Travel: un giro a Venezia

Yesterday morning the weather was not too bad - for a winter day in the Veneto province where fog is very common during several winter months. Above is the view from my room at my Italian family's house that is located between Venice and Padua, at the river Brenta. The sky is slightly grey, but no rain yesterday - sunshine only on top of the far away Alps. The climbing Santa (left in the pic) was already seen in the region last year. This year it seems that a container ship from China full of climbing plastic Santas has flooded the area.

Okay, we said, this is a good day to go for 'un giro a Venezia' - to go for a walk in Venice - which is 15 car minutes away.

Remember our last window shopping tour in Venice? Different window from a different Murano glass shop. The name of the shop and part of the newly renovated basilica at San Marco square are reflecting in the window.

More reflection of Venice architecture here in mirrows outside an antique shop near campo di San Stefano.

Above is not a gondola rented for 100 Euro or more. It is a traghetto - a public ferry that you can use to cross the canale grande for 50 cents including romantic feelings for several minutes.

Seen at Palazzo Grassi (BTW museum is closed on Tuesdays!).

A clever painter paints sexy women in red posing in elegant rooms with a view on the canale grande - attracting tourists of all gender and age. I like the lamps (below) - and of course this view !

Another red called 'rosso Venezian'. Remember my reflection about the outside colour for our house ? Pink or yellow? My suocera (mil), originates from the Veneto region, suggested Venetian red, with a smile of course.

  

Both pictures above where taken through the window of a restaurant near Rialto were we had lunch.

This was the secondo piatto of CC - seppia nera con polenta - not everyone's favorite - black squid. I am not a professional food photographer or stylist... but it did not look any better than this.

Away from the tourist path walking about Norhwest through Cannareggio - not exactly knowing where we are, but the best way to discover new corners in Venice.

A fun traffic sign discovered at the end of our walk through Venice.

It probably means: 'no passing except for gondola'.

*

Inspired by Sweet Paul

Since I have not been reading or writing blogs for a while I had to catch up a littele bit. I started by checking blog by blog from my blogroll (inspiring blogs). After a while I came across a list of "50 of the world's best design blogs" by the London Times online.  Some of them are already in my blogroll, but most have been new to me and fun to discover. However, a list like that compiled by a single person is never complete or pleasing everybody. So I did miss some of my favorite bloggers (you can find them in my blogroll). - Anyway. I am writing all this, to let you know that I discovered one interesting blog in that top 50 list: Sweet Paul by Paul Lowe, a stylist who works with both food and interior decor:

Photo by Victor Schrager, stylist Paul Lowe

This blog is so clean and serene - not overloaded with tons of colourful mosaic photos as it is now popular in many blogs - Paul's pictures are styled by himself and photographed by professional colleagues of him. The above photo - he writes in his "Holiday countdown" post dec 17 - was shoot on a hot summer day in August for Country Living and he discribes how to get the style.  Right now, Paul posts everyday until dec 25th a new fun craft or recipe that sets you in the right peaceful Christmas mood.

Photo by Studio Dreyer Hensley

Paul loves "chasing the sweet things in live" (this is the subtitle of his blog), and so all the sweet recepies are by himself.  During his childhood in Norway he used to bake gingerbread cookies with his mum while his grandmother used to make a gingerbread house every Christmas. Enjoy Paul's recipie and house making instruction here.

Sometimes a good blog is inspiring other bloggers. Sweet Paul definately is inspiring me and gets me back on the creativity track. I also realise how much styling is important for a good photo and got familiar with the job of a prop stylist.

*
*  Happy Holiday to all of you !  *
*

This is not an anniversary post

This is not an anniversary post - yet it could be one - almost.

It is almost three years of blogging (wow!) and almost my 200th post (yes, I am into slow blogging)!

The Holiday Season is around the corner and I know, I am not going to make the 200th post on time to match my three years anniversary of blogging. I started on December 31, 2006 here.

It's the swine flu's fault and the other virus and bacteria that followed on top. It is unbelievable how many weeks it took and still takes us to recover. To ensure the food supply for the family was core - writing or reading posts was absolutely not possible.

Therefore, I am glad to see that even some new readers dropped in! 

I promise to be back with inspiring posts before the New Year from Northern Italy where we will visit our Italian family.

Until then, all the best - especially HEALTH to all my readers and your beloved ones !

 

Cheers

Suzie / Susan

 

 

photo: il palazzo e la chiesa del Carmine in Pizzo

 

My husband loves antique shopping

A while ago, when we still lived in China, my husband was on a business trip to Europe. Over the weekend he went to see his parents in Venice, Italy. One of their favorite activities is "antique shopping". Sometimes they just stop by their friend's restoration warehouse in the industrial zone of Mestre to say hello and check the "new" arrivals and lately restored furniture. And sometimes they would drive to one of the monthly antique markets in the area.

Anyway, while I was not around, my husband found antique chairs and beds for the "palazzo". He bought four chairs which his father wants to refurbish himself. The "beds" were only header and footer for one or two beds.

Well, not a bad habit, isn't it ?!

To preserve : the green room

The green room of the palazzo was the only room that was not over coated with white paint when we first inspected the house. We have not changed the green colour, but we have changed the layout of the room. Since the old kitchen was too small we had to sacrifice the old bathroom which space today belongs to the (future) kitchen. Hence, in need of a new bathroom the green room had to give away part of its space. The other part remains side entrance area.

the arch in the middle, with no function, had to go

the green room divided

remaining side entrance area (right) and wall with glass bricks for additional light in the new bathroom (left)

And since I want to preserve or restore as much as possible of the old atmosphere (that however I have never experienced myself) I thought we will colour the future bathroom that was part of the former green room in the same green shades. Although green is not our favorite colour the house is big enough to give different rooms different touches.

The colors for the new bathroom could be these:

(colours via Farrow&Ball)

maybe the ceiling needs an additional touch of light rose to go with the green paint and the white stucco