On our first night in Venice we were given a small piece of paper with the name of a gelato shop, the name of the street and the name of the dessert we must try before leaving the city. We spent our last day in Venice on a quest to find it. We walked, we hopped on a vaporetto, and we walked some more. And when we started to see people promenading along the water with gelatos in hand, we knew we were finally headed in the right direction towards Gelati Nico. We were not disappointed.
They have a nice assortment of flavorful and fresh gelato, but if you want something really tasty follow the locals past the line of tourists and head inside to order their specialty. Giandiuotto da passeggio is an amazing chocolate, hazlenut concoction topped with gobs of fresh cream. If you want the full experience, pay a little extra to be seated outside by the water and have your gianduotto served to you while you enjoy the view. The whole experience is a true Venetian treat. And if you want to add a bit of art to your outing, you are within very easy walking distance of the Peggy Guggenheim (nice sculpture garden and small/easy museum for kids), the Gallerie dell' Accademia and the Punta Della Dogana (contemporary art).
One more dining tip for Venice, make reservations for dinner at La Zucca. It's a great little restaurant at the foot of a very quaint bridge serving a wonderful mix of seasonal dishes, including some great vegetarian options. Our table was outside along the canal...gondolas within our reach, good food, an evening breeze: it was our favorite meal in Venice.
Venice! Gondolas, masks, winding alleys, beautiful bridges, and pigeons...we loved all of it and more. I have to admit that I went to Venice with low expectations. I had heard complaints about how it is over-run with tourists, it's dirty, it's sinking, it's expensive, etc. And with those criticisms echoing in my head, I was caught off guard when the city began to work it's magic on me. I think it started with our first night when we attended services at the beautiful Spanish Synagogue. Just as with the city, I was caught off guard by how much I enjoyed the service which was Sephardic Orthodox...entirely in Hebrew, separate seating areas for men and women...something I had never experienced before. Following the service we attended a lively dinner at Gam Gam, a local Kosher restaurant. We ate family style with Jewish ex-pats and travelers (from Australia, London, the States, France, Israel) and locals. We sang, swapped travel tales, and exchanged e-mails. As the evening came to an end, we wound our way through the Jewish ghetto back to our apartment, the streets were surprisingly empty and it felt as if we had the city to ourselves.
My favorite moments were echoes of that first evening. Wandering the quiet streets early in the morning or late at night. Venturing into little nooks and crannies which held surprises. Meeting new people in unexpected spots. Avoiding the tourist masses as much as possible. Watching the kids chase pigeons. Being surrounded by water. Reminding me of New Orleans with an alluring mix of decay and decadence; fantasy and gritty reality....all seen from the canal view in our apartment....gondoliers singing to tourists, men unloading plumbing supplies, a boat full of soda and wine, a couple kissing in the alley across the canal, laundry drying. Venice was the perfect place to celebrate the start of a new year.
We are preparing to depart for Venice where we will be celebrating Rosh Hashanah. Instead of packing, Camille and I decided to pull out the glitter and make a few apple decorations. Although Rosh Hashanah marks the start of the High Holidays, it is not a commercialized holiday. I like that. I like the time to truly reflect, make amends, and look ahead. There aren't the same distractions that happen for me with other holidays. I don't fret over buying gifts or feel weighed down by expectations or obligations. I like that it means we make our own simple decorations. And when it comes to celebrating the New Year, can you really ever have too much glitter or puffy balls? In addition to sharing our wishes for a sweet and glittery new year, we are also sharing with you some of our favorite Rosh Hashanah books and fun Jewish kid cds:
Celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
Sammy Spider's First Rosh Hashanah
It's Shofar Time
Today is the Birthday of the World
The World's Birthday
New Year at the Pier
Zum Gali GaliFree To Be The Jew In MeIt's All Challah To MeMy Very First Jewish Celebrate
On our first night in Venice we were given a small piece of paper with the name of a gelato shop, the name of the street and the name of the dessert we must try before leaving the city. We spent our last day in Venice on a quest to find it. We walked, we hopped on a vaporetto, and we walked some more. And when we started to see people promenading along the water with gelatos in hand, we knew we were finally headed in the right direction towards Gelati Nico. We were not disappointed.
