Photos from Italy...day 4...

In striking contrast with previous days in Venice, Day 4 was full of sunshine. Lots of churches dotted our route, although many of them did not allow photos inside. (Some of these are "forbidden" shots :) The text, again, is from the original journal post.

A convenient way to chart a day in Venice is to pick a church in the distance and wind your way towards it. today, we visited eight. A historical game of connect the dots.

Set off after breakfast under a blue sky. First stop was the nearby Santa Maria del Rosario..."a Renaissance masterpiece"...on the Giudecca Canal. We had passed this columned facade many times in previous visits, but never ventured inside. A pleasant stroll down the canal fondamente and a quick jog to the right brought us to the church of San Sebastian.




Two off-the-map churches on the way to our next stop: Chiesa di Santa Maria della Visitazione (from the 15th century) and Chiesa di San Raffele Arcangelo (from the 12th century). One of the nice things of these hidden spots is that they allow photographs.















Lunch of hearty pastas at the Impronto Cafe. My tagliatele with mushrooms was wonderful.

Window-shopped to our next destination: San Polo, an ancient church from the 9th century. Another 9th century church followed...the beautiful San Giacomo dall'Orio. The non-descript San Stae was next...our least favorite of the trip.

Our last stop was the hidden gem, San Giovanni Elemosinario. Tucked away in the market approaching the Rialto Bridge. The church was built to blend in with the neighboring merchant buildings, and yet the interior was elaborate and peaceful. A highlight of the church was the faded frescos in a tomb beneath the floor.









Finished the day looking at paper mache masks, handmade marionettes, and Murano glass. Jeff found a magnificent oil painting from a favorite shop...Scriba, along the walls of the Friari. We have stopped into this shop on every visit.

Relaxed with a beer before dinner. Watched dozens of swallows flitting back and forth above the courtyard gathering THEIR evening meal.

Took a recommendation from a local shopkeeper and ate at the tucked-away, bustling Ristorante San Trovasco, owned by four brothers. My penne alla putanesca was divine. After-dinner drinks (mojitos and bellinis) and tirimisu at Impronto Cafe.





Serene, late night photos of the desolate Monday night city. The Grand Canal was silent except the occasional vaporetto.

Smokey skies...

The thick haze from Northern California's wildfires has worsened today. The sky has turned sickly gray, and the air smells strangely of hot dogs on a campfire.

SoCal travels...

On Tuesday morning, I started off a short Southern California business trip with a meeting at the Federal Courthouse in the “historic business district” of hazy Santa Ana. On my way to pick up a post-meeting iced latte from the local Starbucks, I passed no fewer than six tiny bridal shops, each one with windows proudly showcasing the latest in Princess Bride fashion. (These colorful dresses are in-fact from three different stores.) Take note of the tiaras on each mannequin. I know. I know. I’m absolutely culturally ignorant.

Hmmmm, now that Jeff and I can actually get married in California...I wonder if these shops can make us colorful, puffy tuxedos!! I want gold!


I drove south along I-5 to San Diego without a bit of traffic…shocking!! Checked into my old friend the Doubletree…warm cookie…just one :(

After a quick transformation from business to casual, I drove out to the ocean and spent a couple of hours strolling the Pacific Beach walkway as the sun slowly set.










My return flight home was delayed by heavy wildfire smoke in the Bay Area. The highlight of my extra time in the crowded San Diego airport was this humorous announcement: “If you’re missing your ‘The Day Mars Invaded the Earth’ posters, please come back to security screening and claim them.”

That's no rhino...

Here's a present to loyal reader Matt...and an early peek at Rome. You may recall our odd "head up the rhino butt" photos from our trips to Paris...a joke that only two old friends can truly appreciate :) Well, we couldn't find a rhino statue in all of Italy, but we were able to sneak this shot in the Musei Capitolini in the heart of Rome.

Photos from Italy...day 3...

Day 3 can really be summarized in one word: RAIN. We got soaked, and the camera didn't come out as much. But still, there are some fun images here, that really give you that sense of being wet. Enjoy.

There is probably an old Venetian saying that goes something like: "On a rainy day in Venice, at least I'm in Venice." (They probably accompany that with a bottle of red wine :)

Awoke this morning to loud, rolling thunder followed by a soothing, steady rain. The rain never really let up all day, except to pause long enough to build up strength for a downpour.

Undaunted, clad in raingear and armed with an umbrella, we headed out to our first indoor stop: the Palazzo Grassi museum. A large single exhibit--Roma e i Barbari--exploring the relationship of the Romans and the barbarians at the edges of the Empire. Ultimately, these barbarians would weaken and undermine the Empire.





Grabbed a quick bite at a tiny cafe in the Dorsoduro. Simple-but-filling sandwiches chased by Coke Lite and a cappuccino.

Fittingly, sought shelter from the increasing showers in one of the grandest of Venetian basilica--Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari--built by followers of Francis of Assisi--the Franciscan order. Left the Frari as the skies continued to unload. Made our way to two other churches--San Polo and San Stae--but both were closed contrary to our guide map. Back into the rain.

The umbrella and coats became useless at this point as we trudged back across three sestieri to return to our hotel. An evening drink--Nastro Azzurro...birra Italiana--on the hotel loggia as the rain broke, the late sun shone warmly, and a rainbow appeared. Rainbows can't dry our shoes...but this one did make us smile. The air cooled noticeably. The bells of nearby Santa Maria del Rosario heralded the end of the day.







Dinner at a promising new find--Da Silvio--which had a warm glow, a chatty clientelle, and a creative menu. Finding a dinner spot is tricky for us. Once a trust is formed either through a past experience or a referral, then we are more adventurous in ordering. But tonight, for example, with no prior knowledge, we stuck to a pizza and a calzone to test the flavors. Fantastic! My pizze carbonara was rich and flavorful all the way to the crispy crust. Jeff's calzone had layers of mushrooms and ham. Yumminess :). We will definitely return to sample their pastas!





Walked off dinner by taking side routes...popping out at random points on the Grand Canal, which glistened in a near-full moon. Along the way, puddles in the uneven Venetian streets played tricks on our eyes. A quiet end to a moist day.

Into the fire...

Conventional wisdom...and good sense...would suggest that when its sweltering hot in Northern California, you certainly don't head east. But that was my Saturday destination, and I persevered.

When we awoke on Saturday morning, it was an uncomfortable 88 in the City. Around noon, I drove to the East Bay to pick up my friend Susan in Rossmore, to begin our drive to Sacramento for a "gathering" of our photo classmates at our instructor's house.

The temps peaked at 108 as we passed the town of Davis, and were a relatively chilly 104 once we reached Sacramento. I've got to give big kudos to Susan's Prius...which held onto an amazing 51 mpg even with the air conditioning cranked...bravo.

In spite of the heat, the day was wonderful. Our gathering was fun (as always)...we shared work-in-progress and "what I did on summer vacation" stories (oddly...on the first full day of summer). My long drive and chat with Susan was relaxing...revealing...comforting. And by the time I made it back to SF, the heat had broken, and the City was down to a refreshing 56 degrees!!

Its now Sunday morning, and Mother Nature has sent back our lovely fog to cool us down (wow...53 this morning) and give our weary garden a break. In my happy mood, I thought I would share some of the shots I took from the top of Twin Peaks on Friday night. The sun was low, and lit up the entire scene like a painting. The air was clear enough to see Mount Diablo off in the distance (the bottom photo).

A few more photos from Italy Day 2...

A few of the post-midnight photos from Italy Day 2 got auto-filed into the Day 3 causing a rift in the space-time continuum. Missing shots...our favorite Venitian bar/restaurant (Improntu) and the hands-down BEST tiramisu we had in all of Italy.


Oh, and let's not forget this 450 euro Murano glass-covered, golden ass. This eye-catching sculpture was sitting in a fine-art store window in the fasionable Dosudoro neighborhood.

Who wants one for Christmas?

Throwdown, part III...

My Aunt Teela and Uncle Jim wrapped up their two-week west coast vacation with a return visit with us last night. They arrived early enough in the afternoon for a sunny walk with Jeff along the Embarcadero...from the Ferry Building all the way to Maritime Park. For dinner, I made our favorite white-bean chili. We topped off the evening with a third-and-final round of Mexican Train. Jim held onto his lead...and Matthew held onto last place :)

This morning, Teela and Jim left for the airport at 5am...we said our goodbyes the night before. Safe travels.