Masks played an important role in the history of La Serenissima, the Republic of Venice and are synonymous with the Carnevale (Carnival) Festival whose roots are both religious and secular. A very orderly society, the ruling body of Venice, The Great Council had written rules on when the citizens could wear masks as early as 1339…
Death in Venice
Everyone has heard of the famous books on murder mysteries in Venice, “Death in Venice” and “Vaporetto 13” or the many books by Edward Sklepowich. Donna Leon has made Commissario Brunetti famous in her murder mysteries with Venice as the backdrop. But in keeping with the “life is stranger than fiction” a recent episode or “giallo” in Venice is…
There’s an App for Venice!
Traveling can be frustrating especially in foreign cities where you may have trouble with the language. We found several apps that our local friends have to make our lives easier in Venice, knowing when the next vaporetto arrives and in traveling by train to other parts of Italy. But before you go, there are some other…
The Art of Venetian Carnevale Costume Design
The Costumes of Carnival Visiting Venice at Carnival is a dress maker’s heaven. Of course there are the cute and whimsical costumes similar to those we see at Halloween in the US. You will see costumes of every genre in Venice. And each year there is a theme, but the classics are always in demand.…
Keeping Your Silver Tarnish Free
Why does my sterling silver tarnish? One of the most common questions we get from our customers is advice on how they can keep their silver or plated components in premium condition. Once you have made the investment silver to put in your latest designs, it is important to make sure you are taking the…
Pastry and Coffee Spots in Venice
Here’s a list if some if my favorite places in Venice. While Venice is not a large city, there are numerous small Pasticceria around the six sestieri (six zones). As I am usually there to work, my selections come from the area where we rent an appartment and my path to Murano.Il Cafe Florian:The Oldest…
La Befana – Epiphany In Italy
Epiphany is celebrated in various ways across Italy following folklore and traditions. The most famous is La Befana, an old woman who delivers gifts on the 5th of January to good children, filling their socks with presents. Bad children get lumps of coal. Read our Blog:
Cappuccino, Is it Really That Hard to Make?
My favorite things of Italy start with my morning cappuccino; Read our Blog on BlogVenice.com
High Water San Marco Santo Stefano
If you remember our post card for Christmas of the tree by San Marco, here’s the before and after showing you how it looked on before Christmas with all the lights and again on Dec 26, Santo Stefano isolated on an island from the high water. The high water was announced in plenty of time for locals…
Selling Your Jewellry
Many of our customers start out making jewelry as a hobby, or because they can’t find original jewelry and don’t want to buy mass produced pieces and sometimes it’s to design around a specific outfit or occasion. Then…their friends or co-workers see their beautiful pieces and start asking for their own jewelry. It’s a pretty common story.…