VENICE MURANO GLASS The forgotten history of Venice Murano Glass THE QUEENS OF BEADS: THE IMPIRARESSE OF VENICE All over the world the glass which is produced in Murano is renowned for its quality and design, and this goes also for the Murano glass beads which are used as applications to embellish elaborate dresses and clothing creations from the best…
Meeting a “Perlera” Bead maker in Venice Bead maker in Venice: in Venice, artisan craftsmanship has always been a central axis of its trading markets; so much so that the toponomy of some alleys (calle) and squares (campo) derives from ancient crafts - just think of Calle dei Botèri, Saonéri, Tentor, Dei Fabri and how many confraternities and schools…
THE VENICE CARNIVAL 2020 Venice Carnival 2020: here we go again - it is time to get all dressed up, grab some confetti and run like crazy around the small alleway of Venice! The Venice Carnival is one of the most anticipated events of the Italian Carnival period. It will start with the "Festa Veneziana sull’Acqua" on Saturday…
Since Tuesday 12th November 2019, the mood in Venice is sad and gloomy! People are trying to pick up the pieces: cleaning up, counting the damages and trying to understand how to get back on their feet! But the water keeps coming. The high exceptional high tides do not stop! In the meantime people rally around trying to help…
Visiting Murano The other day my friend Venice-Addicted Stephen Killick (see his post on his love for Venice), seeing my exploit at trying to make a Venetian Glass bead in Murano with Alessia Fuga, admitted he had never visited Murano, being put off by the hustlers in San Marco, who try to get you on one of their boats…
Murano - August 2019 It is just after lunch. The streets of the island are empty, the tourists try to keep in the shade, looking to find some relief from the stifling Summer Venetian heat, sipping a drink in one of the bars and restaurants of Murano. The heavy shutter doors of Alessia Fuga’s atelier are slightly ajar, the…
The Fortuny - A Family Story at Palazzo Fortuny Venice A few months ago a dear friend, Nancy Heckler from the USA, on one of her visits to Venice, mentioned she had just brought her mother’s dress to Palazzo Fortuny. Of course I was immediately intrigued by it: what was so important about this dress, to be taken…
ROMAGNA You often see me posting and talking about Emilia Romagna and in particular about Bellaria Igea Marina near Rimini! Here is the reason why: I am in love with this region and its people! Read on and you will probably fall in love with them too! But be warned: seriously food porn photos and fun photos, might cause…
Waking Isabella - Another Great Book by Melissa Muldoon Here is time for another great book competition by another great friend of mine! Melissa Muldoon is an artist, graphic designer and award winning author of the Studentessa Matta Website, a dual language blog, where she promotes the Italian language and culture. Through the Matta Website, she…
Support the Artisans in Venice - #bethechange UPDATE Ok...this is the deal: You walk into that lovely Artisan shop....you get to spot him/her working away on the latest creation. You get intrigued....you start asking questions. The artisan stops working and starts, with a smile, to answer all of your questions. Time goes by and What??? You have been there already…
La Biennale di Venezia Now and then I like to ask to some of my fellow bloggers to be guests on my site and to talk about Venice from their point of view. Today is the time for Katia of The Venice Insider. She has been writing about Venice for a long time and she dishes, out on a daily…
Goodbye to junk food in Venice! Vegan organic pizza in Venice. Eating well in Venice is getting easier. Every day new premises open, dedicated to cicchetti, fresh fried fish or other Venetian specialties. Those who want to eat well, but also organic or vegan, soon realize, however, that there are very few restaurants boasting an entirely organic menu. But now,…
Aquileia, a short drive from Venice! Winter 2017 is turning out to be one of the coldest winters I can remember since coming back to live in Venice, a good 18 years now. So, when you finally have a day in January full of sunshine (kind of) and the temperature for the day is above 0 degrees Celsius, you grab…
Cortese Scortese New Ginger Beer from Italy Take a local Organic Soft Drink Company and a splendid location in a palace on the Grand Canal of Venice. Add a touch of sparkles, Christmas Lights and a fantastic buffet. Finish up with the presentation of a new organic all Made In Italy ginger beer. Shake it all up and serve to…
Serra Dei Giardini: where to find peace in Venice So here you are. :-) Finally in Venice, totally overwhelmed by the beauty and uniqueness of this city, but also from the mass of people who every day pours in its endless labyrinth of streets, squares, but especially gathers in Piazza San Marco. Maybe it is a summer day. The typical…
Monica's Top Italy Themed Christmas Gifts Lots of unique and beautiful Italian Themed ideas for Christmas presents! Top Christmas gifts: just one month to Christmas!!!! Thanksgiving, the American symbolic start to the holiday shopping season, is on today and it is that time of the year again: picking the right present! Are you like me? Hating to have to run…
Live Music and Food in Venice: feed your body and soul The stomach is the music teacher who stops and spurs the great orchestra of great passions; an empty stomach plays the bundle of malice and the flute of envy; a full stomach beats the sistrum of pleasure and the drum of joy. by Gioachino Rossini. And here in Venice…
VENICE: WHEN DREAMS DO COME TRUE Venice Carnival 2015: a Venetian experience On Saturday 7th February 2015 finally the Carnival of Venice managed to explode in an array of colours, sounds and smells. With the Gran Costume Parade of the Festa Delle Marie and thanks to a drastic change to the weather (it was full blown gales and snowing on…
VENICE CARNIVAL 2015 AMAZING COMPETITION and BOOK SPOTLIGHT Authentic Arts: VENICE Travel Guide - Book Competition Take your chances and win a set of books by Laura Morelli as well as two authentic Carnival masks from Venice Carnival 2015 Carnival in Venice 2015 is in full swing, the streets start to fill up with stunning masks and costumes, the smell of Frittelle…
VENICE CARNIVAL 2015 AMAZING COMPETITION and BOOK SPOTLIGHT Authentic Arts: VENICE Travel Guide - Book Competition Take your chances and win a set of books by Laura Morelli as well as two authentic Carnival masks from Venice Carnival 2015 Carnival in Venice 2015 is in full swing, the streets start to fill up with stunning masks and costumes, the smell of Frittelle…