Venice, The Dolomites & More Organics

Today’s going to be light on personality and heavy on travel tips from one of my best friends who is a Smart Structure (NTJ) and a VERY discerning traveller and diner. The reason for my shift is that he went above and beyond writing tips for me—trust me, you don’t want to miss today’s PixieTip, they’re real pearls and much more entertaining than I ever am. Tuck it away for your next trip to Italy. But, the other reason I’m marginalizing personality type today, is I accidentally chose a country whose personality type is—drumroll—yet again extroverted Organic Freedom (ENFP)—that’s three in a row! Is it just me or are all the financial troubled European countries Organic Freedoms?? 

Joe’s Smart Travel Tips: Italy

Venice

A few short thoughts—Buck the trend, go in winter. I did it in the winter and based on what I’ve heard of the summers and experienced while there, I was very glad I did. Aside from the lack of crowds, there’s an appealing sense of loneliness—hard to describe.  It’s cold and damp and the fog is fantastic.  One must-read book before you go in winter is Watermark by Joseph Brodksy—only 140 pages – quick read, but beautiful – he’s a Nobel Prize winner, poetry/literature and spent 20 winters there.  Here’s a great excerpt:

But once is enough, especially in winter, when the local fog, the famous nebbia, renders this place more extemporal than any palace’s inner sanctum, by obliterating not only reflections but everything that has a shape: buildings, people, colonnades, bridges, statues. Boat services are canceled, airplanes neither arrive nor take off for weeks, stores are closed, and mail ceases to litter one’s threshold. The effect is as though some raw hand had turned all those enfilades inside out and wrapped the lining around the city. Left, right, up, and down swap places, and you can find your way around only if you are a native or given a cicerone. The fog is thick, blinding, immobile…In short, a time for self-oblivion, induced by a city that has ceased to be seen. Unwittingly, you take your cue from it, especially if, like it, you’ve got no company. Having failed to be born here, you at least can take some pride in sharing its invisibility.

[Kelly: And now you guys no why Joe is one of my favorite people. My travel tips in comparison to his are like something your concierege at a Hampton Inn would give you! That is IF the Hampton Inn had concierges]

Do your homework on restaurants

Food can be excellent or lousy (the excellent use lagoon/local seafood, others not) and DO try the cantinas—local bars with a big selection of small bites. You stand at counter w/ a small water glass of wine and pick. Many are very old with great atmosphere. In my humble opinion, they’re the best opportunity to FEEL the heart of the locals in Venice—if you don’t go, I think you’ll really miss out. I really enjoyed Cantina Do Mori.  Ok, on to the restaurants. The following all very good/excellent:
 
Il Ridotto
Da Fiore
Alle Testiere
Al Covo—great fritto misto (combo of fried seafood w/ lemon)
Fiashettera Toscana
Da Romano—this is on Burano (lace island) and I particularly enjoyed it, because I walked in for lunch with Alain Ducasse following right behind me. They do all local seafood and what a great way to spend a leisurely lunch—super fritto misto and half-dollar size softshell crabs—Ducasse and I ordered the same thing – I asked the waiter [Kelly: I told you he was a discerning diner!]. An interesting fact is that lagoon seafood grows smaller than in the adriatic, so the smaller crabs, etc. are not “young”, just smaller
 
Do visit the islands
 
Do the private vaporetto from the airport to the hotel—feel like James Bond for a half-hour and so pleasant seeing Venice for the first time this way. [Kelly: I totally agree with Joe. My husband and I did this on our honeymoon in Venice and man did I feel like I had truly arrived. I’ll never forget that boat ride. Magnificent]

The Dolomites

Fantastic. Skiing felt much more relaxed and leisurely and the area is a Unesco World Heritage Site for the natural beauty. Another stand out is the rifugio which are ski cottages along the slopes and many of the best restaurants align themselves with them and offer special dishes—so much nicer than burgers/dogs.
 
Stay in the San Cassiano/Corvara area where there are a number of Michelin-starred restaurants. Corvara is 10 minutes away from San Cassiano. San Cassiano is a little quieter and Corvara has a bit more nightlife (still quiet). Ski the Sella Rhonda (wasn’t so bad)
 
Hotels/Restaurants:

Rosa Alpina (San Cassiano)—Great place to stay (Relais Chateaux property) with super service and food (St. Hubertus Restaurant – 2 star Michelin) – and Clooney stays here – what else is there to say? 😉 They really do make skiing hassle free – ski shop comes to you w/ equipment, they drive you right to the lift and you call for a pick-up – very easy).  They’ll also drive you to / from dinner, etc.
 
La Perla (Corvara)—We did not stay here, but supposed to be very good. We ate at the 1-star Michelin restaurant, La Stua de Michil, and really enjoyed it—maybe more than St. Hubertus—great rustic setting.
 
La Siriola—The 3rd of 3 michelin-starred restaurants at the Hotel Ciasa Salares. We almost stayed at the hotel, but picked Rosa Alpina—looks nice—didn’t eat at the restaurant
 
Must Do – get to Rifugio Lagazuoi (inn/restaurant with great views) via cable car (great views) and ski down the Armentarola Run—a hidden valley. It’s among massive stone outcrops above the tree line and eat a long lunch at Rifugio Scotoni (stone chalet) that serves grilled meats/polenta—good and fun!  When you get to the bottom, a horse drawn rope pull takes you back to civilization. [Kelly: I was already jealous of their trip to the Dolomites but now that I’ve read these tips, I’m doubly jealous!] 
Good article for the whole area covering much of what I’ve written about in Departures online magazine.