Venice Diaries III

Celebrated our third wedding anniversary with dinner at
Cassariano's, an "authentic Italian eatery" (a literal translation
of "Osteria") along with hordes inside and out, on Valentine's
Day. We now have 106 years of married life between the two
of us!

Explored the Venice Art Center, which is a working museum
and educational facility for recognized and would-be artists.
Venice also hosts a large community center, library, and
theater in buildings of contemporary Italian design. At the
theater, we saw "The Music Man," featuring a large, local
cast and experienced principals. Splendid production!

Friday, we were joined by Roger and Mariarosa Rockefeller
for lunch at the Cafe Venice, and an afternoon of family
reminiscences. Roger is Winston's younger brother. Both
he and his wife have become recognized artists. They want
to get Barbara painting again, as do I, and have invited us
to spend a day with them in Sarasota/Bradenton.

On Sunday after church, we became Jews for a day, along
with hundreds of others, by attending the annual food festival
at the Jewish Center. Lunch was authentic pastrami and rye
while listening to a klezmer band.

No trip is complete without a visit to a mall, in this case,
the Port Charlotte Towne Center. We had Macy's gift cards
from our trips. Lunch at a Ruby Tuesday, which I remembered
from 1993 when Mom and I reconnoitered Florida. We
were impressed then by being able to eat outside in February.
That didn't happen again until Siena in 2002.

Enjoying St. Mark's particularly. Shrove Tuesday pancake
supper, then the Ash Wednesday service today. Later in the
morning, authentic Stracciatella gelato at a shop in Venice
that has an Italian gelato maker. In Italy in the summer, you
have gelato at least once a day.

I am attaching Barbara's letter to her brother, Frank, for more
background. They are in Wellington, near Palm Beach. We
will probably drive over there some time on Alligator Alley.