Venice Snippets

Image courtesy of: www.aviewoncities.com
and of: http://www.cellartours.com/italy/italian-wine-maps/

Snippets of info about Venice, our host city for our October 8-day painting workshop.  Venice is located in the Veneto region, where some of the finest vineyards are located.  If you can add on a few days to the tail end of the workshop, why not visit the countryside?

Map courtesy of: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cellartours.com/italy/italian-wine-maps/images/veneto-wine-map.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cellartours.com/italy/italian-wine-maps/veneto-wine-map.html&h=769&w=575&sz=106&tbnid=UhFIYHfkv-jTfM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=67&zoom=1&usg=__IKsNTyCnuFuzsZvBNkkCPT_5dlU=&docid=9-jGYShsIrE6VM&sa=X&ei=RIvmUb2hEJiy4AOjyIDoCw&ved=0CDsQ9QEwAg&dur=443

The historic part of Venice, which consists of 6 sestieri, is home to 60,000 people (as of the 2009 Census), while the town of Venice proper houses 270,000 as of 2008's numbers.  That's actually gone down from 1991 when it was 310,000.  

The Venice city area is 177 sq. miles.  According to Rick Steves, "you can walk across it, from head to tail, in about an hour."  

See my latest post HERE.

Google Street View hits Venice!

Photo courtesy of Google and/or www.dailymail.co.uk

At the end of July, lovers of Venice will be able to "see it" virtually, thanks to the dynamics of Google!  They have sent out their crew with 33 lb cameras strapped to their backs...they walk the canals and side streets of Venice, capturing images for Google Street View.  Google usually sends out cars with the camera strapped to it, but that's obviously impossible to do in Venice!  Can't wait for the next 2 weeks to hurry by!

You may read more about this HERE.

Good riddance, Skyscraper!

Photo courtesy of : www.dezeen.com

I can't possibly imagine that it would take 2 years for the Italian public and the government to ax Pierre Cardin's plan to erect this skyscraper IN VENICE!  Classic case of "what were they thinking!?"  You may read more HERE.

Read my latest post HERE.

www.helenKbeacham.com

Watchful eyes on Prosecco!

Bars and enotecas found to be ripping off their customers will be liable to fines ranging
from €2,000 to a hefty €20,000 (£17,400). Photo: ALAMY

Prosecco producers in northern Italy felt the need for a "hall monitor" of sorts, to ensure that lovers of the sparkling wine are getting what they think they're buying.  Two main reasons stand out:

1.  They want to ensure that the bubbly wine is served straight from the bottle and not on tap or in carafes in restaurants.  The infraction will result in heavy fines.

2.  They want Croatia, who just recently joined the EU, to stop selling a product called "prosek" which, in no shape or form, is prosecco.  However, if it were sitting on the shelf next to prosecco, it could end up disappointing the unwary buyer and cause irreparable damage to the well-established reputation of prosecco vintners.

I personally love my prosecco, and can appreciate where these vintners are coming from. Which is YOUR favorite brand?

You may read more about it HERE.

Read my latest post HERE.