Venezia if full of pleasant surprises, including individual artisans doing their special thing. I encountered the Studio of Marina de Grandis one night as we were randomly wandering around Venice. I told Erin, Jim, and Gayle that I would catch up after deciding that I wanted to go inside and explore further.
I ended up buying a small leather and metal necklace as a gift and wishing that I would have pulled the trigger on a neat little pochette that was calling my name in her window. When I returned to the US, I contacted her about that item and a cool camera bag that she makes for esteemed local photographer Marco Secchi.
These are times where I wish Paypal or another electronic payment service were more universally available. I ended up going the Iban wire transfer route, which costs a "bit" extra. Yet, the bags were expertly crafted (at her "laboratory" on Giudecca Island), delivered quickly, and easily represents one of the most unique memories of what Gayle and I consider to be a very special Italian vacation. read more