Fashionable Fridays, Gondoliers and PINK in Venice

 

Click play to get the whole experience. You will like it. So, do it!

I awoke today feeling wonderful and full of adventure so I after a coffee or 7 I ran to the front door to see if I might flag down a gondola. I have no idea if that’s how one does it here…treating them as if they are taxis… but I thought it was worth a try. To my luck or bad luck it turns out, there was one waiting right at the dock. I woke the man up and asked to be floated to the nearest cafe for a bite of breakfast. Of course I could have eaten at the palace but I wanted to mingle with all the lovely people of Venice and I know they wanted to see me! There was a most unfortunate accident, a bit of falling into the water, a bit of fabulous resuscitation and then a water ambulance…

Who knew ambulances floated?

This is the gorgeous hero who saved me,  Alphonso D’Poalo..although I certainly wasn’t even close to death when I peeked out an eye and saw him, I might have swooned a bit! Once I was revived and redressed, I asked him to float me to someplace wonderful….

A man who knows my heart…he took me shopping! I might have fallen just a bit in love with him. But, as savior as he was, I had to move on with the research I promised…

Before my morning went array, I thought I might feature what all the lovely men wear when they are gondoliering those boats. Turns out, they all wear almost the same thing and that THEY are the fashion. Oh my, they are all QUITE fashionable!

I decided to ask each one to take me to a different place on the Grand Canal….

The lovely man above took me here…

The colors and bridges of Venice are a feast for the eyes.

And this yummy man took me down…

 

several side canals that are linked to the Grand Canal.

You can see for yourself this gondolier made me think of all that is great and powerful in the universe…

He tool me to see Santa Maria della Salute Church.

Next up is the amazing Romanesque Fabio! He spent hours floating me around everywhere speaking only in Italian so I have no idea what he was actually saying but in my mind, we were one!

It is so mind settling to just be at one with the scenery…

For years the men of Venice have been navigating the waters of Venice and they have done it in impeccable style.

But…no time for too much relaxation! I jumped out of the boat just in time to see Fifi and Karl’s fashion show!  Karl always looks so…Karl.

His fashions are FAB! and so is his little stuffed dog!

 

It was a day of wonderful sights and fashions but it has all come to an end. As we were passing under one last bridge, many showed up to great me as we docked at the station! It was thrilling to see all my fans. But, a call from Fifi and…

I rushed back to the palace to pack because she and I are on the run again! That hot FBI man spotted us and is more determined than ever to catch us!

We jumped in the first gondola that floated by our front door…and it was PINK!

 

We floated by some lovely pink places that thankfully calmed Fifi…

and we raced to our…

…getaway! Wait…this can’t be right! This was not the plan!

This is more like it!

Our next destination? Florence…don’t tell anyone! Just show up to see more of our FUN!

For more Fashionable Friday, see Fifi!

For more PINK Saturday fun, see Beverly at How Sweet the Sound !

Fifi and Petunia Settle into Venice and take over…just a bit!

When I heard that the FBI was still after Fifi and I, I knew I had go travel incognito! Fortunately, I had packed the perfect outfit for that kind of escape. Don’t you just love the bulls eye on my face? I do love a bit of drama!

Who knew the FBI agent after us would be so…hot! I do hope he catches me before he catches up with Fifi. I will tell him I only speak the international language of love and cannot understand one single thing he is asking. That should work. Don’t you think so, too?

Dear friends of mine have opened up their little place to Fifi and I. Yes, it is quite lovely but even better than that? Imagine how well behaved ones house guests will be when they know if they get thrown out the front door they might drown! Oh, I do love Venice!

Today I am headed to see my friend, Arrigo.

On my way to see him I passed lovely tables set for…

a bite of anything tasty Venice might offer.

It seems that my destination is further than I thought so I found one beautiful Italian, Marzio, to help me out! He floated right…

to the front door of Harry’s Bar!

What a lovely reception I had! Everyone wanted to see me but most of all, my sweet friend Arrigo Cipriana, the owner of the bar! He was waiting for me with one of his famous drinks already made! You see, the Bellini was created at his bar…no wonder I adore him so much!

I thought to take a few pictures of the table settings but unfortunately, the only table dressings here are the beloved Bellini! I think they make up a perfect tablescape. Don’t you? After a lovely afternoon of fun and gossip with Arrigo, I set off in search of the perfect outfit to wear to Fifi’s fabulous gala ball!

I left the bar knowing exactly where I was going but then I realized Venice had trapped me in it’s maze and I was mercifully lost!

One of the lovely things about being lost is that one has the opportunity to see what one might otherwise miss because one does not even know to look for it.

It was a lovely lost, I must say!

I finally had to admit that I had made an unfixable detour and ask for help. A very nice man offered his services so I hopped in one of these boats and he rowed me back to civilization.

I was running out of time to find my perfect mask! Thankfully I came across a store that could help me and I walked out… with the most fabulous disguise one could ever find! I choice a pink motif in honor of our hostess.

I was all dressed and perfectly coiffed just in time for my escort to float up to our front door and join me at the party. Yes, my sweet gondolier from this morning was most thrilled to be on my arm for the ball. He looks so…words fail me…doesn't he? Oh, Italia is just so Italian!

Fifi’s ball was perfect and special just like she is! We danced and had much merriment well into the early hours of the night. Just as I was thinking the night couldn't be more special, Marzio suggested a midnight float around Venice…and then it was…more perfect.

Oh, my …*blush*

Just as the sun was coming up I finally found my way to my bed…did I mention once at all how fabulous all that is Venice is?

And if you were wondering? All the masks at the ball kept that hot little FBI man from discovering us but trust me, I had my eye on him all night. I think the FBI might be a FAB club to join!

I have done some research while here. Tomorrow I will introduce you to all that is Fashionably Friday and FABULOUS about gondolas. It was exhausting work but I did it all for you! You will thank me.

To see more Venice fun with Fifi and Petunia go see Fifi!

For more lovely tablescapes please visit Between Naps On The Porch!

(All images from Google images and Petunia does not know Arrigo Cipriana but if she ever gets to Venice, trust me, she will!)

Fifi and Petunia hold court in Italia…

 

Or does a court try to hold us? We shook off that nasty tail the FBI has on Fifi and thanks be to Leer made it safely to Verona! Of course, everyone here seems very thrilled  to see us. They either don’t care or don’t know that Fifi is a wanted woman.  Oh, I do adore Italy!

After awakening in my lovely little palace, I called up for a cup or five of these…

…as  jet lag can leave a girl so cranky and tired. But there is  no more time for sleep! I am the hostess of a lovely little luncheon today given in honor of Fifi and there is so much to see before then!

I wandered about the streets of Verona as I made my way to the cafe…

The town is a so cozy and beautiful…

 

Maybe this was Juliet's balcony! I wonder if I through my LONG extensions over the edge if a handsome Italian man might…hmm…that was another balcony in another story…

    It was a dizzying delight to look up and try to find the sky peaking down through the narrow streets. Each street is more amazing than the last…We turn one more corner and…

  we arrive at our lunch destination,  Trattoria orand Osteria. It is one of the loveliest places to dine in Verona.

The dining room is just divine and it is reserved just for us. Looks at all that wine. I see a little sip of something in my future! A lovely Italian salad is set for each of us…

Mmmm…and this lovely man is offering us all a taste of the fabulous white wine that is made in this part of Italy…a sip or two of Soave would be lovely with… some tasty Italian breads.

It is a must to eat as much bigoli noodles as possible when in Italy…these are home made, tossed with a light anchovy sauce and so delicious!

“In "La vecchia cucina eugubina" they say that this noodle is as thick as a stocking making wooden knitting needles.”

I have no idea what that means but it’s fun to know!

   A  gorgeous lemon strawberry parfait is served for dessert but…

I have the thought to head back out to the streets, grab some gelato and…

wander around the sidewalk kiosks…

or maybe find a cafe chair to rest in as I watch life and all the beautiful…people!  in Verona go by.

They really have found some interesting ways to get more use out of all the old buildings here. The Italians are truly brilliant!

Oh, no! A phone call from Fifi just now puts on us the run again! Our best idea is Venice! The streets are like a maze and we can run really fast! We will never be found there…

Off to Venice we go!

For some Outdoor Wednesday fun, please visit a Southern Daydreamer.

Pictures from Google Images

Today is Fifi Chooses a Topic for Fashionable Friday!

I have no more good ideas. None. At. All. I love blogging but when the ideas run dry I refuse to just throw up some stuff on a post and hit publish. In an effort to restart that creative engine, I asked Petunia’s BFF Fifi to give me an idea for a post. I told her it could be weird, strange, crazy or even normal. We all know Fifi did not choose normal! That would not be FUN, right?

Fifi and Petunia are about to head off for an Italian adventure. (You can read more about that here.) With that in mind, Fifi suggested I do a post on….Pasta Clothes! You may remember when Petunia showed up here and did a post of Fashionable Gardening Outfits and what a BIG hit that post was. But pasta? Who knew Fifi was not the only one to think of this!

And we might be turning this post topic game into a REAL blogging game so laugh as you will. It might be YOU next….!

I must confess I never listen to any blog music. As I travel around to my favorite blogs I always have the mute on. As hypocritical as this may sound, please start this video before you read on. It is part of my post assignment and should add to the atmosphere of our little noodle runway show!

Here we are in Venice…just image Fif and Petunia floating about on the canals and all their fans lining the the bridges to wave madly at them. Fifi sweetly waves back while Petunia sips a little something Venetian and flirts with the gondolier!

Our first stop is at the pasta factory that will very shortly turn out our new wardrobe!

First down the runway is a lovely and understated pasta headdress that perfectly accessorizes….

the every-girl-must-have little pasta black dress!

and then of course there is the pasta bag and…

sandals that that no girl worth her sauce can live without!

Need a few more things to round out your outfit? Well, we have that in stock, too.

First up…

A lovely gold ring that is not edible but looks like a long spaghetti noodle has been wound around your la la lovely finger…

Of course, not every girl wants to wear a noodle around her finger so we have some other excellent pieces for you to choose from as well!

All this noodle watching has made me hungry….

This little pizza purse looks like a FAB snack and a sip or two of a…

Strawberry Bellini should give us strength to carry all of our shopping bags filled with pasta clothes home from the show!

Just think, next time you are cooking up a pasta dinner, you might end up cooking up a new outfit, too!

For more FAB Fashionable Friday posts, visit Fifi!