venice lover from beyond: too often, your voices are heard far more than that of the local who may not stand to profit from the tourist trade.
So, please consider joining us. The more we can demonstrate to the Comune how many people living beyond the lagoon to whom this is important, the better figura we’ll make as we strive to come to some d’accordo.
Join VIVA: 10 minutes, €10.
Even if you don’t join the organization, the next time you’re in Venice, keep an eye out for the traditional boats being rowed on the Grand Canal, in the side rii, or across the lagoon. Then…ask you taxi driver to slow down.
p.s. If you have cultural group that will be in Venice and would be interested in learning more about our work, the traditional craft, and perhaps even letting us row you through Venetian canals in our traditional boats, please write us.
