Countdown to Christmas, Venice Style - Day 4

Ciao tutti! 

Grazie mille to all of you for reading and keeping up with my Countdown so far.  Please leave comments here, I would love to know what your feedback is. 

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the calendar I selected for today. I'd be very tempted to construct one of those for myself. Might have to tuck that idea into a folder for next year. Just maybe.  I love the vintage look of it, love the gold here and there. Gives it a little bit of glitz. 

And speaking of glitz, that's exactly what's behind door #4 today.  Come along with me, I'm going to take you on a little field trip, so I can show you what's behind the door at Cannaregio, #5182. 

We're visiting at the workshop of Mario Berta Battiloro, the last real producer of gold leaf left in Italy, and all of Europe for that matter. The Battiloro (literally gold beater) here is keeping the over 1,000 year old tradition of making gold leaf (and also silver and other minerals). The family craft began here in Venice in 1926, with this location opening in 1969. Today the whole operation is run by Marino Menegazzo, his wife (Mario Berta's daughter), their two daughters and 4 other staff. 

There is no machinery here. Every step is done exactly as it has for hundreds of years. Every bit of pounding of the gold until it is feather light and only microns thin is done completely by hand.  

 A series of heavy mallets are used to beat the gold, over and over and over again, until finally, Marino deems it perfect.

It is a fascinating process to watch, especially because nothing is automated. The gold, silver and other types of leaf produced here have been used all over Venice, and around the world on building projects, works of art, and even edible gold and now cosmetic products.

For me, being able to watch the work here at Mario Berta Battiloro was indeed like taking a step back in time. It's not often you meet an entire family so dedicated to preserving their craft. There's a bit of icing on the cake as well if you visit the Battiloro, because #5182 Cannaregio is also the home of another famous Venetian, Tiziano Vecellio, also known as Titian, one of Italy's most famous painters of the 1400's.  Walking in Titian's house gave me goosebumps. Seriously. 

For more information see the website www.berta-battiloro.com.  

Visits to the workshop are by appointment, for a small admission fee.

As Venice's population dwindles, artisans are forced to close their shops. Those that are left are a dying breed, unfortunately for all of us. I hope you will seek out these special doors next time you are in Venice, and treat yourself to a bit of the "other" Venice, the real Venice. 

I haven't forgotten the bonus -Link to Day 4 -Countdown to Christmas 2014. It's Babbo Natale !! 

Today's advent calendar is  from 2gypsygirls.com

Countdown to Christmas, Venice Style - Day 3

Ciao tutti!

I'm so excited about my choice for day #3 of the Venice Countdown to Christmas because there really and truly is some magic behind this door today, just as there is magic when you open the door to Roberto Comin's studio in Cannaregio.  Step inside and  you are in a fantasy world, a world full of whimsy and delight.  Roberto, a master craftsman, designs and creates puppets. 

Every part of the process, from the initial sketches to the final product, is done by Roberto and his family. They've been in business for 80 years, selling marionettes not only in Venice but worldwide.

Roberto invents a personality for each puppet which is reflected in the facial features and costume details. 

 If you visit Roberto's workshop, you'll find him bringing each of his characters to life for you as he demonstrates the mechanics of puppetry and introduces his cast of characters to you.

 

Yes, there are even Pinocchio's in Roberto's studio. He is, after all, quite a bit like the original Geppetto. 

You can find Roberto Comin's puppets in shops around Venice as well as on his website www.MarionettesinVenice.com. Roberto's studio is located at L'Isola di Pinocchio, Cannaregio 2417. It is possible to arrange visits to his workshop, details on the website. 

Most visitors to Venice see St. Mark's square, Rialto bridge, and the Grand Canal. If you take the time to  look behind closed doors, you will find some real treasures.  I hope my Countdown to Christmas Advent calendar will entice you to go seek out some of those doors. 


Last but not least - here's the link to Day 3 of my 2014 Countdown to Christmas. Chestnuts!  And I just saw some roasting over on Strada Nova in Cannaregio tonight!

Ciao tutti. A domani   (until tomorrow)


today's advent calendar from julegleder.blogspot.com

Countdown to Christmas- Italian Style! December 16

                                                                       photo courtesy megzimbeck.com

Can you believe it ? We're  already at Day 16 (seidici)!

Typically in Italy, the Christmas decorations are put up on December 8, which is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The presepe, holiday lights, Babbo Natale's and Christmas trees get set up in homes, shops and town centers. At our house, even though we had every intention of getting the tree up on December 8, it just didn't happen. Today, thankfully, the tree is up. In celebration of that, today on the Countdown I'm blogging about l'Albero di Natale or the Christmas tree.

Every year in Venice, a large tree is set up in St. Mark's square, and lights are turned on the evening of December 8.  Here's a photo of this year's tree.

St. Mark's is a magical place on a normal day. At Christmas time with thousands of twinkly lights lit not only on the tree but under the three colonnades that surround the square, it is particularly breathtaking.

I remember our first Christmas in Venice. We wondered what in the world people did for Christmas trees. We couldn't imagine where we could go to find a real tree, or better yet, carrying that tree back to an apartment in Venice. There certainly was no place to go cut down a tree. We ended up buying a fake tree in a box, then  carted that big box home on a handcart on the vaporetto, up and over a few bridges and into the apartment. That was the first fake tree I'd ever had in my life. I wasn't happy, but it was the most expedient solution.

You CAN get a real tree in Venice!  They aren't large, but they are real. Many come with the roots in pots even.  Just before December 8, you'll see a vendor set up shop near Ca D'Oro on the Strada Nuova in Cannaregio.  There's another vendor near the mercatino on the Lido, which is in the photo below.

You can see how small most of these trees are. On the bright side- they are real trees!

I even saw trees in the grocery store, for 11.99 Euros each, and have seen people putting these into the grocery trolley and wheeling them home.  It almost makes me want to buy one. Almost.  Then I start thinking about all that hauling and change my mind. I also think about what I'd have to do when it was time to take the tree down and get it out of the apartment. I'm sticking with the large, fake tree. (see below!)

Buon Natale !